Kashmir’s Hidden Treasure: Medicinal Plants and Herbal Tourism

By: Sheikh Gulzar

https://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Herbal tourism, a growing niche in the tourism industry, focuses on travel experiences centered around the use of herbal medicine and natural remedies, often for health and wellness purposes. This type of tourism can involve visiting herbal gardens, learning about traditional healing practices, and experiencing local herbal products and therapies. 

More details: Herbal Gardens Kashmir 

Key aspects of herbal tourism :

Focus on natural remedies:
Herbal tourism emphasizes the use of plants and natural ingredients for medicinal purposes and overall well-being. 

Health and wellness tourism:
It is often considered a subset of health and wellness tourism, attracting individuals seeking alternative therapies and natural approaches to healthcare. 

Cultural immersion:
Herbal tourism can involve learning about traditional herbal knowledge, culinary traditions, and cultural practices related to herbal medicine. 

Economic benefits:
It can generate economic opportunities for local communities through tourism activities, product sales, and employment in related industries. 

Examples:
Herbal tourism can include visiting herbal gardens, attending workshops on herbal remedies, participating in herbal-based spa treatments, or purchasing local herbal products. 

Benefits of herbal tourism:

Natural healing:
Herbal tourism promotes the use of natural remedies, which may appeal to individuals seeking alternatives to conventional medicine. 

Lower cost and fewer side effects:
Herbal remedies are often more affordable and may have fewer side effects compared to some pharmaceutical drugs. 

Increased awareness of herbal medicine:

Herbal tourism can raise awareness and appreciation for the benefits and cultural significance of herbal medicine. 

Economic and environmental benefits:
Herbal tourism can stimulate local economies and support sustainable practices related to herbal cultivation and conservation.

 
Examples of herbal tourism destinations:

Herbal gardens  in Kashmir:
Kashmir is a leading destination for herbal treatments, which incorporate herbal medicine and natural therapies. 

Herbal gardens and parks:
Many locations around the world have established herbal gardens and parks to showcase medicinal plants and promote their use. 

Traditional herbal medicine communities:
Some communities have preserved traditional herbal knowledge and offer unique tourism experiences centered around their practices. 

To register a herbal tourism business in Kashmir under the Jammu and Kashmir Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1978, you would need to apply to the prescribed authority, which is likely the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir. The application process typically involves submitting a form with details about your business, including its name, address, and the type of services offered, along with supporting documents like bank statements, tax clearances, and proof of ownership. The authority will then review your application and, if approved, issue a registration certificate. 

1. Identify the Prescribed Authority:
Locate the relevant authority within the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir, responsible for processing registration applications for tourist trade businesses. 

2. Gather Necessary Documents:
Prepare all required documents, which may include:
Application form (obtained from the Department of Tourism). 
Business registration certificate (if applicable). 
Bank statements and references. 
Income tax clearance certificate. 
Proof of ownership or lease agreement for the property. 
Other documents as specified by the prescribed authority. 

3. Submit the Application:
Complete the application form and submit it to the prescribed authority, along with all required documents. 

4. Application Review:
The prescribed authority will review your application to ensure it meets the requirements of the Act and the rules. 

5. Registration and Certificate:
Upon approval, your business will be registered, and you will receive a registration certificate. 

6. Compliance and Renewal:
You will need to comply with the rules and regulations of the Act and renew your registration periodically, typically every three years. 

It's important to note that the specific requirements and procedures may vary slightly, so it's advisable to consult the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir website or contact them directly for the most up-to-date information. You can also find information on the registration process and required documents on the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir website.

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Dry fruit prices spike after supply from Kashmir, Afghanistan & third countries

Pistachio prices have increased nearly 20% since India closed the Attari-Wagah border after the April 22  attack near Pahalgam in Kashmir. Along with pistachio, India imports nearly 90% of dried figs and heeng it consumes, 50% of saffron, dried apricots and munakka from Afghanistan via the land route through Pakistan.  

Pine nut cultivation in Kashmir

Following the Pahalgam attack, the Attari-Wagah border closure disrupted dry fruit trade from Afghanistan to India, possibly causing a 20–35% price hike due to restrictions.

Despite years of war and internal conflict, Afghanistan remains the largest source of dry fruits for India. The Federation of Grocers and Dry Fruit Traders said, "After the closure of the Attari-Wagah border on April 22, no truck carrying dry fruits is coming to Attari from Kandahar in Afghanistan. On the Pakistani side, there are about 200 trucks parked at the Wagah border, which are not being allowed to enter India.

Ferula-Heeng Kashmir
Asafoetida-Ferula asafetida-Heeng is a spice that is an integral part of the Indian cuisine. It is a natural medicine and a go-to home remedy for digestion-related problems. A recent project by the JKMPIC has given Kashmir a chance to taste the spice cultivated in its own land. The JKMPIC has planted 5000 saplings of ferula asafoetida in 2019.

Ferula asafetida Kashmir

There are about 100 trucks carrying 35 to 40 tonnes of dry fruits from Afghanistan to Pakistan at the Attari border in India, which mainly come from Kandahar in Afghanistan, and some come from Kabul, but due to the closure of the border by Pakistan, they are now unable to enter India. About 90 per cent of the dry fruits arrive in January and February, as there are no storage facilities in Afghanistan.

European countries support Pakistan’s proposal for independent probe into Pahalgam attack

Phalgham

Switzerland and Greece have welcomed Pakistan’s proposal for an independent probe into the shooting incident at a tourist spot in disputed state of  Kashmir last month.

The Foreign Office said on Saturday that the Swiss government has also offered to assist in a transparent investigation.

The attack on a popular tourist spot in Pahalgam on April 22 killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, which Islamabad has repeatedly denied.

Tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries increased after the attack, with India imposing trade and shipping restrictions and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan has demanded an impartial and transparent international probe into the incident and warned that any military action would be met with a befitting response, although Islamabad does not want to escalate tensions.

Elderberry trees in Kashmir

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to the foreign ministers of Switzerland and Greece over the phone and presented his country’s position on the situation.

The Foreign Office quoted Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in a social media post, saying that the Foreign Minister “appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to peace and supported its proposal for an investigation.”

According to the statement, after a telephone conversation between the two leaders, Cassis said that “Switzerland is ready to offer its services to assist in an impartial investigation and to find appropriate mechanisms.”

According to another social media post, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapretis also welcomed Pakistan’s proposal for an impartial investigation and stressed the importance of restraint to avoid escalation and maintain regional stability.

A day earlier, Ishaq Dar spoke to European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaya Kalas, who stressed the need for dialogue between the two nuclear-armed South Asian countries for regional peace and stability.

The Pakistani deputy prime minister told the three European officials that Islamabad rejects India’s allegations and unilateral actions, such as the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

He called India’s decision to “keep the treaty in suspension” a violation of international law.

Pakistan and India have fought several wars over the issue of Kashmir, which both countries claim in full but control in part. The renewed diplomatic engagement comes amid fears of further tensions after the Pahalgam attack.

The story of Pahalgam attack

By Sheikh Gulzar

Sheikh Gulzar

(1) The Pahalgam attack has made it extremely difficult for the Gujarati lobby to invest in the builder line in Kashmir, as now Punjabis will not invest here.

Or

(2) The Pahalgam attack has made it easier for the Gujarati lobby to invest in the builder line in Kashmir, because now Punjabi Baniyas will not invest here.


On April 22, there was a attack on Pahalgam (Kashmir), before this, on February 27, the Gujarati lobby has ended the connectivity of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (DAK Expressway) to Amritsar.

The real reason for this is that the Hindu businessman of Punjab, whom we call Bania or Lala, started buying farm houses in Kashmir after the end of Article 370 in Kashmir. In Kashmir, the Bania of no other state was buying so much land, as much as the Bania of Punjab was buying. The reason for this is that the Punjabi Baniya is relatively braver than other Baniyas of the entire India due to its Punjabi soil. Secondly, because of the connectivity of this expressway to Amritsar, it was very easy for him to go to Kashmir or his connectivity to Kashmir was only a few hours. So he could manage or enjoy his farm house.

Gujarati lobby had trouble buying land in Kashmir by this Punjabi Bania, because Gujarati lobby considers Kashmir as its fiefdom.

They have not done away with Article 370 for commoners to buy land in Kashmir, but now after this Pulwama attack and after cutting the connectivity of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra highway to Amritsar, it will be easy for Adani to cut a residential colony in the entire Kashmir, in which only he is the king. Because, now the Baniya of Punjab who has bought land in Kashmir will only think of selling his land, let alone buying it further.

It is not that this express highway will not be connected to Amritsar, note my point, the day Adani or the Gujarati lobby invests billions of rupees in cutting residential colonies in Kashmir or in builder lines, after that day Amritsar will also be connected to Katra through this expressway.