Kashmir Tour package Itinerary - 5 Nights 6 Days
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Srinagar and Kashmir Tourist Guide
Srinagar is the summer capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in the Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dry fruits.The most magnificent district of Kashmir is Srinagar. It is a combination of business center, holiday resort and the summer capital of the state. Adorned with lush green rice fields, blooming gardens, serene lakes and the unique houseboats, Srinagar gives Kashmir an added appeal.
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.
Famous 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.
Shah Hamdan Mosque The pagoda-like Shah Hamdan mosque is located on the 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.
Jama Masjid Srinagar 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 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 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.
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 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.
Mughal Gardens Srinagar 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 Shahi
Chashma 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.
Pari Mahal
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 garden Srinagar
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.
Shalimar Garden Srinagar
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.
25 TOP Tourism FAQ About Srinagar
Srinagar Coordinates: 34.0900° N, 74.7900° E
Country India
State jammu & Kashmir
District Srinagar
Srinagar is world famous for its gardens ,lakes +houseboats.+traditional kashmir handicrafts+ Dry frouits.
Srinagar main Culture/Religion 95% ofthe people are Muslims
Srinagar Elevation 1600 m 5200 ft
Srinagar PIN 190001
Srinagar Telephone code 0194 - STD code
Srinagar Vehicle registration JK01
Srinagar Nearest Airport Srinagar 10.1 Kms
Srinagar 2nd Nearest Airport Amritsar 475 Kms
Srinagar Nearest Train Station Budgam (Srinagar) 7.5 Kms
Srinagar Nearest Main City Gulmarg 56 kms
Srinagar Distance from Delhi 876 Kms
Avg.Summert Temprature 24.1 C (75.4 F) Oct/March
Avg.Winter Temperature 2.5 C (36.5f) April to Sep
Srinagar Tourist Months April To Sep
Srinagar Main River Jhelum River
Population 1,27,3312
Languages Kashmiri , Urdu
Time Zone IST( UTC+5:30)
Top 5 Attractions in Srinagar
Srinagar Main Attraction1 Gulmarg 56 Kms
Srinagar Main Attraction2 Pahalgam 95 kms
Srinagar Main Attraction3 Sonmarg 80 Kms
Srinagar Main Attraction4 Dal Lake 11 Kms
Srinagar Main Attraction5 Mughal Gardens 3 Kms
Top 10 Hotels in Srinagar TA Rating
Vivanta By Taj
Hotel Lalit Grand
Sunshine Hotel Hotel 50%
TThe Sheltre Group Of Houseboat Houseboat 100%
Floating Heaven Houseboat Houseboat 100%
Grand Muntaz Hotel 52%
New Green View Hotel 50%
