To Visit Kashmir is to Enter a Sacred Relationship

In this letter to every visitor, a son of the soil urges deeper care for Kashmir's soul.

- Arun Wakhlu

You might think you've come to Kashmir for the scenery, but the truth is, when you arrive in the mountains we call home, you're stepping into something far deeper.

This place is an invitation that greets visitors in the weight of silence on a shepherd's trail, and in the low chant of a boatman guiding his shikara through the mist.

And if you're paying attention, you'll begin to sense what the brochures won't tell you: this land is here to remind you of who you are.

The chinar trees that flame gold in autumn don't ask for attention. The rivers don't try to impress you. Yet they carry stories far older than your guidebook.

The wind moving through the poplar groves has passed over the graves of saints and kings. It has heard poetry recited in whispers, and witnessed prayers pressed into stone.

You may have arrived with plans and itineraries, but Kashmir has other intentions.

This is a place that humbles you, if you let it. It doesn’t need your awe. It asks for your presence. There's a difference.

Awe keeps you at a distance, snapping photos from the safety of admiration. Presence asks you to step closer: to feel, listen, and care.