Show KASHMIR VALE FULL OF CHARM Sri Is a lovely place for a vacation prepared by national ge abio society D service S WARM weather approaches athe AS the vale of kashmir one of the famous garden spots of the world beckons to the vaca zionists of india its wooded hillsides hill sides don a new green is reflected in the clear blue placid streams of the valley and houseboats are put in order for a busy season the vale of kashmir lies among the lower himalayas north of the indian punjab one reaches Sri the summer capital of the native state known as the domain of the maharaja of jambu and kashmir over a long route by rail and motor from bombay one travels northward by train via delhi and lahore to one of the chief army posts of british idla there the way to beauty opens almost at once on leaving di the motor road beings to climb up find and up through the deodar dejdar clad slopes of the lower mountain the road twists and turns the heated air of the plains grows cool and invigorating until when travelers make their first overnight stop at tret they feel captivated by a joyous holiday spirit everything seems amusing and interesting te ruffled bunkas swing from the ceiling though you may have no need of them your deft and turbaned servants patter barefooted about the rooms unrolling your bedding on the stran stringed ed charp the fairly comfortable beds of india even the not too bad food served by the bungalow coolis a matter for hungry jest lovely lovely world with a summer of kashmir ahead native chauffeurs are speedy the road from to arina gar Is a well built motor road some miles long and it lies through the mountains north of the pir enss snowy peaks rise high above you the rushing waters of icy streams chatter noisily below hairpin turns in the road make you catch your breath and curl your toes for the ways of the native driver are his own and without fear and alas you have i e not the knowledge of his ian language wherewith to express your feell feelings 9 soon from the first traveling sahib it you may learn to say A Ahl hIsta sta adista I 1 but you never succeed in making an indian chauffeur drive slowly slowly I 1 k it is possible to make the trip to Sri in a day but not quite the contrary you spend two night in dak bungalows rest houses bouses along the way the second at Bar Baram amula iila which lies iles at the edge of the great depression known as the vale of kashmir from Bar amula one can go the rest of the way by boat up the river rivert but you may prefer to drive the last 35 miles lie across a level stretch the road bordered on either side by slender poplars the people passed along the way arc quite different from those one sees in india akkas and the two wheeled horse drawn vehicles of the country draw aside to let you pass tho the vale ok or 1 kashmir Is a level valley about 80 miles long and averaging about 20 miles in width it lies iles a great oval surrounded by mount mountains green with deodar dejdar and spruce on the lower reaches and white with snow until well into the early summer skies of an incredible blue complete a color scheme of fairy loveliness throughout the valley winds the curving line of the river along the banks of which straggle the streets and bazaars which form the ancient city of Sri quaint scenes in Sri seven curious bridges span the river and along the shore quaint old wooden houses lean sometimes at a rakish angle many of the city streets ond in wide stone steps leading down to the rivers edge these stairways ore are usually animated scenes of native life here the laundry men wash the clothes here the women come to fill their water jars children tumble and play about and goats and cows ramble freely among them all from the over overhanging banging balconies lengths of dyed hang out to dry all is colorful and gay also there is the interesting river liev A large part of the population of Sri lives afloat odd long pointed boats called bungas with superstructures hung with mats of woven reeds are the only homes which thousands of ever know sleeping quarters within a kitchen of sorts open to the eyes of nil all a few pots of brass or copper and a poor Kashmir ls household Is complete the native of more ample means has a better boat walls of wood replace the woven mass and as better and better financial status Is Ind indicated leat so the boats improve ra prove the best are comfortable tind and well furnished house boats such na as one might see mon the liver clver thames the english have made their con Irl buti 1 in the development of the house boat la in Sri for the vale of kashmir has become not only a favorite vacation I 1 land and for the english army in india but the permanent home of many retired officers and their families faillie s servants all are men one lives easily in K kashmir A host of servants ser vanta cost about as much as one good cook in the west and they feed themselves each one has his appointed duties and does them fairly well all your servants in kashmir are men the women seldom work out even the little children of westerners frequently have men servants to care for them your list may include a mangi or head boatman a gar chief house servant assistant a water carrier sweeper of lowest caste and doer of menial jobs a khan saman cook a was berman a sewing man a niall mall gardener and three little cho keras the small boys who paddle the shikara karn a small gondola like boat in which you go everywhere you desire it seems an ample listl list I 1 it if you take guests for tea to shalimar gardens the houseman goes along and ser serves vesa i a perfect meal under the spreading chanar trees when you plan a morning in the bazaars the houseman follows respectfully behind your guide your lays days are carpeted with ease and your home Is a joy thanks to the willing service of 0 an able houseman where but in kashmir could one call back to a houseman as one Is leaving home for all day we will have guests for dinner tonight at nine and return to find every q k men Needle workers of kashmir thing in perfect order fresh flowers everywhere the table set in holiday attire and a course dinner perfectly planned many of th the e Kashmir ls are fine looking the women especially having beautiful eyes and quite regular features like other native states of the indian empire kashmir has an english resident or advisory official and through him more sanitary ways of living are gradually being introduced into the country there is an excellent mission hospital and a zenana hospital as the name implies for women and a school conducted by an english clergyman is doing wonders among the youth of t the 10 i C country oun t ry foreigners like kashmir the foreign element in Sri increases yearly from the terrible heat of the punjab come english army people seeking the cool air and health of the hills and these bring with them the influence of english manners and customs and better still of english fair play there Is not in all arina gar a merchant who does not rely wholeheartedly whole heartedly on the honor of the tha english sahib shopping Is a quaint pastime in this city of the sun As one strolls along the bund buna eager merchants press their wares mohamad jhan assures you that not in ill all Sri no not even at all jbangs his rival ean can you procure such embroideries such fine lna such beautiful designs or as the small shikara of a merchant Is 13 rowed alongside your boat deftly timed to find you at home he ha eagerly spreads his wares he la Is insistent that you see his treasures only looking lady sahib not buying in only looking the foxy merchant well knows his goods are tempting lie ile is sure that some time you will buy the native industries of kashmir alas have cheapened and some have almost died out entirely no longer for instance can one procure the ver very finest shawls such as made the name of kashmir famed throughout the world one can get good shawls soft and fine but the exquisite old time shawls are hardly to be found outside of museums lna Is one of the loveliest products of the land it Is a soft cream colored woolen cloth made from the fine under hair of the tibetan goat the finer weaves are incredibly soft and the shawl maker maher hopeful for your order will show you how a length of it can call be drawn through a finger ring A much heavier woolen cloth something akin to scottish homespun is 13 called and the better weaves mice splendid outing clothes clot hesi |