Kokernag or kukernag, originally called as Bindoo Zalangam,
owes its present name to the fresh water spring which gushes out of the base of
a thickly forested hill from where it divides into various channels resembling
the claws of a hen. Koker: fowl; Nag: spring and hence the name Kokernag.
As per a famous legend,
a saint Gushwami visited Kokernag along with his bucket. While he was in
meditation, a few ladies came in search of water but couldn’t find it till they
spotted the saint in deep sleep and his bucket. Assuming that the bucket has
water they came close to the saint and opened his bucket only to find snakes
inside it. The snakes escaped as soon as the lid was opened and crept on the
ground changing its shape to that of a chicken. It dug the soil of the land by
its paws and water gushed out from these places wherever it dug. The saint
opened his eyes and the water remained in the form of claws and hence the name
Kokernag. I wonder what would have happened if the saint would not have opened
his eyes!
Situated
at a height of 2000 mts from sea level in the Bringhi valley, Kokernag boasts
of its collection of springs, sprawling gardens fragrant with the blooms of a
large number and variety of flora, largest fresh water spring, trout streams
and a large trout farm.
The
most interesting and beautiful site of Kokernag is the Kokernag spring,
Papshudan nag, a fresh water spring with cool and sparkling clean water which
bubbles at seven places at the foot of the forest hills. This spring is the
largest fresh water spring in Kashmir and is also considered magical and curative.
Its water is supposed to possess medicinal and digestive properties (even
though I couldn’t drink it as the water was freezing cold!)
The
botanical garden, Kokernag is a delightful and enchanting blend of natural and
typical Kashmir architectural layout. The Japanese bridges built over the
rushing, sparkling streams, lush greenery and miniature man-made islands in the
gardens at the foothills of the mountains covered in coniferous trees made the
whole experience a beautiful and captivating one. The gardens have a rose
shrubbery, which during the flowering season fill the vicinity with their
fragrance and brilliant hues against a background of green and blue.
My
visit to the Kokernag garden in the month of January had me standing still in
an envelope of white. The shimmering silver of white on the plants and trees,
sunlight streaming through the snow covered forest and the magical sound of
water flowing in the springs was an outward experience.
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