Srinagar, one of the most beautiful garden
cities of the world, is the summer capital of Kashmir. It is the largest town in Kashmir.
A vast plain city at 5200 ft. elevation, it is surrounded by snow-covered mountains and
lies on the banks of the Jhelum River and Dal Lake. The old city is situated in the
vicinity if the Hari Parbat Hill and the picturesque Jhelum River. It is the commercial
hub of the city and has a labyrinth of alleyways, mosques and closely built houses.
Waterways join the main thoroughfares and the ‘Shikaras’ (Kashmiri Canoes) are
used to criss cross the intricate waterways. The more modern part of the city is situated
further up the Jhelum River above its six picturesque wooden bridges Amira Kadal (first
bridge), Habba Kadal (second bridge), Fateh Kadal (third bridge), Zaina Kadal (fourth
bridge), Nawa Kadal (fifth bridge) and Saffer Kadal (sixth bridge).
The famous Dal Lake with its fabled blue waters is to the east of the city. Snow-capped mountains on the sides surround the Dal Lake. Much of the lake is a maze of intricate waterways. It comprises of a series of lakes like Nagin Bagh Lake, Bod Dal (big Dal) and Lokut Dal (small Dal). Along the lake lie the world famous Moghul Gardens and beautiful orchards, which produce some of the most relished fruit delicacies of the world. The Moghul garden, which earned Kashmir the sobriquet of "Heaven on Earth", has to be seen to be believed. Shalimar and Nishat Gardens in particular have a wide range of flora and fauna, which along with the magical fountains create a sight for sore eyes.
Srinagar is also the trekkers' base camp for people interested in going to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and the Amarnath Yatra. For people wanting to enjoy the warmth of Kashmir in the traditional way, the houseboats on the Dal Lake offer an amazing insight.
Dal Lake
The fabled sweet water lake is one
of the most well known tourist destinations of Kashmir. The lake is an intricate
waterway divided into three parts - Gagri bal, Lokut Dal and Bod Dal, by a series of
causeways. The lake is 6.4 km long and 4 km wide and is divided into 3 parts by man-made
causeways. Two small islands within the lake are popular picnic spots. Sona lank (silver
island) and Rupa lank (gold island) are also known as Char Chinar because they both have 4
Chinar trees on them. Tourists can enjoy Shikara (boats) rides or they can stay and
experience Kashmiri hospitality aboard the numerous houseboats. Water sports like water
skiing, water scooter, canoeing etc can also be done. A shikara cruise with snow capped
mountains in the backdrop and through the luxuriant Mughal gardens, bring back the old
splendor and show of “the Dal” in its most resplendent colors.
The Jhelum River And its
Bridges.
The Jhelum River or the "Vyath" as it is called in Kashmir,
is the great waterway of this mystical land into which lakes, fountains, streams and
rivers drop down in a manner forming an arterial system of the valley of Kashmir. The
river winds through the valley and expands and deepens into the Wular Lake. This river is
famed for its nine old bridges. Along the river are some well known towns and hamlets like
Baramulla, Anantnag, Sopore, Sumbal, Manasbal Lake etc. The river flow along scenic
locales and offers excellent boating and fishing opportunities.
Mughal Gardens
There are numerous large and small
gardens or "Baghs" scattered in and around Srinagar.
Some of these are -
Chasma Shahi(The Royal Fountains)
Close to Srinagar is the smallest of the Mughal gardens. It is near the Oberoi Hotel. This garden is attributed to Shah Jahan and is set in beautiful surroundings.
Pari Mahal (House of the Fairies)
Located just above the Chasma Shahi lie the ruins of this astronomical observatory built by Dara Shikho, a Mughal emperor and Aurangzeb’s elder brother. Pari Mahal offers a fine view of the Dal Lake and has beautiful terraced garden, which has been renovated in the recent past.
Nishat Bagh (The garden of spring)
These magnificent gardens designed
by Nur Jahan's brother Asaf Khan, were laid down in 1633 and are among the largest of the
Mughal gardens. They lie right on the edge of the Dal lake and have numerous terraces,
beautiful lawns, beautiful flowers and fountains. According to the Persian poet Firdaus -
“Agar Firdaus bar me Zaminast Haminasto haminnasto haminasto." This is what you
feel when you visit this architectural world in full bloom during spring.
Shalamar Bagh
The most beautiful of all the
Mughal gardens, Shalamar Bagh was built for Nur Jahan, “Light of the world”, by
her husband Jehangir in 1616. The gardens are straight out of a fairy tale. The top most
of the four terraces called the “Abode of Love”, was reserved for the emperor
and the ladies of court. There is a huge tank, and around 150 fountains dazzle with their
display. Electric lights add charm to the beautiful atmosphere.
Nasim Bagh
Built by Akbar in 1586, these are the oldest of Kashmir’s Mughal gardens. It is a beautiful camping ground which is however restricted these days. This garden offers a splendid view of the Dal lake.
Harwan Lake
Harwan Lake is a clean and pure water lake, set among the mountains,
with its dark green waters reflecting the lofty peaks of Mahadeo. The surrounding scenery
is some of the best in valley. This lake joins the reservoir of Srinagar city water works.
Below the lake are the famous hatcheries where rainbow trouts are bred. It’s a
delight to catch through and enjoy the scenic locales.
Pahalgam
95 kms from Srinagar at 2130 mtrs
(7200 ft), is the picturesque summer resort of Pahalgam. Situated right in the heart of
Lidder valley, this resort overlooks the river Lidder. Pahalgam offers excellent
opportunities for hiking, riding, fishing etc.
It serves as the base camp for many expeditions and excursions such as Kolahari Glacier,
Sheeshnag, Sonasar, Harwan and the Amarnath Yatra. Pristine camping grounds under the
shadow of tall pines trees are delightful.
Pandrethan
This temple dates back to 921 A.D. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated 4 miles from Srinagar on the Jammu road. The temple dome is a fine example of Grecian Architecture.
Harwan
12 Miles from Srinagar at the Northern edge of the Dal, this archaeological site contains some of the oldest monuments in Kashmir. The site is supposed to be a Buddhist monastery from 3rd century of the Kushana period and reveals Kashmir’s close links with central Asia.
Tomb of Zain-ul-Abdin
This tomb of one of the greatest rulers of Kashmir lies near Maharaj Gunj on the east bank between the Zaina Kadal and Ali Kadal bridges. It is said to be built on the foundations of an earlier temple. The tomb shows clear Persian influence with its domed construction, glazed tiles and some Pali inscriptions.
Bad Shah’s Dome
This tomb is said to be of Buddhist origin. It is situated along the bank of Jhelum.
Dara’s Mosque and Hammam
The mosque built by Dara Shikoh, the elder brother of Aurangzeb, and the Hammam (bath) of Akbar are located on the southern slope of Hari Parbat Hill.
Avantipur
This site has two Hindu temples built between 855 and 883 A.D. The larger of the two temples is known as the "Avanti swami temple", and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple showcases Grecian Architecture with fine sculptures and columns. The smaller temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and is enroute to the larger temple. Avantipur is 29 kms from Srinagar and it was the capital of King Avantivarman (855-83). Several of the excavated sculptures are on display at the Sri Pratap museum in Srinagar.
| STD Code | 0194 |
| HEIGHT | 1586 mts. |
| CLIMATE | Cold in Winters, Temperature
falls to –2 C Hot in Summers, Temperature ranges between 31 C-7 C |
| CLOTHING | Cottons/ Light Woolens in
Summers. Heavy Woolens in Winters. |
| SEASON | Throughout the Year. |
| RAINFALL | 100 cm per Annum |
| LANGUAGE | Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi, English. |
| ACCESSIBILITY | |
| Air | Indian Airlines flies passengers from Delhi, Bombay, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jammu, Chandigarh and Leh. |
| Rail | The nearest Railway Station is 305 kms away at Jammu Tawi. |
| Road | 305 km from Jammu, 434 km from Leh, 892 km from New Delhi. |
| Local Transport | Taxis, Tongas and Shikaras. |