Sahil Manzoor Bhatti
Kashmir Valley is widely blessed with a gallery of natural wonders carpet like meadows, lofty mountains, mesmerizing waterfalls, clear and incredible skies, green vegetation, and lush, dense forests. Kashmir has attracted millions of nature lovers and tourists from across the world.
Autumn is the season of harvesting crops in Kashmir, and it calls tourists from all corners of the world. During this season, the Chinar tree remains one of the most attractive sights for visitors.
Kashmir Valley experiences four distinct seasons i.e spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season has its own beauty, importance, and economic significance.
Winter is particularly associated with Chillai-Kalan, the harshest 40-day period of winter. It is traditionally described as a time when the cold becomes severe and water can freeze. The changing seasons in Kashmir are closely connected with weather conditions as well as the cultivation and harvesting of different crops.
Today, we are experiencing the charming beauty of autumn. Farmers are preparing to harvest different crops, including maize and cereals, while apple growers are busy plucking and packing their produce.
Kashmiri apples are famous around the world for their distinctive taste and quality. Apple harvesting begins with the arrival of autumn. During this season, households across Kashmir are often busy storing apples, walnuts, corn, cereals, and other essential supplies for the coming winter.
Autumn is commonly called Harud in Kashmiri and Mausam-e-Khizaan in Urdu. It is a pleasant, beautiful, and mesmerizing season in the Kashmir Valley. Harud is the time when leaves begin changing colour, transforming the landscape into a spectacular natural painting.
Autumn is also the season when people begin preparing for winter. Families start storing rice, fodder, firewood, and other necessities. The relatively dry weather provides farmers with an opportunity to harvest and store their crops. Harud therefore has immense importance for the people of Kashmir, particularly because winter is approaching.
With the arrival of autumn, it seems as if the sun has changed its direction. Its heat becomes gentler, and the intensity of sunlight decreases. People begin to feel the cold inside their homes, while elderly people often enjoy sitting in the warm afternoon sunshine. Throughout the countryside, especially in villages, farmers remain busy with harvesting and preparation for winter.
For farmers, autumn is almost like a festival season. In many villages, people avoid weddings and other major functions during the busiest part of the harvest. Such celebrations are often preferred toward the end of October or at the beginning of November, after much of the agricultural work has been completed.
The Chinar tree, known as Bouen in Kashmiri, holds a special place in the cultural and natural heritage of Kashmir. During autumn, its broad leaves gradually turn golden, orange, and red, creating some of the most beautiful scenes in the valley.
During this season, tourists from different parts of the world visit Kashmir to witness the magnificent colours of autumn and capture beautiful memories beneath the Chinar trees. Chinar gardens and other scenic locations become popular places for photography, attracting both tourists and locals.
Almighty has blessed Kashmir Valley with extraordinary natural beauty. This makes me wonder why many of our young people still struggle to find meaningful employment opportunities.
The tourism sector has immense potential to create opportunities for unemployed youth. New tourist destinations are emerging, and these places should receive proper attention and development. Local communities should be given meaningful opportunities to participate in and benefit from tourism.
There is also a need for skill-development institutions, including polytechnics and vocational training centres at the district level. Such institutions could provide young people with practical training in hotel management, tourism services, tourist guiding, skiing, adventure tourism, hospitality, and safe ATV operations.
Tourists should be treated as special guests throughout Kashmir. If we combine Kashmir’s natural beauty with skilled local youth, responsible tourism, hospitality, and proper infrastructure, tourism can become an important source of dignified livelihoods.
Kashmir has the beauty, people, potential. What is needed is the right opportunity, proper training, and a sincere effort to connect the talent of our youth with the immense possibilities offered by the tourism sector.
(The author is a freelancer and can be reached at [email protected])
