Places To Visit In Pahalgam
Aru (11Km)
A visit to Pahalgam usually includes a visit to Aru, a breathtaking, lush green meadow.
The scenic views on way to Aru are simply amazing with Lidder river running all along. One can take a halt enroute and picnic on the banks of the river.
Aru is the starting point for many treks. One can hire a pony to move around. Ponywallahs quote higher prices and one must check Govt. approved rates, stated on the boards there, and haggle accordingly.
Aru is accessible by road but to reach the meadow one has to take a short but steep walk up from the village.
The meadow is surrounded by lush green Deodar trees and offers scenic view of the mountains. Aru has dense vegetation and is said to have a number of wild animals like hanguls, leopards and bears.
Baisaran
Baisaran is a huge undulating and unspoilt meadow, surrounded by thickly wooded forests of pines and deodars.
One can trek up to Baisaran or hire a pony to reach there. One can also drive up to Baisaran though the gravelled track is not in a very good condition.
At Baisaran, one is approached by locals selling shawls, stoles and local handicrafts. (Caution: The sellers quote exorbitant prices. Bargain to get them down to reasonable price).
One can also get oneself clicked in the local Kashmiri attire. You can collect the photos from Pahalgam in an hour or so, on your way down. Few snacks and soft drink stalls are also located near this meadow.
Betaab Valley
Betaab valley is a beautiful valley named after a popular Bollywood movie ‘Betaab’ which was shot here.
One can reach the valley by car, by foot or by ponies. Betaab valley is a beautifully maintained large picnic area with Lidder River flowing right through it and majestic mountains forming the backdrop.
A paved walkway runs along the perimeter of the meadow and trees provide various shaded spots for visitors to picnic at. One can spend hours here if armed with enough food. One can simply walk around, sit for a while besides the river or just laze with a book!
Chandanwari (16 Km)
A famous picnic spot popular for snow sledging in winters, Chandanwari is the starting point for the Amarnath Yatra and is accessible by road.
Cabs can be hired from Pahalgam for a day-trip. Many take a-day-trek to this beautiful spot.
It’s a beautiful journey from Pahalgam to Chandanwari, with Lidder River flowing on one side and lofty mountains standing tall on the other.
Mamleshwar Temple (1.5 Km)
About 1.5 Km from Pahalgam, close to Kolehoi stream, stands tall the Mamleshwar temple.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Mamleshwar Temple is also known as Mamal Temple and is one of the oldest Hindu Temples in Kashmir. The temple figures in Hindu mythological stories and is visited by hordes of devotees during the summers.
As the legend goes, Lord Ganesha was asked to guard the door and not allow anyone inside the temple. Hence the name ‘Mam mal’ which means ‘Don’t go’.
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