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SRINAGAR
Srinagar is the summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and literally the pride of the beautiful and enchanting Kashmir valley, located in the western part of Jammu and Kashmir, in the northern region of India. River Jhelum passes all the way through the city. Srinagar is famous for its lakes and the charming rows of houseboats floating on them. It is also famous for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts, exquisite handmade embroidery and dry fruits.
History
The history of the Kashmir valley has been quite turbulent. In the 3rd century BC, it was part of the great Mauryan Empire. Soon after, this state flourished under the rule of the Kushans in the 1st century A.D. It was a key Buddhist center around this time. In the 6th century, it was a part of the kingdom of Vikramaditya, the ruler of Ujjain. Local Hindu rulers ruled it until the 14th century, after which the Muslim rulers invaded it. Srinagar was a part of the Mughal Empire in the medieval period. But, with the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rule of the Pathans, the fate of the area gradually dwindled. In 1814, it became a part of the Sikh empire, when Ranjit Singh defeated the Pathans. However, the British defeated Ranjit Singh and according to the treaty of Lahore in 1846, they set up Gulab Singh as the independent ruler of Kashmir. The descendents of Gulab Singh ruled Kashmir under the watchful eyes of the British till 1947. Hari Singh, the great grandson of Gulab Singh, combined this princely state into India in 1948, while Pathan intruders from Pakistan tried to overrun this state.
Places of Interest
The valley of Kashmir, in which Srinagar is located, is fondly referred to as being heaven on earth. The Mughal emperor Jahangir was so enthralled by the beauty of this valley that he exclaimed Gar firdaus, ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto. (If there is a heaven on earth, it’s here, it’s here, and it’s here). There are a number of tourist places in and around Srinagar.
The Dal Lake
Is a main tourist attraction of Srinagar. It is located on the eastern end of the city. The Dal Lake comprises of a series of lakes, including the Nagin Lake some 8 km from the city center. One can enjoy the breath taking view of the mountains surrounding Srinagar from this lake. tourists can enjoy taking a ride on traditional Kashmiri boats or the Shikaras to travel around the elaborate network of waterways of this lake.
Mughal Gardens
The other major attractions of Srinagar city are the well laid out Mughal gardens. The Shalimar Bagh and the Nishat Bagh are beautiful gardens situated to the far eastern side of the Dal Lake. One can take a breath of air amongst these green and gorgeous gardens and enjoy the waterworks within them.
Shankaracharya Temple
The temple of Shankaracharya is an additional important place to visit in Srinagar. Jaluka, the son of emperor Ashoka, built it in the 3rd century B.C
General Information
Climate: Max of 29.5 'C. and a min of 0 'C. and below.
Best Time to Visit: Between April and June
Travel Information
Air: Srinagar is well connected by air with Delhi. There is a daily flight to Delhi via Jammu by Indian airlines. There are weekly flights operated by Indian Airlines for Leh from Srinagar.
Rail: Srinagar does not have a railway station and the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi, which is 305 km from Srinagar.
Road: It is well connected to important places like Chandigarh (630 km), Delhi (876 km), Jammu (298 km), Leh, Kargil, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam by road. The main bus station is at Lal Chowk, which is the city center.