Measuring about 13.4 km sq. is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the valley of Kashmir. Tourists most often enjoy ‘Shikara’ rides and stay and experience Kashmiri hospitality onboard numerous House-boats on Dal.
The beautiful Mughal gardens with terraced lawns, cascading fountains, and bright flowerbeds with the panorama of Dal lake in front of them present a mesmerizing concept of the Mughal Emperor’s Paradise. There are numerous large and small gardens/Baghs in the valley of Kashmir. Prominent Mughal Gardens include Shalimar, Nishat, and Chashm-e-Shahi.
Shalimar Bagh
This is the most beautiful of Mughal Gardens. Built in 1616 by Emperor Jahangir for his beloved wife ‘Nur-Jahan,’ it is divided into 4 terraces of Gardens, one above the other, decorated with beautiful fountains and mighty Chinars on the sides.
Nishat Bagh
The Garden of Joy Nishat Bagh, considered to be second only to the royal Shalimar Garden in size and significance, is found on the eastern side of Dal Lake in the vicinity of Srinagar within the Vale of Kashmir. This “Garden of Delight” is reputed to be the work of Nur Jahan’s elder brother, Asaf Khan. The garden is rectangular in shape with a central water stream, nearly 4 meters wide and 20 centimeters deep, flowing down from the top of the garden through a channel decorated with fountains and occasionally divided into fountain pools. Chadars, stone ramps engraved with wave patterns to render the flowing water more beautiful, transfer water between the various terraces. In several places, stone benches serve as seating platforms for the visitors' enjoyment.
Chashm-e-Shahi
The Royal Fountain, close to Srinagar, lies in the smallest of all Mughal Gardens. This garden, set in beautiful surroundings in 1632, is attributed to Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It is a beautiful garden laid in terraces which commands a magnificent view of Dal Lake below and surrounding mountain ranges. The cool water of this spring is highly refreshing and has digestive properties.
This wonderful Garden of Tulip flowers lies in the foothills of Zabarwan Mountains on the eastern side of Dal Lake. It hosts more than 60 varieties of Tulip and is a magnificent site to visit from the last week in March for about a month or so.
Located on the spur of a hill overlooking the beautiful lake city of Srinagar, Pari Mahal is part monument and part garden. Originally a Buddhist monastery, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s eldest son Dara Shikoh converted it into a school of astrology in the middle of the 17th century. This garden comprises six terraces. On the uppermost terrace, there are the ruins of two structures resembling a baradari and a reservoir. In the middle of the second terrace is a large tank. The façade of the retaining wall is ornamented with a series of twenty-one arches built in descending order. The third terrace has the main entrance, with spacious rooms on either side. The fourth terrace has the remains of the tank. The fifth terrace has an arcade retaining wall with pigeon holes. The sixth terrace has a rectangular tank in the middle and octagonal bastions at its ends. Fragments of earthen water are still visible in this structure.
This largest freshwater lake in India lies at a distance of about 34 km North-West of Srinagar. It plays a significant role in the hydrography of the Kashmir valley by acting as a huge absorption basin for floodwaters. The lake, with its associated wetlands, is an important habitat for migratory water birds within Central Asian Flyway and supports rich biodiversity. It is a major fishery resource in the valley, supporting a large population living along its fringes. The wetland also generates revenue for the state government through fisheries and auctioning of water chestnut, fodder, and other economically important species. The catchment of the lake supports coniferous forests and Alpine pastures, adding to the natural beauty and biodiversity of the wetland area.
Located about 14 km north of Srinagar, Kheer Bhawani is a stream dedicated to Goddess Kheir Bhawani, known to change its color. The water of the Spring changes various hues like red, pink, orange, green, blue, and often light green, red rosy, and milky white shades.
Known as the Valley of Shepherds in the local language, Pahalgam, situated at the confluence of Sheshnag lake and Liddar river, is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions of Kashmir, which remains cool even in the summer heat. It is extremely popular among tourists for its outdoor activities like fishing, horse riding, golf, and trekking. It also serves as a base camp for many expeditions and excursions like Kolahoi Glacier, Sheshnag, and Amarnath Yatra. Under the shadow of tall pine trees with the flow of crystal-clear water, Pahalgam offers several tourist attractions like Arro and Beetab valleys, which are the dream of every tourist visiting Kashmir.
(The Meadow of Flowers) Gulmarg, the mountain resort of exceptional beauty, is located at a distance of 56 kilometers North-west of Srinagar at an altitude of 2,690 meters above mean sea level. Originally called ‘Gaurimarg’ by the shepherds, this world-famous winter tourist spot was named Gulmarg by Sultan Yusuf Shah in the 16th century, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes adorned with wild flowers. Majorly popular for snow experiences amongst the tourists, the prime tourist attractions of Gulmarg include skiing, golf, and Gondola ride. However, in the spring and summer seasons, flowers blooming in this meadow like Bluebells, Daisies, Forget-me-Nots, and Buttercups are a sight to capture!
Popularly known as “The Meadow of Gold,” Sonamarg, one of the popular hill resorts of Kashmir valley, lies at a distance of 84 km from Srinagar on the Srinagar-Ladakh Road at an elevation of 2,740 meters above mean sea level. Sonamarg is famous for its scenic beauty. In fact, it is popular throughout the world for its alpine flowers, Sycamore, Silver Birch, and Pine trees. The famous Sind River flowing through the heart of this meadow offers ample opportunities for fishing to tourists. Besides, Sonamarg is also an important trekking base for the famous Great Lakes Trek (Vishansar lake, Kishansar lake, Gadsar lake, and Gangbal lake) making it an interesting place to visit.
Doodhpathri, meaning “Valley of Milk,” is a tourist destination and hill station located in Budgam district of Jammu & Kashmir, at a distance of 42 km from Srinagar, and is a popular get-away with the locals. Doodhpathri lies in a bowl-shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, at an altitude of 2,730 m (8,957 ft) above sea level. It is an alpine valley covered with snow-clad mountains and meadows of Pine Fir and Deodar. The river “Shaliganga” flows down the beautiful lush green meadows, and the water has a milky appearance and remains very cold throughout the year. The lush green grasses over the vast meadows and silver shining streams running over the large stones further increase its beauty. The natural meadows, which are covered with snow in winter, allow the growth of wildflowers such as daisies, forget-me-nots, and buttercups during spring and summer.
