This land is a happy combination of the mighty splendor of mountains, of lovely glades and forests. The river Jhelum meanders its steady course through corn-fields into the heart of the Srinagar city and, onwards, till it rushes headlong through the frowning gorges, and dashing against boulders joins the Arabian Sea through the

plains of Punjab. The onlooker will find nature wild and vibrant wherever he may go in the country. The mountains lend unique charm to the land and in this aspect of its natural beauty, Kashmir even excels the much-adored Switzerland. To a traveler hailing from the plains or other parts of India and the world, familiar with the routes leading into Kashmir, the whole sweep of towering ranges opens up before his eyes when he steps up the Pir Panchal whose peaks rise over 15,000 feet on the South-West of the country. The natural surroundings of Kashmir unfold themselves on the journey both through the Banihal and the Jhelum Valley roads. Here he observes a sharp change of scene.