Suraj Saraf Compiled By Amiay Saraf
The lush green cup-shaped meadow of Sanasar surrounded on all sides by the thick bands of lofty conifers on mountain slopes is among the most enchanting tourist spots. At an altitude of about 7,000 feet, the fair weather raod to it lead from the main Jammu-Srinagar highway from the picturesque glade of Patni Top, nearly seventy miles from Jammu city.With a cool and invigorating breeze always rustling through the giant trees, abounding in purling brooks and cascades, multi-hued redolent flower carpets, birds trilling ditties and darting from one tree to the other, present a vista of breath-taking when a visitor plying though the dense forest lane, all at once emerges in the wide open meadow to be in that little heaven. Every turn of the zig-zag path opens a new panorama of grandeur of the dense forests and rugged mountain and one feels as if looking through a kaleidoscopic. The alluring valley of Sanasar has a circumference of about four or five miles with its main central meadow and numerous glades, undulating lush field and attractive mountain spots, which are fascinating for short excursion. Tired of the busy and exacting urban life and away from the oppressive heat, one can rest one’s soul in the soothing calm of that idyll during the summer seasons. The Gaddis and the Gujjars also arrive there with their large of cattle and sheep and add to the charms of the place with the captivating tunes of their flutes and melodious lifting songs reverberating in the colourful valley. Patnitop where the road to Srinagar branches off is itself a charming table-land at an altitude of about 64,000 feet. This spots has been selected by the State Tourism Department as the nucleus for the development of a wide tourist complex including Sanasar,Kud,Batote and Sudh Mahadev. Some huts have been already put up there by the Tourism Department and more are being constructed. It has a rest house and a hotel too. With its luxuriant forest growth and attractive location Patni Top offers a great attraction for tourist. Short picnics from there can be managed to several beauty spots. More study tourist could spackle to bewitching meadows and pastures at greater heights Shiv GArh at an altitude of about 10,000 feet fascinates tough hikers. It is about seven miles from Patni Top.
In Both Kud and Batote (latter also known as the “Queen of Jammu Hills”), besides the government building there are large number of private building and huts dotted far and wide over wooden hill slopes. “ Swami ki Bauli” in a thick alcove about a mile above Kud, “Amrit Chashma” about a mile and a half from Batote and Lal Chashma at Sanasar are big gushing springs of ice-cold sweet reputed to have medicinal properties.
Pathora and Kaslah are two other attractive sites nearly a charming panorama. Kud and Batote, two hill station on the national highway are only 4 and 7 miles respectively from Patni Top. These two sites and other mentioned above are all interlinked by good bridal paths passing through wooded lanes and fascinating scenery. In Both Kud and Batote (latter also known as the “Queen of Jammu Hills”), besides the government building there are large number of private building and huts dotted far and wide over wooden hill slopes. “ Swami ki Bauli” in a thick alcove about a mile above Kud, “Amrit Chashma” about a mile and a half from Batote and Lal Chashma at Sanasar are big gushing springs of ice-cold sweet reputed to have medicinal properties. During summer months in these mountain several bewitching night dance festival known as “Kud” are also held.
(Article originally written by Late Suraj Saraf has been compiled by Amiay Saraf from Jammu.Views are his own) [email protected]
