Kashmir and Ladakh
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Kaiyan Bowl, Kashmir, India
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From Story photos
Kupwara the unexplored, Kashmir, India
Kupwara, a northern district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir is as virgin as it gets. Being very close to India’s most disputed border, Kupwara unfortunately ignites a lot of fear. But things are changing now. The place is studded with natural beauty and warm, hospitable locals minus the throngs of tourists. The tourism department of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is encouraging visitors to give this place a try. This is an idyllic summer scene in rural Kashmir. Wooden houses with tinned roofs surrounded by rice fields. And Himalayas over the horizon! In the lower valleys of the Himalayas, like the Kashmir valley, wood is abundant. The entire valley is actually a beautiful forest. A land so fertile, a saying goes, sow iron and you might just get an iron tree! Read full stories on : Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
From Story photos
Villages of Lolab valley, Kashmir, India
This is a typical summer time in the tiny villages in the beautiful Lolab Valley. Internal strife had kept it off the tourist map till recent. But now, it is waiting to receive people with warm hearts and open arms. Read full stories on : Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
From Story photos
Rolling fields of Lolab valley, Kashmir, India
Lolab, is a virgin valley in northern Kashmir near Kupwara. All shades of green, mysterious caves (folklore takes them all the way to Russia!) and warm hospitable people minus the throngs of tourists, Lolab has it all! Read full stories on : Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
From Story photos
Lolab Valley, Kashmir, India
From Story photos
India - Women from Kupwara, Lolab Valley, Kashmir
Women set out to start work in the fields. Firewood is still a major source of fuel in the houses in rural Kashmir. Women make several trips in the day collecting wood for daily use in the kitchen. Around August, they also start stocking wood for the winter months. Initially surprised at seeing us, they soon became pally and were amused that we wanted to click their pictures. But they were relaxed and actually enjoyed being photographed.
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Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
People of the valley: KashmirFrom Story photos
India - Kalaroos village folks, Lolab Valley, Kashmir
It’s very rare that a car of tourists drives by these village roads. And everybody is curiously peeping out of their windows!
Read full stories on :
Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
People of the valley: KashmirFrom Story photos
Rolling fields of Lolab valley, Kashmir, India
Lolab, is a virgin valley in northern Kashmir near Kupwara. All shades of green, mysterious caves (folklore takes them all the way to Russia!) and warm hospitable people minus the throngs of tourists, Lolab has it all! Read full stories on : Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
From Story photos
Khumriyal in Lolab Valley, Kashmir, India
The entire village came to visit us. Along with the staff they were all eager to cater to our needs. The kids wanted to play with us (and the camera!). The women particularly told us to let them know if we needed anything!
Back to PHOTO GALLERIESFrom Story photos
Girl from Lolab valley in Kashmir, India
Saw this girl entering her house, while walking around in the Lolab valley in Kashmir. When I took the camera out to take her picture, she stopped and posed. This is actually a pretty rare sight in Kashmir: A female with the head not covered!
Read full stories on :
Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
People of the valley: Kashmir
Kids of the hillsLolabKashmirIndiaportraitsandeepachetan
From Story photos
Lolab Valley, Kashmir, India
Happy days are here to stay
Read full stories on :
Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
People of the valley: KashmirFrom Story photos
Dal lake, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Dal Lake is a lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
From Story photos
Hazratbal Shrine, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Srinagar is the summer capital of the state of J&K. Hazratbal is its most important and also the biggest and the holiest shrine in Kashmir. The reason for its impotance is a holy box which the Muslims believe houses the hair of Prophet Mohammad. They throng here in large numbers especially on Fridays to offer Namaz. Its a beautiful structure in white, along the Dal Lake, surrounding which are old houses and markets of Srinagar.
Read full stories on :
Life and sights around Dal lake in Srinagar
People of the valley: Kashmir
Kids of the hills
Lolab Valley: Kashmir Unexplored
A day in Kokernag, KashmirFrom Story photos
Boulevard Road, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Srinagar is the summer capital of the state of J&K and Dal Lake is its most popular attraction. It provides tourist accommodation in the form of house boats, which are parked in the lake in huge numbers. The street along this section of the Dal Lake is known as the Boulevard street and makes for a pleasant walk in the evening in front of the sun setting into the lake.
Back to PHOTO GALLERIESFrom Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drung, Kashmir, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drung, Kashmir, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Gulmarg, Kashmir, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Gulmarg, Kashmir, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Gulmarg, Kashmir, India
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From Story photos
Gulmarg blooms, Kashmir, India
It was late July when we visited Gulmarg, and got a rare chance to see Gulmarg without the snow. The lush green meadows are covered with flowers and a variety of butterflies fluttering around them.
From Story photos
Aerial view of Srinagar, Kashmir, India
The view en route the Shankaracharya temple in Srinagar. This is the only spot from where you can take a picture. Shankaracharya temple affords excellent panoramic views of the entire city and its surroundings.
From Story photos
View from Zoji la, Kashmir, India
This is the view from Zoji la, the first mountain pass that leads the way from the lush green valleys of Kashmir to the cold desert of Ladakh. The tiny specks of settlement seen at the bottom are the tents at the base camp of Baltal. This is specially set up only during the Amarnath yatra. Read our story on Amarnath Yatra: Trek on a Pilgrimage.
Zoji laSrinagar Leh highwayKashmirIndialandscape
From Story photos
Zoji la, Kashmir, India
Zoji la, the pass that connects Srinagar to Ladakh. It starts right after Baltal and runs for around 13 km. It remains closed in the winter months, when it is covered in snow. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
Zoji laSrinagar Leh highwayKashmirIndialandscapeIndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
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From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
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From Story photos
Dras, Kargil, India
Dras was the town we chose to spend our first ever high altitude night in. It turned out to be so much more than just an “altitude acclimatisation” stopover on the way to Ladakh. Read more at Why visit Dras?.
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071553205Dcanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelẤn ĐộIndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Zoji la, the mountain pass on the Srinagar Leh highway, connecting Kashmir to Ladakh
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071553255Dcanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelẤn ĐộIndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071553665Dcanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelẤn ĐộIndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Kargil War Memorial, Dras, India
We highly recommend a visit to the Kargil War Memorial to everybody – not just Indians. It’s a humbling visit. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?.
From Story photos
Kargil War Memorial, India
25th and 26th of July, are celebrated as Vijay Diwas (Victory day) by the Indian Army, in honour of those who lost their lives in the KArgil war. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
From Story photos
Chatting with the kids at Dras, Kargil, India
They were from Srinagar, visiting their cousins in Dras. They all came over to chat with us. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
From Story photos
Zaibon Nissa from Dras, Kargil, India
Meet Zaibon Nissa, the smartest kid we have met in our travels. She asked us if we knew the language. When we answered negative, she decided to teach us some basics. She is till date, the only kid who has asked us if she could hold the camera. And taken a photo of us, making sure of getting the frame just as she wanted! Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071554845DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindeIndiaIndieIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071554855DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindeIndiaIndieIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071554875DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindeIndiaIndieIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
DRA2013071554885DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisdrassHindistanindeIndiaIndieIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Photograph by Chetan Karkhanis
Drass, Kargil, India
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From Story photos
Baby Anjum at Dras near Kargil, India
Anjum and her cousins were visitors to Dras, like us. They had come from Srinagar, to escape the heat, where the summer was at its peak. Read more of the kids we met at The kids of the hills….
DrasSrinagar Leh highwayKashmirIndiaportraitIndiaLadakh
From Story photos