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Famous Lakes in Jammu & Kashmir
WULAR LAKE
Wular Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia, is in Bandipora district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River. The name Wular is believed to be a corruption of the Sanskrit word Ullola, meaning turbulent. The lake’s size varies seasonally from 12 to 100 square miles (30 to 260 square kilometers). Boating, water sports and water ski have recently been launched by the Government of India Tourism in collaboration with Kerala Tourism and J&K Tourism.
DAL LAKE
Dal Lake: Known as the Jewel in the Crown of Kashmir or Srinagar’s Jewel. It figures high on tourist itineraries and every tourist to the Kashmir valley makes it a point to visit the water Body.Dal Lake is lined by gardens built in the Mughal era and many parks. Covering an area of 18 sq km, the Dal Lake is part of a natural wetland that covers an area of about 21 sq km which includes floating gardens. Shikaras are a cultural symbol of the lake and seen mostly in lakes of Srinagar. While the boats are a part of daily life on the lake and used for a slew of purposes including transporting people and goods. A ride on the lake is a must for tourists visiting Kashmir. Houseboats on the Dal Lake are usually stationary. Made of wood and with intricate carved wood paneling, the houseboats are of different sizes, some even have three bedrooms, living room and kitchen.
MANASBAL LAKE
Manasbal Lake: is a lake located in Safapora area of Ganderbal District in the State of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The name Manasbal is said to be a derivative of the Lake Manasarovar. Lake is encircled by three villages viz., Jarokbal, Kondabal and Ganderbal and is stated to be the deepest lake (at 13 m or 43 ft depth) in IndiaThe large growth of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) at the periphery of the lake (blooms during July and August) adds to the beauty of the clear waters of the lake
MANSAR LAKE
Mansar Lake: is situated 62 km from Jammu, Mansar is a beautiful lake fringed by forest-covered hills, over a mile in length by half-a-mile in width. It is considered as a very holy site known from mythological periods sharing the sanctity and legacy of Mansa Sarovar. It is a very popular base of tourists. A temple for a snake god, Sheshnag, is located on the banks of lake. It is believed that it is auspicious for newly wed couples to seek blessings of Sheshnag by performing three parikarma around the lake .
PANGONG LAKE
Pangong Lake: Just about 160 km from Leh is a beautiful lake named the Pangong Lake in Ladakh.The lake is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m (14,270 ft). It is 134 km long. . A drive to this lake will result in one of the most wonderful experiences. The journey begins at Thiksey village, which is famous for its huge monasteries covering an entire mountain range. And beyond this remote village there is nothing but the vast expanse of extreme mountain ranges for company.
GANGBAL LAKE
Gangabal Lake: The Gangabal Lake, also known by the name of Haramukh Ganga is a lake situated at the foothills of Haramukh Mountain in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley. This alpine high altitude lake lies at an elevation of 3570 meters, is home to many types of fishes including rainbow and brown trout. The lake can be reach via Ganderbal and Naranag and then, need to cover 15 km trek route via Vishansar and Krishnasar Lake. The Gangabal Lake can also be accessed through a trek from Bandipore via Arin. The best season to visit the lake is from the month of July to September.
FAMOUS GOLF COURSES
ROYAL SPRINGS GOLF COURSE
The Royal Springs Golf Course at Srinagar is one of the most scenic spots in Kashmir, the enchanting valley .The Royal Spring Golf course (RSGC), sprawled over an area of 300 acres, near the Mughal garden, CheshmaShahi, at the foothills of Zabarvan hills and overlooks the mesmerizing Dal Lake .The Royal Springs Golf Course, commissioned in 2001 is designed by the American golfer Robert Trent Jones Jr. It is regarded as one of the most picturesque golf course in Asia and has quality amenities like motorized golf carts etc. and is considered as No.1 golf course of India by Golf Digest. The 18 holes, 6445 m. course at a par of 72 makes the job of a golfer, very challenging. The Royal Spring Golf is open to general public.
GULMARG GOLF COURSE
The course at Gulmarg is like nothing you’ve ever seen or imagined before. Situated at an altitude of 2,650 m, it is the highest green golf course anywhere in the world. The layout of the course too is strikingly different from most golf courses– the land slopes and inclines along the complete area of the course, which has a par of 72, 18 holes and measures 7505 yards. The origin of Gulmarg as the Golfing Mecca of India goes back to the late 19th century when a 6-hole course was made in 1890-91 by Colonel Neville Chamberlain – the greens were known as browns in those day. The first Golf championship was played at Gulmarg in 1922. The Nedou’s Cup was introduced in 1929. In 1930, ‘The World’ beat Scotland. The same year saw the D.P. Vasu Championship for Women and the Children’s Golf Competition.
PAHALGAM GOLF COURSE
Pahalgam Golf Course is a hill station course built by Ranjit Nanda. Set in the pretty town of Pahalgam & surrounded by soaring, fir-covered mountains with bare, snow-capped peaks rising behind them the course is set in a large bowl shaped expanse. At an altitude of 7250 plus feet your ball will travel a good 8 % further but that does not make this course any less challenging. The course has significant elevation changes & you need to be fit to walk & play all 18 holes
LEH GOLF COURSE
The Fire & Fury course is located in Leh very close to the airport & at a incredible height of 11500 feet making it the 2nd highest golf course in the world. This is a army course with preferred lies & has browns instead of greens. Closed during winters because of snow it is playable from May to Sept. Playing at this altitude is not easy as you need a day or two to get acclimatized lest you end up with high altitude sickness. The greens are browns – made out a mixture of sand & oil. Once you putt the caddies need to smoothen the browns out as the ball lines are left behind. The fairways have no grass but have gravel and sand mix as the terrain is that of a desert. Off the fairway shots are taken using a mat. It will take you some time getting used to this though & is the modus operandi on all desert courses across the world.
FAMOUS GARDENS OF KASHMIR
NISHAT BAGH
Nishat garden is the largest one of the Mughal gardens in Kashmir. It is situated on the banks of the Dal Lake. Asaf Khan, the brother of Nur Jahan, designed the Kashmir Nishat Bagh in 1633 AD. Nishat Bagh offers a splendid view of the Dal Lake as well as the snow capped Pir Panjal mountain range. The garden has terraces, each representing a different Zodiac sign. There is also a beautiful water channel flowing right in the middle of the garden.
CHASHMASHAHI
The Chashmashahi or ‘The Royal Spring’ is one of the Mughal Gardens in Kashmir. Situated a mere 8 kms from Srinagar towards Harvan, the Chasmashahi is the smallest of the Mughal gardens measuring just 108 metres X 38 metres. It was built by Ali Mardan Khan in 1632 during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan and is considered to be the most aesthetically designed of all the Mughal Gardens. The garden was built around a fresh water spring that flows right through its centre and is the cause of the garden being named so. The water of the spring flowing through the gardens is assumed to have medicinal properties because of the minerals present in water.
PARI MAHAL
Pari Mahal or The Fairies’ Abode is a seven terraced garden located at the top of Zabarwan mountain range over-looking city of Srinagar and south-west of Dal Lake. The structure was constructed by Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of the famous Mughal King, Shah Jahan, in the mid of 17th century. Dara Shikoh built the garden over the ruins of a Buddhist monastery in honour of his Sufi tutor, Mullah Shah Badakhshi. The overall length and breadth of this garden is 122 m and 62.5 m respectively.Located in the southwest of the Dal Lake, this garden has six terraces.The garden has a spring and a lawn with a variety of flowers and fruit trees growing in it.
HARWAN
Harwan Garden is situated in the district of in Srinagar. It is a beautiful and massive garden, A beautiful canal, fed from a lake just behind the garden, passes through its center. The canal is bordered with blossoming flowerbeds and chinar trees. Kashmir Harwan Garden does not have the usual terraces, artificial fountains, etc, like the other gardens of Kashmir. It has been deliberately kept devoid of these man-made things. The main attraction of the Harwan garden of Kashmiris its natural beauty that is present in plentyIt also serves as a take-off point for visiting Dachi Gam Wild life sanctuary and a starting point of a Mahadev Mountain trek.
TULIP GARDEN
Tulip Garden in Kashmir is Asia’s largest tulip garden. .The tulip garden which is in Srinagar is commonly known as Siraj Bagh and is located on the banks of the famous Dal Lake. When viewing the garden you are able to see the large variety of colors of the flowers, and there are over 60 varieties of early, mid and late blooming tulips.
BOTANICAL GARDEN
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar was set up in 1969. This beautiful landscape garden, situated at the foothills of the enchanting Zabarwan mountain slopes, is located near the famous Mughal Garden, Chashme Shahi, and the panoramic Dal Lake. This garden complex is spread over an area of 80 hectares and comprises four components of recreational garden, botanical garden, research section and plant introduction centre. It also features several inner gardens.There is a beautiful lake spread over 17 hectares in the complex
ACHABAL GARDEN
Achabal Garden is one of the most important and splendid tourist places in the state of Kashmir and is about 8 kilometers away from Anantnag. This place is famous all over due to an ancient spring surrounded by a terrace garden, which was developed by Mughals. Its` picturesque beauty makes it one of the best Mughal gardens of the Indian subcontinent.
Pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir
AMARNATH CAVE
Amarnath cave is a Hindu shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is dedicated to Shiva. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft),about 141 km from Srinagar. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. Every year, the government of Jammu and Kashmir organizes a yatra to Amarnath in the month of July and August. It is during this time when the white Shivalingam build of ice starts to take form. Chandanwari and Baltal are the two base camps where from you can reach the cave.
VAISHNO DEVI
Vaishno Devi also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess or Durga. Situated 62 km away from Jammu, Vaishno Devi shrine is located at an altitude of 1615 m above sea level. It is one of the most important pilgrim place for Hindus around the world. The shrine is located inside a cave on Trikuta Hills. Inside the cave there are three rocks cut statues that represent the three Goddesses. Goddess Kali in right, Goddess Lakshmi in center and Goddess Saraswati in the left
KHEER BHAWANI
Kheer Bhawani is a temple dedicated to the Goddess Kheer Bhawani (originally just Bhawani) constructed over a sacred spring. Kheer Bhavani Temple is special, not for the reason of its architecture, but for the unusual tradition of offering Kheer to the presiding deity. Located in Tullamula of Srinagar district, Kheer Bhavani Temple is a highly revered shrine amongst the Hindus.
CHARI-I-SHAREIF
Charar-i-sharief is one of the most ancient of shrines which stands tall in the valley of Jammu & Kashmir. Inheriting a heritage of about 600 years old, Charar-i-sharief was built to pay homage to one of the holy saints of Sufism – Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani. The mention of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani who took birth in 1377 is all-pervasive in the saga of the origin of Charar-i-sharief. Called by the name of Sahazanand or Nund Reshi, Noor-ud-Din Noorani propounded the significance of Rishism in the valley of Jammu & Kashmir centuries ago. During his entire life, Noor-ud-Din Noorani spread the message of tolerance, vegetarianism and communal peace among the local people of the valley. On the occasion of his death in 1438, it is believed that as much as nine lakh followers came to Charar-i-sharief to pay their homage to Noor-ud-Din Noorani.
HAZRATBAL MOSQUE
Hazratbal Mosque is the most important Muslim Religious place, situated on the western shore of Dal Lake. Its pristine white marble elegance is reflected in the waters of the lake. Hazratbal’s special significance is derived from the fact that it houses a hair of the prophet Muhammad. This is displayed to the public on religious occasions, usually accompanied by fairs. . During the time of Aurangzeb, when Moi-e-Muqqadus (The Holy Relic) 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 “Moi-e-Muqqadas” (Holy Relic of Prophet Mohammad S.A.W) is displayed on Various occasions related with the life of Prophet & his four holy companions.
Martand Sun Temple
The most memorable and beautiful work of King Lalitaditya is the construction of spacious Martand temple, which the emperor got built in honor of the Sun God or Bhaskar. The temple is located five miles from Anantnag in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The style of the construction of the temple and the skill exhibited in its construction is rare in the history of the world. This temple has been built with strong and square limestones and exhibits the pillars of Greek pattern. Martand temple is said to be a mirror of the art and skill of Kashmiri Hindus.
CHATTI PADSHAHI
The Chatti Padshahi in Srinagar is one of the famous Gurudwara which is not only one of the major tourist attractions of Srinagar but also an important place of worship for the Sikhs. Located in Rainawari in Srinagar this is an important site for the Sikh devotees who assemble here to offer their prayers. It is believed that the sixth Guru of Sikhs traveled throughout Kashmir and wherever he preached a Gurudwara has been built which has resulted in Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara in Srinagar.
