Driving to Srinagar is an exhilarating experience. Provided you are ready to face the minor hardships Indian road-trips impose upon you. To enter the valley of Kashmir one has to scale the rugged mountains which encircle the valley from all sides. The Banihal pass is an engineering marvel built by the British. It is a long tunnel and unlike the modern day tunnels on Mumbai-Pune expressway which are spacious and well lit, this one makes you feel claustrophobic. As you reach the end of the tunnel, the eyes which have quickly accustomed to the long drive through the darkness suddenly find the light at the end of the tunnel bright and dazzling. In a metaphorical way I can say the light is divine as it ushers you in the valley – the paradise on earth. [...]

