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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by A. Hodgson 



the: precipitous pack op mount pisu 



The Amernath pilgrim route leads to the summit in long zigzags 

 and hairpin turns, but the widespread view from the top justifies 

 the arduous climb along a rock-strewn path. 



This same cap is worn by little girls, but 

 after marriage a square of cloth is fast- 

 ened on it and falls over the back of the 

 head and shoulders, veil-fashion. 



Men and women alike wear the pheran. 

 There is a legend that one of the many 

 conquerors of Kashmir, in order to break 

 the spirit of the conquered, decreed that 

 the men should thereafter dress in long 

 gowns. 



ONp MPMBPR OP THp PARTY PKPT BEHIND 



Perched on top of a steep hill above 

 the village of Eishmakam is a monastery, 

 whose rambling buildings, with stone 

 foundations, sun-dried brick upper sto- 



ries, and grass - and- 

 iris covered roofs pre- 

 sent a very pictur- 

 c s q u e appearance. 

 This shrine was built 

 in memory of Zain- 

 ud-din, a disciple of 

 the greatest of Kash- 

 miri saints. We were 

 told that when he felt 

 his end approaching 

 he sent all his disci- 

 ples away and told 

 them to build a tomb 

 for him where his 

 staff was found. Tt 

 was discovered in the 

 cave over which this 

 memorial is built. 



Our way fro m 

 Eishmakam lay u p 

 the Liddar Valley, 

 along a good cart- 

 road and through a 

 beautiful forest much 

 of the way, to Pahl- 

 gam, our next stop. 

 Here, at a height of 

 7,300 feet, many peo- 

 ple from the Punjab 

 and the lower valleys 

 of Kashmir camp 

 through the summer 

 months. They were 

 all gone when we ar- 

 rived, and the little 

 church and country 

 store were closed for 

 the season. 



We pitched our 

 tents about two miles 

 above the native village, on a grassy level, 

 with a mountain behind, a mountain in 

 front, and the rushing river at our feet. 

 After the sun set it was very cold and 

 damp and we were glad to go to bed early. 

 Here one of the ladies of our party re- 

 mained with two servants for five days, 

 while the four of us made the trip to 

 Amernath and back. 



When we left Pahlgam we departed 

 from the beaten track. Through forests 

 and over barren hills, we followed a 

 mere trail, which was often only a sheep's 

 path, not always too well defined. 



The scenery above Pahlgam is beauti- 

 ful beyond description. Our path on the 



