Kashmir is a magnificent land of lakes which are surrounded by breathtaking views of snowy ornaments of hills. In terms of fruits and various flowers, the land is abundantly blessed by nature. Kashmir’s beauty is enhanced by snow under the curtain of winter. The valley is not merely popular as tourist destination but it is also famous for the sports activities and film industries. The rivers, snowy mountains with their beautiful green forests, provide a memorable experience in everyone’s life. This is one of the reasons why lakhs of tourists travel to this destination every year. The most picturesque spots in Kashmir are Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sounmarg, Yousmarg, and Gurez especially.
As for as my experience is concerned, I went up to Gurez, where I found marvellous scenic beauties with serene water flowing from the bewitching snow-capped mountains. The valley was previously off – a limit to travellers, but it has now been added to Kashmir’s tourist map. Although, the valley of Gurez was unknown to the outside tourists yet it remained the marvellous beauty to the locals of Kashmir throughout all these years. The very beautiful land had not been explored upon the map but recently the inclusion on the map made it a new type of discovery for the tourists. However, apart from these beautiful sights, Gurez is one of the perfect gateway for the tourists who will appreciate the splendour scenic beauty of Kashmir, ‘A Place of heavenly Beauties’. Gurez valley is at a distance of 86 km from Bandipora and 123 km from Srinagar in north Kashmir. Gurez valley nestled between towering snow-capped mountains is a heaven of peaceful simplicity and pure natural beauty. It has a distinct culture that will attract you all the way from Bandipora to Dawar. Gurez Valley is the kind of place that is absolutely breathtaking, offering tourists a treasure of natural beauty to discover and explore. This significant part of the earth remains unexplored and unknown to tourists and travellers. Lakhs of tourists visit Kashmir each year to enjoy the beauty of Kashmir but the majority of them miss this famous health resort. The snowfall is comparable to that of Pahalgam, and Sounmarg, but because of its remoteness and negligence, the Gurez tourism sector is yet to develop. In summer, tourists even ignore to visit Gurez due to bad road conditions, shortage of hotels, and very few cellular towers, even they received only seven hours’ electricity through installed generators. Gurez is also well-known for the production of Zeera, potatoes, and Rajma.
Gurez is a calm place, and the people who are resided there are recognized for their kind welcome. Gurez is just as marvellous in the winter as it is in the summer. The valley resembles Switzerland with its heavy blanket of snow, flowing water of the Kishanganga river, snow-capped mountains, white-coated trees, and stunning meadows. The alpine trees, snowy mountains and the Peer Baba shrine all greeting the visitors. After travelling through the Razdan top, the rooftops of hamlet Kanzalwan reflect the culture and tradition of the valley. The towering and picturesque Habba Khatoon mountain is the soul and heavenly abode of Dawar, where the water flows at the edge of the mountain blesses visitors to the Gurez valley. The valley remains cut off from the rest of the world for at least six months due to heavy snowfall at Razdan top, Dawar, and Tulail. However, from December to April the only way to visit there is by helicopter; using the heli journey adds new wings of joy to the visitors. During these months, the entire valley is covered by the blankets of snow, it seems that a newly married woman has decorated herself with white garments. It attracted lodges the lasting joy into those hearts of men who have a real sense of beauty and attraction towards nature.
I visited the place and through the real experience from my heart, I can urge everyone to visit and get the proof of innocence into the locale of Gurez valley. During the visit, I talked to some villagers. They told me that the average snowfall is up to ten feet during winters. They added the coniferous trees seemed the huge snowy giants under the snow. Although concrete houses may not last long in the harsh weather, all the inhabitants of the Gurez had conventionally built their homes of wood. According to the locals, they can survive within severe cold while living in wooden houses. For the convenience of tourists, there are well-built Dak Bungalows, a tourist reception centre, as well as restaurants and hotels. The people of Gurez are the most friendly and gentle, with bright smiles on their faces. I recommend all the nature lovers to visit Gurez at least once in their lives; it will be a life-changing experience for them.

Author is Research Scholar in English Literature

Email:---firdousrashid08@gmail.com