Srinagar is located in
the picturesque Kashmir valley and one of the most
beautiful cities in India in terms of natural splendor. The
tourist attractions of Srinagar are mainly related to natural
beauty like lakes, gardens, etc. Other than that, there are some
shrines that form the tourist attractions of Srinagar.
Located in the Kashmir Valley, Srinagar is the summer capital of
Jammu and Kashmir. The hill station is located at an altitude of
1,730 m above sea level. Srinagar is at a distance of about 295
kilometres from Jammu.
Srinagar- History
Once the part of the Mauryan Empire, Kashmir valley was under
several rulers before coming of the Mughals. With the decline of
the Mughal Empire, the state came under the Sikh ruler Ranjit
Singh, who was later defeated by the British. The British
installed Gulab Singh as independent ruler of Kashmir. Till the
independence, the descendents of Gulab Singh ruled the state.
Attraction
Dal Lake
Srinagar sightseeing loses
its meaning if you have not visited the Dal Lake. With the
backdrop of mountains on three sides, the view of the Dal Lake
looks as if you are watching a photograph. This lake counts
amongst the most splendid lakes in the country. One of the major
attractions of the Dal Lake is the houseboats that stand lining
its edges.
Nagin Lake
Another popular tourist attraction of Srinagar is the Nagin
Lake. Placid water of the lake, surrounded with manicured
flowerbeds and groves of chinar, poplar and willow, is enough to
capture your heart.
Shankaracharya Temple
Perched on the Takht-e-Suleiman hill, the Shankaracharya Temple
is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is supposed to be the oldest
shrine of the Kashmir valley.
Hazratbal Shrine
Situated opposite the Nishat Bagh on the banks of Dal Lake, the
Hazratbal Shrine houses the Moi-e-Muqqadus (preserved sacred
hair) of Prophet Mohammad. It is one of the most popular shrines
in Srinagar, revered by Hindus as well as Muslims.
Chashmashahi
Chashmashahi is the smallest of the three Mughal gardens of
Kashmir. Meaning Royal Spring, this garden measures 108 m by 38
m and is above the Nehru Memorial Park. Mughal Emperor Shah
Jahan set up the Kashmir Chashma Shahi Mughal Gardens in 1632
AD. The garden is quite famous for spring of energizing
digestive mineral water inside it. Chasma Shahi Garden of
Kashmir, India, offers a striking view of the scenic Dal Lake
and the neighboring mountains. The garden has a number of
terraces, with several fountains built right through its center.
Mughal Gardens
The landscaped Mughal Gardens, developed by the rulers of
the Mughal dynasty, make you fall in love with their beauty.
They consist of mainly the following three gardens
Nishat garden
Nishat garden is the largest one of the Mughal gardens in
Kashmir. It is situated on the banks of the picturesque Dal
Lake. Also known as "the garden of bliss", the Nishat gardens
have the Zabarwan Mountains forming its backdrop. Asaf Khan, the
brother of Nur Jahan, designed the Kashmir Nishat Bagh in 1633
AD. Within the garden are ruins of some of the buildings dating
back to the Mughal period. One of them is a double story
pavilion enclosed on two sides with latticed windows. There is
also a small spring behind the garden, known as Gopi Tirth. It
is a source of supply of crystal clear water to the garden.
Shalimar Garden
Emperor Jehangir got the Shalimar Garden
built for his wife Nur Jahan in 1616. A second garden Faiz Baksh,
(The Bountiful) was added to it later during the reign of Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658). Covering an area of
approximately 539 m by 182 m, the Shalimar garden offers an
amazing view over the other gardens, lakes and shallow terraces.
Also known as the "garden of love", the Shalimar Mughal Gardens
has four terraces, rising one above the other. The fourth
terrace of the garden was, at one point of time, reserved for
royal ladies. There is also a canal lined with polished stones
running through the center of the Shalimar Bagh. The canal is
responsible for supplying water to the garden from Harwan.
Srinagar- How to Reach
Srinagar is well connected by air and road transport. Srinagar
has its own airport and you can reach Srinagar via Jammu. The
nearest railhead to Srinagar is Jammu, which is about 300
kilometres away. Srinagar is well connected to other parts of
the country by road. |
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