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| Srinagar |
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Srinagar the
summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir State revolves
around river Jhelum and Dal Lake at an elevation
of 5675 ft. above sea level with a population
of 900000 and area of 141 Sq Km.
Srinagar a favorite
destination among the home tourist who relish
serene environments and the picturesque surroundings,
is equally fond by western travelers, This was
the summer capital of the British in 1793 during
Raj period, they were not allowed to build houses
by the Kashmiri rulers and they to the water.
They lived on houseboats, which have since then
become a legend. There is no better combination
of wood, water and mountain anywhere in the World.
Visitors come
to this unique city sometimes only to enjoy a
holiday of solitude on a houseboat. Wake up in
the morning to the murmur of water, spend your
day floating on a shikara, tee off on the 18 hole
golf course, lose yourself in the bazaar of Srinagar,
picnic in one of the fabled Mughal gardens. Trek
up to the Shankaracharya’s temple a thousand
feet above the city and get bird’s eye view
of the valley. |
| IN AND AROUND SRINAGAR |
| Mughal
Gardens |
Mughal gardens are group of gardens built by
the Mughals in the Islamic style of architecture.
This style was influenced by Persian gardens
and Timurid gardens. Some of the typical features
include pools, fountains and canals inside the
gardens. These terraced lawns, cascading fountains,
bright flowerbeds with the panorama of the Dal
in front of them are famous excursion sites
of Srinagar.
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Chashma
Shahi (Royal Spring) |
Received it
name from its water source, a spring located on
its uppermost terrace. The garden, one of the
smaller Kashmiri gardens around Dal Lake, Is found
on the southeastern side of the lake. It was built
by the Mughal governor Ali Mardan Khan under the
emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 – 1633. Chashma
Shahi is laid out as a rectangle, measuring 108
by 38 meters along a north – south axis. |
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Is located
a top Zabarwan mountain, southwest of Dal lake,
close by Chashma Shahi. It was built in the mid
17th centaury on the ruins of a Buddhist monastery
by prince Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Shah
jahan as an observatory for the teaching of astrology
and astronomy. |
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Considered
to be second only to the royal Shalimar gardens
in size and significance, is found on the eastern
side of the Dal lake in the vicinity of Srinagar
within the Vale of Kashmir. This garden is reputed
to be the work of Nur jahan’s (wife of Jahangir)
elder brother, Asif Khan in 1633. Within the two
sections, the garden has 12 terraces, each related
a zodiac sign. |
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Is located
on the northeast side of Dal lake, approximately
15 Km. away from the centre of Srinagar. It was
laid out by Jahangir as Farah Baksh (the delightful)
in 1619, while he was founding the city of Srinagar.
Covering an area of approximately 12.4 hectors,
the garden is rectangular in shape and measures
587 meters long by 251 meters wide, having four
terraces, rising one above the other. A canal
runs through the middle of garden, supplied by
water from Harwan. |
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Harwan garden
is situated south of Harwan village at a distance
of 19 Km. from the city. This is the best garden
for nature walk as it does not have decorative
fountains, lights etc. It is a huge garden on
a foothill, lined with flower beds, massive chinar
trees with a canal flowing right through the middle
which is fed by a picturesque lake behind the
garden. This is an ideal picnic sport. |
| Historical
Sites |
| Hari Parbat Fort |
A Mughal fort
situated to the west of the Dal Lake, on top of
the Hari Parbat Hill. This 18th century fort was
constructed by Atta Mohammad Khan, an Afghan governor.
The walls around the hill were built by Akbar
in 1590. Hari Parbat Fort is now a historical
monument of Srinagar, permission to visit the
fort is issued by the State Archaeological Department,
at Lalmandi, Srinagar |
| Lakes |
| Dal
Lake |
Dal
Lake famed for its clear water, its lotus
flowers, and its floating gardens, forms the centre
around which most Mughal gardens in Srinagar are
arranged. Located on the northeast side of the
Kashmir valley plain, in the foot hills of the
Himalayas, Dal lake measures 6.23 Km long by 4.15
Km wide, and it covers total area of 25.86 sq
Km. formally, Dal lake was devised by man-made
causeways into four basins, known as Gagribal,
Lakut Dal ( small Dal), Bod Dal (big dal), and
Nagin. It contains two islands, rup lank (silver
island or Char Chinari) and Sona lank (Golden
island).
Dal lake is one
of the major attractions in the vicinity of Srinagar.
House boats for accommodating tourist and Shikaras
(water taxis) for transporting people and goods
between the shores of the lake. At dawn, local
(shikaras) boats gather along one side of the
lake, forming a market garden where produce and
goods are bought and sold (floating Vegetable
market – Gudir). Maximum number of houseboats
are located in front of the boulevard road within
Gagribal (from Dal gate to Centaur hotel, while
Lakut Dal ( rup lank area )and Bod Dal (sona lank
area) does not have any houseboat. Other part
of the lake having houseboats is Nagin. |
| Nagin
Lake |
This lake
is slightly away from town, at a distance of 8
km, smallest but lovely part of Dal lake. Separated
by a causeway and only a short distance from Hazratbal
shrine, its deep blue water encircled by a ring
of green trees (and luxury houseboats) has given
it its name. |
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The
Wular lake at a distance of 60 Km. from Srinagar,
is the largest in Asia, being about 20.11 Km.
by 8 Km. in extent, and is almost surrounded by
lofty mountains which tower over the north and
northeast of the valley. The Bohnar, Madhumati,
and Erin streams flow into the lake, while from
the south the Jhelum seeks a passage through the
Wular to Baramula.
The route to Wular
lake from Srinagar goes via calm waters of Manasbal
lake, where the sound one can hear is only Chirping
of birds. A shikara ride through crystal clear
waters would here would be wonderful experience.
After Manasbal you travel through Bandipur town
with charming Mughal Gardens. During Wular Lake
round trip, the lake will remain on your left,
to watch the women chanting ode while picking
water chestnut and cruising weeded waters, at
different stretches of the lake is fascinating.
Watlab en route, here on a hilltop is the shrine
of a Muslim mystic, Baba Shukurddin. It commands
panoramic view of the Wular lake surrounded by
picturesque villages and terraced paddy fields. |
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