“Kashmir, with its superb climate and charming scenery, and with its measureless appeal, enjoys a world wide fame. This happy region seems peculiarly sequestered by Nature for her abode. It is situated a midst an amphi-theatre of mountains shimmering with snow, being surmounted by sharp pyramidal peaks cut like cameos against the luminous sky - mountains cleaving the swooning clouds and “standing up majestically like the thrones of Kings” which while the sun shines are glistening with radiance and are turned into gorgeous and enchanting visions of impalpable glittering light. Here from the clear-cut summits of the mountains, the white incense of the snow rises up to heaven in luminous spirals and fleeting pillars of loveliness like an offering to the immortal gods, while the breeze kissing them descends to the valley, breathing vigour and making one’s blood course with an ardent vitality .Here the hills around afford one a wonderful view of the valley as it stretches out in a vast checker - board of fields and farmsteads. Here are interminable woods heavy with an impenetrable shade and resonant music of birds.

“Here the soft velvety meadows , starred with gracious things called Daisies, Pansies, Kingcups and Buttercups makes splashes of gorgeous colour in contrast with the pretty emerald green of the mounts and dales. Here the “broad – bosomed Jhelum takes its rise and wends its stately way” being joined by numerous rivulets resplendent with the sparkle of their swift descent from snowy heights, swirling and foaming past landscapes covered with lucent verdure, aromatic herbs ,luxuriant flowers and green feathery trees laden with purple delicious fruits. Here vast glowing corn-fields groves of plane-trees and avenues of poplars.

Kashmir Landscape, Gulmarg

And willows - alive with nightingales and other singing birds pouring forth their sweet melodious notes - herald plenty and peace.

“Here are lakes, blue and tranquil like plates of sapphire, or like blue mirrors reflecting hoary cloud - wrapt mountains with all their splendour and glory. Here are singularly fine orchards, ornamented with grottos and bright with the blossom of roses and lilies and a multitude of other scented and lovely flowers in ordered rows or beds, gleaming across the springs and ponds of pure, transparent and cool water and running silvery streams which the skill and taste of man have made to play musically through fountains and to fall sweetly in cascades, imparting a great feeling of rapturous, joyous life and conveying a message, bidding one say and loiter and lounge and saunter about and wonder.

Haramukh peaks from Gulmarg heights

Here in pleasantly clear and vivid light every house, wall and balcony, wrapt in balmy soothing air, is a picture fresh from Nature’ easel. In short, this Happy Valley is land of Vistas , so lavish in its prospects and surpassing interest and beauty - a land where wonderful contrasts and amazing variety can be seen- a land of utmost miracles of bountiful Nature.”
- Pandit Anand Kaul.