Welcome to the frozen fall!
Drung Tangmarg
By: Mohmod Irfan Shah
Drung is a small village in Tangmarg Tehsil that belongs to the Baramulla District of Jammu & Kashmir union territory, India, and is around 3.5kms away from Tangmarg town, connected by a zig-zag macadamized road, which gives a beautiful view of Ferozpora Nalla and the adjacent villages. The tourist spot is located around 42 km from the summer capital city of Kashmir, Srinagar. It is famous for its waterfall, caves, an ancient temple, Ferozpora Nalla, and hydropower plant. A fast-flowing stream, pines, and hillocks give it a resemblance to Pahalgam, and visitors do not miss the chance to visit the beautiful place while going to Gulmarg.
The road to Drung, despite its narrowness, is breathtakingly beautiful, passing through a dense pine forest and old mud shacks. The location is stunning in both summers as well as winter and is open round the year. Many people who visit the place with their loved ones enjoy the breathtaking beauty and the nature friendly ambience of this tourist resort. The view and atmosphere of the gushing water stream and the waterfalls are enchanting. In the summer, dipping your feet in the cold waters here enthrals with quality vibes resonating with ones senses, body, mind and spirit.
During summers, one sees lots of greenery all around and a spectacular waterfall in the midst. During the summer, tourists as well as locals visit Drung to go horse riding, see fast-flowing streams, waterfalls, caves, and an ancient Hindu temple that is close by from the waterfall and is believed to have been built by the Pandavas. People go there to pay their respects and also to appreciate the ancient architecture. Pony rides from Tangmarg to Drung and adjacent areas fascinate people even more about the place. The towering waterfall, merging with the stream is another eye catching element of the place and people love watching and capturing those moments.
Drung reveals itself in its truest form during the winter months when everything is covered in snow. The waterfall freezes due to the extremely low temperature. During the winter season, tourists and locals visit Drung to capture a glimpse of the frozen fang, which is adjacent to the Ferozpora Nalla bridge. People from different parts of Kashmir and other parts of the country go for a sojourn before going to Gulmarg, as it is just 3 km away from the Tangmarg highway. Because of the limited availability of accommodation and camping space, people prefer going for a day picnic to Drung and enjoy sledging down the slopes in the frozen snow.
During my recent visit to Drung, I booked an AC cab with Wadiye Sitara Tour and Travels. It was just a three-hour sojourn, but I enjoyed the mesmerising view from the back seat of the car for the first time. My eyes caught the frozen fang on social media, and the next day I couldn’t stop myself from paying a visit. Despite Drung being an underdeveloped place, its natural beauty propels tourists to visit the place. We hardly find one or two guest houses around Drung, but people can book a hotel in Tangmarg and visit Drung as well as Gulmarg from there. There are a few tea stalls and we find no cafes or restaurants in Drung, so staying for the night might not be a good idea if you’re not planning to take your food along with you. All in all, an interesting place to visit.
The writer is a student pursuing B.E Civil Engineering at SSM College of Engineering. Email: [email protected]
Photo By: Asif Bashir
