Come spring, come Srinagar beseeches you

“Gar firdaus, ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto” (If there is heaven on earth it is here, it is here, it is here), exclaimed Emperor Jahangir when he visited the valley. He must have surely sojourned during spring.

After the dreary and cold winter comes the refreshing spring, the emerald green -grass emerges from the melting snow, refreshed after a long wintry sleep. One look at the emerald green meadows is soothing to the eye and refreshing to the mind. Everywhere there is a riot of colour-the dancing daffodils, majestic tulips, and eye-catching irises, smiling pansies, the vibrant roses, and the lively dianthus. The dainty daisies and the dandelions are smiling through the ground. The pristine natural beauty of Srinagar, with its indulging landscape, gushing water springs, and misty air, gives one sense of peace. William Wordsworth’s poem comes to mind,

“I wandered lonely as a cloud,

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

 Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

 Fluttering and dancing in the breeze”.

Drooping willows and the young leaves of the poplar dancing to the orchestration of sun and wind takes one’s breath away. The majestic chinar trees swaying in unison are enchanting. The apple, almond, apricot, and cherry trees are bursting with blossoms adding charm to the magnum opus of the Supreme Being. Nature has woken up, refreshed after a long spell of cold winter with its rainbow colours. Birds and butterflies are cherishing the sparkle of spring and are out enjoying it. It is as if all the elements of nature are in play to complete the symphony of nature. The intoxicating fragrance of night flowers hangs low and heavy in the dense night air is blessings from above.

 This vibrancy of nature reflects in humans. They are joyous, relaxed, and in tune with nature. This cheerfulness is shared by young and old in their way. From morning walkers to joggers to people going to work or those enjoying the walks in the late afternoon sun, there is a sense of refreshment on their faces. 

 

The Jhelum River with Dal Lake and the beautiful Mughal gardens surrounded by the Zabarwan Range of the Himalayas with Shankracharya temple on a hilltop add to the jewels in the crown of Srinagar. The serene waters of the Dal Lake dotted with quaint houseboats, flowers laden shikaras is a sight to behold. Badamwari and Baisakhi mark the onset of spring. The festivals bring the people to the world-famous gardens along the Dal Lake.

Shalimar Bagh, created by Emperor Jahangir for his wife Noor Jahan, is a work a genius with its gardens laid out along the shady trees and fountains. The Nishat Bagh, planned by  Asaf Khan, is a spectacular garden around the Dal Lake.

Emperor Shah Jahan’s Chasmeshai Garden is a picturesque place with freshwater springs, fountains, layered gardens full of vibrant flowers. 

New era Tulip garden with rows and rows of brilliant tulips is a tourist spectacle.

 Cheerful people in the gardens remind one of the famous poet Rumi’s words, this outward spring and garden are a reflection of the inward garden. Srinagar truly is a sublime, resplendent city.

 

Spring, a season of hope and renewal, brings in the optimism of the return of peace to the valley. The guns and the gory bloodshed are not only against man but violate the tenets of bountiful and magnificent nature. The locals have renewed hope each year with the onset of spring that their lives will be free from brutality and filled with contentment.