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- Written by Anchal B Chaudhary
Places to Visit in Srinagar
Mughal Gardens, Srinagar
Chashm-e-shahi
Chashm-e-shahi is a small beautiful garden famous for the spring it houses. Water of this spring is believed to have medicinal properties and is carried home by lots of people.
Shalimar Garden
Built by Mughal Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jahan, this beautiful romantic garden was very aptly named ‘Shalimar’, which means ‘Abode of Love’.
Shalimar Garden was laid out in four terraces of which the highest was reserved for the empress and her ladies.
The well-planned layout of the garden with numerous fountains and cascades, vast pavilions, mighty chinars, lush lawns laden with colourful and fragrant flowers, speaks volumes about the opulent taste of the Mughals.
Nishat Garden
Literally meaning ‘Garden of Joy’, Nishat Garden was laid out by empress Nur Jahan’s brother Asaf Khan in 1632 AD.
A terraced Mughal garden situated close to Dal lake, Nishat Garden offers beautiful view of the lake and the zabarwan mountains in its backdrop.
Dal Lake, Srinagar
Dal Lake is the hub of all activity & tourism and presents a panaromic view of the mountains surrounding Srinagar. Thousands of houseboats stationed in Dal Lake offer the tourists an opportunity to reside on the lake in a serene and tranquil atmosphere.
A short distance from Dal Lake is the Nageen Lake. The two water-bodies are interconnected by a small water channel and form a wide expanse offering an enchanting view. One must experience a captivating round of Shikara ride! It’s a unique and memorable experience. Even in the middle of the lake, you can experience the thrill of shopping. There are boats that are full-fledged shops on the move. You can buy handicrafts, jewellery and even the famous Pashmina shawls.
One can take a pick on the duration and the points one wants to visit. You can explore the floating market where there are numerous shops run on houseboats. The shops sell everything from handicrafts, shawls, embroidered suits to everything you need on day-to-day basis.
On a round to the market you will cross Nehru Place, a small park on an island, where you can sit and enjoy a cup of tea in animated surroundings. This island being close to the main road running along the Dal, i.e the Boulevard Road, has a lot of hustle-bustle around.
However if one is looking for a quiet, romantic ride in the beautiful vistas, one can opt for a longer ride to Char Chinar. Char Chinar is a small square island named after the four Chinar trees standing tall and proud in the corners of this island. There is a small floating restaurant here named ‘Kong Posh’ where one can savour a cup of hot tea or ‘kahwa’ with nice and hot snacks.
Note – 1. Beware of fakes while shopping.
2. Shopkeepers quote exorbitant prices and one must bargain to get them down to a reasonable price.
3. Govt. approved rates for shikara rides are as below:
Rs 200/- for half-an-hour ride.
Rs 300/- for an hour long ride.
Hari Parbat Fort
Atop a hill named ‘Hari Parbat’, is an old fort popularly called Hari Parbat Fort. Though in a state of ruins, the fort does manage to convey at least a little of the grandeur the Mughals once lived in. Much later in the 18th century, the fort was further developed by an Afghan governor, Atta Mohammad Khan.
The hill the fort is located on, ‘Hari Parbat’, itself is considered sacred by people of all faiths as it houses a no. of religious sites.
The hill houses a Hindu temple dedicated to Sharika, a form of Goddess Durga, an ancient gurudwara, Chhatti padshahi, near ‘Kathi darwaza’ of the fort and a historic shrine of Makhdoom Sahib, a Sufi saint, revered by people of all faiths.
Chhatti Paddshahi Gurudwara
A Gurudwara dedicated to the sixth Sikh Guru, who travelled through Kashmir preaching occasionally, Chhatti Padshahi Gurudwara is situated right next to the Southern gate of Hari Parbat Fort.
Khir Bhawani Temple (27 Km)
Dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, Khir Bhawani temple is a small marble temple surrounded by a spring considered to be sacred.
Hordes of devotees frequent the temple and offer milk and kheer to the sacred spring. The spring is believed to change colour when a disaster is about to hit the state.
Close to the temple is the ziarat of Baba Haider which is revered and visited by people of all faiths.
Few kilometers ahead is the Holy Prayag of Kashmir – the confluence of rivers Jhelum and Sindh.
Pari Mahal
Probably the distorted version of ‘Peer Mahal’, Pari Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s eldest son, Prince Dara Shikoh, in 1640 A.D, as a summer residence for his tutor Peer Mullah Shah.
Located strategically on the spur of a hill, Pari Mahal offers wonderful view of the city and the Dal Lake.
Once a beautiful seven-terraced garden, decorated with several springs that have dried up, Pari Mahal is now proudly maintained by the State Govt.
Shankaracharya Mandir
Shankaracharya Temple is one of the most important Hindu landmarks in Srinagar. Sitting pretty atop a hill originally known as ‘Gopadari’ and now popular as ‘Takht-e-Suleiman’, Shankaracharya temple is accessible by a motorable road followed by around 250 steps.
The temple was originally called Jyesthesvara temple. The temple premises houses the spot where the great Hindu philosopher and reformist Sri Guru Adi Shankaracharya had stayed and meditated during his visit to Kashmir to promote ‘Sanatan dharam’.
The ceiling of the temple bears some Persian inscriptions indicating Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s contribution to its partial development centuries later.
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden
Previously known as Model Floriculture Centre, Tulip Garden was conceived, conceptualized and created by Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad with the aim of boosting floriculture and advancing tourism in Kashmir valley.
The garden has around 68 varieties of Tulips with over 12 lakh tulip bulbs sown.
Inaugurated in 2007 by Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the garden is a major attraction and pulls hordes of tourists and locals.
