Thread by @vineetkaul

I will share with you a series of stories related to life in #Kashmir. They are #BelieveItOrNot stories.

STORY 1- A few week ago many people shared the picture of this #Shiv temple in #Gulmarg. This temple has been an attraction primarily in the summer months. 1/n

It is on top of a hill inside the #Gulmarg bowl. The hill used to be covered with flowers on all sides as was most of Gulmarg and has the best view.

The temple also has some accommodation opposite to it which was used by the priest and sometimes rented as well by travellers. 2/n

This temple in #Gulmarg also had some accommodation opposite to it which was used by the priest & sometimes rented as well by travellers. Close to 3 decades back during the summer months, there used to be "havan" at the temple & they made the best halwa one could have. 3/n

Here is where things get interesting. In the #winter months, a #snowleopard would visit the temple every Thursday. The snow leopard would also visit the hut of a person where it would eat rice, yes you read it right. 4/n

After that it would walk all the way to Baba Rishi and visit the shrine there. Here is a video of a #snowleopard taken a few years back by skiers in #Gulmarg - 5/n

In early 70's, one day @kaulwatt was going from Gulmarg Club to his hut (see attached picture) . It was winters and snow had covered everything and there was a single tract to his hut. While he is walking he saw the #snowleopard coming in the opposite direction. 6/n

He kept walking and the #snowleopard left the track and walked past him. This happened thrice and each time he thought that now it's over.

Once he reached his hut, he called for Nabba, the chowkidar (help) who had the keys. 7/n

Nabba replied back in Kashmiri, Kaul sahab what are you doing outside, there is a #snowleopard out there. @kaulwatt broke open the door, got inside and pushed all the furniture to the door. He then took out his shirt and squeezed water out of it & lived to tell the story. 8/n

Cut to a 2016. We were on our annual trip to #Srinagar & #Gulmarg as usual was a must visit. Usually we would only go to Baba Rishi but went to temple as well this time. The temple was managed by a local Muslim and to be fair to him, he had done whatever he possibly could. 9/n

It was evening and he has some bhajan running on a small music player. You could barely hear the sound outside the temple.

Just then another person walks in and tells him in #Kashmiri to shut it down, saying the prayer from the mosque has started. 10/n

A few days back we called a close acquaintance in Baba Rishi and asked if the #snowleopard still visits and he confirmed in positive 😊🙏🏼. #Kashmir #Gulmarg 11/n