Kashmir is renowned for its stunning beauty, including its tall mountains, rivers, streams, and terrain. However, there is still much more to explore. I have been planning for a long time to go to the District Kishtiwar’s Marwa in Jammu and Kashmir. I finally started my trip on one fine day. I made a stop at my sister’s place to pick up my brother-in-law and my cousin. While going down through the zigzags of Naed Balan, the beautiful valley of ‘Wardwan’ was clearly visible, and we eventually arrived at the Initian pass. Along the way, we passed through hilly areas, a variety of lush green trees, and the upper reaches of Margan Valley (death valley), which were heavily shrouded in dense fog.
I had heard about Kavyard, 6 kilometres from Initian Point, which makes me think of Sunny Deol’s Betaab shooting in Pahalgam’s Haagan Valley. This gorgeous location is led by the sultry, lovely terrain that passes through the meadows, tiny towns of Chuidraman, etc. one person who is a teacher by profession has found ecotourism there and set up several tents on lovely greenery dotted with pine trees while the raging river roared past. A really stunning location. I approached some residents who were there to ask them about the location’s access to the internet. I asked them about the Digital India programme, and to my great amazement, they seemed to know nothing about it. There are no CSC centres, no WiFi networks, not even mobile connectivity.
When I questioned an elderly person about the neighbourhood, he said that Sheikh Abdullah had done nothing about it, but when I mentioned that Ghulam Nabi Azad was a native of the area, he remained silent. Another set of young people I played cricket with at Kavyard remarked that the ongoing regimes had put this region behind. And when I mentioned the previous PDP-BJP administration, they claimed that our former MLA Sunil Sharma had done little to improve the area’s access to the internet and roads. One of them claimed that if Mufti had still been alive, this area would have experienced significant growth in terms of tourism, digital and road accessibility. Meanwhile, Kavyard is a lovely location that leads to Sukhnai, a pass that connects to Kargil, and if one goes to the left, Sheshnaag in Pahalgam, but the steepness is so great that it will take longer to get there.
We later returned to Initian only to stay at “Baba Ka Dhaba.” Many individuals volunteered to host us in their homes, but I hesitated because I wanted to stay in a wooden-clocked room to get true hands-on experience. The following morning, while I was washing my face in cool water, the sun’s rays suddenly peaked through the clouds and touched my body. We headed for the Marwa Valley, 29 kilometres from Initian Pass, after having tea at the Dhaba. When we arrived, my companions declared they wanted to go to TataPani (hot water bath).
People visit TataPani to have a hot springs bath since it too has a fascinating history. We headed 13 kilometres away to Anneir from Marwa’s NawPachchi. I was astounded by the road’s poor state. In order to walk to TataPani springs, we parked our car at Anneir. We have already begun the walk, and I can hear an army soldier calling to register. I went to him and informed him that I had left my card in the car while carrying the two cards of my accomplices. When I asked, he responded very gently that I didn’t need to worry.
He invited me inside, where I saw Major Josh, a young, dashing officer who attended IIT and is highly interested in research. Major Josh is a Mechanical Engineer by training and is a vastly imaginative young man serving the nation. He handed me a glass of water and was overly kind with his words. He discussed studies and the direction the nation is on in terms of growth. When I questioned Josh about why he decided to join the army despite having so many prospects as a researcher, he said that there was nothing greater than this to serve the country. His will to serve at such a young age, especially in a region where cell connectivity and mobile internet are only distant fantasies, is admirable. Thoughts of losing out on daily reading might arise in his subconscious state. Perhaps they might have an emergency satellite link that might provide them with internet facility, but with limited internet access; however, the aura of unfettered mobile internet is something else entirely. Yes, but nation first! Major Josh! I left the place thinking that one must be resolute in accomplishing goals if they are to be remembered by coming generations.
Our journey to TattaPani halt, a 3-kilometre challenging hike from Anneir, is accompanied by stunning tall mountains, pine trees embedded in rocks, horses carrying maize, and a sweet breeze that reaches my heart just to make me sigh like in heaven. At a house-type restaurant, we secured our accommodation before departing for the hot springs. In contrast, I went to ShifaNag (Cure spring), which is directly opposite to hot springs. My companions had unusual showers in two hot springs. A makeshift stone bund (a little taller than a foot) separates the raging river from the chilled ShifaNag spring, which is filled with water that appears to have just melted snow. This spring’s water made my spine tremble while I bathed in it. While my accomplices were busy having strange baths in hot springs according to the “programme.” From the TataPani hot springs suburbs, one can view Nun and Kun Passes from the South Side too.
The proprietor of the restaurant was overly kind, so out of consideration for me, he gave me a room on the ground floor and some walnuts. The supper was so delectable that I could still taste it. It is evident that people of all faiths travel to these hot springs to take baths. Although I didn’t bathe in the hot springs, the majority and our predecessors are not in the wrong line too. Maybe someday, with the advancement of technology, this too will come to fore what lies behind these hot springs. As per the locals, the water of these springs has got medicinal properties, due to which people with skin ailments and rheumatic pains visit this place to take a bath for some time and get relieved of their ailments. The springs are also famous in Kashmir valley, so the people from the valley also visit this place in groups. They stay there for a couple of days to have a three-time bath in hot water springs. Some say that seven thousand years ago, during the times of the Mahabharata, the elder brother of Krishna, Balram came to the valley in the form of a sadhu and there happened something that led to the formation of Sheshnag and these two hot springs. With the advent of technology, time will disclose the mystery behind these springs.
The author can be mailed at: umer.iqbal@iust.ac.in