Friday 3 May 2013

Posted by jinson on 18:07 No comments

Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is in the north-western region of India. It’s also known as a Heaven on Earth because of its nature beauty. Some popular and most visited destinations in Kashmir are Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonmarg and Gulmarg. 

Srinagar

Srinagar city is known for its Gardens and Lakes. There are many Mughal Gardens like Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and Pari Mahal which were built by Mughal kings. Nishat Bagh is located in the bank of Dal Lake which was built by Asif Khan, the elder brother of Nur Jehan, He was ordered by Jahangir to built it, as a token love to his wife. Nishat Bagh is known for Chinar trees, which were imported to Kashmir from Persia by the Mughals. The best time to visit Nishat Bagh is between April to October, as summer is an excellent time to visit. The garden remains closed on Fridays.

Shalimar Bagh is considered to be the finest Mughal style hill garden and was made by Jahangir for his wife, Nurjahan. The Shalimar Bagh was built not merely for a garden but also served as the summer residence of the Mughals. The water canals and fountains cover a major area of the garden. The fountains, the flowers and the old architecture makes this garden a wonderful place to spend a fine sunny day relaxing. The Chinar trees changes their colours from green to orange to yellow, which gives a warm glow to the garden.

From the Pari Mahal you can see the entire view of Srinagar city and the best time to visit is in the afternoon.  The Dal Lake from the Pari Mahal, is like a jewel lying in the heart of Srinagar city. The lake is spread over the 20 square km. It is the major attraction of Srinagar with lots of house boats which give a complete floating residential experience.

To enjoy a cruise in the Dal lake there are Shikhara , a manual boat with a roof on the top, painted and decorated. Sankaracharaya temple, the temple of Lord Shiva is situated at the top of the hill. This is the hill were Adi Sankara Bagwat meditated to revive Sanatan Dharma. The temple overlooks the Srinagar city. It is a wonderful sight to see Srinagar from the top of the hills. The temple not only of religious importance, but also known for its architectural beauty. A high eight octagonal platform supports the temples with hundred steps. Lal Chowk is a famous place for shopping were you can find local handicraft, handlooms and different varieties of Shawls like the Pashmina Shawl and Jamwar Shawl.

Apart from the natural beauty one can enjoy a round of Golf, a royal game introduced by the British in Kashmir. The golf season is in summer from April to November. The Gulmargh Golf Course is one of the highest golf courses in the world. The Pahalgam golf course is a nine holes course. The course is of a large plain area in a relatively narrow valley. The Royal Spring Golf Course is situated near the Mughal Garden spread over an area of 300 acres.

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