Help me visit the 'Paradise on Earth' KASHMIR

Agraj Agarwal Start Date: Oct 25, 2017 - End Date: Nov 8, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Vacation/Personal Trip
  • Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, India

My Travel Story

by: Agraj Agarwal Start Date: Oct 25, 2017 - End Date: Nov 8, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Vacation/Personal Trip
About me:
Hello, my name is Agraj Agarwal. I live in India. I am a 21-year-old entrepreneur, travel buff and a blogger. I absolutely love traveling and documenting the places I visit. I have been to many places like Jaisalmer, Kolkata, Varanasi, Mumbai and Pushkar. I have my blog on which I motivate and inspire people through my writing. I have also helped, motivated and inspired many people through my Instagram account @motivationpedia (which has over 26k followers) in the past six months but while helping such people I myself have seen and experienced anxiety, stress and depression very closely and I feel that I really need to take some time off and reconnect with myself.

Traveling is the only thing that takes my mind of such negative experiences and feelings. So, I have decided to visit one of the most spiritual places in India: Kashmir. Kashmir is known as the ‘Paradise on Earth’ and it is the place that has been on top of my bucket list for a few years. If this campaign gets funded, I will be able to go on a spiritual journey which will provide me the much-needed peace of mind and will re-fuel me so that I can get back to work and start helping people again.

About Kashmir:
Kashmir is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. It lies between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Kashmir is known as the land of spirituality, peace and knowledge.

About my trip:
I am planning a 7 day trip to Kashmir.

Day 1: I will take a flight from Delhi to Kashmir, upon reaching Kashmir I will throw my bags at a cheap motel and will explore Srinagar (the largest city in Kashmir). I will visit Hazratbal Dargah which is Kashmir’s holiest shrine. It contains a relic, the Moi-e-Muqqadas, believed by many Muslims of Kashmir to be a hair of Muhammad (the prophet and founder of Islam). I will also visit Hari Parbat which is a hill overlooking Srinagar.

Day 2/3/4: I will take off to Pahalgam (A popular tourist destination and hill station) and will go for a trek in the Aru Valley which is known for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains. Aru valley is the base camp for trekking to the Sheshnag Lake and the Kolhoi Glacier. It will be the time of my life and I will document my trek. I will rent a tent with me and will spend 3 days and nights there.

Day 5: I will go for a ride in the Shikaara (Shikaras are long pointed boats which crowd the Dal Lake). The two-hour boat ride will take me on a relaxing sightseeing tour of the interior parts of the calm and placid waters of Dal Lake. I will spend the rest of my day in the local markets of Srinagar like the Lal Chowk and will try to learn as much as I can about the local heritage.

Day 6: Finally, I plan to spend one full day at the Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar which is dedicated to Lord Shiva (who is known as ‘The Destroyer’ or ‘The Transformer). It is a historic temple which is regarded sacred by Buddhists and Hindus. I hope I will find the peace of mind that I desperately need at this sacred temple.

Day 7: I will pack my bags and bid my farewell to this marvelous and spectacular land and get back to my routine life.

I will document the places I visit and take as many photographs as possible. I will also make sure to send all this stuff to the supporters of this campaign and write in detail about my experiences on my blog. I will try my best to let you experience this journey too, just like I will.

So, please help me raise funds for my trip. Your contribution will help me not only travel but also find the spark that I have lost in my life (this trip can really turn my life around).

Thanks for reading my story.
  • Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, India