The happiness and excitement on my daughter’s face, along with her sweet giggles, created an everlasting and exhilarating moment in my life
A family trip gives us an opportunity to strengthen bonds, create lasting memories, and gain something that can never be taken away: experience, exposure, and a way of life. On 20th July 2025, I went on a trip with my wife, Yasmeena and our two children (Ahmed Nisar, 5 years old, and Zehra Nisar, 16 months old) to a picturesque spot called Namblan, located at the confluence of Shopian, Pulwama, and Budgam districts. On one side, it features the famous tourist spot Yusmarg, and on the other side is Dubjan.
We departed at 11:15 am from our hometown, Pulwama, in our car and reached our destination at 12:15 pm., covering a distance of 20 km via Pulwama-Abhama, with the motorable route ending at Kandpathri, a locality in Sangerwani. From Kandpathri, a path leads to an elevation where I parked my vehicle. After parking the car on a small patch of land, we took some rest and had lunch at the bank of the Romeshi rivulet.
My children were very excited and refreshed on seeing the pristine, gushing Romeshi water streams, tall pine and fir trees, vast undulating meadows, pastures, and trekking routes leading to the magnificent landscape of the surrounding Pir Panjal mountain range. The happiness and excitement on my daughter’s face, along with her sweet giggles, created an everlasting and exhilarating moment in my life.
The most spectacular aspect of Namblan is its virginity and serenity, which can only be experienced by spending time at this place. Several pony riders help tourists cross the Romeshi rivulet over an iron bridge. Thereafter, a 30-minute walk along a steep path through beautiful green pastures leads to a bowl-shaped meadow nestled between various mountain ranges. Locally, this part of the Romeshi Forest Range in Shopian Forest Division is called Namblan.
This valley is dotted with scattered huts made of wooden logs and mud, used by nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals who live there during summers for grazing cattle. My son also insisted I ride a horse, and my wife and I decided to enjoy horse riding. Although I have been a good horse rider since childhood, coming from a farming background, it was the first time for my wife and children to ride a horse.
Finally, we hired two pony riders and started our ride toward Namblan meadow. Without any fear, my wife and children remained calm and enjoyed the moment to the fullest. At Namblan, we saw several beautifully decorated walls of Dokhis, which added to its visual appeal.
Apart from the Dokhis, there are small tea huts and two mosques built to facilitate prayers. The simplicity and purity of life in Namblan transport visitors back in time, offering a glimpse of Kashmir’s yesteryears.
The Gujjars and Bakerwals lead a simple but fulfilling life, relying on resources provided by the surrounding forests. The women of the community rear traditional varieties of chickens and knit handmade skull caps, maintaining their cultural heritage. They also make and serve delicious traditional beverages, dishes, and other delicacies from pure cow milk, including nun chai, butter, ghee, and kalari (Moeshi Krej in Kashmiri), to visitors at reasonable rates.
Bargah is another meadowy pasture in the area used for grazing sheep by the shepherd community. It offers a serene and untouched environment for visitors to immerse themselves in nature. This place is also used as a base for trekking to the upper reaches of the Pir Panjal range and connects to Dubjan, Shopian via Katarkhar meadow, with a trekking distance of 15 km.
Before our departure back home at 7:00 pm, I took my son for a bath in the icy cold waters of Romeshi, which provided a rejuvenating and healing effect on my body. We safely reached home, carrying beautiful, memorable experiences from this pristine valley.
Dr Nisar Farhad
dr*************@***il.com