THE PRID OF KASHMIR VALLEYSrinagar
is the summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and is the pride of
the beautiful valley of Kashmir. Srinagar is famous for its lakes and the
charming rows of houseboats floating on them. It is also known for
traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dry fruits.
LOCATION
OF RANIKHET Srinagar is located in the western part of the state of
Jammu and Kashmir, in the northern region of India. It is located in the
Kashmir valley. River Jhelum passes through Srinagar city. Srinagar is 876
km north of Delhi. The weather in Srinagar is alpine. Summers (April–June)
are mild and winters are cold (November–February). It experiences heavy
snowfall in December–February
BEST TO VISITThe
best time to visit Srinagar is during summers between April and June.
PAST
OF RANIKHETThe history of the Kashmir valley has been turbulent. In
the 3rd century bc, it was a part of the great Mauryan Empire. Later on,
this region flourished under the rule of the Kushans in the 1st century ad.
It was an important 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 Muslims invaded and
ruled it. Srinagar was a part of the Mughal Empire in the medieval period.
However, with the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rule of the Pathans,
the fortunes 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 installed Gulab Singh as the independent ruler of Kashmir. The
descendents of Gulab Singh ruled Kashmir under the vigilance of the British
till 1947. Hari Singh, the great grandson of Gulab Singh, merged this
princely stateer.
SRINAGAR SIGHTSEEING The
valley of Kashmir, in which Srinagar is located, is also referred to as
being a heaven on earth. The Mughal emperor Jahangir was so captivated 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, it’s here). There are a number
of tourist places in and around Srinagar.
The Dal Lake is an important 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 panoramic view of the mountains surrounding Srinagar from
this lake. Travelers can enjoy taking a ride on traditional Kashmiri boats
or the Shikaras to explore the intricate maze of waterways of this lake.
The other major attractions of Srinagar city are the well laid out
Mughal styled gardens. The Shalimar Bagh and the Nishat Bagh are beautiful
gardens located to the far eastern side of the Dal Lake. One can take a
stroll amongst these green and attractive gardens and enjoy the waterworks
within them.
The temple of Shankaracharya is another important
place to visit in Srinagar. Jaluka, the son of emperor Ashoka, built it in
the 3rd century bc.
HOW TO REACH Srinagar
is well connected by air with Delhi. There is a daily flight to Delhi via
Jammu by Indian airlines (Ph. 452328, 450257). There are weekly flights
operated by Indian Airlines for Leh from Srinagar. Srinagar does not have a
railway station and the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi, which is 305 km from
Srinagar. However, it is well connected by road to important places like
Chandigarh (630 km), Delhi (876 km), Jammu (298 km), Leh, Kargil, Gulmarg,
Sonamarg, and Pahalgam. The main bus station is at Lal Chowk, which is the
city center. Travelers can use auto-rickshaws and mini-buses to move around
the city.
