It is rightly said that Kashmir is heaven on earth. It is one of the most alluring places on earth & it really is one of the masterpieces that Allah the almighty has created. Right from the vivid mountains ,lush green forests, green pastures to gushing rivers & springs, the vale of Kashmir has been enriched by the nature with extreme beauty & grace. When looking at this precious & marvellous beauty of Kashmir, it feels like as if a slice of heaven has descended to this world. For this reason, Amir Khusro one of the greatest poets of all time popularly known as Tuti-e-Hind (Parrot of India) said a beautiful couplet in Persian which was later in the 17th century rehashed by the Mughal emperor Jahangir when he saw the beauty of Kashmir." Agar Firdous Bar Roo-e-Zameen Ast,Hameen Ast-o Hameen Ast-o Hameen Ast-o". Meaning, if there happens to be a heaven on earth ,it is this, it is this ,it is this.
The green emeralds here, the beautiful valleys swayed with flowers, the enchanting springs & lakes unclasped in the beauty of mountains & the rapturous sights of seasons, oblige ,this valley to be called as paradise on earth. Consequently, every year millions of tourists across the globe come to visit Kashmir. And whoever visits Kashmir once, is captivated by its beauty to the extent that he wants to visit here time and again. According to the officials, over 12.5 lakh tourists have so far visited Kashmir and going by the present trend, the year 2024 is likely to break all previous records .Kashmir has a multifarious tourist spots to visit. If it is not possible to cover them all due to the time & space constraint but here are some top-notch places to visit in Kashmir.

Srinagar-The Summer Capital

Known as the "Venice of the East", as well as the "Nucleus of Kashmir”. It is the heart of the Kashmir valley & preserves the imprints of the Mughals. A variety of tourist spots are found in & around the Srinagar including the famous Mughal gardens-Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Naseem Bagh & Chesma Shahi,Hari Parbat fort ,Dal-Lake, Nigeen lake, Pari Mahal, Dargah Hazratbal, Tulip Garden etc. Srinagar is indeed a travellers paradise.

Gulmarg-The winter wonderland

Gulmarg-the meadow of flowers is a world famous tourist place in the Baramulla district of Kashmir. Known for unparallel beauty, surrounded by dense forests & is the heartland of winter sports in India. Besides being one of best ski resorts in Asia & having one of the highest cable cars(Gulmarg Gondola) in the world.

Sonarmarg- The Golden Meadow

Located at the banks of river Sindh in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir, Sonamarg is a spot of captivating beauty. In its vicinity lie the great Himalayan glaciers viz ,Machoi glacier & Thajiwas glacier with Gadsar & Satsar lakes on its periphery. It is also famous for Amarnath cave, Zojila pass & the Baltal valley.

Pahalgam-The Valley of Shepherds

Located on the banks of river Lidder,45 km away from Anantnag district of Kashmir & serves as a base camp of Amarnath Yatra. Famous for Golf course, the place is an angler's delight. Kolahi glacier is a famous spot via Aru a charming meadow. It also has got Baisaran Valley,Betab valley ,A Zoo and an amusement park.
5. Wular Lake-The Largest fresh water lake in Asia.
Situated on the foothills of Harmukh mountain in Bandipora district of Kashmir. The Wular lake- designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention is a famous attraction,45 kms from Srinagar . A small island called Zaina lake constructed by Sultan Zain-ul-Abideen lies in the centre of the Lake . Home to large number of migratory birds, bird watchers throng the area to catch glimpses of unique birds
.Others include, Yusmarg in Budgam district known as meadow of Jesus situated at the bank of Dood Ganga river, Aharbal waterfall in the Kulgam district also called as Niagara falls of Kashmir, Verinag & Kokernag in Anantnag, Mansbal lake (deepest in Asia) in Safapora area of Ganderbal district, historic Jamia Masjid etc.
In a nutshell, these places are only some of the various eye-opening spots in Kashmir. The mountain ,the rivers ,the lakes, the forests ,the valleys ,everything about Kashmir is fathomlessly gorgeous hence Kashmir is a slice of heaven on earth.

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