Top 30 Historical Places in Kashmir
The valley of Kashmir has a deep-rooted religious and cultural significance in the Indian subcontinent. The region is famous for its varied snow-capped mountains, lakes, valleys, rivers, natural beauty. Along with being one of the most beautiful places in India, it is also one of the most loved locals. It attracts many people from across the world due to its scenic beauty and historical importance. Kashmir is a largely mountainous region with important historic monuments. In contrast to Indian buildings, the buildings in Kashmir carry a style different from the ones found elsewhere. In this article, we have jotted down thirty famous monuments of Kashmir which are definitely worth visiting for their architecture and history.
SRINAGAR
SHALIMAR BAGH
NISHAT BAGH
Nishat Bagh or the 'garden of bliss was built in 1633 A.D by Asaf Khan the brother of Empress Nur Jahan The garden is set up on the banks of the Dal lake with majestic Zabarwan hill forming the backdrop.
CHASHMASHAHI
PARI MAHAL
Pari Mahal - the Palace of Fairies, is situated about 2km uphill from Chashmashahi. It was a school of astrology founded by Prince Dara Shikoh, Emperor Shah Jahan's eldest son who was killed in the war of succession. The palace has a well-laid-out garden in the front.
TULIP GARDEN
HARWAN
Harwan is a huge garden lined with flower beds and massive Chinar trees with a beautiful canal flowing right through the middle. The canal is fed from a beautiful lake which lies behind the garden. There is not much clutter of fountains and other fancy things but vast green carpeted lawns which form an ideal spot for picnics. This spot is very popular with the locals for picnics and excursions.
GULMARG
Gulmarg-the meadow of flowers is a world-famous tourist spot in the Baramulla district of Kashmir. The altitude of Gulmarg is 2730 meters. It is surrounded by dense forests of tall conifers. Gulmarg is known for unparallel beauty and is rated as one of the matchless tourist spots of the world. Gulmarg Gondola, one of the highest cable cars In the world is a major tourist attraction. Gulmarg is also famous for golf hikes and boasts of a beautiful highland golf course. Gulmarg is the heartland of winter sports in India. Originally, it was named Gourimarg or "the fair one" by the shepherds. The resort was renamed Gulmarg or the "meadow of flowers" by Sultan Yusuf Shah Chak.
PAHALGAM
This is a quaint little village nestled on the banks of river Lidder. This place is an angler's delight and even an amateur can catch a rainbow trout from the rushing streams. Pahalgam has a golf course at 2400 m above sea level. Camping equipment, ponies, and skiing equipment are readily available. Kolahoi is a popular destination via Aru a charming meadow. Pahalgam is the base camp for the pilgrims of Amarnath Yatra.
SONAMARG
DAL LAKE
The Dal Lake is a beautiful lake in Srinagar and was described by Sir Walter Lawrence as the "Lake par-excellence. It is the jewel in the crown of Kashmir and is eulogized by poets and praised abundantly by tourists. The present area of Dal lake is about 11.20 sq km and it is divided by causeways into four parts: Gagribal Lokur-Dul, Bod-Dal, and Nigeen. The Dal Lake is host to world-famous Shikaras and Houseboats. Two islands Sona Lank and Ropa Lake, built by Mughals within the Lake add to its beauty.
NIGEEN LAKE
WULAR LAKE
MANASBAL LAKE
It is a scenic lake and an important tourist spot located about 29km from Srinagar, in the Safapora area of the Ganderbal district. A lake is a good place for birdwatching and has the sobriquet of "supreme gem of all Kashmir lakes.
HOUSE - BOATS
The house-boats on the Dal and Nigeen lakes, offering all modern amenities and water sports, in the midst of the most beautiful scenery in the region have become world-famous. But, few people know that it was a farseeing English man, MT Kennard, who first conceived and executed the idea of a "floating house" in 1883. Kashmiris used to call houseboats the "boat of Kenneth Sahib" for quite some time until the English word caught on.
HAZRATBAL
AMARNATH CAVE
CHATTI PADSHAHI GURUDWARA
Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara is situated near Kathi Darwaza in the Rainawari area of Srinagar. The legend of this gurudwara associates it with Guru Hargobind- the sixth Sikh Guru and his ardent devotee Mai Bhag Bharat It is said that she yearned for along to get a glimpse of the Guru, who finally visited her. The gurudwara has a sacred sanctum in the center of its rectangular hall. There is an old well near the shrine, which was supposedly built on the orders of the guru.
JAMIA MASJID
The Jama Masjid at Nowhatta, in the heart of the old city, is an important mosque in Srinagar at which thousands of people congregate for the Friday prayers. Originally built by Sultan Sikandar in AD 1400, and enlarged by his son, Sultan Zian-ul-Abideen, it is a typical example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Destroyed thrice by fire and rebuilt each time, the mosque, as it now stands, was repaired during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh.
SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE
The temple of Shankaracharya nestles on the Takht-i-Sulaiman Hill, about 1000 feet above Srinagar city. The present shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva is said to be built on the site where the great Advaita philosopher saint Adi Shankaracharya stayed during his visit to Kashmir, about 10 centuries ago. Historians believe that the first edifice on this site was built by Emperor Asoka's son Jaluka and was later rebuilt by King Gopaditya. The temple presents a magnificent panoramic view of the Srinagar city.
KHANQAH-e-MOLLA
The shrine of Shah-e-Hamdan or Khangah-e-Moulla is one of the oldest Muslim shrines in Kashmir, situated on the banks of the river Jhelum in the old city. The shrine was originally constructed by Sultan Sikander of Kashmir in memory of the Muslim preacher, Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, who had earlier visited Kashmir and stayed here for meditation and preaching of Islam.
CHARAR-E-SHARIF
It lies on the road to Yusmarg and is famous for the "Ziarut" or shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali, the famous patron saint of Kashmir, also known as Nund Rishi, as well as, Alamdar-e- Kashmir. The saint led a very simple life and preached communal harmony, non-violence, and tolerance to the people. Character-e-Sharif served as his final resting place, where his mortal remains were buried. The then ruler of Kashmir, Zain-ul-Abideen constructed a shrine on the burial site.
MARTAND-SUN TEMPLE
Martand-Sun temple, dedicated to Surya is now in ruins and the original site of the temple is located near Anantnag. The temple was built by King Lalitaditya Muktapida of the Karkota Dynasty in the 8th century. It is one of the very few temples in India that are dedicated exclusively to the Sun. From the ruins and archeological findings, it becomes clear that this temple was an excellent specimen of the Kashmiri style of architecture, which had blended the Gandhar, Gupta, Chinese, Roman, Syrian-Byzantine, and Greek forms of architecture.
AWANTIPURA
Awantipura, located at a distance of about 29km from Srinagar is known or the presence of twin temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. They were built in the 9th century by the first Utpala king, Avanti Varman. The archeologists found a number of antiques and coins belonging to Indian, Chinese, and Muslim dynasties.
KOKERNAG
Kokernag is a beautiful garden around a freshwater spring, famous for its curative properties. The garden is an ideal summer resort for tourists.
VERINAG
The spring at Verinag is said to be the chief source of river Jhelum. The construction of the octagonal base of the spring and the arcade around it was started by Jehangir and completed during the reign of Shah Jahan.
HARI PARBAT FOR
Hari Parbat, locally known as Kohe-e-Maran and among the Hindus as Srinagar. The first fortifications on the site were constructed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, He built an outer wall for the fort and planned a new capital called Nagar Nagor to be built within the walls. But the project was; never completed. The present fort was built in the 18th: century by an Afghan Governor of Kashmir, Affa Mohammad Khan. It was the shrine of Khawaja Makdoom Sahib on the southern slope and the famous Sharika temple on the western slope. On the southern side of the outer walls, there is a Gurudwara which commemorates the visit of Guru Hargobind.
KHEER BHAWANI TEMPLE
The temple dedicated to the goddess Ragini Devi, a form of goddess Durga at Tulla Mulla village in Ganderbal district is considered to be the most important Hindu pilgrim center in Kashmir, after the Amarnath cave. The presiding deity is popularly known as Kheer Bhawani, as devotees offer milk and Kheer'at the spring. If the color of the milk offered to the deity turns black, it is considered to be a warning for disaster.
YUS MARG
Yusmarg is not just a meadow but, in fact, is a cluster of meadows surrounded by magnificent trees in the lap of Pir Panjal mountains Pony riding in the meadows is a tourist delight here.
PAMPORE
The very name Pampore reminds us of the aromatic saffron (Kesar), one of the costliest and most relished spices. It is worth visiting the site to see the lilac-colored flowers of saffron and the extensive and exhaustive process of deriving kesar from them.
Doodhpathri
Doodhpathri is new incorporation in the Jammu Kashmir traveler map. This is the explanation that the spot isn't stuffed and very few sightseers visit here. Notwithstanding, it has turned into a genuine hit among the nearby populace, who think that it is a welcome advance. The street from the Khansahib region in Badgam to the Doodhpathri isn't in a decent condition. There is certainly not an undeniable market or any inn nearby, so the excursion is continually going to keep going for a day in particular and you really want to prepare your lunch. Tea and tidbits are accessible in the shops run by nearby individuals.
Drang
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