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Srinagar Sightseeing |
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The various tourist attractions in Srinagar
are the Shankaracharya temple, Jama Masjid, Dal and Nagin
Lake, Mughal Gardens - Nishat, Shalimar and Chahma Shahi and
Hari Parbat Fort. Besides this, Pathar Masjid, Shah Hamdan
mosque are the famous mosques in Srinagar. |
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Tourist Attractions in Srinagar
Shankaracharya Temple
The Shankaracharya temple is the unique landmark of
Srinagar. This temple is located on a sharp hill called
Takht-e-Suleiman, about 1000 feet high, a 5 km climb
from Nehru Park on a metalled road, overlooking the
city. There are stone steps which will take you right on
top where a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva stands.
This temple was built in the memory of the
Shankaracharya who came to Kashmir from Kerala some 1200
years ago to revive Hinduism. From the top of the
Shankaracharya Hill, you can have a panoramic view of
the valley, city, lakes and their houseboats, waterways,
gardens, the confluence of the Jhelum and Dal Lake and
the seven original bridges spanning the serpentine flow
of Jhelum river.
Shah
Hamdan Mosque
The pagoda-like Shah Hamdan mosque is located on the
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Naseem Lake.
This mosque is believed to have a relic of the sacred hair of
the Prophet Mohammad. This mosque is made entirely of wood and
named after the saint who is credited with the peaceful
conversion of millions of Hindus into Islam. The non-Muslims
are not allowed into the mosque but they can only see the
intricately painted papier-mache ceiling and doors.
Hari Parbat Fort
The Hari Parbat Fort crowns the top of Hari Parbat hill. The
Hari Parbat Fort is located beyond Nagin Lake. There is little
left of its former glory, but the ramparts are still
impressive and the old apartments within the fort, even though
in a state of ruin, still convey at least a little of the
grandeur of the Mughal's summer retreat. The fort was later
developed in 18th century by an Afghan governor, Ata Mohammad
Khan. The low wall enclosing the upper part of the hill was
built by Akbar in 1592-98 AD. This hill is believed to have
appeared at the spot where goddess Parvati killed a demon. The
hill is surrounded by almond orchards, which make a lovely
sight during April when the trees blossom, heralding the
advent of spring in Kashmir. The hill is considered sacred to
the Hindus due to the presence of temple of Sharika, which is
believed to be a form of goddess Durga or Shakti. |
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Jama Masjid
The Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in Kashmir. This
mosque was built in 1402 out of wood and bricks. Jama
Masjid is the prominent example of the Kashmiri mosque,
and combination of Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist styles of
architecture distinguished by its tall spires. Inside,
the Masjid are the frayed carpets and stone alcoves and
the 40-foot high wooden columns, out of which about 300
of them support the roof. The foundation of this mosque
was laid by Sikandar in 1398 AD. The mosque was burnt
down three times and rebuilt by |
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Aurangzeb in
1674, who, when he heard that fire had gutted the mosque,
first asked whether the chinars were safe. Even now, there are
chinars in the courtyard. In the upper hall, there are the
intricately wrought Khatamband roof, the glint of chandeliers,
the mirror-work on the pillars and the papier-mache on the
walls. In the summer and autumn, the hall is used for weddings
and dinners for about 350 people. On Friday, thousands of
people visit the Jama Masjid for prayers.
Harwan
On the hillside, south of the village of Harwan, remarkable
remains of ancient ornamented tile pavements of the Buddhist
period have come to light. The tiles depict the dresses of the
people, such as loose trousers, Turkoman caps or close fitting
turbans and large ear-rings which reveal Central Asian
influence.
Dachigam National Park
Dachigam National Park covers an area of 141 square kms. and
located about 22 kms from Srinagar. The park is divided into
two sectors - Upper and Lower Dachigam. There is a road from
Srinagar to Lower Dachigam while Upper Dachigam can only be
explored on foot. The park was declared as a national park in
1951, and is the habitat of the endangered hangul or the
Kashmir stag, the only species of red deer to be found in
India. Winter is the best time to view the hangul, when they
congregate in the shelter of the lower valleys. Some other
animals of the park are the Himalayan black bear, leopard,
snow leopard, rare musk deer, Himalayan marmot, species of
wild goat like markhor and ibex and varieties of exotic
Himalayan birds including the crimson tragopan, the iridescent
monal pheasant, the blood pheasant and the koklass pheasant. |
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Nagin and Dal Lake
Dal and Nagin Lakes are fed by natural springs. The
waters in the Dal and Nagin lake are transparent. But,
due to overuse of the Dal lake over the years for
growing of vegetables, tourism and other purposes, its
size has been reduced to almost half. Nowadays, the
government is trying to clean the lake. The various
houseboats are located along the banks of the Nagin and
Dal Lake. Nagin Lake is clean and provides quiet
solitude to tourists. The vegetable market is also
located on the Dal and Nagin |
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lake, only a
short shikara ride away. Early in the morning, the farmers
emerge from a maze of floating gardens and canals bringing
boat-loads of their produce. They gather in an open waterway
to buy, sell or barter their produce. In the morning, the
first rays of the dawn tinge the wild gardens of lotus flowers
with a delicate pink. The kingfishers can be seen darting
about, flashing their wings. As the day breaks, the lakes are
alive with other activities. It is a unique world of its own
which can not be seen anywhere else.
The Awantipur ruins
Founded by Avantivarman who reigned Kashmir in the 9th
century, this ancient township is 29 kms from Srinagar. The
site has two imposing temples, the larger one of Siva -
Avantisvara is marked by huge walls, some half a mile beneath
the town on the outskirts of village Jaubror. The subsidiary
shrines are to the rear corner of the courtyard. The complex
has, over the years, lost its grandeur and been reduced to
ruins, though it is still visited by the devout. Half a mile
up is Avantisvami - Vishnu, a better preserved, though smaller
temple. |
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Mughal Gardens
Nishat, Shalimar and Chashma Shahi are the three famous
Mughal gardens which are situated around the Dal Lake.
These Mughal gardens are beautifully laid out with
fountains and cascading streams and terraced lawns.
These Mughal Gardens were the Mughal Emperors' concept
of paradise and are today very popular places for picnic
and excursion. The Chashma Shahi is the first Mughal
Garden which is set into the slopes of its circling
hills. This tastefully laid garden commands a
magnificent view of the Dal Lake below and surrounding
mountain ranges. Chashma |
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Shahi means
the Royal Spring and is attributed to Shah Jahan. The original
garden was laid out by Shah Jahan in 1632 AD. The Chashma
Shahi is named after a natural spring that flows here. The
spring waters are believed to have curative and digestive
properties. The Pari Mahal is situated nearby which was the
Sufi Garden College. Pari Mahal, once a Buddhist monastery and
royal observatory, was converted into a School of Astrology by
Emperor Shah Jahan’s son, Dara Shikoh. The Pari Mahal has a
charmingly laid out garden and is a five minutes drive from
Chashma Shahi. The Pari Mahal is situated on the spur of a
mountain overlooking the Dal lake, with a well-laid spacious
garden in front, and is connected to Cheshmashahi by road.
Nishat and Shalimar are very large gardens, located much
further down the boulevard. Both these gardens are built on a
symmetrical plan of central waterways with fountains dividing
a series of garden terraces. Nishat Bagh was designed in 1633
AD by Asaf Khan, brother of Nur Jehan. Nishat is the larger of
the two gardens and has an impressive plantation of Chenar
trees on its highest terrace. The trees were planted during
the Mughal period perhaps by the kings themselves. Nishat Bagh
is situated on the banks of the Dal Lake, with the Zabarwan
Mountains in its backdrop. This 'garden of bliss' commands a
magnificent view of the lake and the snow capped Pir Panjal
mountain range which stands far away to the west of the
valley. The Shalimar Garden is the most famous garden due to
its romantic association with Emperor Jahangir and his lovely
queen Noor Jahan. This garden was built by Emperor Jehangir
for his wife Nur Jehan. An interesting Sound and Light Show on
the love story of the two has been mounted here. The central
piece on the upper terrace of Shalimar is the Baradari. It was
here that Jahangir relaxed with his beautiful bride surrounded
by a million roses and the heady smell of all of them.
Shalimar garden is a beautiful garden with sweeping vistas
over gardens and lakes, and shallow terraces. The garden is
539 m by 182 m and has four terraces, rising one above the
other. A canal lined with polished stones and supplied with
water from Harwan runs through the middle of the garden. The
fourth terrace is the best terrace, and was once reserved for
royal ladies. |
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