Kashmir Gardens
Exquisitely laid out lawns, cascading fountains, bright flower
beds, surrounded by the panorama of Dal lake in front of them, the gardens
in Kashmir are astoundingly beautiful. The unity and harmony of design;
innovative use of the site and plantings and the diverse mixture of colors,
textures and plants impart a sense of ecstasy to the viewer. The Mughal
gardens of Shalimar, Nishat, Chashmeshahi and others like Pari Mahal and
Harwan are like perfectly carved lawns with stepped terraces and flowing
watercourses.
Shalimar Bagh
Shalimar Bagh was built by Emperor Jehangir for his
wife Nur Jahan, 'light of the world' in 1616. Although it is known today as
the 'garden of love' it was originally named the Farah Bakhsh or 'delightful
garden'. A canal is lined with polished stones and is supplied with water
from Harwan runs through the middle of the garden. The fourth terrace, by
far the best, was once reserved for royal ladies. It included a pavilion
made of black stone in the middle of the tank, which was used as a banquet
hall. Shalimar Bagh has an air of seclusion and repose, and its rows of
fountains and shaded trees seem to recede towards the snowcapped mountains.
A Son Et Lumeiere or sound and light show is put on here every evening
during the may to october tourist season.
Nishat Bagh
Nishat Bagh was built by Empress Nur Jahan's brother
Asaf Khan. The largest of the Mughal gardens, Nishat has 12 terraces
representing the 12 signs of the zodiac, which descend gradually and seem to
almost merge into the lake. These terraces viewed along with the
flower-beds, a riot of brilliant colors, present an unforgettable sight.
Directly behind the garden is the Gopi Tirth, a small spring gushing forth
crystal clear water, which feeds the garden water. Also found within its
vicinity are some remains of Mughal period buildings including a double
storey pavilion enclosed on two sides latticed windows.
Chasma Shahi
Cheshmashahi
is the first Mughal Garden you will pass after Nehru Park. Smallest of the
Srinagar Mughal gardens, the Chasma Shahi, or 'Royal Spring', are well up
the hillside, above the Nehru Memorial Park. The fresh water spring in these
pleasant, quieter gardens is reputed to have medicinal properties. The
gardens were laid out in 1632 by Ali Mardan Khan and include three terraces,
an aqueduct, waterfalls and fountains. The water from the spring supplies
the fountains and then goes through the floor of the pavilion and falls to
the lower terrace in a fine cascade of five meters, over a polished black
stone chute. There is a small shrine, the Chasma Sahibi, near the gardens,
which also has a fresh water spring.
Pari Mahal
Pari Mahal, a Buddhist monastery at one time, it was
converted into a school of astrology by Dara Shikoh, Mughal Emperor Shah
Jehan's eldest son. Pari Mahal gardens are now exclusively maintained by the
state government. Built around a small spring, they house exotic flowering
plants laid out in terraces surmounted by the ruined arches of a once
beautiful building. Pari Mahal is illuminated at night, and can be seen,
located on the on the spur of a hill, most places in Srinagar.
Harwan
On the hillside, south of the village 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.
