Aharbal

Aharbal, also known as "Niagara Falls of Kashmir", is a hill station in the south-western part of Kashmir Valley in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, south of the summer capital of Srinagar (tehsil: Damhal Hanjipora, district: Kulgam). The place is quite peaceful and suitable for expeditions, trekking, photography, and fishing. Due to mesmerising look of meadows, pine and fir tree forests, the abutting snow clad mountains, the waterfall attracts many Indian and international tourists.[1]

Aharbal
Hill station
Aharabal Falls
Aharbal
Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Aharbal
Aharbal (India)
Coordinates: 33°38′45.4560″N 74°46′50.4696″E
CountryIndia
StateJammu and Kashmir
DistrictKulgam
Government
 • TypeDemocracy
Elevation
2,266 m (7,434 ft)
Languages
 • OfficialUrdu English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)

Geography

Aharbal lies in the Kulgam district's Noorabad Area[2] of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located on the Veshu River, a tributary of the Jehlum River, in an alpine valley covered in pine and fir trees within the Pir Panjal mountains. It lies at an altitude of 2266 metres above sea level.

The road route is from Srinagar-Kulgam-Nehama-KB Pora-Aharbal Road.

Issues facing
  • Land encroachment.
  • Lack of quality hotels at Aharbal hill station.
  • Fewer tourists who visit Kashmir know about Aharbal.
  • Carelessness of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department.

Aharbal Fall

Aharbal is known for its waterfall, Aharbal Falls, where the Veshu falls noisily 25 metres and 7 metres through a narrow gorge of granite boulders. Aharbal Falls are also referred to as the Niagara Falls of Kashmir, owing to the volume of the water that falls. According to a report, the water volume would be sufficient to generate 100 MW of hydroelectricity. The terraces leading to the falls are fenced, but care must be taken to avoid slipping.[3][4][5][6]

Tourism

Aharbal is a base for adventure tourism. The Veshu River is stocked with trout. The fishing permit can be obtained from the Fisheries department stationed at Aharbal. The alpine meadow of Kungwatan lies at the halfway point of the two-day trek to the high-altitude Konsernag Lake, which is the source of the Veshu. Other activities include horse riding, photography, and skiing during winter. The Aharbal Development Authority, a government agency responsible for development in Aharbal, has built tourist infrastructure including huts and a cafeteria, and other lodging and boarding facilities have also been made available. The area is peaceful and the crime rate is very low.[7][8][9]

Access

Aharbal falls in Noorabad sub division of District Kulgam and is easily accessible from Srinagar via Shopian [Bab-ul-Islam], only 8 km from the Mughal Road that connects Srinagar and Poonch. The 75 km drive takes less than 3 hours by car or bus via Pulwama and Shopian. An alternate route leads to Aharbal via Kulgam-Nehama-DH pora -Kb pora -Manzgam-Wattoo-Aharabal. It is only 22 km from the District Kulgam the first District one enters the Kashmir valley after crossing the Jawaharlal National Tunnel. The nearest railway station is Anantnag railway station at 44 km in the east.[10][11]

See also

References
  1. "Hill stations in Kashmir". hillstations. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  2. "Aharbal in district Kulgam" (pdf). Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  3. Allan Stacey (1988). Visiting Kashmir. Hippocrene Books, 1988. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-87052-568-1. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  4. "Niagara falls of Kashmir". greaterkashmir. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  5. "Tourist spots JK Tourism". The Economic Times. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  6. "Girl jumps into Aharabal Falls". kashmirimages.com. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  7. Dr. Shiv Sharma (2008). India: A Travel Guide. Diamond Pocket Books. p. 199–. ISBN 978-812840067-4. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  8. Treks, Kashmir. "Aharbal-Kounsarnag Trek". KashmirTreks.in. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  9. "Aharbal waterfall in JK to get facelift". IBNLive. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  10. "Aharbal Waterfalls". indiatourisminfo.net. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  11. M.S. Kohli (1983). Himalayas: Playground of the Gods -Trekking, Climbing and Adventure. Indus Publishing. pp. 40–42–. ISBN 978-817387107-8. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
External video
Aharbal Waterfall
Aharbal Waterfall on YouTube
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