RUMI WITH A VIEW

A Sufi-themed luxury retreat nestled in the Zabarwan Hills of Srinagar, Qayaam Gah, is the perfect escape from the dubious pleasures of city life

- AMIT DIXIT

A few low-slung buildings lie scattered around an orchard of plum, pear, cherry and apple trees. The Zabarwan Hills and Dachigam National Park loom behind. In front lies the shimmering sprawl of the Dal—a view to die for. Have I indeed died, because this is paradise for sure. I arrive at Qayaam Gah, Srinagar’s hottest hotel opening of the year, at the magical hour of dusk. As I step out of the 4WD that has transported me up the pebbled dirt track, the cold makes its undeniable presence felt. Autumn, Kashmir’s most beautiful season, is giving way to winter. Can my Delhi lungs handle the crisp-as-an-apple mountain air, I wonder?

With just seven keys, Qayaam Gah is as exclusive as it gets. For proprietor Altaf Chapri—who also runs the Sukoon Houseboat in Srinagar and the beachside Neeleshwar Hermitage in Kerala—Qayaam Gah has been, quite literally, a labour of love. It was eight years in the making—and planned for even longer—progress coming to a standstill several times due to the socio-political upheavals that Kashmir is no stranger to, not to mention the Covid pandemic. Altaf has weathered it all with Sufi-style detachment.

Indeed, Sufism is the very raison d’être of Qayaam Gah. “In the spiritual symbolism of Sufism, qayaam signifies the highest mystical state,” says Chapri, “First comes sukoon, the unshakeable peace, then with time this matures into qayaam, the ultimate station. Qayaam is the experience of unity with everything, the conscious and unbroken enjoyment of the oneness of life.”