Shubhyatra >> Jammu and Kashmir >> Saffron Holiday

SAFFRON HOLIDAY

Location : 16 km From Srinagar
Must Visit : Only Place in the World to Grow Saffron, Beside Spain
Encloses : The Fields where Saffron is Grown
When To Go : September – October
Saffron Flower Jammu Kashmir
Accumulation of Scented Blue Saffron Flower

FACT FILE
Wonder Flower : The Stigma from the Blue Colored Flower is Removed and Dried to Make the Most Expensive Spice in the World.
Must Enjoy : The Sight of Men and Women Picking the Flowers with Expert Hands.
Saffron Cultivation : A Process Requiring Acute Patience, Where 1 Kg of Saffron is Recovered from 1.75 lakh flowers.
Exotic Experience : Watch These Flowers During the Full Moon Nights, when These Flowers Seem to be Glowing.
Enjoy Saffron : The Best Way to Savor the Saffron is to Drink it with - Kahva, a Delightful Local Tea in Kashmir.
Other Attractions : The Joint Tomb of Khwaja Masood Wali and Hazrat Sheikh Shariffudin.
Should Try : Trek From Sringar To Pampore, Distance of 14 kms.
Fact : The Best Quality Kashmiri Saffron is Sold at Rs 55,000- Rs 60,000 per kg.
Must See : The Lake Lal Ded, Located Centrally in The Village.
How To Reach : By Air – Badgam district, which is around 16 km from Pampore.
By Rail – Half An Hour From Jammu Railway Station.
By Road – 16 km From Srinagar.

Incredible Journey to See Kashmir

Saffron – The Flavor Of Kashmir

Pampore apart from Spain, is the only place in the world where Saffron is grown. Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world is the adornment of the beautiful valley of Kashmir. Emplaced on the Jammu – Srinagar National Highway, Pampore grows world famous Saffron. It is one of the oldest crop that is cultivated in Kashmir, for more than two thousand years now.

Saffron Plant - Purple And Orange

Saffron Fields of Kashmir
Women Planting Saffron Seeds in the Fields

On the enormous brown of the grows the purple pods of the saffron, that sends out waves of aroma and fills the minds of the passerby with delight. This flower, Crocus Sativus that blooms for a brief month in the year, has six golden stamens and one crimson one. It is the crimson Stamen which when collected and dried, is referred to as the most expensive spice in the world. Three grades of saffron mainly Mongra, Lacha and Gucchi are available in the market. The best time for the harvest this spice is at the end of October, when the flower reaches maturity. It is a very tedious job as about 150,000 fresh flowers yield just one kilogram of the precious crop.

Saffron – More Than A Spice

Saffron is known all over the world for its delectable taste and aroma. It is used to favor many delicious cuisines of the state. Even the much acclaimed 'Kahva' tea is incomplete without the use of Saffron for its olfactory property. However very few people know that it is also famous for its myriad effect on human body. Besides being used as a spice it is also employed in the production of dyes, medicine and perfumes.

How To Reach The Fields of Saffron

Plucking of Saffron Flower in Jammu Kashmir
Plucking of Saffron Flower

By Air – The uncomplicated way of reaching the saffron field of India, Pampore, is through air. The nearest airport is at Badgam district, which is around 16 km from Pampore.

By Rail – There is availability of train from Jammu that will take you to Pampore in around half an hour.

By Road – Pampore, located on the National highway of Jammu and Kashmir, takes around half an hour to reach by road, from Srinagar. However, Pampore is well connected from other regions of Jammu and Kashmir. There are well maintained roads for the same.

By Trekking – If you want, you can trek your way to Pampore as well. It is situated at around 16 km from Srinagar. Some of the popular destination en route to Pampore are Madmaheshwar, Aru and Tulian Lake.

Attractions In Pampore

Once you are in Pampore, there are many places that you can enjoy. Though petite, it is one of the favored destination of the tourists. The town has two popular shrines, the joint tomb of Khwaja Masood Wali, and Hazrat Sheikh Shariffudin. There is also a famous lake called Lal Ded, located in the center of the village. Visited and worshiped by both the Hindus as well as Muslims, this lake is the example of the secularism that prevails in the village.

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