To arrive in Srinagar today is to step into a paradox. Last year, according to the regional administration, some 1.78 crore travelers nearly 18 million souls crossed the threshold into this Himalayan sanctuary. They came despite the tremors of a changing political landscape and the lingering shadows of old ghosts. They came because, quite simply, there are some corners of the earth that the human heart cannot stay away from.
The Shikara’s Gentle Arc
To understand why 17.8 million people found their way here in 2025, one must first get onto the water. The shikaras those low-slung, cushioned gondolas still ply the Dal with a silent, rhythmic grace.
My boatman, a man named Ghulam with a face etched like a walnut shell, paddled with a steady hand. “The mountains do not change,” he told me, gesturing toward the Zabarwan range, which stood like a wall of blue silk against the sky. “The visitors go away, and then they realize they have left a piece of their spirit here. So, they come back to find it.”
In the 1980s, we spoke of Kashmir as the “Switzerland of the East.” But Switzerland lacks this particular brand of soulful chaos. In the floating vegetable markets, where men haggle over lotuses and long-necked squash from their boats, one sees a way of life that has survived empires, partitions, and the modern age. It is this resilience, perhaps, that is the valley’s greatest attraction.
A New Accessibility
While the soul of Kashmir remains ancient, its gates have been flung wider than ever before. The journey that once required a grueling pilgrimage over the Banihal Pass is being transformed. The rhythmic clatter of the new railway integration, a feat of engineering that has finally tethered the valley to the heart of India, now brings travelers through the granite heart of the mountains in hours rather than days.
The Lieutenant Governor’s recent report of record-breaking numbers is more than just a bureaucratic boast; it is a testament to a new ease of movement. From the wildflower meadows of Gulmarg, where the world’s highest cable car carries skiers toward the clouds, to the saffron fields of Pampore, the infrastructure of the 21st century is finally catching up to the majesty of the 12th.
The Fragrance of Resilience
One cannot ignore that Kashmir remains a land of “challenges” a word used frequently in the official briefings. There is a heavy presence of the khaki-clad, and the checkpoints remain a part of the geography. But for the traveler, these are often just a background hum to the overwhelming hospitality of the Kashmiri people.
In the tea shops of the old city, over steaming cups of kahwa, that golden brew of saffron, almonds, and cardamom, the conversation is not of politics, but of the upcoming Tulip festival and the new Chrysanthemum gardens that have turned the autumn into a second spring.
“We are opening the doors wider,” a local merchant told me, as he unfurled a Pashmina shawl so fine it could pass through a wedding ring. “Safety is a feeling in the heart, not just a number on a page.”
The Call of the Heights
Why go now? Because Kashmir is currently in a rare state of transition, a moment where the comforts of modern travel meet the raw, unvarnished beauty of a frontier.
The 1.78 crore who visited in 2025 have discovered what the Mughals knew four centuries ago: that when the world becomes too loud, the mountains offer a necessary silence. Whether you are seeking the thrill of the high-altitude slopes or the meditative stillness of a cedar-wood houseboat, the valley remains what it has always been the ultimate refuge.
As the sun dipped behind the Hari Parbat fort, painting the sky in bruises of purple and gold, it became clear that Kashmir doesn’t just need tourists. The world, in its current state of frenzy, needs Kashmir.
IF YOU GO:
Getting There: Daily flights from New Delhi to Srinagar are frequent. The new rail link offers a spectacular, albeit slower, cinematic entry into the valley.
Where to Stay: For the classic experience, the houseboats on Dal or Nigeen Lake remain unrivaled. For those seeking modern luxury, the Oberoi Khyber in Gulmarg offers Alpine elegance amidst the pines.
The Season: Spring (April-May) for the tulips; Autumn (October-November) for the fiery red of the Chinar trees.
