Winter Postcards from Kashmir! #bestof2018

Tripoto
7th Nov 2018
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir! #bestof2018 by Rajarshi Mitra

I just came back from a trip to Kashmir and i have a rad photo-story to share with you all. If you are in real hurry this is where you scroll down and get to the good part, or if you gotta minute then you can keep reading...

It was snowing heavily in the valley, reported the local news channels and it was barely the first weekend of November (2018)! Kashmir, was experiencing an early snowfall after a couple of decades! Kashmir TV hardly looks pretty but this time it was a wonderland and the gypsy soul inside me simply couldn't resist. I had to book the next flight to Srinagar (that I could afford), and in less than 72 hrs. I was there!

Ohh! the thrill! Next few days, explored places like: Srinagar | Sonmarg | Gulmarg | Pahalgam | Ananatnag | Daksum

And I don't regret one bit paying for the freakishly expensive tickets as the trip turned out to be epic! Witnessed some jaw-dropping landscapes, took some photos, tasted some great local dishes, met some amazing people and learned how to ski (okay the basics)!

Anyway, I hope am not boring you all, tad excited! Not a pro-blogger but I do take photos and mostly landscapes. So, taaa - daaa... Presenting to you all the "Winter Postcards from Kashmir"

Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 1/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
"Dariya-e-Sindh" making it's way through the valley in a freezing early-winter morning. Can you hear the cold rush?
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 2/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
When you want to wake up early on mornings like these, you shouldn't allow yourself to reason with yourself! Did that even make sense?
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 3/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
A moment of absolute stillness... I stood there for a while, soaking in the cold mountain breeze. Witnessing the sun disappear behind the blue mountain peaks, I almost forgot my existence! The eerie silence somehow drowned me!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 4/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
As the wind picked up, the fresh snow created a lovely haze around the ski resorts of Gulmarg!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 5/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
A partly frozen lake, treeline dotted with fresh snow and the setting sun. Things usually don't get better than this!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 6/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
They say bad weather makes good photos and even better stories! I wish i could pen down all that i felt in that moment. It was absolute bliss!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 7/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
Was trying to head back to Pahalgam from Chandanwadi before it got dark. The slippery roads did give a few scares! But the slow-moving traffic also gave me enough time to take advantage of the fading light!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 8/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
A local Kashmiri middle-aged man quickly puts on his rain cover over the traditional "Phiran" as it started to snow again! The wet winding roads, kinda adds to the whole drama!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 9/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
Only nature can be such carelessly beautiful!
Photo of Winter Postcards from Kashmir!  #bestof2018 10/10 by Rajarshi Mitra
Was chilling (quite literally, it snowed the previous day) out on the porch of my house-boat, sipping hot qahwah. Looking for a moment of inspiration and then, this happened. Dal Lake dreams!

Hope you all enjoyed the series! I surely had a blast shooting it. Kashmir was such a wild ride (and in a good way). Let me tell you this, it's pretty safe out there for the tourists. So, go ahead and stop postponing your Kashmir trip. I had to snap myself out of the dream and come back to reality...

Until the next adventures! Your's truly @the.photoguy