SOME FAMOUS PLACES

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DAL LAKE

Dal Lake has rightfully become an icon of the Kashmir tourism industry. A Himalayan urban lake, it has five basins and a number of channels that are well linked with each other. There are plenty of fishes in Dal Lake and fishery is the second largest industry of the region centered on the lake. The sparkling quiet waters of Dal surrounded by snow-capped mountains on its three sides, undoubtedly mark it as one of the most beautiful lakes of India. It is also the second largest lake in the State of Jammu and Kashmir with numerous gardens and orchards all along its shores. Houseboats form an indelible part of the scenery of the Dal Lake that are always ready to take tourists to a romantic and peaceful ride of the lake and soothe their nerves as the houseboat floats over the slightly rippling waters. They also offer some of the most exotic views of the splendid scenery of the Dal Lake.

There are Shikaras that look like small ornate versions of the gondolas of Venice that offers ferry rides to and from the banks of the lake to the houseboats. The shores of the Lake houses the distinct Moghul monuments and the campus of the Kashmir University while the two hillocks overlooking the lake house Shankar Acharya and Hari Parbat temples. The glorious Mughal gardens on its shores contribute to the beauty of the Dal Lake. Out of about five hundred gardens laid down in 16th to 17th century, only a few still survive. There have been controversies about the origin of the Dal Lake. While some geologists believe that the origins of Dal Lake lie in the Pleistocene Oligotrophic Lake that once covered the entire valley of Kashmir, others just believe it to be a flood plain lake. The floating gardens of Dal Lake are considered a beauty in themselves. One can find a number of restaurants and hotels at the lakefront that have sprung up, encouraged by the large influx of tourists here.

The shore line of the lake, is about 15.5 kilometers (9.6 mi), is encompassed by a boulevard lined with Mughal era gardens, parks, houseboats and hotels. Scenic views of the lake can be witnessed from the shore line Mughal gardens, such as Shalimar Bagh andNishat Bagh built during the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir and from houseboats cruising along the lake in the colorful shikaras. During the winter season, the temperature sometimes reaches -11 °C (12 °F), freezing the lake. The lake covers an area of 18 square kilometers (6.9 sq. mi) and is part of a natural wetland which covers 21.1 square kilometers (8.1 sq. mi), including its floating gardens. The floating gardens, known as "Rad" in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during July and August. The wetland is divided by causeways into four basins; Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin (although Nagin is also considered as an independent lake). Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre, known as Rup Lank (or Char Chinari) and Sona Lank respectively. At present, the Dal Lake and its Mughal gardens, Shalimar Bagh and the Nishat Bagh on its periphery are undergoing intensive restoration measures to fully address the serious eutrophication problems experienced by the lake.

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HAZRATBAL SHRINE

Situated on the left banks of Dal Lake, right opposite the Nishat Bagh, the grandiose Hazratbal shrine (mosque) is a highly revered site. The mosque is believed to house Moi-e-Muqqadas the sacred hair of Prophet Muhammad's beard. It is said to be dating back to the 17th century.

Legend has it that the relic was first brought to Kashmir in 1635 by a purported descendant of Muhammad Syed Abdullah, who left Medina and settled at Bijapur near Hyderabad. After his death, the relic was inherited by his son, Syed Hamid. By this time, Mughal conquest had started and Hamid was stripped of his family estate. As he was unable to take proper care of Moi-e-Muqqadas, he sold it to a Kashmiri businessman. Emperor Aurangzeb came to know about this incident so he seized the relic and imprisoned the businessman in Delhi. He then sent Moi-e-Muqqadas to Ajmer's Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti shrine. Sometime later, Aurangzeb realised his mistake and decided to release the businessman and send him with the relic back to Kashmir. However, he had died in prison by then. The relic finally reached Kashmir in 1700 along with the body of the businessman and his daughter, Inayat Begum, became the custodian of Moi-e-Muqqadas and established the shrine. On December 26, 1963, the relic mysteriously disappeared from the shrine but was recovered on January 4, 1964.

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JAMIA MASJID

Jamia Masjid is a 600-year-old mosque in Srinagar, located in the Nowhatta area amidst the bustle of local bazaars. The tranquil mosque is known for its unique architecture, the highlight being the 378 wooden Deodar pillars. The mosque becomes especially crowded on Fridays. The fountain inside the mosque premise is used for ablution or wadu.

Jamia Masjid was built by Sultan Sikandar Shah Kashmiri Shahmiri in 1394, under the orders of Mir Mohammad Hamadani, who was the son of Said-ul-Auliya Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani. Sultan Sikandar's son, Zain-ul-Abidin, later on, extended the Jama Masjid by including turret in the primary structure. The architectural style of the Jamia Masjid is inspired by the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, and also bears similarities to Buddhist pagodas.

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MUGHAL GARDENS

Nishat Bagh's exceptional quality lies therefore in its setting, the complex terraced layout, the play of water cascades, the views it offers, and its ecology. Length-wise, the garden consists of twelve terraces, supposedly symbolizing the twelve signs of the zodiac. The width of the garden consists of seven linear sections, which make up three main sections; a central wing with the main water features and two lower laying side wings. The terraces in the garden rise not only from the Dal Lake up the mountain side, along the length of the garden, but also along its width from the side wings to the central channel axis. The sophisticated geometrical manner by which the chahar bagh concept and terraces have been adapted to the contours of the mountainside contribute towards making Nishat Bagh one of the finest representations of traditional chahar bagh garden layouts spread across the Islamic world.

Shalimar Bagh is more ostentatious in architectural quality when compared with its other parallels in Kashmir. Almost all the terrace edges at the Shalimar Bagh have something interesting to offer in the form of pavilions, pools, or water cascades. The whole texture of the garden, in fact, is a result of the relationship of the garden's built and landscaped environment. The scale and decorations of the buildings, however, seem to have been intentionally underplayed by the Mughals to avoid offering competition with the overarching natural beauty that surrounds the garden. The two most important structures within the Shalimar Bagh are the Pink Pavilion, in the Diwan-i-Aam zone of the garden, and the Black Pavilion, located in the Diwan-i-Khas. Considering that there was not much building activity by the Mughals in Kashmir, compared to the rest of India, these structures offer a rare opportunity to witness Mughal architecture in this region. The Pink Pavilion is located over the water channel of the second terrace. It is a rectangular open pavilion constructed in traditional badshahi bricks. The significant architectural details of the Pavilion comprise the papier mache ceilings, the carved columns, brackets and railings made of stone.

The garden was developed on the orders of Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 by Ali Mardan Khan around an abundant spring emerging from the slopes of the Zabarwan Mountains. The waters of the spring are renowned for their cool and rejuvenating qualities.

Chashma Shahi, oriented on the north-south axis, the garden is arranged on three ascending terraces. The total area within the rectangular garden perimeter is approximately 1.73 acres with a width of 70.83 m and length of 122.81 m, approximately. The spring is sheltered under a pavilion which is of a later Kashmiri period. The water from the spring, located at the uppermost edge of the garden, is led through narrow water channels that drop sharply in the form of cascades to successive lower terrace levels. The defining feature of this garden is its very high terraces and strong Mughal character of its gateway, cascades and retaining walls.

Pari Mahal has a domed ceiling with gardens laid out on six terraces around. Arched retaining walls support the terraces, which vary in width. The garden is 122 m by 62.5 m at its widest. The terraces can be accessed via sets of steps on their corners. A pavilion or baradari can be found on the fourth terrace and another one connects the fifth and sixth terrace. The garden is entered from the fourth terrace where there are a series of entrance buildings, which are believed to have contained a hamman.

The gardens are said to have been watered by a nearby spring. There are water tanks on the terraces, but unlike most Mughal Gardens in Kashmir, the garden contains no water channels and cascades (chadars) that feed the water tanks. Instead water is supplied through a system of underground pipes

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SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE

Shankaracharya temple is a beautiful Shiva temple situated at a height of 1100 feet on a picturesque location on the Gopadari Hill on the South East of Srinagar. Home to Shankaracharya when he visited Srinagar, the temple was built in 250 BC. Earlier known as the Gopadri Temple, it was renamed by King Lalitaditya as Shankaracharya Temple in the sixth century. The temple became more accessible after the Dogra ruler, Maharaja Gulab Singh, constructed the stairs. It is believed to be the oldest shrine in Kashmir. The shrine offers magnificent views of the snow covered peaks of the Pir Panjal range and the valley.

The inner sanctum of the temple has a ceiling with Persian inscriptions, which dates back to the reign of Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. The temple is supported by an octagonal platform. The shrine is popular among devotees and has architectural and religious importance. The best time to visit the temple is from May to September