SRINAGAR
Main Attractions: Canals, Houseboats & Mughal Gardens
Significance: Capital Of J&K.;
Best Time To Visit: In Summer - June To Early November In Winter - December To February
The capital of
Jammu and
Kashmir and the largest city in the state, Srinagar (1,730m) is
famous for its canals,
houseboats
and
Mughal
gardens . The city itself is quite unlike most other large Indian
cities for here you are much more in Central Asia than on the sub
continent. It's a city full of intriguing alleyways and curious buildings.
A place where it's very easy to spend a few hours simply wandering -
particularly along the old city streets near the Jhelum river.
An
Ancient Learning Centre Arts & Culture
The city has long been a centre of the arts and learning - it has had a
university or for hundreds of years and is a centre of Sanskrit study.
'Sri' means beauty or wealth of knowledge and 'Nagar' means city. The city
was originally founded by the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka - his old city
is marked by the present village of Pandrethan. The present city was
founded by Pravarasena II (79-139 AD) who named it "Praparapura"
and built it practically contiguous with the old capital, which was called
"Srinagari".
Praparapura is recorded in Chinese annals by Hiuan Tsang who visited the
city in about 630 AD and described it as extending about 4-km from north
to south and about 2-km from east to west along the right bank of the
Jhelum. King Ananta was the first to transfer his royal residence to the
left bank of the river.
A Legend
Legend has it that when Pravarasena decided to build himself a new
capital, to choose the location he started walking at midnight and was
confronted by a demon on the other side of the Mahasarit River. The demon
spread his bent leg across the stream and dared the king to cross over it
to the other side. The king cut off the leg with one stroke of his sword
and calmly crossed.
The demon was delighted with the king's boldness and told him to build
the city where he would find the beginnings of a plan laid out for him.
The next morning the king found the boundary lines drawn at the foot of
Hari Parbat and built his city there. To this day the waters of the Dal
Lake are separated from the Tsont-i-Kul by a Sathu or Bund that is shaped
like a bent leg.
Houseboats
If one is longing for the delights of a houseboat holiday, then check out
lakes of Srinagar to try one. 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.
Most houseboats on the Nagin and the 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 exciting address, while others are
situated singly or in groups of two and three.
City Of Lakes
Srinagar's lakes are the reason why the city receives so many tourists.
Not just expanse of water, the lakes are filled with houseboats, villages,
narrow water canals, lotus and vegetable gardens and houses and shops.
Life on the lakes, as witnessed from the confines of a Shikara, is
unique. It is possible to book a Shikara for the whole day and sightsee
Nishat Garden, Nasim Bagh, Hazratbal Mosque, Pathar Masjid and Shah
Hamdan's Shrine, having a picnic lunch in the boat.
While Nagin is quieter, the Dal is full of local colour, with tourists
being rowed in Shikara to shops selling every conceivable handicraft - all
within the lake.
Let's Have A Ride Of The Lake!
A Shikara ride is one of the most soothing, relaxing aspects of a holiday
in Kashmir. It can be an hour-long ride to see the sights of the Dal; a
shopping by Shikara expedition to visit handicraft shops within the
periphery of the lake; or a whole day trip to visit important city
landmarks.
Because the Dal is so central to the landscape of Srinagar, many places
of tourist interest have, over the ages, been built in its vicinity.
The
Mughal Gardens
The art of designing formal gardens which the Mughal (also spelt as
Moghul) emperors expended such time and energy upon, reached its zenith in
Kashmir. The Mughal gardens in Agra or Lahore may be very fine but only in
Kashmir is the formal beauty of the gardens matched by the natural beauty
of the surrounding countryside. The gardens follow a standard pattern with
a central channel carrying water through the descending terraces in a
delightful series of cascades, falls and pools.
INFORMATION ON SRINAGAR
Know more about this Package !!!
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Tel : +91-11-4164 3999 / 2626 2004
Fax : +91-11-2625 9695
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