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Town in Kashmir
Saffron town on the karewas, 15 km from Srinagar
Pampore is Kashmir's saffron town, on the Jhelum about 15 km south-east of Srinagar. Its karewa plateaus grow most of India's saffron, which carries a GI tag since 2020. Visit from late October to mid November to see the purple crocus picked at dawn, and add the 9th-century Avantipora temple ruins nearby.
Photo: Umarsami · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsDrive south from Srinagar on the Jammu highway and, after about 15 km, the road climbs onto the karewas of Pampore: flat, dry plateaus of old lake sediment above the Jhelum. For most of the year they look like bare brown fields. For about three weeks from late October, they turn purple, as saffron crocus flowers open across hundreds of hectares and families walk the rows at dawn with wicker baskets.
Pampore, known in antiquity as Padmapura, has long been the centre of the Kashmir saffron trade, and the region has produced the large majority of India's crop. Production has fallen in recent years with warmer, drier autumns and erratic rain, and the government has invested in irrigation and a trading centre at Dussu to support growers. Kashmir saffron received a Geographical Indication tag in May 2020.
The town is also a convenient stop on the way to Pahalgam or the south of the valley. A few kilometres on, at Awantipora, stand the ruins of two 9th-century stone temples built by King Avantivarman. Pampore is also linked with the poet Habba Khatoon, who was born in a village nearby.
From about the last week of October to mid November, the karewas bloom purple with crocus. Picking happens at dawn, and the fields are best seen between 7 and 10 am before the flowers are cleared.
After picking, families separate the three red stigmas of each flower by hand at home, then dry them. Ask a grower or your guide whether you can watch respectfully; it is slow, careful work.
The Avantiswami Temple, built by King Avantivarman around 853–855 CE, is a ruined stone complex protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, about 15 km beyond Pampore on the Jhelum.
Buy from growers, government-approved sellers or the trading centre at Dussu, and look for GI labels. Genuine Kashmir saffron is dark red with thick stigmas and a strong aroma.
Roadside shops in Pampore sell saffron kahwa and Kashmiri bakery goods. It is a good breakfast stop on the way to Pahalgam.
Field notes
Kashmir saffron received a Geographical Indication tag on 1 May 2020. It is grown on the karewa highlands at roughly 1,600–1,800 m, mainly in Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar and Kishtwar districts, with Pampore as the hub.
Source: Geographical Indications Registry, Government of India
Pampore was known in antiquity as Padmapura, and it remains so linked with the spice that it is commonly called the saffron town of Kashmir.
Source: Pampore
The Avantiswami Temple at Awantipora was built by King Avantivarman around 853–855 CE and dedicated to Vishnu. Locals call the ruins Pandav Lari, the house of the Pandavas.
Source: Avantiswami Temple
Experiences
Photo: Ashfaq ahanger · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
For about three weeks each autumn, Pampore's karewas turn purple with saffron crocus. Families pick the flowers at dawn…
Photo: Venkygrams · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
About 15 km beyond Pampore, at Awantipora on the Jhelum, lie the ruins of two stone temples built by King Avantivarman …
Photo: FADIND SOUL · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Pampore is the best place to buy Kashmir saffron, but fakes and blends are common across India. Knowing the grades, the…
Real prices
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
Air
Srinagar airport is about 25 km away, 40–50 minutes by taxi via the bypass.
Train
Pampore has a station on the Banihal–Baramulla line. Local DEMU trains from Srinagar take about 15–20 minutes and cost a few rupees. Check current timetables before you travel.
Road
Pampore lies on NH44, the Srinagar–Jammu highway, about 15 km from Srinagar. Shared Sumos and buses heading to Awantipora, Anantnag or Pulwama stop here.
Where to stay
Most travellers visit Pampore as a half-day trip from Srinagar and stay there: houseboats and guesthouses for saver budgets, Boulevard hotels for comfort, and The LaLiT for signature trips. Pampore itself has very limited tourist accommodation. If you are heading south, combine Pampore with Avantipora on the way to Pahalgam.
Questions
From about the last week of October to mid November, when the saffron crocus flowers and families harvest at dawn. Outside this window, Pampore is a good stop for buying saffron and visiting the Avantipora ruins on the way to Pahalgam.
About 15 km south-east on NH44, the Jammu highway, 30–40 minutes by car. Local trains on the Banihal–Baramulla line take about 15–20 minutes, and shared Sumos stop on the highway.
You can see the karewa fields, but they look like bare earth for most of the year. The crocus leaves are green in winter and spring. Plan for late October or early November if you want to see flowers.
Kashmir saffron is prized for its deep colour and aroma, partly due to high-altitude growing on the karewas, and has a GI tag. Quality depends on grade and handling. Buy mongra grade from trusted growers for the best of it.
Two to three hours covers a dawn field visit and buying saffron. Add an hour or two for the Avantipora temple ruins. Most travellers combine Pampore with the drive to Pahalgam or a half-day trip from Srinagar.
Ask first. Many families are happy to be photographed from the edge of a field, but some, especially women, prefer not. Do not walk into rows without permission. Buying a little saffron from a family you photograph is a good gesture.
Warmer, drier autumns, erratic rainfall and the conversion of karewa land have cut yields in recent years. The government has invested in irrigation, a trading centre and quality testing to support growers. Prices have risen as a result.
Yes. Pampore has a station on the Banihal–Baramulla line, and local DEMU trains from Srinagar stop here. It is cheap and quick. Check current timetables before you travel, as service frequency varies.
The 9th-century Avantiswami and Avantishvara temple ruins at Awantipora, about 15 km on, are the main sight. Further south, the Martand Sun Temple near Anantnag is another ASI-protected ruin on the way to Pahalgam.
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