The
beautiful valley of Kashmir boasts of a number of parks and gardens. The
gardens in Kashmir count amongst the best picnic spots for the tourists.
If you go to Kashmir, make sure to include at least one Kashmir garden
in your itinerary. Some of the famous gardens of Kashmir are: Nishat Garden
Nishat garden is the largest one of the Mughal gardens in Kashmir. It is situated on the banks of the picturesque Dal Lake. Also known as "the garden of bliss", the Nishat gardens have the Zabarwan Mountains forming its backdrop.
Shalimar Garden
Emperor Jehangir got the Shalimar Garden built for his wife Nur Jahan in 1616. Covering an area of approximately 539 m by 182 m, the Shalimar garden offers an amazing view over the other gardens, lakes and shallow terraces. Also known as the "garden of love", the Shalimar Mughal Gardens has four terraces, rising one above the other.
Chashmashahi Garden
Chashmashahi is the smallest of the three Mughal gardens of Kashmir. Meaning Royal Spring, this garden measures 108 m by 38 m and is above the Nehru Memorial Park. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan set up the Kashmir Chashma Shahi Mughal Gardens in 1632 AD.
Harwan
Harwan is a huge garden in Srinagar. It is one of the few gardens in Kashmir that boasts of natural beauty. It has been kept devoid of any artificial features.
Pari Mahal Garden
Pari Mahal of Kashmir once served as the royal observatory. Situated near the Chashmashahi Mughal Garden, Pari Mahal has a beautiful and well-planned garden in its front. At one point of time, the Pari Mahal served as Buddhist monastery but later Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, converted it into a school of astrology.
Mughal Gardens
The Mughal gardens count amongst the best gardens in the Kashmir valley. Kashmir served as the summer retreat for many Mughal Emperors. Impressed with the splendor of the valley, they made their own contribution in the form of the Mughal Gardens. The Mughal Gardens in Kashmir consist of:
