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Dal Draman- The Ignored Dal of Chenab Valley

Mubashir Naik

Kashmir is known as heaven on the earth.

Jammu Kashmir is the land where nature has bestowed all her love- Enclosed by the Himalayas and Karakoram ranges; and festooned with verdant meadows, lush valleys, dense forests, historical Masjids  and temples, Kashmir is a holiday destination to instantly fall in love with.

Being an ideal tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists, Jammu Kashmir is a perfect place for adventure enthusiasts. The majestic valleys of Kashmir offer adventure opportunities like trekking and skiing. The serene destination is also famous for experiential travels in the form of either staying in a houseboat or taking a Shikara ride on the Dal, Wular, and Nigeen Lake.

Nothing can beat the beauty of Jammu Kashmir, and to believe it, one has to see it!

The whole of Jammu Kashmir is full of scenic beauty and has the potential to attract tourists from every corner of the world. However, over the years, Jammu Kashmir has been overshadowing the historic and alluring Chenab Valley.

The Tourism Department is making all efforts to promote Jammu Kashmir as the favourite tourist destination but not enough is being done to bring attention towards Chenab Valley, which is equally worth the attention.

Not many people are aware of places in Doda and Kishtwar, which have a huge potential to attract tourists. Doda district abounds in scenic spots with large forest area, snow-clad peaks, virgin trekking routes, and the majestic Chenab river passing through it. The district offers a variety of tourist spots and health resorts. The lush, verdant meadows of Lal Draman and Dal Draman with their fir and Deodar forests, are all being left ignored by the government and Tourism Department.

The scenic beauty of Chenab valley is left unexplored.

In fact decades ago Lal Draman and Dal Draman, in Doda, had found their place in textbooks of Jammu Kashmir Board of School (JKBOSE) as famous tourist spots. Although, these names made it to the textbooks alongside Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and others, as of today, Lal Draman and Dal Draman not only failed to make it as world-famous tourists spots but they are also yet to be acknowledged by the people of Jammu Kashmir.

Dal Draman in Doda district is extremely beautiful and has tremendous tourism potential. It is a saucer-shaped beautiful spot 25 from Doda Town. It is located in the north-east of Doda, amidst lofty deodar and fir trees. It is known to be one of the best tourist sites of the district of Doda. From Doda to Udhyanpur, the journey is by Bus/Taxi and thereafter, 5Kms journey on foot. Dal Draman is famous for the healing effects of its sweet, cool, serene beauty, and its salubrious climate.

Situated at an altitude of 2,700 meters above the sea level, the place has a tremendous attraction for the local people wishing to unwind and relax. Dal Draman offers a variety of beautiful landscapes, extremely soothing and pleasant summer, numerous spots of scenic splendour, and snowy winter.

Moreover, since the last few years, people of the adjacent areas have regularly visited Dal Draman for picnics, especially in summer and after Eid.

Our correspondent recently visited Dal Draman and saw a huge rush of the public but ironically no facilities were available to them. Not even proper water supply was present there. The road which led to Dal Draman was in a dilapidated condition which made it hard to walk by foot. Although a few years ago, the Jammu Kashmir Tourism Department, with the help and cooperation of District Administration started holding a tourism fair in Lal Draman in order to plan for tourism prospects, the talks were discontinued for reasons best known to the authorities concerned.

Jammu Kashmir Tourism Department is spending huge amounts on advertising and promoting tourism for the Kashmir Valley & Jammu. But till date, no attempt has been made to explore the hilly areas of Chenab Valley for the tourists.

Tourism Department needs to pay attention to developing the scenic and picturesque spots in Chenab valley.

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