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The Land of
Extended Gardens - Kashmir Kashmir, befittingly famed as the paradise on land is famous for its praiseworthy Mughal Gardens - with vast picturesque hillsides, excellent water bodies and packed flowering shrubs and trees, laid in decorous quadrangles by the Mughal emperors, whose love fro the land was illustrious. Kashmir is also known as "The Paradise on Earth". |
| Pilgrimage Spots |
Shankaracharya Temple It is located at 1100 ft. above surface level of the main city on the Shankaracharya hill. The Shiva temple, as Kalhana believes, was constructed by Raja Gopadatya in 371 B.C. and, as such, is the oldest shrine in Kashmir, though it is not certain if the temple exists in the same form as it had been built more than two thousands years ago. The first repair of the temple is believed to have been undertaken during the reign of Lalitaditya in the eighth century A.D. According to the historian Shrivara, Zain-ul-Abideen conducted second repairs of the temple after it had been damaged in an earthquake. The third time repair was undertaken during the Governorship of Sheikh Mohi-ud-Din when the temple is believed to have been named as Shankaracharya. Dogra ruler, Maharaja Gulab Singh, constructed stone stairs upto the temple. In 1925, the temple was electrified. The temple, besides a prominent Hindu religious place, is of great archaeological importance. The temple commands a magnificient panoramic view of the Srinagar City. Shankarcharya lies in Srinagar District across the Nehru Park: a beautiful island within the Dal Lake One can either trek to Shankaracharya Temple from the Durganag Temple lying in civil lines area or alternatively can take a automobile upto the footsteps from the Boulevard road. The climb is approx. 7 Kms and then there is a flight of 100 odd steps up. the road passes through jungle and offers beautiful views allround.and the nearest Airport is approx. 25 Kms away in Badgam Distt.This Airport is connected with major cities of India. The nearest Rail Head is at Jammu which is 300 Kms away and from there National Highway NH1A connects the Kashmir valley with India. Every sort of transport to suit every budget from Buses to Taxis ply on this Highway. It Takes around 10 to 12 hours to cross this mountaineous road which crosses some beautiful spots and the famous Jawahar Tunnel linking KashmirValley with India. |
Khir Bhawani
Temple Situated at Tullamula in the Srinagar district, it is an important Hindu Shrine. The temple is associated with the hindu godess, Ragnya Devi. An Annual festival is held here on Jesht Ashtami ( May-June) when Hindus visit the place in large numbers to offer prayers to seek the blessings of the diety. Devotees also throng on every Shukla Paksh Ashtami round the year & perform HAWANS to please the Mother. The Historic Temple of Kheer Bhiwani was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 & later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. Surrounded by steams, the place abounds in Chinar tree in-and-around the compound Complex within which is a hexagonal Spring wherein diety of Godess Ragyna is decorated in a small white Marble Temple. The legend goes that Lord Rama worshipped Mother Ragyna during his exile & desired Hanuman ji to shift the seat of Mother after the expiry of exile period, who bought it to Shadipora and was latter shifted to present to present site as per the wish of devine Mother Ragnya conveyed in dream to one Pandit Rugnath Gadroo, it is believed. Khir Bhavani lies in the Ganderbal tehsil of Srinagar District and the nearest Airport is approx. 25 Kms away in Badgam Distt.This Airport is connected with major cities of India. The nearest Rail Head is at Jammu which is 300 Kms away and from there National Highway NH1A connects the Kashmir valley with India.Every sort of transport to suit every budget from Buses to Taxis ply on this Highway. It takes around 10 to 12 hours to cross this mountaineous road which crosses some beautiful spots and the famous Jawahar Tunnel linking Kashmir Valley with India. Regular bus service with normal fares are available from various points in the city. Taxi and other modes of conveyance can be chartered also. |
Hazratbal Shrine The most important muslim shrine of Kashmir, that commands the reverence of the people beyond measure,is undoubetedly the Hazratbal Shrine, which is situated on the left bank of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar This unmatched reverence is anchored in the love and respect for the Prophet. Mohammad (peace be upon him), whose Moi-e-Muqqadus, (the sacred hair) is preserves here. The shrine is known by many names including Hazratbal, Assar-e-Sharief, Madinat-us-Sani, Dargah Sharief & Dargah. The history of the shrine goes back to the early seventeenth century when the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan's Subedar, Sadiq Khan, laid out a garden here & constructed a palacial building, Ishrat Mahal or Pleasure House in 1623. However, the Emperor, during his visit in 1634, ordered the building to be converted into a prayer House with some additions & alterations. During the time of Aurangzeb, when MOI-e-Muqqadus arrived in Kashmir in 1699, it was first kept in the shrine of Naqashbad Sahib in the heart of the city. Since the place was found to be insufficient in view of the unprecedented rush of people who thronged the place to have a glimpse of the Moi-e-Muqqades, it was decided to shift the it to Hazratbal, then known as Sadiqabad. The construction of the present marble structure was started by the Muslim Auqaf Trust headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1968 and completed in 1979. The Moi-e-Muqqadas is displayed on Various occassions related with the life of Prophet & his four holy companions. |
Khanqah-e-Moula The shrine of Shah-e-Hamdan or Khanqah e Moulla is one of the oldest muslim shrines in Kashmir situated on the banks of river Jehlum in the old city. The shrine was originally constructed by Sultan Sikander (1389-1413 AD) in the memory of muslim preacher Mir Syed Ali Hamdani who had visited Kashmir and stayed there for meditation and preaching. In 1480 the shrine was gutted in a devastating fire and the then ruler Sultan Hassan Shah reconstructed the shrine on old edifice at a larger area. The shrine was later demolished and reconstruted in two storyed form in 1493 AD. In 1731 AD the shrine again was destroyed in fire and was reconstruted by Abul Barkat Khan. The shrine is revered by people who throng it observe the death anniversary of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani falling on 6th of Zilhaj the last month of muslim calendar. Regular transport in form of matadors is available from city centre i.e.Amira Kadal in the Srinagar City. Srinagar can be reached via Air and road from Jammu through National highway NH!A. Taxis and Autorickshaws can be hired almost from anywhere in the Srinagar city and adjoining areas. |
Awantipura 29 km. The temple ruins at Awantipura represent some of the finest examples of architecture of this region. Dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva, they were built in 9th century AD by King Avantivaman. |
Jamia
Masjid The Jama Masjid at Nowhatta, in the heart of the old city, is the other important mosque in Srinagar at which thousands of people congregate for the Friday prayers. Of imposing proportions, the mosque is built around a courtyard and is supported by 370 wooden pillars. Originally built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD, and enlarged by his son, Zain-ul- Abidin, it is a typical example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Destroyed thrice by fire and rebuilt each time, the mosque, as it now stands, was repaired during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh. |
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One of the
holy Trinity, Shiva is a living God. the
most sacred and the most ancient book of
India, the Rigveda evokes his presence in
its hymns. Vedic myths, rituals and even
astronomy testify to his existence from the
dawn of time. But Shiva, Destroyer, the
mendicant, is undefinable : He is a great
yogi. Legend has it that Shiva recounted to
Parvati the secret of creation in a Cave in
Amarnath. Unkown to them a pair of mating
doves eavesdropped on this conversation and
having learned the secret, are reborn again
and again, and have made the cave their
eternal abode. Many pilgrims report seeing
the doves pair when they trek the ardous
route to pay obeisance before the
ice-lingam. According to an ancient tale,
there was once a Muslim Shepherd named Buta
Malik who was given a sack of coal by a
sadhu. Upon reaching home he discovered that
the sack, in fact, contained Gold. Overjoyed
and overcome, Buta Malik rushed back to look
for sadhu and thank him. But on the spot of
their meeting discovered a cave, and
eventually this became a place of pilgrimage
for all believers. To date , a percentage of
the donations made by pilgrims are given to
the descendents of Malik, and the remaining
to trust which manages the shrine. Yet
another legend has it that when Kashyap
Rishi drined the Kashmir valley of water the
cave and lingam were discovered by Bregeish
Rishi who was travelling the Himalays. When
people heard of lingam Amarnath for the
became Shiva's abode and a centre of
pilgrimage. |
Chhatti Padshahi Gurudwara The sixth Sikh guru travelled through Kashmir, stopping to preach occasionally. A gurudwara has been built at the exact site of each of these halts. The most important one among these is Chhatti Padshahi gurudwara, situated near the Kathi Darwaza, in Rainawari, Srinagar, which is held in great reverence by devotees of all faiths. |
Hari
Parbat The Mughal emperor's fort crowns the top of Hari Parbat hill. 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 Mughals’ summer retreat in ‘paradise’. The fort was later developed in 18th century by an Afghan governor, Ata Mohammad Khan. 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. The wall around the hill was built by Akbar in 1592-98 AD. 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. |
Makhdoom Sahib On the southern side of the Hari Parbat hill is the historic shrine of Makhdoom Sahib, which is visited by people of all faiths. |
Martand Temple Martand, located atop a plateau, close to the township of Anantnag, has a temple dedicated to Surya, the "Sun God". Built by king Laitaditya Muktapida (7th to 8th century AD), it is a medieval temple with a colonnaded courtyard and the shrine in its centre. The temple complex has 84 columns and offers a commanding view of the valley of Kashmir. |
| Adventurous Places |
| Mughal Gardens |
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Shalimar Garden: Located in
Srinagar, Shalim |
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Nishat Bagh:
Nishat Bagh is smaller than Shalimar
Garden |
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Chashma Shahi:
Laid out by Shah Jehan, the gardens of
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Pari
Mahal: Pari
Mahal was initially a garden founded by
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Harwan: South of the village Harwan,
on the hillside, |
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Achabal: Perhaps the most beautiful
of all springs is
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Dal
Lake Srinagar is located in the heart of the Kashmir valley at an altitude of 1,730 m above sea level, spread on both sides of the river Jhelum. The Dal and Nagin lakes enhance its picturesque setting, while the changing play of the seasons and the salubrious climate ensures that the city is equally attractive to visitors around the year. |
Gulmarg Gulmarg's legendary beauty, prime location and proximity to Srinagar naturally make it one of the premier hill resorts in the country. Originally called ‘Gaurimarg’ by shepherds, its present name was given in the 16th century by Sultan Yusuf Shah, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes emblazoned with wild flowers. Gulmarg was a favourite haunt of Emperor Jehangir who once collected 21 different varieties of flowers from here. Today Gulmarg is not merely a mountain resort of exceptional beauty- it also has the highest green golf course in the world, at an altitude of 2,650 m, and is the country's premier ski resort in the winter. |
Pahalgam
Situated at the confluence of
the streams flowing from Sheshnag Lake and
the Lidder river, Pahalgam (2,130 m) was
once a humble shepherd's village with
breathtaking views. Now it is Kashmir's
premier resort, cool even during the height
of summer when the maximum temperature does
not exceed 250C. |
Sonamarg
Sonamarg is situated at a
distance of 84 kms from Srinagar, on the
Srinagar-Ladakh Road.Situated at an altitude
of 2730 m, Sonamarg (‘The meadow of gold’)
has, as its backdrop, snowy mountains
against a cerulean sky. |
Kokernag Basically, the real name of Kokernag is Bindoo Zalangam, as recordedin the revenue records. It is situated at a distance of about 17 Kms. from district headquarters. Kokernag is a collection of many small springs and their collective appearance resembles to the claws of a Koker (cock). Kokernag is the largest fresh water spring of Kashmir and its water has many curative and digestive properties. The word Kokernag has been derived from the two words namely, Koker and Nag. The word Koker has been taken from a Kashmiri word “Morgee” meaning chicken, while the word nag has been taken from Sanskrit word “Nag” meaning snake. |
Verinag
Verinag spring is of great
importance and beauty, with deep blue water
which issues from the bottom of a high scrap
of a mountain spur and here also Emperor
Jehangir built a garden and pleasure
house.The Verinag spring is about 26
kilometers away from Anantnag and is
considered as the original source of river
Jehlum. The spring is situated at the bottom
of hill covered by pine trees and evergreen
plants. |
ar
Gardens or Shalimar Bagh was laid out by
Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jahan in
1616. Shalimar Gardens are the magnum opus
of Srinagar's many gardens and parks. 
,
but is more movingly beautiful. Nishat Bagh
was built by Asaf Khan, Empress Nur Jahan's
brother. Nishat is celebrated for its
stately chinar (plane) trees, imported to
Kashmir from Persia by the Mughals. Among
these, many of the giant chinar trees have
been planted by the Mughal Emperors. 
Chashma
Shahi, so named because of a mountain spring
that waters it. The gardens include three
terraces, an aqueduct, waterfalls and
fountains. 
Dara
Shiko, Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan's eldest
son for his Sufi teacher, Mulla Shah. Once
dotted with numerous springs, which have
dried up now, the Pari Mahal gardens are now
the treasure possession of the state. Pari
Mahal is bedazzling with radiant lights at
night, and though located on the spur of a
hill, can he seen from most places in
Srinagar.
one can see some remarkable remains of
ancient ornamented tile pavements of the
Buddhist era. The tiles depict the dresses
of the people of that time, such as loose
trousers, Turkoman caps or close fitting
turbans and large ear-rings which presents
the central Asian influence.
Achabal,
which gushes out of the Sosanwar hill, and
was once enlisted by the emperor Jehangir in
the service of beauty and pleasure. It is
said that the Breng river which disappears
at Dewalgam in the fissures of the limestone
is the real source of the Achabal
spring.Achabal is an important tourist place
about 8 kilometres away from Anantnag. The
place is fmous and attractivedue to an
ancient spring surrounded by a garden
terraced and developed by the Mughals.The
upper portion of the garden is called
'Bag-e-Begum Abad' developed by Malika Noor
Jehan Begum in 1620 AD and renowned as Sahib
Abad in which there was a Hamam (treasure of
water) getting heat from a logical lamp (Tosng).
