Surreality at its Best: 3 Natural Places to Visit in Srinagar

by Dynamix Group Writer

Srinagar, is the summer capital of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, but now, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the most beautiful places on the face of earth, as is evident from the number of tourists that it pulls towards itself every year. Natural lakes, springs, snow clad mountains, lush green forests and heavenly meadows, Srinagar has them all. It is a treat for every visitor who comes to the valley and the cherry on top is the hospitality of the locals, the tales of which are famous. But, since Kashmir has so much to offer, it can become a tough task for a person to choose what to see and what to skip or keep in the wish list for the next time.

Here is a small guide to 3 natural places to visit in Srinagar:

The Dal Lake

This is probably the biggest and the main tourist attraction, the Dal Lake. This is a freshwater lake located in the heart of the Srinagar city. It has also, over the years, developed into a trade hub, with great shops and places to stay in Srinagar, developing around it at a very rapid pace. The Lake is one hell of a spectacle after sundown, as the houseboats are lit up in bright lights with the reflections from water amplifying it into a fairy tale like scene. Someone who is watching this for the first time, is bound to keep talking about it for a while, such is the visual impact. A stay in one of the houseboats is an experience worth a lifetime.

The Pari Mahal

This place is located exactly on the head of the city of Srinagar. The name “Pari Mahal” means the “Palace of Fairies”. It enables a person to have a bird’s eye view of the whole city where one can see the busy streets as well as the whole of Dal Lake in one frame. It is a favourite of photographers who want good frames. It is also the best place for one to watch a sunrise and a sunset, as the views are simply mesmerising.

The Naseem Bagh

The name of this place literally translates to the “Garden of Happiness”. It was planted by the Mughal emperor Jehangir and is currently home to about 1200 Chinars. Chinars are gigantic Persian trees, the leaves of which turn in to a fiery shade of red in Autumn and this makes it the favourite place of photo buffs, during that season. It is said that the place had 2000 of these giants, around 800 of which fell over time, due to heavy snow during winters. The University of Kashmir currently holds Naseem Bagh as a part of its main campus.

With the rise of destination weddings in India, one might often be thinking about Srinagar as the venue, which will make a great wedding destination by all means. Particularly, the Lalit – Srinagar offers one of the best facilities in the city, when it comes to marriage halls in Srinagar. All of this comes right on the banks of Dal Lake, the best seat in the house.