Gardens In Kashmir

Nishat Garden

Nishat garden, the garden of Delight, the largest Mughal Garden on Dal-Lake was laid out by Asaf
Khan, brother of Nur Jahan, wife of Jahangir, in the year 1632 A.D. It is located on Dal-Lake about 2.5 Kilometers to the south of Shalimar and commands a magnificent view in the west and has a panoramic back drop of mountains in the East. The garden had originally 12 terraces. Enchanting central water channel, rippling fountains in large tanks and channels and sparkling cascades amidst bountiful colours, lush lawns and mighty chinars are principal features of this pleasure garden. The garden is spread over an area of about 20 ha.
This garden of the royal spring was built in 1642 A.D. by Ali Mardan Khan, the Governor of Kashmir during the reign of Emperor Shah ]ahan. Fountains play in the central water channel starting from the famed spring located in the upper most terrace. It is famous for its pure, sparkling and cool mineral water.

Shalimar Garden

Shalimar garden was built by Mughal Emperor Jehangir in the year 1619 AD and called it "Farah Baksh" (the delightful). Eleven years later Zaffer Khan the Governor of Kashmir during Emperor Shah Jahan's reign extended the garden and called it "Faiz Baksh" (the Bountiful). The garden was graded in three sections. The outer garden known as the Diwan-i-Aam, the central porrion the Emperor's garden called as the "Diwan-i­Khas" and the uppermost by far the best garden was meanc for the Empress and her ladies. The romantic effect of numerous fountains in large tanks and central water channel, cascades, and monumental pavilions, mighty chinars, lush lawns laden with colour and fragrance speak volumes for the taste of Great Mughal.

Harvan Garden

On the hillside of the village of Harwan , remarkable remains of ancient ornamented tile pavements of the Buddhist period have come to light. The tiles depict the dresses of the people, such as loose trousers, Turkoman caps or close fitting turbans and large ear-rings which reveal Central Asian influence.

Pari Mahal Garden

The name Pari Mahal appears to be a distorted version of "Peer Mahal" built by Prince Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Emperor Shah ]ahan in the year 1640 A.D. for his tutor Peer Mullah Shah. Once the royal observatory, it is a seven terraced garden located on the base of Zabarvan mountain range over-looking city of Srinagar and Dal-Lake. The Mahal Built for the meditation and summer residence of Peer Mullah Shah is a replica of typical Mughal architecture in garden layout, water now been restored to its glory with captivating terraced gardens, motorable road up to the garden and wonderful lighring effects which look marvelous and captivating at night.

Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden, Cheshmashahi

This beautiful landscape garden took birth in the year 1969 on the enchanting Zabarwan mountain slopes near famous Mughal Garden Cheshmashahi, over­looking the panorama of Dal-Lake. This pleasure garden complex extends over an area of about 80 hectares and consists of several styles of gardens with unending joy for seekers of solace on informal and undulated landscape. It comprises of four components- Recreational Garden, Botanical Garden, Research Section, and Plant Introduction Centre. A beautiful lake spread over an area of 17 hectares with joy riding boats is also the attraction of the garden. The garden provides a 3.5 Kilometer joyride, a pleasant water garden, inspiring colour feast of spring, fragrance and colour pageantry of roses, riot of colours in summer, changing autumn colours and captivating twitter of water falls. Over 1.5 Lakh ornamental plants, representing about 300 plant species have been planted in the garden.

Verinag Spring and Mughal Garden

The present name Verinag is probably the deformed version of Virah-Nag in Sanskrit. It is located about 61 Kilometers south of Srinagar at the foot of Banihal hill range. The gushing spring of Verinag is the source of the river Jehlum in Kashmir.Mughal Emperor Jhangir was highly impressed by the natural beauty of this irregular spring and its surroundings and built an octagonal tank of sculptured stones around it in 1620 A.D. Seven years later his son Shah Jahan constructed cascades and fountains in straight lines in front of the spring and also hot and cold baths (Hamams) of which only ruins are now left. Its bountiful gushing water, open lawns, mighty chinars, colour and fragrance of flowers against the backdrop of a green forest are the bounties of nature one can be proud of.

Achabal Garden

This garden is believed to be laid by Nur Jahan wife of Jahangir in 1620 A.D. It is situated about 62 Km south of Srinagar. It is watered by an ancient and once sacred spring from the adjacent hillside. All its pavilions are Kashmiri in character. Fountains in water channels spray and splash and cascades tumble presenting a romantic view.