Colour Changing Meadows

Picture a meadow that changes colour at every turn as if it has just stepped out from the pages of a storybook – meadows that are lavender, meadows that are red, meadows that are yellow. That’s exactly how it was on that day – colour changing meadows.

We were just getting used to feasting our eyes on these meadows, but until that day it would be stretches of just one colour. Then there were these pockets of yellow, white, maroon, purple, and even a very dark green that would suddenly pop out here and there from the green grass that covered most of the rolling spread.

‘Paradise on Earth’ just seemed so appropriate for this implausible land on earth!

The ornamental and flowery meadows of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek turned out to be a great bonus that came along with the high altitude alpine lakes. Unusual flowers of myriad hues, sizes and shapes splashed all around made for iridescent pastures making me wonder with all seriousness if these were playgrounds of Gods and Goddesses! The kaleidoscopic surroundings pleased my senses and ignited an inner smile that is sure to burn warm for a long time to come.

I don’t know the names of any of these flowers. Our guide was of no help either. He said they are called lavender and red weed – the lavender and the red flowers respectively – surely there has to be better names. He couldn’t help with the local names too.

An interesting thing that needs mention is that the lavender meadows had many different kinds of flowers but all of them were of the same lavender colour. The same was true for the red meadows and the yellow meadows.

I did not click pictures of all the flowers that I came across, which was because of two reasons.

  • Firstly, it is the handicap of using a phone camera and not having a DSLR or even an ordinary camera.
  • Secondly, the thought that a picture would do no justice to the sight, smell, and feel of the flowers sufficiently convincing my mind to not click at all.

While I write a detailed post on my experiences of Kashmir Great Lakes, I thought I would post pictures of these delicate beauties and some of you might just be able to help me with their names.

Once again these are unedited mobile photos clicked through iPhone-6.

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Author: neelstoria

Traveling, Gardening, Trekking, Hiking, Storytelling, Writing, Nature, Outdoors, Yoga, DIY

44 thoughts on “Colour Changing Meadows”

  1. around what altitude did you trek? did you use porter? I have heard of flowers and fruits that grow in the spring, their fragrance aid to altitude sickness. As beautiful and appealing the colors are purple, green and orange they look equally poisonous to me.
    Love your unedited photography, for Iphone 6 that was justice. Because almost every picture needs a final touch, Im sure your’s would look more appealing with that not that it isn’t appealing already.

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  2. The maximum altitude we went up to on this trek was 13,800 ft., which is high altitude but lesser than certain other Himalayan treks, even lesser than Rupin where we had gone up to 15,380 ft. Don’t know if fragrances contribute to altitude sickness but prolonged exposure could make one nauseous I think. There’s always a possibility of Flowers in the wild being poisonous.

    What about your long awaited vacation, Ankit? Are you done or going soon?

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  4. Having been to some other Himalayan treks, I can visualize the kind beauty you have seen, Neel. To be honest, I have been to Himalayan treks and I trek on a regular basis in Aravali hills, I click more pictures from mobile phone and a super-zoom camera. The reason is simple. Convenience! For using DSLR I need both my hands, but with either of the two, I simply pull out click and push it back in pocket! Carrying a DSLR around is a pain. What is you meet with a fall? Also, when I usually start my trek during early morning, my phone clicks some great low light photos which are difficult with my DSLR kit lens. Carrying heavy good quality lens is another pain!

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    1. That’s exactly the reason I use my phone camera It’s just convenience. Many friends and relatives tell me I should have at least an ordinary camera, may be a go pro if not DSLR. If I feel convinced I might do so but convenience is huge for me especially on treks. Also, though I love to click pictures sometimes especially in Himalayas I often don’t feel like doing so, it’s strange but I feel I don’t want to waste my time trying to capture moments.

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      1. Neel, I have a different perspective on it. I feel we should capture our memories because someday we would love to roll back and look at these pictures. You can buy gopro or compact zoom or maybe DSLR. It’s entirely your choice. Once you have either of these your thoughts may change. Why don’t you borrow one from your friend when you go for a trek next time? My journey to DSLR also started like this when my friend pushed me for using his camera during a trek. 🙂

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        1. Totally agree with you. I feel the same way too. It’s the photographs that bring back those moments. What I meant was, earlier I would capture several pictures of the same place from various angles and in the process often miss out the actual moment itself. I have stopped doing that now. I wanted to capture almost everything I saw, which I quickly realized isn’t possible. Now-a-days I rather capture a video to show the panoramic view to friends and family.
          Your idea of borrowing is a good one, could attempt trying it. Though there have been times when I did carry around a camera (not a DSLR though).

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          1. Neel, you are right that moment and mood should dictate on this issue. There have been times when I didn’t click enough pictures or I didn’t feel like capturing at all so I don’t have pictures from some segments of the trek. I generally stay away from either selfies (a very common thing among the first time trekkers) and too much of the group pictures. Well, the bottom line is you have to be happy so if you don’t miss pictures after your trek, so be it! 🙂

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      2. Just poking my nose here… 😀 Regarding the camera, I feel you could try the mirrorless cameras, just take a wide angle prime lens. This way your payload will be lighter and you should be able to get any kind of pictures(except bird photography) The mobile phones have improved greatly in terms of picture quality but still can’t beat the bigger sensor cameras. For a videography, I feel the mobile phones are the best. But as you said that you don’t want to waste your time trying to capture moments, that’s true, first, you have to enjoy the moment that whey you are there. 🙂

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        1. Raj, first of all thank you for poking your nose 😀
          I don’t have much idea about cameras, a mirrorless one even more, totally clueless. I do plan to get a camera that’s light weight, easy to carry around, and doesn’t pinch the pocket. Will keep this in mind when i find myself actually shopping for one. Totally agree with you that a mobile camera can never match up to a real camera.
          And, i don’t mean to say that capturing photos is a waste of time. Rather capturing photos should just be one part (may be a smaller one) of the entire experience. Sometimes in the frenzy of capturing every moment, we forget enjoying the moment than and there.
          Thanks for the advice, appreciate it 🙂

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          1. Yes Neel, you are right, there should be a balance. I have seen people totally forgetting the “being there” moment in a photography frenzy. That too mostly selfies and pointless shooting. We shoot just because others are doing it. I don’t even know how they are storing those pictures later or if they really preserve. I do take a lot of pictures but as soon as I am back home about 80% is deleted. Keep in mind the mirrorless cameras and they can do excellent shots with half the size of DSLR. All my pictures are from a Sony mirrorless, but there are other good options too.

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            1. You know Raj, your comment had landed onto Spam. No idea why. I never check the spam comments, just happened to do so today and found it. Thanks for your response.
              You are right. Often times the sole motive of many people behind clicking is Facebook and Instagram. More so when it comes to travel. Sometimes when you are lost in wonderment amidst nature’s beauty someone will come barging in asking to click a picture for them. Sometimes I love to oblige but sometimes such interruptions bug me. Well, to each his own 🙂

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              1. Yes, for new comments there is a chance that AI detects the message as spam. It happened to me too, I generally check my spam once a week and may times found false positives.
                Yes, I dont mind people clicking pictures but what puzzels me is, what are they going to do with so many pictures? Also people give very less time to think about the place they are in. People just rush to the places where everyone taking selflies… probably people think.. if eveyone taking the picture, that means its a best spot to take picture!! On the contrary, I try to take pictures of the people taking selfies.. 😀

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                1. The funny thing is, your comment wasn’t new and it was in a trail of previous responses.
                  And, about pictures I used to be the same few years earlier – clicking several pictures of the same place from various angles. But I quickly realised that i would hardly ever look through all the pictures again.
                  Pictures of people clicking selfies – haha!

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                  1. Yep, you watch people taking selfies… its fun… And people give the sweetest smile ever when they pose for a selfie. It’s very easy to shoot candids as people who are posing hardly notice you clicking their pictures! 😀

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  5. The magic of moments may also get lost when you publish photos about each and everything you see or photograph in the world. This implies the great risk that nice or interesting matters simply develop to a banality. Isn’t it more interesting to keep some valuable secrets!?

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  7. Phone cameras can do wonders and there is absolutely no need to carry a DSLR at such high altitude (methinks!). I have trekked in several parts of Sahyadri and never felt the urge to carry dslr. Infact, there are several posts where i have used pics clicked from my mobile (red mi note3). It’s only recently that I’m trying my hands on dslr but still love to click from mobile. I get to see the exact frame on the screen which helps me adjust the angle and light better and ofcourse it’s simple, fast and convenient to use.

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    1. I have seen people struggling with their DSLRs at high altitudes. Sometimes, even a little extra load seems unbearable. Also, I have seen people carrying their tripods, etc and then never using them at all. I am considering getting a point and shoot just because the clarity will be better than a phone. And, above all no camera can capture what you see and experience.
      Thank you, Hariom for sharing your thoughts :). Hope you are continuing with your explorations. Haven’t seen something from you in a while.

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    1. You are right but sometimes we overdo in today’s digital times. In the process of capturing every moment sometimes we miss experiencing the real moment itself. But of course photographs are the only memories we have and often photographs remind us of incidents that we have otherwise forgotten.
      Thank you for visiting and leaving behind your thoughts.

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  12. Pingback: Seven Days of Paradise at Kashmir Great Lakes – Reflections!

  13. The red flowers (1st pic) I’ve seen in a nursery somewhere. And about the last two pictures – does the last picture (dark blue and violet berry-like things) show a later stage of the one above it (green buds). Beautiful sights!!

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