Sandeepa and Chetan are a couple addicted to travel.They love travelling to various parts of the country and write about their experiences on their blog. Read about their visit to Srinagar-
On the tourist trail in Kashmir, Srinagar is synonymous to Dal lake. Which is not surprising at all. A quick glance at a map of Srinagar revealed the enormity of the Dal lake. The impact the Dal lake has on the tourists as well as the locals of Srinagar is easy to gauge.
We stayed in the Lal Chowk area of Srinagar. Lal Chowk is often referred to as Ghanta Ghar (House of the Bell). It is a tower with a clock and a bell. With hotel lined streets and a bustling market, it is always full of action.
A beautiful sit out in the middle of the road, the Lal Chowk is ideal for some social mingling. From reading the morning newspaper to a congregation of seniors in the evening, it served its purpose well. Resting on one of its sheltered benches on a sunny day, made us feel “just like the locals”!
Dal Lake
The walk to Dal Lake was little less than half an hour. We passed through the beautiful wide stretches of the Chinar lined Residency Road. In a park next to the Jhelum, people were going about their daily exercise routine. It was good to see women out as well.
We highly recommend walking to Dal lake, if you are staying at Lal Chowk or thereabouts. It was a perfect introduction to life in Srinagar.
Shikara is a characteristic boat from Kashmir used to transport people and goods across the lakes in Kashmir. In Dal lake, they vie for the tourist’s attention with bright colours and bold multi coloured tapestry. It can seat 4 people. The boatman rows from the upper bow.
A shikara ride in the Dal lake, though clichéd, is a must do activity in Srinagar. A pre dawn vegetable sets up in the Dal Lake every day. A shikara ride can be arranged for this. It is supposed to be the best time to take this ride.
We were surprised by the variety of wares they sell in the Dal lake. Our shikara-man would try to steer us in the direction of these sellers and we had to vehemently tell him we weren’t interested. The secretive display of jewels, assurances that the saffron is the purest and the flowers the freshest is all quite amusing, though. We did have ice cream in enticing saffron and Gulkand (fresh rose petals) flavours.
Shankaracharya Temple
The main street along the Dal Lake is the Boulevard street. A spiralling road on the left of the Boulevard Road goes up a hill to the Shankaracharya Temple. The road has a thick cover of trees on both sides and is a pleasant drive. From the top of the temple, we got a 360 degree view of Srinagar. The entire city – the various bridges over the river Jhelum, the poplar and Chinar trees that make its green cover, the typical wooden houses with tin roofs, and cricket and golf grounds – all stretched up to the horizon.
It is a wonderful panorama etched in our minds. This view made the Shankaracharya Temple one of our best experiences in Srinagar.
Hazratbal
Hazratbal, the most important shrine in Srinagar. It is also the biggest and regarded as the holiest shrine in Srinagar. The shrine is believed to house a holy box with a strand of hair of Prophet Mohammed. This is what gives Hazratbal its exalted standing.
It is a beautiful sparkling white structure of Islamic architecture. The dome was under renovation when we visited, so we couldn’t view Hazratbal in all its glory. Surrounding the Hazratbal are the old houses and markets of Srinagar.
Pari Mahal
Pari Mahal is another structure further up from the Dal lake. Pari Mahal translates to a palace of the fairies. If the name doesn’t catch your fancy, maybe this picture of the view from Pari Mahal will.
Or the idea of a walk in the forest – in the middle of a state capital! On a whim, we decided to walk up to Pari Mahal. It is a 3 km walk from the base, at the Dal lake. The crowds at the Tulip and Chashm-e-Shahi gardens en route, veered us directly towards Pari Mahal. The structure of Pari Mahal itself is a seven storied Mughal garden which was also used for astronomical observations. The mighty mountains were right behind and before us spread the sprawling Dal lake.
For more on Sandeepa and Chetan's travel adventures, read here.
For more on travel and food in Srinagar, read here.
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