Srinagar, Kashmir, India

Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu & Kashmir, is quite unlike any other, except perhaps Venice. Networked by the Dal Lake, the Nagin Lake and the Anchar Lake, the Jhelum River and its tributaries, you are never farr off from water in the city. It is the very idea that occurred to the British who built for themselves prototypes of the traditional doonga, which became, over time, the world famous houseboats. Of the over 1000 houseboats in Dal and Nagin Lakes, there is a range from which to choose. They are moored to a variety of locations: some overlook crowded stretches of the lake, while others overlook miles of lotus gardens and mountains beyond. Whichever you choose, the houseboat owner and his family will make sure that your stay is a memorable one.

Srinagar also has a wide range of accommodation in the form of hotels. Most of the hotels either face Dal Lake or the Jhelum river. Wherever you stay in Srinagar, the highlight of your trip is sure to be a shikara ride on the Dal Lake. This lake is not a flat stretch of water, but is composed of colonies of communities that have, for centuries, lived on the water. Houseboat owners, shikara men and vegetable gardeners, tailors, general merchants and handicraft sellers -- all live on the lake, leading unique lifestyles.

The Mughal Emperors, starting from Emperor Akbar, turned Kashmir into a sort of summer playground. They built gardens around the lake, from Naseem Bagh, the Garden of Breezes, to Pari Mahal, a spiritual center. The most famous are Nishat Garden, Shalimar Garden and Cheshmashahi. Hari Parbat Fort is the other famous Mughal landmark in Srinagar.

Important places of pilgrimage are the Shankaracharya Temple, on the highest hill in Srinagar, reputed to be over 2500 years old. Khir Bhawani or Tulla Mulla, which has the shrine of the goddess Ragnya Devi, is a pleasant hour's drive out of Srinagar. The shrine is itself surrounded by a pond. The water of the pond changes periodically from blue to green. It is said that before a catastrophe, the water changes to black or even red.

Kashmir also has many ruins of ancient temples: at Avantipora are two temples dating back to the days of an 8th century ruler; Pattan on the Srinagar-Baramullah highway has the ruins of yet another fine old temple, and at Parihaspora are the ruins of a Buddhist vihara complex. The finest structure of all is at Martand in Anantnag, where a ruined sun temple lies atop a hill overlooking fields of rice far below. On the outskirts of Srinagar, at Burzahoma, is the Stonehenge-like remains of a culture that is so old that it is impossible to date with any certainty: it is probably the earliest settlement of the Nagas, or snake-worshippers.

Other places of interest include the Jama Masjid with its imposing structure, supported by 370 wooden columns; Hazratbal Mosque, the only marble mosque in Kashmir with a domed roof, which is the repository of a single hair of the Prophet of Islam, Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara in Rainawari, dedicated to the Sixth Guru of the Sikhs who stopped here during his Kashmir visit, and the 14th century Shah-i-Hamadan Mosque built of timber in the shape of a Stupa. Manasbal Lake, out of Srinagar, is pristine and windswept, with shikaras to take one to a small, unnamed Mughal Garden on the far shore.