The harud (autumn) is when the hustle and bustle in Kashmir villages begin with the season of harvest. The green turns to gold and then to russet and red; leaves fall to melodious cracking sounds under the feet of passers-by beneath the shades of the Chinar (maple) trees.
Autumn, the indication of a long winter season in Kashmir, is marked by a crimson yellow on the Chinar trees. In Kashmir, the season in September, October and November can be dry, wet or windy. With the decrease in temperature, it’s the season when the maple trees turn into bonfires and leaves start falling from them.
Fall is a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, and the crimson red-carpeted gardens in Kashmir are a feast for the eyes. In the countryside farmers harvest paddy, and are quite busy with the apple picking in their orchards; these are indicators of the breath-taking beauty and grandeur of Fall in Kashmir.
