Spring’s Sweet Awakening
We are at the threshold of the much-awaited season the Bahar, also known as Vasant in Hindi. The Spring. This season precedes the summer and follows the drab and uncomfortably cold winter of Kashmir, when the life is at a standstill. It also refers to rebirth, renewal, rejuvenation and regrowth. The change in temperatures towards warm causes new plants to grow, “Spring forth” giving the season its name.
For Kashmiri pandits it is heralded by a day called “Sonth” which coincided with the festival of Holi in mainland India this year. It augurs the arrival of the New Year “Navreh”, which follows it within a few weeks. As per the Hindu calendar it is on the first day of the bright half in the month of Chaitra (March- April). This year it will be on the 30th March very close to the Eid-ul Fitr towards the completion of the Ramadan fast. Interestingly it is also observed as a new year in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Goa (Gudi Padwa) and Manipur (Cheiroba). The Iranian or the Persian New Year Nawrouz also comes around this time and this year it is on March 20th. It is also a holy day for Zorasterians, Baha’is, and Isma’ili Shia Muslims.
Leaving aside the beginning of the year of several faiths around this time, this is also the time nature is at its best and the valley is painted with glamourous colours and blossoms on trees. Almond blossom is the first one to appear and declares the onset of the spring. The largest grove of the almond trees traditionally has been at the foot hills of Koh e Maran also known as Hari Parbat. The park has rich history behind it and has been there before the 14th century even before the rule of Sultan Zain ul Abdin. Moghul emperor Jahangir during his times (1605-1627) also participated in reviving this place. The place lay abandoned for a long period after the 1990’s period of militancy and turmoil. However, these days it is a very well-maintained garden in an area of around 300 Kanals and was revived by the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in 2008. There is a dome inside the park named after Pir Waris Shah, a Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet who must have been an admirer of this place with his poetic temperament.
It also has been a symbol of the composite Kashmir culture, unity, harmony and identity, when Hindu, Muslim and Sikh friends used to throng the place and have celebrations together. A few weeks after the almond blossom the valley gets full of a variety of beautiful flowers like yemburzal ( Narcissus) and sumbal (Hyacithus). The blossoms from different fruit trees like cherry, apricot, plum, peach, apple and pear are also a wonderful sight and fill the air with fragrance. The garden is now open for people to visit throughout the week and has a nominal entry fee. Around the same time the mustard fields present a spectacular view of bright yellow colour underneath a blue sky on the outskirts of the city of Srinagar.
Another breathtaking place which gets into bloom at this time of the year is the “Indira Gandhi memorial tulip garden”, which is the largest tulip garden of Asia and gets into full bloom around this time. It is situated on the foot hills of Zabarwan mountain, a multi-terraced garden known for more than 40 varieties of tulips. The garden also has various other flowers like daffodils, hyacinths, roses and many other ornamental plants. The garden was opened in 2007 with the aim of promoting floriculture and tourism in the Kashmir Valley. It was previously known as Siraj Bagh. [About 1.5 million tulips of various colours were brought from the world famous Keukenhof Tulip Garden in Amsterdam. In addition, there are 46 varieties of flowers here, including daffodils, hyacinths, and ranunculi’s, brought from Holland. The tulip garden has about 68 varieties of tulips. This garden is laid out on a sloping ground in a seven-tiered style. It is a perfect place for people coming from outside to spend their moments of joy. The place is very picturesque for those interested in photography to get memorable clicks. There are outlets for handicrafts and cuisine on the sides of the garden for visitors to shop and enjoy. This year it is slated to open on March the 23rd.
Spring also is the time when birds are seen chirping and singing on the tree tops coming out of their winter hideouts. Early morning is the best time listening to their melody. They can be seen rebuilding their nests. The snow on mountains starts melting and water levels in the springs, streams and rivers starts rising giving the typical murmuring musical sounds adding to the beauty of this season. The barren trees of winter start getting lush green leaves, while the bare winter ground gets covered with green grass which gives it a soothing and a glistening sight with wild flowers mingled in it.
It is also time for the migratory birds, the avian visitors to go back to their summer destinations of Siberia, China, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. These birds from the family of ducks, geese and coots after spending glorious time in the winter can be seen in flocks flying with their leader in front. Late Mr Salim Ali, an internationally famous ornithologist called Kashmir as the “heaven on earth for migratory birds”. These birds can be seen departing over the large water bodies like Dal and Wular lake during this period.
Spring time is a time everybody looks forward to in the valley. It is best described in the words of the Shayer e Kashmir Ghulam Ahmed Mahjoor:
Wande chali sheen gale bayi yee bahar
Winter will go, the snow will melt, and spring will return
It indicates new hope in a philosophical way about the spring, the better times after a dreary period
Prof Upendra Kaul, Founder Director Gauri Kaul Foundation
