Srinagar, July 1 -- The road to Gool winds through the hills of Ramban like a forgotten thread, stitching together forests, small homes, and the hush of mountains that seem to listen more than speak.

In this corner of Jammu and Kashmir, where the air grows sweeter and the summers softer, Gool sits, not in a hurry, not trying to be seen, just there, as it has always been.

When I first heard about the town, it was a passing mention, the kind of place people recommend with a wave of the hand, half expecting you won't go.

But something about it called me. Maybe I was looking for air that didn't burn in June. Maybe I was just tired.

The valley had been wilting under a hard sun. Srinagar was gasping at thirty-five degrees, the streets thick...