 Time: October – November
Average Temp. Day 20°C and night 15°C
Clothing: Light woolen with overcoat, Raincoat and umbrellas are useful to have around. Autumn brings with all its mellow colours, the tress change from green to yellow and rusty red. The pleatue of Pampore 15 kms from Srinagar turn a blue as the Saffron blooms for miles and miles . The gardens are full of flowers. The tree loose their leaves by the middle of November and the frost comes and the night are cold. A photographers delight, you could spend days shooting some of the loveliest sights on earth, it is not the sign of dying year, the promise of another glorious year.
As the Dachh pompur whistles its arrival from scraggy tree tops the changing colors of leaves, here and there, confirm that the autumn is some where in the corner. Every time one walks underneath (the crown of) a tree, a leaf or two would fall down in front to be trodden on. Mornings and evenings suddenly start growing chilly though the day temperatures may not mark a similar change. It is however not many days before the warm sunny days vanish with out leaving traces. The lush green verdure that once decorated the scraggy wooden tree lines and soothed eyes lies dumped as dead and dried up. There is no escape from the ubiquitous lifeless and listless skeletal remains destined to decay or be burnt to charcoal to be used in kangris. As the visions of winter blues get conjured, moods suddenly turn gloomy. Within a month or two Government shall move to Jammu and traders and riches migrate to warmer plains. The hapless leftovers that can't afford to move out shall therefore shall brave the freezing chilla kalan.
Hordes of men and women shall soon tumble out on roads, fields, gardens busy heaping every bit of the dead mass. The pungent smell emanating from the stockpiles of the burnt leaves from every nook and corner turns the atmosphere smoky. Autumn is fall of the year; it is the harvest time, the season of mists, smokes and fruitfulness. Fruits abound and so do food grains. Farmers are found busy stocking firewood, eatables and fodder for harsh winter days. Truckloads of fruit are transported to different mandis across the country. Aarties and traders shall soon be sending back the wataks, and the sales realization to the growers. Autumn is the exam time in the valley. Boys and girls of different ages and desciplines are found busy with exams. Many a lower and primary class students are finished with their exams. They are waiting for their results. Fresh admissions to nursery and KG classes are there to be had. Young parents shall soon be found standing in serpentine qyamat saay ya qyamat long queues in front of the offices of the major schools in the town receiving/filing registration forms, remitting tuition fees, and buying books and uniform. Wives and mothers have since packed cottons, half sleeves and vests in to suitcases with naphthalene balls and deodorants. Sweaters, jackets and coats replace summer wear at least for the next six months. Fans, ice cream, juices, and cold drinks are the things of the past. Heat blowers, hot water bottles, kangris are there to be had. Load shedding shall reach the menacing heights. Traders have procured new items and the shelf spaces are filled up with motley collection of woolen sweaters, coats and tweeds. Darbar is on way to warmer plains of Jammu. Ministers, bureaucrats not used to congealing cold of Kashmir are on pins to bask in the warm sun. Seated in the warmer cozy offices, they believe, that they shall be able to serve people better. 
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Category Blog