Ajaz Ahmad Mir
The name of this beautiful picnic spot has already been mentioned in one of my articles, “Narastan and Its Famous Places.” It is a beautiful meadow locally known as Howilpather. It is one of the most beautiful places in the upper regions of Narastan. There are two ways to reach this famous tourist spot. One route passes through the Rayildreed Forest via Gurkhan Hills, while the other leads through the Kanshinaad Forest. It takes almost two hours to reach this spot from Narastan village. The meadow is approximately 8 kilometers from Wantinar. It is a beautiful and well-known place, especially for trekkers, who want to enjoy the journey and carry unforgettable memories in their hearts forever. While leaving from Wantinard (Narastan), one has to travel on foot because road facilities are not available from Wantinar Mohalla. One has to take a left turn towards the Kanshinaad Forest and pass through this beautiful woodland. After crossing this forest, one reaches another beautiful forest at the top, known as the Gudalove Forest, which resembles the Amazon rainforest in its dense greenery.
After crossing this forest, one finally reaches the beautiful meadow of Howilpather, a famous tourist destination in our area. It is a verdant place with lush greenery and a charming plain landscape. In this meadow, one can witness various beautiful sights. Butterflies can be seen sipping nectar from flowers. The beauty of this meadow during summer is unmatched. My memories hold many images of this special place. Snow-covered mountains rise high, touching the skies and forming a magnificent backdrop to the meadow.This meadow is also home to many tribes who come here during the summer season with their livestock for grazing.
“The Aripal Tehsil meadow offers a breathtaking, sky-high panoramic view that provides a soul-rejuvenating sense of peace and freedom.”
On the northern side of the meadow lies Peer Panchal Top, while the southern side is covered by a dense forest known as Badnard Forest. To the east lie the Gurkhan Hills, and to the west is the Yade-Patt Forest, so named because it stands like a wall with tall pine trees. On the north-western side lies a famous meadow called Tramsaykh Meadow, with Badwass Hill located at the bottom of Tramsaykh Meadow. There are different kinds of flowers with rich, charming, and heart-captivating colors found in this meadow.
There is also a variety of shrubs locally known as “Wathour” in the Kashmiri language ( It is a type of brown- colored vegetation spread over a large area, making it very difficult to walk through). I still remember my childhood memories connected with this meadow when I visited it for the first time with my grandfather. From the top of this meadow, one can witness a panoramic view of the entire Aripal Tehsil. One feels as if they have almost touched the sky and are flying with birds above the mountains. In a nutshell, based on my personal experience, spending time in this meadow rejuvenates the soul and provides immense pleasure and peace.
(The author is a freelancer. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
