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Kashmir
‘Paradise on Earth’ where they journeyed across the hot plains of
India, to the valley’s cool environs in summer. Here they laid,
with great love and care, Srinagar’s many formal, waterfront
gardens, now collectively known as the Mughal Gardens.
Anecdotes of four and five centuries ago describe their love for
these gardens, and the rivalries that centered around their
ownership. They also patronized the development of art & craft
among the people of Kashmir, leaving behind a heritage of
exquisite artisanship among these people and making the
handicrafts of the land prized gifts all over the world.
Kashmir
has four distinct seasons, each with its own peculiar character
and distinctive charm. These are spring, summer, autumn and
winter.
Spring, which extends roughly from March to early May, is
when a million blossoms carpet the ground. The weather during this
time can be gloriously pleasant at 23oC or chilly and
windy at 6oC. This is the season when Srinagar
experiences rains, but the showers are brief.
Summer extends from May until the end of August. Light
woollens may be required to wear out of Srinagar. In higher
altitudes night temperatures drop slightly. Srinagar at this time
experiences day temperatures of between 25oC and 35oC.
At this time, the whole valley is a mosaic of varying shades of
green - rice fields, meadows, trees, etc. and Srinagar with its
lakes and waterways is a heaven after the scorching heat of the
Indian plains
The
onset of autumn, perhaps Kashmir's loveliest season,
is towards September, when green turns to gold and then to russet
and red. The highest day temperatures in September are around 23oC
and night temperatures dip to 10oC by October, and
further drop by November, when heavy woollens are essential |
