Kashmir's historic mud-houses becoming popular tourist attraction

Srinagar, Aug. 12 (ANI): Historical mud huts and tent houses are fast becoming hub of tourist attraction in the Kashmir valley.

With the restoration of peace in the valley, the ethnic mud-huts and tent houses are luring a large number of tourists in the Pahalgam region of the state.

These mud-huts have all luxuries and comforts luring the tourists to enjoy their holidays, literally in the lap of nature.

"Attraction for me at this place is only because when we go elsewhere in the country, we stay in hotels but mud houses are something that one won't get anywhere but here. So, when I came to know about these mud huts, I immediately booked one for me and my family," noted Chandana, a tourist.

Along with luxuries and comforts, the tourists will also enjoy all the amenities like running hot and cold water in modern bathrooms.

"It's like a dream which I'm living it up over here. At first I was shocked but now I'm in complete awe. After coming here I don't want to go back. I am from Kashmir, though I was not born here, but looking at these mud houses I'm getting a bit nostalgic. I can see the value, which we've cherished having lived here. I can smell Kashmir over here. It feels that I have come back to my roots," said Rachna, another tourist.

Tourists prefer to spend their holidays amidst the pristine scenes of hills in the background, pollution free environment and peace than going to some other parts of the country and residing in hotels.

"The idea was to ask the tourists to live as the people in the older times. So, I had this idea in my mind to create a resort with mud, which resembles a village. So, we made mudrooms and erected tent houses, which are basically good insulators. In summers they remain cool and in winters warm. That is how we wanted to continue the tradition of our state," said Anwar Aftab Bakshi, owner of The Island Resort.

Pahalgam is a famous tourist destination in Kashmir, which is about 100 kilometres away from Srinagar.

According to official figures, 430,000 tourists including 23,000 foreigners visited Kashmir in 2008. (ANI)