Kashmir is famous for its beauty across the globe and is also known as the Switzerland of Asia. It is not only limited to the beautiful places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Dal Lake etc, but there is much more to explore.
Today we will explore North Kashmir’s Baramulla district where three waterfalls have become attraction points for local visitors.
Among these attractions is Drang waterfall which falls in Tangmarg area. The place is 45 kilometers away from Srinagar and three kilometers from the main town.
The waterfall is known for its crystal clear and clean waters in the area. During summer, it witnesses a huge rush of people. During the winter months, snow and icicles add more beauty to the area.
In some way, Drang is quite similar to Pahalgam with a fast water stream, known as Ferozpur-Nalla. It is the primary source of irrigation and drinking water in the area.
It is a beautiful place, which is still fresh and protected from human interference. Green forests and the stream with many log bridges make the place an emerging tourist destination in the Valley.
While local pitch, the area should be developed with the latest tourism infrastructure.More needs to be done to develop this unique destination which has the potential of generating economy.
Muneer Ahmad Kumar, a local resident of Drang said the waterfall has become a major attraction for locals, national and international tourists.“The government should develop this place so that it could be explored,” he said.
Shrunz fall is located in Chandoosa area of Baramulla and is situated at a distance of 22 kilometers from Srinagar-Baramulla highway from Tapper Kreeri and Putkhah junctions.
It is also emerging as a hotspot for the local population but is yet to be developed. The waterfall has remained a spot of attraction for the tourists visiting world-famous Tangmarg and Gulmarg tourist destinations.
The natural falling of water of waterfall adds to the charm of the spot in scenic beauty. The waterfall is s located on Nalla Ningli stream and falls under the lap of mighty Pir Panjal mountains adjacent to the famous tourist spot Gulmarg. The place is six kilometers from Baba Reshi Shrine.
There are multiple roads to reach the destination, for thispurpose the tourism department had installed many signboards for the promotion of the waterfall on the Baramulla-Srinagar highway.
The footfall to the waterfall witnesses a surge during the summers and one can enjoy the cool breezes of air. The government is also using its fresh waters for drinking purposes for nearby areas and they have recently constructed a pump shed for the same purpose.
The government needs to focus on the lesser-known tourist attractions which could help improve the economy and help generate employment opportunities for people.
Aqib Ahmad Rather, a local from Nilsar village of Wagoora Baramulla said the government should bring the area on the tourism map and develop good tourism infrastructure.
“If the area is developed, it can provide a livelihood to hundreds of people in the area. Government should promote its beauty, it can be economy booster in the area,” he said.
Rather said the area has good tourism potential and if the spot can be explored for various activities by the tourism department then it can act as employment generation point for the whole population of the area.
The villages situated in a picturesque forest area near Shranz waterfall include Saterseeran, Nagbal, Dandmoh, Nilsar, Chontipathri and Balaji. The natural falling of water of waterfall doubles the charm of the spot in scenic beauty. The spot remains a priority of people including school children in the area.
Another famous waterfall of Baramulla,Batnisar waterfallis also called the Namblan waterfall. It is situated around18 kilometers from the main town Baramulla and is known for its fresh waters.
The area lies in the Narvaw (Sheeri) tehsil of Baramulla and is located on the Mundri Nallah canal, a tributary of the Jehlum River, in an alpine valley covered in pine and fir trees mountains.
The waterfalls in an almond-shaped pond and according to the locals its depth is in meters. People all around the town come to visit the place to have a bath with the crystal clear water over there. But still, it remained an undiscovered tourist spot and attained a back seat in tourism.
The place is quite peaceful and suitable for expeditions, trekking, photography, and fishing. It is still one of the unexplored places in Kashmir. The road to the destination is not motorable.
During the summers, people mostly from adjacent villages visit the area to explore its natural beauty.
Mohammad Mustafa, a local from Kanispora said it became popular during the past several years but despite repeated pleas to the administration, the road leading to picnic spot has not been made motorable, yet.
“The spot should be developed at par with other tourist spots in the Valley as these picnic spots can generate a good economy for the local people,” he said.
It’s a ferocious fall that has a deafening roar and makes a pool of crystal clear water at the base. Taking a dip into these waters happens to be an exhilarating experience for the visitors.
The majestic Noorkhah Waterfall is located in tehsil Boniyar of Baramulla and is around 32 kilometers from the district headquarters. Bahama, Lachipora, and Noorkhah villages are the adjacent villages near the majestic waterfall. The gurgling waters of this waterfall used to descend from a height of 100 feet and the place is more popular among locals.
As per locals, the water is believed to cure ailments, especially digestive and skin-related. While many people come here to bathe in this healing water, most throng to this place only for the unmatched beauty and fragrance.
Towards the Uri town in the extreme north, Khujri waterfall falls in Namla (C) village of the border town. It is one of the prime locations of the area and people mostly visit the places during the summers.
It is around 10-11 kilometers from the Uri and 115 kilometers from the summer capital Srinagar. People of the area speak mostly Pahadi followed by Gojri and Pahadi.
However due to lack of basic facilities in the area the visiting tourists face immense hardships. Locals opine that this unexplored tourist destination if maintained properly canboost the economy of the areato a greater extent .
They state that these waterfalls should be developed and be put on the tourist map, so that it will provide employment opportunities for the unemployed youth of the concerned areas.
