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Up to date: Nov 14, 2022 21:00 IST
Bandipore (Jammu & Kashmir) [India], November 14 (ANI): When Danish Nabi alias Daniyal set out for a journey to comply with his desires, little did he know that he would come to be often known as the ‘Ibn Battuta of Kashmir’ for exploring journey tourism within the Valley.
A 30-year-old enthusiastic traveller, Danish didn’t spend a single idle Sunday during the last decade as he set out on foot or on a bicycle to discover the Valley, ranging from his own residence district — Bandipora.
Danish turned an explorer in his early twenties, identical as Ibn Batuta, and therefore drew parallels with the well-known explorer within the lands of Afro-Eurasia.
Danish has, to date, rediscovered greater than a dozen Alpine lakes of Himalayan ranges in Bandipora district, thereby making personal little, but vital, contribution to boosting journey tourism within the Kashmir Valley after a protracted spell of dormancy due to political strife.
He stated tourism in Kashmir was beforehand restricted to vsiting a couple of choose and standard areas, together with Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Dal Lake. Nevertheless, he stated the actual Kashmir is up within the mountains, which used to attract adenture-seekers from Europe by the droves earlier than the Valley got here to be racked by militancy from the late eighties.
Each weekend, Danish units out on a journey to the mountains on his bicycle or no foot, exploring lakes and meadows and discovering beforehand unknown vacationer locations.
“I’ve religiously adopted my schedule. I have never wasted a single Sunday. Sunday is my day. Come what might, I set out for a journey each weekend,” he stated.
To this point he has re-discovered greater than a dozen alpine lakes within the Bandipora and Gurez sectors of J&Okay, within the Himalayas, thus lifting prospects of journey tourism within the Valley.
Based on the J&Okay’s Division of Forests, there are 100 Alpine lakes within the Bandipora district however just one or two, together with Sheerasar, have been visited by journey vacationers prior to now few years.
Danish has re-discovered Shalpooth lake, 3 Handmarg or Handmenger lakes, Kaul Sar lake, Kiser Sar, two Patalwan lakes, a Kothapatri lake within the Gurez sector and Shera Sar, Sarbal lake, two Kundapani lakes, Chamarsar, Zadsar and Salnai Sar in Bandipora space.
He has additionally explored Chota Amarnath and Bazar Hoi caves in Bandipora, Yemberzalwari collapse Sopore, Sheikhul Aalam collapse Budgam and Kalaroos caves in Kupwara.
Danish captures his expeditions on his GoPro digital camera and posts them on his YouTube channel for the good thing about different journey vacationers.
The ‘Ibn Battuta of Bandipora’ has explored these lakes a number of instances and located a number of trekking routes for future travellers. All of the routes have been recorded and geo-tagged by him.
“I do document the paths and treks moreover posting them on YouTube for future travellers,” he stated.
Final yr Danish grew to become the primary particular person in India and throughout the globe to scale Razdaan High (11672 toes) on a bicycle. He cited his ardour for mountain biking as the explanation behind his adenture streak.
He stated he selected the Gurez sector for his weekend expeditions for 2 causes — firstly Gurez lies in his house district and secondly it has been ignored by different cyclists and must be explored for its immense pure magnificence.
He stated he’s in love with the mountains and explores new areas to advertise journey tourism in Kashmir, moreover fulfilling his need to scale mountain tops.
“Within the current previous, tourism within the Valley was solely about sightseeing. However there may be magnificence past the meadows as there’s a large potential for journey tourism which may appeal to vacationers from the west,” he stated.
He stated that through the darkish days of militancy within the Valley, journey tourism got here to a standstill and the virgin areas disappeared from folks’s minds.
“Folks sitting at house nonetheless consider that there’s a warfare raging up on the mountains. However the truth is that peace prevails within the mountains presently,” he added.
He additional added that after travelling solo to those locations he determined to document his travels and submit it on his YouTube channel. His posts have acquired an awesome response and increasingly more folks have began visiting these locations.
The younger traveller stated exploring new locations as helped locals earn a livelihood. He stated after his visits to a number of lakes in Bandipora, many traveller teams approached him for steerage and villagers discovered a supply of livelihood by serving as guides and offering horses and meals to travellers.
“Kudara residents have formally began offering conventional tea and Makki ki Roti to travellers moreover accompanying them on their treks as guides and renting out their horses,” he added.
His expeditions and following have earned him many nicknames, together with ‘Ibn Battuta of Kashmir’, ‘Mad Man’ and the ‘Mountain man’. Danish stated he loves his nicknames. It’s due to his endeavours that the Bandipora district administration in 2020 roped him in as an advisor to advertise journey tourism and some locales, together with Daetwas, Sheerasar, and Nagmarg routes had been ready by the Forest division for trekking.
He stated the Valley, particularly Bandipora, is a heaven for journey vacationers as every part that fascinates an adventure-seeker is right here.
“We now have mountains for trekking, two main lakes — Wullar and Kishenganga for water sports activities, lush inexperienced meadows for web site seeing and glaciers. Vacationers get every part they need in Bandipora. We simply want to focus on these locations and I’m doing that,” stated the ‘Ibn Battuta of Kashmir’.
He stated the brand new treking routes is not going to solely increase tourism but additionally the bodily and psychological well-being of natives. He stated a monotonous lifestyle typically results in rising stress ranges in locals.
“I want folks would reserve their Sundays for such travels and work for different days of the week,” he stated.
“If folks can set out for such treks on Sundays, it would cut back their stress ranges and assist them keep in form mentally and bodily,” he added.
He stated, “My buddies and family members suppose I journey on daily basis however the truth is that I journey solely on weekends and work on different days of the week.”
Danish is a authorities worker posted on the mini-secretariat in Bandipora.
He added that he idolises Dr Shariq Masood, a famous physician at SKIMS and an avid traveller like himself, and urged everybody to comply with in his footsteps.
He stated the physician has by no means practised on a Sunday during the last twenty years as he reserves it for his travels.
“He might have earned 1000’s on Sundays however refused as he likes to maintain that day for himself,” Danish added.
“Medical doctors normally suggest walks and bodily workouts to their sufferers however themselves work even on Sundays,” he stated. (ANI)
