Srinagar

Status:
Lakes: Dal, Nagin and Anchar
Attractions: Mughal gardens, Shankaracharya temple

Description

Srinagar is a unique city because of its lakes - the Dal, Nagin and Anchar. The river Jhelum also flows through a part of the city.

The Dal, Srinagar's largest lake, has the most numb of houseboats, followed by the Nagin and the Jhelum. As a general rule, houseboats in the Dal are of all categories, from deluxe through to D class, while those in the Nagin are largely luxury class and those in the Jhelum largely economy class. This, however, is a generalization.

Most houseboats on the Nagin and Jhelum are situated on the banks of the lake, and can be accessed directly from land without the help of a Shikara, while all those on the Dal require a shikara to get to and from them.

Most houseboats on the Dal are situated in long straggling rows, some face the Boulevard, Srinagar's most exciting address, while others are situated singly or in groups of two and three. The location of a houseboat tells us nothing about its class, but before checking into one, there are a few factors which you may like to consider. A honeymoon couple may want to be away from it all, and may choose houseboat with few, if any, close neighbours. To them, it will be an advantage to stay in the interior of the lake, accessible by a half hour long shikara ride. A family with young children on the other hand may find themselves better served in an area which overlooks the Boulevard where a crossing takes just five minutes.

When your houseboat is in a bust area of the Dal. it is enjoyable just to sit on the balcony and watch the world row by.

Each houseboat has anything between two and four bedrooms in it with attached bathrooms and a common sitting and dining room. The charges of a houseboat always include all meals and a certain number of crossings by shikara to and from the houseboat. Houseboats offer far more personalized service than hotels because of the far higher host : guest ratio. On the other hand, fellow guests at the same house- boat tend to interact much more than if they were staying at the same hotel. Which is why houseboats are ideal for a large group of eight or more adults.

Places of Interest
Mughal Gardens:

Kashmir was a favourite of the Mughal emperor who visited it as often as they could. Cool and refreshing after the plains of North India where the business of governance kept them, they planted gardens with stepped terraces and flowing water courses. When they rested in their gardens, they dreamt they were in paradise. Cheshmashahi is the first Mughal garden you will pass after Nehru Park. Built at a height above the city, its views are as stupendous as its layout. The smallest of Srinagar's Mughal gardens, Cheshmashahi has only three terraces in addition to a natural spring of water enclosed in a stone pavilion. The next garden along the road that encircles the Dal is the Nishat, built by Empress Nur Jahan's bother Asaf Khan. The largest of the gardens, Nishat has several terraces, a central water course and a majestic site between the Dal and the Zabarwan hills.

The third Mughal garden - the Shalimar - was planted by Jehangir, the Mughal emperor, whose love for Kashmir was legendary. Shaded by magnificent chinar trees, the Shalimar is a series of stone pavilions and flowing water with paint - box bright flower beds.

Across the Dal from Shalimar is the mosque of Hazrat bal, the only one of its kind architecturally in Kashmir. Made of white marble with a dome and a minaret, Hazrat bal is the repository of a single hair of the Prophet Mohammed, exhibited to the public on certain days of the year.


Travel and Accomodation.

Srinagar is well connected to all the cities in India.