Am I falling in Love Again?

It is that terrific mix of elation, ecstasy, vitality, vivaciousness and fulfillment that has seeped in and brightened my mind and soul once more. Am I falling in love again? If I am, to fall in love, I had to rise to that altitude twice in as many weeks lately to get enchanted to that mind blowing panoramic extravaganza that encompasses the hill resort.

Located in lush green paradise of Kashmir, Rawalakot is a gem of a place. It is a wide valley with undulating landscape surrounded by mountains and forests. The tidal waves of differentiating shades and hues of green and auburn sweep the valley. There is variety of form and beauty manifested all along the gradually rising and falling contours. Vegetation is dense and the place is sparsely populated. Wooden huts and structures bearing colourful and bright-corrugated tin and asbestos sloping roofs lay at diverse angles and levels that form the tiny specks in between the exuberant growth.

The absorbing atmosphere of the place is accentuated by the fervor, warmth and hospitality of its spirited people. When it came to the destruction caused by the earthquake, the district headquarter situated at an elevation of nearly 5500 ft ASL was no exception. In spite of heavy loss to life and property and the town on its course to rebuilding, the natives welcome the tourists and guests with open arms.

Massive loss to the existing infrastructure caused depletion of available tourism options. However, there is at least one good hotel and a number of guest houses that have popped up and afford good accommodation if you are not looking for camping.

One of the key features is the easy accessibility of the town. Thanks to the construction of the road and establishment of shorter link, the distance between Rawalakot and Rawalpindi has now been reduced to 110Kms. The widened but winding road laid along the gradual grade enables a car to approach the city in two and a half to three hours from Rawalpindi and Federal Capital.

Blending of diverse topography adds to the magical charm of the place. Banjosa, situated at mere18 kms from Rawalakot along the highway, is one of the most mesmerizing lakes of the country. The glistening sheet of static water that lies amidst lush green pine covered slopes shelving into the aquifer from all directions reflect the picturesque landscape surrounding the lake. Lovely weather, fresh and fragrance laden wind enhances the captivating aura. During the extreme winters the lake drapes itself in the snow cover rendering a different colour to its amazing environs.

Despite being accessible throughout the year and exhibiting immense potential for tourism, the accommodation and recreational options are almost non-existent. There are a few rest houses and a rustic restaurant that are operational. Even the essentials like public toilets are a luxury. There is a lot of government land available and only a meager investment would trigger huge returns and generate considerable value and attraction for the visitors.

Majestic peak of Toli Pir lends another dimension to the diversity and exuberance of the place. It is the highest mountain that overlooks Rawalakot and vicinity, Abbass Pur and parts of district Bagh from an elevation of a couple of hundred feet above 9000 ft. A narrow but carpeted serpenting road, closed for most of the winter, leads almost to the incredibly fascinating top. The façade of the fabulous mountain resembles that of Miran Jani and the quaint beauty it depicts, although unique, has the same flare as that of Thandiani and now inaccessible and deserted Malam Jaba. Luxurious forest cover along the relatively lower altitudes indents into the smooth flowing gradual slopes near the top. Perched on the summit is a stone arena known to have some interesting historical background. The peak presents an amazing aerial view of the foothills, forests, river,streams and valleys. However, to get to the top one has to trek through an ascending path for 30 – 40 minutes that connects peak to the terminal point of the road. A kaleidoscope of amalgamating colours, outlines and profiles is exposed during the walk along the skyline.

Following the earthquake, the economy of the entire area is in shambles. Nevertheless, proximity to the major urban centers and accessibility is the key to the revival. The sublime beauty and exquisite charm of the land makes it one of the most potential areas for development into a mainstream tourism hub. If only the things and processes can be streamlined and some earnest but sincere and focused effort is put in with minimal of resources………

For I am such a geek that I wouldn’t know how to attach more than one pic in my ilog unless some of you help me out, I am providing the link to some of the wonderful pics available on the web.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Rawalakot