A flooded street in Srinagar earlier this month

If not Paradise on Earth, then God’s Own Country.

Good ol’ Kashmir has been replaced by its southern cousin Kerala as the favoured travel destination this Durga Puja in the wake of the recent floods that have left the scenic Himalayan state in a state of despair and devastation.

Travellers from Ranchi, who were planning to visit the pictureque Valley during Puja holidays, have been forced to cancel their trip and instead book tickets for southern states like Kerala, which is no less popular for its enchanting backwaters and hills.

Some have also settled for Tamil Nadu.

“My family was thrilled about our maiden visit to Kashmir, which is called Paradise on Earth for its sheer natural beauty. But after the floods destroyed the Valley, we had to change our travel plans and book tickets to Kerala,” said M.K. Sinha, a private sector employee who will be travelling with his wife, two children and sister.

Like Sinha, Nimal Kumar, a government employee, has booked a six-night-seven-day tour package to Tamil Nadu for Rs 38,000 per head.

“My daughter, who studies in Class VI of Surendranath Centenary School, became so disheartened after I informed her of our plans to go to Tamil Nadu instead of Jammu and Kashmir. I have promised to fulfil her wish next year,” Kumar said.

Sony Mehta, owner of Skyline Travels, said that more than 100 families, who had booked tickets two months back for major destinations in Jammu and Kashmir like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Srinagar and Vaishno Devi, postponed their trips after getting reports of the floods.

“Over 50 per cent of them cancelled the tickets and requested for booking for Kerala, Ooty, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari among other places. But they had to pay extra. For instance, we have charged an extra Rs 3,000- Rs 4,000 per person for the Kerala trip,” Mehta added.

On an average, Skyline Travels had charged approximately Rs 32,000 per person (excluding airfares) for a five-night-six-day tour package to Jammu and Kashmir. A six-night-seven-day tour package to Trivandrum, Kollam beach, Alleppey houseboats, Munnar and Cochin comes at Rs 35,000 per person, excluding airfares.

Echoing Mehta, owner of Adarsh Travels Dilip Kumar, who had booked tickets for eight families, said he too had to cancel the tour packages for Jammu and Kashmir.

“Of the eight families, only two to three families opted for Kerala,” Kumar said, adding that they incurred losses as the profit margin was Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000 per head.