Disputed Kashmir

Depart the next morning, back to Pathankot, just south of the state of Jammu, East of Pakistan, hire a taxi, and begin making our way to Srinagar, the capital of disputed Kashmir.

The pastoral scenery belies the animosity between India and Pakistan just across the border; and the intractable, long-standing, often bloody battle for the heart and soul of disputed Kashmir. America is stale in comparison, which for day-to-day living is a good thing.

But to be covering this ground, so close to the global conflicts that make headlines, the tension is palpable as glum-faced Indian soldiers eye me at each successive check point, barricades with small holes revealing a rifle or worse. In these places, history is being written and violent outbursts can erupt anytime.

With that said, Kashmir has been relatively calm the last few years, but it’s a tenuous peace between the Indian army and Muslim Indians who side with Pakistan, and few visitors venture this far East, causing devastating economic consequences to the region.