CHAPTER XXXV
KASHMIR
(i) The Kashyapa Bhumi
Next day in the company of the Kashmiri friend and
his family, Ramdas left Jammu for Srinagar. The motor-
bus that conveyed them traversed through a road cut on
the sides of the mountain chains. When the bus trolled on-
ward in its uphill path, it appeared as if an ant. was creep-
ing on a huge mound of earth. The landscapes and deep
valleys, green "with luxuriant vei'dure and the dense forests
of pine, cedar and poplar on the heaven-kissing mountains,
presented an enthralling sight of supreme beauty and
grandeur. As the bus mounted higher and higher along the
spiral path, new and sublime scenes of the majesty of
nature unfolded themselves before his eyes and he was
thrilled with joy at the enchanting vision.
At dusk the motor-bus reached the top of the Banhal
mountain which was nine thousand feet above the sea level.
Here the air was rarefied and the climate very cold.
The party rested for the night beneath the roof of a resi-
dent pandit, who was all kindness and hospitality. The
night was severely cold and the kind host covered Ramdas
with thick blankets.
The ensuing day about eight o'clock the party con-
tinued their journey. They had a halt at midday for meals.
At the approach of the evening they sighted Srinagar.
The high hill of Shankaracharya with the temple on its
top first became visible from a distance.
For the night Ramdas stayed at the house of a pandit
of giant proportions, a relation of the friend under whose
escort he had travelled on the bus. All the people of the
house were kind and hospitable. Next day, making
enquiries for the house of Jariakinath, Raondas shifted
to his dwelling. Janakhxath's younger brother, Amarnath