Our story starts in 1858, when the art critic, patron and philanthropist John Ruskin opened Cambridge School of Art. The art school grew to become Anglia Ruskin University, shortened to ARU, and it’s still at the heart of our modern-day campus in Cambridge.

Uttarakhand is called devbhoomi; the land of gods because there aresomany Hindu pilgrimage spots in Uttarakhand. Also, Uttarakhand is knownasDevbhoomi since ancient times, now this state is regarded as Devbhoomi Uttarakhand in India. Devbhoomi Uttarakhand also comes under the Himalayanregion. Also, Devbhoomi Uttarakhand’s mountain region and valleys are the abodeof gods and goddesses. India’s Longest and holiest river Ganga is originated fromGangotri Glacier which is in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand Devbhoomi.

Aru Valley is just gorgeous. The small village surrounded by mountains is a place for the quiet ones.

The tiny village is located at the end of the valley and is surrounded by pine trees, green hills and vast meadows. We saw a few shepherds moving with their flock of sheep and goats. Horses were grazing around. It seemed we were in some fairyland. And we felt that this is one place where we could stay forever! The village hardly has a few homestays and guesthouses, a few small eateries and a few shops. Aru is a place where the people live and laugh with each other. The villagers will smile at you and welcome you to their humble abode. Nature is at her pristine best. Life is slow here and people enjoy talking to each other.

Aru Valley is quite disconnected from the phone and internet services. It seemed only BSNL worked there. It was a perfect place for digital detox. Our homestay owner has a BSNL connection, but for checking mails, he usually goes to Pahalgam as ‘the internet is better there’.

And then there is Pahalgam. The place is captivating and will mesmerize you from the time you arrive. There are a number of attractions in and around Pahalgam. It is a small town with a busy market area having hotels, resorts and good restaurants serving a variety of food. You will get hotels of various budgets and also a plethora of adventure activities.

Overa Aru Biosphere Reserve is situated to the southeast of Srinagar, at a distance of 76 km. The biosphere reserve is rich in some rare and endangered animals as well as avian life. Overa Aru Biosphere Reserve of Kashmir has a thick green cover also. The principal vegetation in the area comprises of conifers (about ninety percent). The major species are Abies pindrow, Cedrus deodara, Pinus griffithii, Aesculus indica, etc. The shrubs of Viburnum spp., Sorbaria tomentosa, Indigofera heterantha, etc, along with Dicotyledonus herbs cover the ground of the reserve.y. The airport hasconnections to all of India's main cities. Public transportation, including buses andauto-rickshaws, can take you to Nishat Bagh.

The presence of a number of species of exceptional and protected species, further enhances the attraction of the Kashmir, India Overa Aru Biosphere Reserve. The uncommon inhabitants of the reserve consist of Musk Deer, Leopard, Hangul, Snow Cock, Monal, Brown bear and Koklas. Apart from that, the other inhabitants of the Overa Aru Biosphere Reserve are Hare, Serow, Rhesus Macaque, Grey Langur, Himalayan Mouse, etc. The bird population of the reserve consists of both resident as well as migratory pheasants and some other bird species. The avian life comprises of Snow Cock, Koklas, Blue Rock Pigeon, European Hoopoe, Griffon Vulture, Kashmir Roller, Monal, etc