By: Mudasir Ahmad Sood
It is amidst the nature’s lap that every soul attains solace from stress, anxiety, and bad tempers. Every nook and corner in this beautiful valley is indispensable to its splendour; alterations, in any form would lead to complete spoil. The majestic mountain ranges, pristine water bodies, echoing forests, and smooth sailing valleys sooth human minds to the highest levels of purity and imagination. Natural landscape has remedy for all kinds of ailments- physical or psychological, internal or external, and benign or chronic.
Bernate-Sirathani Trekking trail, seven kilometre long, two and half hour journey from the foot hills of Bernate, a small village in Tehsil Boniyar, upto Sirathani Shrine on top of the mountain is astoundingly adventurous. The track, running through tranquil forests, amidst the musical tones of birds and streams is seamless and tireless. Women, children, and old aged walk on this trail relishing the smell of wild flowers and the musical hymns of birds and stream waters.
The Garawali Hills of Pir Panjal range at the back, especially in the morning, sends cold massages, to sob off the trickling perspiration. The shining rays, sieving out of the branches of Deodar, falling on the face, shimmies down the fatigue, gives motivation to advance, step by step, into the virgin meadows on top of the mountain, where Pir Sirathani Shrine welcomes you with open arms into the lap of lovely unruffled breeze. On top of the world, sight of peaks of mountain tops all around, some with reflecting snow heaps and others with barren rocks, heals broken souls.
The meadow, hosting Sirathani at one end, descends to another valley towards Chorkhud-Lianmarg-Butapathri track, meets many small tribal docks on the way, and escapes into the world famous Gulmarg on the South Eastern side. Quite often, the journey culminates at Sirathani Shrine, as most of the people visit here to seek divine blessing. At the tip of the tongues of majority of inhabitants, there are many miracles of Pir Sahab, which, draw distressed, destitute, and enthusiasts to this place. It is said that some two hundred years ago, a herder lost his cattle in the forests, searching everywhere he meets disappointment. Saddened to the core, he met a noble soul while returing, who after listening him, identified the location of cattle/herd. Astonishingly, the herder found his cattle, unharmed at the same spot, thus, Pir Sirathani became famous in the area. Locals started visiting him for blessings. Another, miracle, describes that the area around the spot, where shrine is located remained illuminated throughout the dark, making travel possible in the wee hours. Many more such miracles, draws devotees to this place, even today.
Tracking enthusiasts travel on this track to enjoy the cool natures’ walk and to discover virgin picnic spots and unveil natural bounties is passionate hobby for many people. For such aficionados, Forest Department in collaboration with Army and local administration has constructed a smooth trail, aiding journey on this beautiful forest track, which they call Bernate-Sirathani Tracking Trail. This tracking trail needs wide publicity to attract trek lovers and tourists to unveil hidden natural gems like the serene springs, floral and faunal species, and splendid picturesque canvases.