As we travel up to the 3,500-meter-high Razdan Pass in north Kashmir, we enjoy the breeze making its way through the tall deodar trees. The tall deodar trees, towering mountains and deep gorges are a constant reminder that we are too small in the grand scheme of things. We disembark at the Razdan Pass, which offers us a magnificent view of a series of mountain peaks. We chase the fluffy and woolly lambs grazing in the herd while chatting to the tall, strong and lean shepherd who walks with his herd about 270 kilometers to Rajouri before winter and returns when the snow melts. The army officer points to some mountain peaks across the border. While I understand what this means for the soldiers who constantly guard the mountains, the irony of this silly division of the mighty mountains is not lost on me.

Once we pass the Razdan Pass, the road shows its dangerous side: on one side, rugged rocks jut out, on the other, cliffs without guard rails or crash barriers. The asphalt has weathered, the road is nothing but grey dust and gravel. We hold our breath as the vehicle navigates tight bends. The Border Roads Organisation has not lost its sense of humour, however. There is no shortage of its signs with catchy slogans.

Then the Kishanganga River, also known as Neelam in Pakistan, emerges from the cliffs. As we reach the Kishanganga Dam, it transforms into a serene emerald beauty. Its mature nature becomes flirtatious and playful the further we travel up the catchment area. It is a sight to behold. Under the watchful blue sky, with the tall green mountains as sentinel, it releases its foaming white and turquoise waters, gurgling over the white pebbles and cobblestones that glitter in the summer sunlight.

As we admire its beauty, Gurez appears as a long line of white and blue tents on the flood plains of Kishanganga. Gurez is a rustic beauty surrounded by mountains and tiny villages with log houses that blend perfectly into the landscape. Potatoes, kidney beans, green peas and maize are grown in the small fields on the flood plains, while on the fringes, wild plants mark their territory with blue, white, yellow and pink flowers. The green meadows leading up to the deodar trees on the mountain tops are punctuated by the crystal clear streams flowing down. The lively river flowing down is the center of it all.

Visitors who simply want to sit and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings are disturbed by the sight of the barbed wire fence along the border and the army vehicles driving past and are confronted with the harsh reality of possible encroachments. Although it is peaceful, the entire area is fortified by the vigilant army.

Gurez is part of the larger Dardistan that extends to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Almost 70 percent of Dardistan is now part of Pakistan. People in Gurez tell the sad stories of their ancestors whose families were divided into two countries. Abid Hussain, an engineering graduate who runs a few resorts in Gurez, tells us the story of his grandfather who had to give up his land and family in Gilgit after marrying his grandmother, a native of Gurez, and how he wished to be buried near his family land.

Gurez is not just a picturesque valley, it is also a part of legends, history and myths that add to its charm. The pyramid-shaped bare mountain peak Habba Khatoon, which takes on a golden hue as the sun sets in the evening sky, deserves a legend. The mountain is named after the famous poetess of Kashmir. According to the story, in the 16th century, Kashmir king Yousuf Shah Chak fell in love with Habba Khatoon, the beautiful poetess he married after divorcing her from her oppressive husband. Her poems on love and separation are still popular in Kashmir. When Chak was imprisoned by the Mughal emperor Akbar, she wandered in grief and her tears flowed down the Habba Khatoon mountain in Gurez, forming a spring that flows into the Kishanganga river.

Dardistan is also mentioned in the Mahabharata and Buddhist texts. A project funded by the Indian Army to revive the language and history of Gurez as a part of Dardistan is in the process of developing a script for the Shina language spoken in the region. According to researchers who are part of this project and the Shina Cultural Centre, the indigenous people of Gurez lost the Shina script after most of the region fell under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The language has words similar to Sanskrit, unlike the Kashmiri spoken in other parts of the state. The cultural centre also showcases the weaves, architecture, animals, festivals, food and lifestyle that make Dards of Gurez unique.

Gurez was also once part of the famous Silk Road and locals claim that some wooden bridges found in the valley date from that time and were used by traders traveling on foot or horseback.

The seemingly mundane life of the people of Gurez is nothing less than an adventure. We see them in their fields, going up the mountain to collect firewood, like the ants gathering food for the rainy days. But when the winter winds start blowing and the green mountains of the Deodars turn white under the frozen snow, they move out of the valley like the migratory birds flocking to tropical lakes. Before the Razdan Pass and the mountain road are blocked by snow and they are cut off from the mainland, a large section of the population moves to the nearest town of Bandipora or to Srinagar. Those who choose to stay have to make do with the remaining supplies for the six winter months as temperatures drop to as low as 20 degrees Celsius below freezing and snow becomes 2.5 to 2.7 metres deep. In the log houses, the cattle are herded on the ground floor while the family lives on the first floor, receiving warmth from the firewood collected during the rest of the year.

However, when nearly 70 percent of the population moves to the mainland, they face infrastructural deficiencies. The unfinished roads and lack of government transport are major obstacles. They pay five times higher fees to some private transport companies to reach the mainland. “Even outside the winter months, supplies from the mainland become several times more expensive by the time they reach Gurez. The lack of skilled labour for the construction work and the high prices of raw materials add to our woes,” says Hussain, who makes up for the inadequate facilities with his warm and winning smile and gentle demeanor.

Although Gurez Valley is increasingly finding its deserved place on the tourist map, challenges also exist. Due to costly supplies from the mainland, resort owners have to rely on local produce to cater to tourists. Haphazard and unplanned construction can destroy the pristine nature of the valley that attracts nature lovers. Without proper sanitation and disposal of plastic waste, the Kishanganga River is losing its beauty. Discarded plastic bottles, containers and colourful polythene carry bags are destroying its charm. The sewage flowing into the river at certain places is a cause for concern. The river is the lifeline of the valley and concerted efforts by residents and authorities to conserve it are crucial. Environmental norms must be strictly followed while building roads, bridges and tunnels and the carrying capacity of the mountains and valleys must be taken into account. Any ill-considered development in this ecologically sensitive region can have disastrous consequences.