pirpanjalrange

Gulmarg town is still a little way out though
by shankar s.

Here is a final selfie against the Avantipora temple ruins
by shankar s.

The distant snow capped mountains where this stream of snowmelt originates from
by shankar s.

The glacial stream provides interesting foreground to a river frozen in it's tracks in the background
by shankar s.

I was happy to see an apple orchard, sadly all those apples are fake
by shankar s.

Pleasing snowscape as we exit Sonmarg
by shankar s.

The mandatory selfie against the clock tower on Srinagar's Lal Chowk
by shankar s.

The main market street of Pahalgam town
by shankar s.

Looking back towards the outer shrine as two tourists prepare to ascend the steps
by shankar s.

Some repair and restoration work has been attempted in the Avantipora temple
by shankar s.

I later spotted a group on a Shikara buying something from another convenience store on the Dal Lake
by shankar s.

Beautiful Alpine scenery seen from a public park in Pahalgam, Kashmir
by shankar s.

Thinking back about the Sind (Sindh) river as we exit Sonmarg
by shankar s.

A cluster (flotilla?) of Shikaras so far from the shore
by shankar s.

Another pose by my friend in the ruins of the inner shrine of the Awantipora temple
by shankar s.

Signage for the market street is fixed across the street
by shankar s.

Looking over one of the dried fountains in Nishat Garden towards Dal Lake
by shankar s.

My host in Kashmir displays a traditional Kanger
by shankar s.

A rather large cafeteria across the waters on the Dal Lake
by shankar s.

We hit the main street in Pahalgam looking for a place to eat
by shankar s.

Ascending the steps to what was once the main sanctum sanctorum
by shankar s.

My host and friend strikes a pose on the shores of Dal Lake
by shankar s.

We climb on, leaving that town in the distance
by shankar s.

Just look at those luscious, beautiful red Tulips!
by shankar s.

Pleasing snowscape in Sonmarg, Kashmir
by shankar s.

Horses grazing on the slopes across the stream of snowmelt
by shankar s.

A local fruit vendor in the suburbs of Srinagar city
by shankar s.

My friend with his car- loved the fresh, clean air and traffic free road
by shankar s.

A sprinkling of tourists and the Himalayas towering over the Chashme Shahi Mughal Garden
by shankar s.

I was surprised at the number of houses along the slopes of the mountain
by shankar s.

A closer look at the Alpine village deep in the valley on the way to Gulmarg
by shankar s.

I had not seen a glacial stream before and was going overboard with the photographs!
by shankar s.

True fairy tale location for a large Kashmiri house!
by shankar s.

My friend's turn to pose next to the snowmelt stream as we enter Pahalgam
by shankar s.

Another public park on the opposite side of the street has an even better backdrop
by shankar s.

Closer view of the frozen glacial streams which feed the Sind (Sindh) river
by shankar s.

Once again my friend and host shows me an interesting pose
by shankar s.

Love this scene with the glacial stream, the trees and the mountains in the background
by shankar s.

Bit out of sequence, we drive along the Sind (Sindh) river into Sonmarg
by shankar s.

A selfie against the Mughal style wall in the Mughal Nishat Garden
by shankar s.

A picture of this snow capped mountain peak will not look out of place on the wrapper of a bar of chocolate!
by shankar s.

It was a sorry sight to see this once grand temple now in complete shambles
by shankar s.

Alpine scenery on the way to Gulmarg
by shankar s.

Local shepherds herd their flock of sheep
by shankar s.

My guide and our jeep driver show me Himalayan Birch bark, once used to write on
by shankar s.

A normally stationary houseboat out on a stroll
by shankar s.

The mustard farmer also sold apple juice and prepares to make some for us
by shankar s.

A selfie against what remains of the inner shrine at Avantipora
by shankar s.

Just the briefest of glimpses of snow capped peaks behind the typical Kashmiri houses in Srinagar
by shankar s.

Our road cuts through the snow and frost
by shankar s.

Snow on the mountain slopes with conifers
by shankar s.

The Char Chinar (four Chinar trees) landmark on Dal Lake
by shankar s.

I pose against what must have once been the top of a pillar
by shankar s.

Time to leave Avantipora now, this is an overview of the temple from the entrance path
by shankar s.

Signage at the entrance to the Avantipora Hindu temple ruins outside Srinagar
by shankar s.

All that is left of the Avantipora Hindu temple are bits and pieces of debris
by shankar s.

A French Fries shop- plop in the middle of Dal Lake
by shankar s.

Strange to see an electric tuk- tuk in the midst of all those cars in the valley
by shankar s.

Human settlements across the fast flowing stream of snowmelt
by shankar s.

There is still a long way to go to get to the snow capped mountain
by shankar s.