A ride at Dal lake -Srinagar,Kashmir

Spine chilling at minus eight

Srinagar on a mindful date,

The Chinar trees stand tall

Naked as it’s last leaves fall,

Chinar trees

The bold mountains and grey sky

Greet you as the winds blow by,

The semi frozen Dal lake

Lines with shikara’s wooden make,

Shikara boats alongside the lake

The calm water ripples as the boat rows

The peaks shine when the snow glows,

Kesar almond kahwa warms the heart

While the coal Kangri warms the hand,

Hot coal in a kangri serving warmth with love

The sun dips and the fog sets stage

Enveloping with lake with its mystic haze,

Swelled in love and filled with awe

Mesmerised in the gentle sway,

local women wearing a faren selling her wares

Away from the hustle wear and tear

The floating shops sell their ware,

House boats once shimmering bright

Fade gradually with diminishing light,

House boats

Wrapping myself in an over sized faren

I walk towards my beautiful den,

In sleep I gaze at the starry night

Twinkling dance of bright white light.

Happiness and sunshine

Nidhi

Kahwa : Tea made with local spices like kesar, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon served with crushed almonds and honey.

Kangri: A vessel containing hot coal to keep warm in harsh winters

Shikara: Wooden boats which afloat the Dal lake, tourist attraction.

Faren : An oversized woollen garment worn by locals to keep themselves warm.

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