“Kashmir is a place where nature and man coexist in perfect harmony, creating a landscape that is both wild and serene.”
Hidden in the very remote region of north Kashmir, behind the mountains of Shamasabari and the dense emerald green conifer forest of Lolab one gets to see Machhal (also written as Matchil or Macchil). It is a charming place with lovely people who will entertain you with utmost hospitability and share interesting anecdotes of their history and myths associated with the region. Machhal is a small village located close to the Line of Control (LOC) in Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir. The northern part of the village is bound by Line of Control (LOC) while the southern portion is bound by District Head Quarter, Kupwara. It is situated 56 km away from Kupwara and 15 km from the Line of Control.
Machhal village is located at an altitude of 8,225 ft. It is surrounded by thick conifer mostly Deodar forests, mountain slopes and snow-clad peaks from all sides. The prominent watershed in the area is Nao Nar which flows into the Machhal Nar which in turn is a tributary of the Kishanganga River. The village is surrounded with three major forests which are Aldar Forest, Satnag Forest and Dana Forest. The area remains landlocked and cut off for more than six months in a year due to heavy snowfall. The mercury dips down to minus 15 degrees Celsius during winters and goes as high as 25 degrees Celsius during summers. It receives an annual precipitation of 740.5 mm per year.
In order to discover the beauty of Machhal one has to enter the Lolab valley first, from Lolab, the road leads north towards Kalaroos through dense green Deodar forests. Kalaroos is famous for its caves and the Satbaran monument (Seven Doors). Satbaran is an ancient monument belonging to Kashmir’s Buddhist era and must have been a mediation destination for the Buddhist monks. They are visible from a distance as they are along the spur and these are a hiker’s delight. The road from Kalaroos takes one to Sarkuli village and onwards through the dense Sarkuli Thiayan forest one meanders through serpentine roads till one emerges out at a pass known Zamindar Gali. Also known as Z-Gali, it lies at an altitude of 10,334 feet. At Zamindar Gali you get a breath-taking view all around and the most beautiful site is that of Nanga Parbat in the distance towering at an altitude of 26,660 feet. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) carries out the herculean task of keeping the road open for most of the winters. The area around Z-Gali is flat and is called Koker Seena (the chicken chest) by the local population in the region. As one drives along one can’t take eyes off from the vast expanses of jaw-dropping meadows, green paddy fields and the golden mustard fields in full bloom on either side of the road and ethereal pastures surrounded by mighty Nuwan Mountain range. Low and behold destination Machhal looms ahead with its beautiful hamlets. There are small lakes and pristine meadows nestled within the mountains with numerous springs and nameless waterfalls.
History of Machhal Bowl
The word Machil basically has been derived from Dardic language and it means fish. According to some locals the name was given to the place on account of the abundance of fish in Machhal streams. Another section of the locals believe that some time in 1940s, Mohammad Sultan Harray, resident of Gurez moved to Pushwari via Gurez-Akbar-Korwali II-Pushwari. He carried along seeds of ‘Trumba’, a type of local staple food. He planted the seeds and while he was returning back, he saw huge cultivated fields. He was surprised to see the flowers on top of cultivation and decided to name the place ‘Pushwari’ (Pushp meaning flowers). When he reached Machhal, he started looking for food and he was not able to find anything to consume. He caught fishes, roasted them on fire and consumed it, he called the place as Machil which translates to fish. On his onward journey, he moved to Dudi where he met an elderly woman from Lolab. The elderly woman served him milk for quenching his thirst and he called the place Dudi meaning milk. While moving forward, he planted apples (Tsunt in local Kashmiri language). After a year, while he was returning back, he found the area full of apple trees and called it Tsuntwari (orchid of apples). On moving further to North, he reached an area that was covered with mountains on all sides and formed a ring with plateau in-between, he called it Ringbala. While he was returning back, he saw people playing Dhol & Daphli. He called the area Dabpal. Dab in Kashmiri is a verandah and Pal is a rock. A simple combination means a verandah over a rock and that is how village Dabpal appears to the naked eye from distance.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in the Machhal bowl. It is also rich in forest resources. Some of their major produce is Corn, Potato, Kidney beans. The village men are also proficient carpenters & have expertise in artisan work. The women folk are into farming and tending to house hold chores.
Tourism in Machhal Region
The entire landscape is enchanting, mesmerizing and beckons the nature lovers. Nature is at its best, be it plains, hills, mountains, pastures, nallas, meadows and one is awestruck as one wanders through the hills and vales. Areas like Pushwari, Mishri Bhaik and Kalai Bhaik which fall in the region have great potential for development as tourist places because of their natural scenery, climate and topography. Machhal cuisine much like the Kashmiri cuisine is unique, mouth-watering and delectable. Salted tea or Noon chai also called Sheer Chai is the traditional drink and is cooked in a Samavar (tea pot). Kahwa, the traditional green tea is also served in special occasions and festivals. Here the weddings are regarded incomplete without Wazwan which is a delicious multi-course meal in which almost all the dishes are meat based with flavorsome spicy test.
The tourism in Kashmir Valley has generally been saturated around the urban centers and the traditional tourism destinations like Gulmarg, Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonmarg etc. are being marketed extensively. Machhal offers tremendous opportunities for tourism as well as for adventure activities. The lack of awareness about the tourism potential of the general area inhibits the growth of tourism in Machhal Valley. There a huge scope for bed-and-breakfast schemes in and around villages of Pushwari and Machhal. Adventure activities like rowing, kayaking and white-water rafting can be undertaken in the Machhal Nar, trekking in the forest, angling and camping are some other avenues for development of tourism which will put it on the global tourism map for sure in the near future.
