Kashmir on the mind

The attacks on tourists in Kashmir revived memories of an unforgettable holiday

Kasmir has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Over the last few days there have been reports of terrorists targeting tourists. This is an attack on the idea of Kashmir.

It was only recently that the Valley was opened up for tourism and my family was in the first batch to make it there as tourists. From the moment we landed at Srinagar, my mind was filled with the songs and scenes shot in this gorgeous location. For decades Kashmir was the dream destination for shooting romantic song sequences. Who can forget the cheerful 8216;Yeh chand sa roshan chehra8230;8217; from Kashmir Ki Kali, or the boisterous 8216;Chaahe koi mujhe8230;8217; from Junglee, or the melodious title track of Kabhi Kabhie?

As we drove around, I admired the tall, lush trees and the water fountains on the simmering lake. It was late in the evening and the skyline was transformed into a mauve-pink. In my mind Hrishikesh Mukherjee8217;s Bemisaal song played: 8216;Yeh Kashmir hain.8217; I asked the driver if he has some local music. He puts on 8216;Zara jhoom jhoom8217; of Himesh Reshammiya.

The next morning, we wrapped ourselves in shawls and sat outside in the boat verandah. Moments later our caretaker arrived with a basket of fresh flowers and steaming kava chai. It was a perfect morning and stray vendors dropped by to sell us saffron, gems and walnuts. They carried tape recorders in their jacket pockets, with the volume turned down. But one could still discern the voice and the tune: 8216;Tera tera suroor8217; by Reshammiya again.

On the first day, we went on a four-hour shikara ride all over Dal Lake. Our boatman, Bilal, who can play double to Jimmy Shergill, travelled with us to the spots where the tele-serial, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam, was shot and also to the dilapidated houseboat where Hrithik Roshan figured in the climax of Mission Kashmir. We then stopped at Nehru Gardens. Bilal told us that almost every Hindi film that features Kashmir had some shots of these gardens from Dil Deke Dekho to Baseraa.

We also went to Pahalgam and visited the temple perched on top of a hill where Mani Ratnam shot Roja. At Sonmarg, we witnessed the snow melting on the mountains. We stopped by a shop selling winter apparel. The salesman expertly draped us in fur coats, boots and caps. Helped on to the saddle by the ghoda wala, I felt as if I was reliving Nanda8217;s role in Jab Jab Phool Khile. The only difference was that my ghoda wala was no Shashi Kapoor! In Gulmarg the colourful flowers in the Maharani Gardens took our breath away. As we walked through the various landscapes I remembered scenes of Vinod Khanna and Simi Garewal singing 8216;Vaada karle saajna8217; in Haath Ki Safai.

Back home in Mumbai, I remained haunted by memories of Kashmir8217;s water lilies and its seductive skyline. We cannot afford to lose paradise again.

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The writer is editor,8216;Screen8217;, film magazine of the Indian Express Group