The Perfect Storm

“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.” 

-Frederick Douglass 

Humans don’t seem to understand the power of nature. We forget that we are small ant like creatures, when compared to the Universe, and yet we claim to be the Dominant. Humans think that they can become the new architects of the world; build a few a dams here, construct new factories to make some deadly products (in the name of development), consume, consume and consume more, deplete the earth of all its natural elements ,and think nature will cope. I think a perfect storm is just the right way to awaken human sensibilities (from God's point of view).

For most, a thunder storms could be a scary thing, but I enjoy God’s wrath. I find solace in thundering noises, rough winds and the magical colours nature paints on its canvas; the Universe. If you ever ask a Kashmiri about the weather there, you would get an analogous response, “Kashmir ka mausam aur biwi ka mood koi predict nahi kar sakta” (The weather of Kashmir and a wife’s mood can never be predicted). And I  actually realized the statement after I witnessed the perfect storm one evening in Srinagar.
 

I was sitting on the stairs of my houseboat after a nice warm bath and a long day sipping Kahwa and eating pakodas when the theatricals of the perfect fifteen minutes thunderstorm started.

The Calm Before the Storm

Rough Winds and a Drizzle - The Storm Approaches

 

The Perfect Thunderstorm - The dark clouds get closer to envelop the sun

Rain

Ray of Sunshine

Clouds and Rain Go Away

Pretense-Just Another Evening

Open Skies and Sunset

The End of Day

The Dawn of Night

 

Kashmiri Wazwan - What and Where to Eat in Kashmir!

The history of modern Kashmiri cuisine can be traced back to the fifteenth century invasion of India by  Timur, and the migration of 1700 skilled woodcarvers, weavers, architects, calligraphers and cooks from Samarkand to the valley of Kashmir. The descendants of these cooks, the Wazas, are the master chefs of Kashmir. The ultimate formal banquet in Kashmir is the royal Wazwan.



Artwork at a Restaurant in Kashmir

Kashmiris are heavy meat eaters and it is still the most notable ingredient in their cuisine. The quality of the local produce and layers of flavour (in any of gravy that you order) send your senses to a trip to heaven and back. The mutton in Kashmir is by far, the most succulent (and the best) I have ever had in India.

On the Shikara, Dal Lake:

Steaming Gushtaba on the Shikara

I would advise you to eat the gushtaba (soft meat balls served with soup) from a shikara. Do not forget to ask for all the three chutneys:

• The cucumber, red chilli powder and carrots
• Carrots and cucumber mixed in curd with some spice
• Chopped tomatoes mixed with some sauce, dahi and Kashmiri chilli powder

Chutneys Served with Gushtaba

Price: Rs. 150-200 (4 pieces)



Masal, Dal Lake Promenade:

On the Dal lake promenade, you will find a small temporary stall selling masal. It is ideally a Kashmiri version of bhel. A mix of chilli powder, sauced and chopped tomatoes are spread on a maida roti. They make a mixture of curd, carrot, cucumber and chickpeas and roll it into a wrap. It is simply a lip smacking healthy snack.

 Price: Rs. 40/- (for one wrap)

 

Shamyana (Dal Lake Promenade, Opposite Gate No. 2):

This is the best food joint in Srinagar. I would recommend any dish with mutton, mutton biryani, chicken biryani or the Kashmiri Wazwan (a Kashmiri food platter).

Price: Rs. 500 (for 2 people)

 

Sunset Boulevard (On the way to Shalimar Bagh):

This restaurant offers to you a wide variety of cuisine but I would only recommend eating Kashmiri food here. I recommend Rista, Rogan Josh and Dahiwal Korma along with a butter paratha for some dough with the gravy. Do not try the Momos!

Price: Rs. 600/- (for 2 people)

 

 

 

 

Lhasa (Dal Lake Promenade, Opposite Gate No. 9):

Lhasa Garden Restaurant

This restaurant serves lip smacking food. I would recommend you to sit in the garden area (the setting is made absolutely beautiful with a centre piece fountain). I recommend Rista, Chowmein and Rogan Josh.

Don’t order too much, as they are quite generous with their quantity.

Price: Rs. 400/- (for 2 people)

Mughal Darbar (Shervani Road)- Not Recommended

The Interiors of Mughal Darbar
 

 

This restaurant is the most recommended on all the ‘good food in Kashmir’ sites but it was a rather disappointing experience.

The Kashmiri Wazwan (its most recommended dish) was served cold. The food had a lot of oil. The meat was chewy and rubbery and the chicken served was raw. They did not have good sense of replacing the dish or even accepting the fact that it was raw in the first place.

The dishes are also highly priced compared to other restaurants.

Price: Rs. 650/- (for 2 people)

 

 

A Crash Course in Kashmiri Food (for non-vegetarians)

Kashmiri Wazwan

·        Rogan Josh: Red masala gravy with a smoky flavor with mutton/chicken

·        Dahiwal Korma: Curd cooked in masala with mutton/chicken



Kahwa

·        Rista: Minced mutton balls with red masala gravy (spicy)

·       Gushtaba: Soft meat balls served in gravy or boiled (similar to Rista but not spicy)

·       Kashmiri Wazwan: A platter of all the Kashmiri dishes

·       Tabak Maz: Fried goat ribs (not recommended, unless you like eating crispy fat)

·       Kahwa: A refreshing Kashmiri drink that includes namkeen tea, cinnamon and cardamom

 

 

Row the Shikara, Gently Down the Lake

      Srinagar's Dal Lake is an ethereal beauty that will never pass into nothingness.

As one approaches the Dal Lake, there are hundreds of colourful houseboats lined up like ducks in a row beckoning to tourists.

Houseboats in Dal Lake

A Carved Wooden Balcony of a Houseboat

Dal Lake is the most commercial tourist destination in Srinagar, but it promises you an unforgettable experience (trust me on this).The beauty of this lake is mesmerizing; it is surrounded by the white majestic mountains (Pir Panjal) on one side, and historic milestones like the Mughal Fort and the Shankaracharya Temple on the other.  

Pir Panjal Mountains overlooking Dal Lake

The Dal Lake is stretched along 15.5 kms. with a number of gates. These gates are shikara stops that help you reach the houseboat of your choice. The best way to enjoy the beauty of this place is to go for a sunset ‘cruise’ in the shikara.

The one hour shikara sunset tour covers the floating vegetable market, vegetable farms, Meena Bazaar and the Golden Lake.

Vegetable Farms in Dal Lake

 

Meena Bazaar

Dal Lake could also be called a floating ‘shopping mall’. You have your grocery vendor, a professional photographer trying to convince you to wear the Kashmiri dress and click pictures, jewellery dealers trying to sell you stones and artificial jewellery, and boatsmen selling the best (the very best) gushtabas (soft meat balls), sheikh kababs and kahwa (a refreshing and tasty Kashmiri drink)!


Boatman selling Kashmiri Food in the Lake

Don’t be surprised if the shikara boatman introduces you to the Golden lake while take a tour of the Dal Lake. As per a local Kashmiri, many years ago (during the Mughal times) anyone who looked down from the Shankaracharya temple (the temple overlooks the Golden lake) could see a bed of gold in that area of the lake. Many tried to get the gold but always ended up drowning or getting strangled by the water weed.  (Believe it or not!)

Golden Lake

As the sun sets, this lake pristine beauty comes to the fore as it sheds its commercial stance and reveals its true self. 

In the night, the houseboats light up like glow worms that reflect in the mirror-sheet of pristine water. My mind was lost in the antithesis of the moment; the bustling traffic of the tourists and the serenity of the lake.

Free Tips:

·       Don’t forget to bargain with the shikara boatmen, they will probably always charge you more than you need to pay.  

·       If you are an early riser you can visit the vegetable market (from 5 am to 7 am) in the shikara to get some of the best local produces like vegetables, fruits and spices.

·        Ask your houseboat owner to assign you a shikara or a small boat to pick you up from the gates.

·        Shopping in Dal Lake is more expensive than shopping from the promenade roadside shops or shops in Srinagar.

·       Kashmiri people love talking and are warm, friendly people who love to help. Don't mistake them to be inquisitive (although please do not indulge a personal or intense conversation).

Cost: Rs. 400/- to Rs. 600 for one hour in the shikara. The cost of the trip to the vegetable market early morning is around the same.