Why Kashmir is Called Heaven on Earth

The valleys in Kashmir are nothing short of a painter’s dream. The valleys look like they have been plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Whether it is Gulmarg Pahalgam or Sonmarg every corner seems to whisper the tale of why Kashmir is called heaven on Earth.From trekking though the snow-capped peaks to indulging in a picturesque Shikara ride there is no end to the list of things to do in Kashmir.Nature has endowed Kashmir with implausible beauty and no other words in the entire universe can describe its charm better than this couplet of Amir Khusro. Universally acknowledged as “heaven of earth” Kashmir is resplendent with Chinar trees that turn the entire valley yellow and red as autumn arrives silver takes that turn gold in the light of dawn and the jewel-blue river that are souls of the ice-cold mountains.In the first half of the first millennium the Kashmir region became an important centre of Hinduism and later of Buddhism. During the 7th-14th centuries the region was ruled by a series of Hindu dynasties and Kashmir Shaivism arose. In 1320 Rinchan Shah became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir inaugurating the Kashmir sultanate. The region was part of the Mughal empire from 1586 to1751 and thereafter until 1820 of the Afghan Durani Empire.Kashmir is referred as a beauty spot of the medicinal and herbaceous flora in the Himalayas. Kashmir region is also home to rare species of animals many of which are protected by sanctuaries and reserves.All these issues are covered under 5 chapters of the book.