The majesty of the mountains and admiration for our armed forces imprint themselves on the minds of a group of tourists
Dilnavaz Bhagwagar
Srinagar could just as well have been named Serene-nagar. So long as one did not watch television or read in the newspapers about the firing in Lal Chowk. For us, gliding in soundless shikaras with fanciful names like "Kashmir ki Kali” and "Dreamboat,” through lakes full of pink lotuses, was the ultimate Srinagar experience.
On our first evening, we meandered through a lotus filled lake in slow motion, waving to young, pink cheeked Kashmiri boys who were jumping into the lake from every overbridge to cool off. The little girls, already more shy, continued picking the lotus pods or waved back......