15/05/2015
Mughal Gardens in Srinagar are basically the gardens that were built during the reign on Mughal Emperors. Influenced heavily by the concept of Persian Gardens, these gardens drew heavily upon Persian style of architecture. The common features that all Mughal Gardens share is the rectilinear layouts within the walled structure with canals, fountains, pools of running water and several species of shade providing trees , flowers, fruits and aromatic grasses. Mughal Gardens which have truly changed the face of the Mughal Empire is one of the most popular and the most visited tourist attractions of Srinagar. During their rule, the Mughals began to build several types of gardens in Persian architecture, and the combination of these gardens is referred to as the Mughal Gardens. The natural beauty of the place filled with lush green grass and the scented flowers is a stress-buster and pleasing to the eyes. The tourists who come here take long strolls in the garden or sit and admire the beauty of the place.
The Mughal Gardens in Srinagar comprise of NishatBagh, Shalimar Bagh, ChashmeShahi, PariMahal, Achabal and Verinag Garden. The grandeur of the gardens is dedicated to Emperor Jahangir who always had an undying love for Kashmir. Jahangir was responsible for the selection of the site and planning the requirements of the paradise gardens. It is always a lot of fun in exploring the history behind these gardens. They follow a Persian style of architecture and have been influenced by the Persian gardens. Some typical features of Mughal Gardens which are a treat for its visitors include canals, pools and fountains.
Kashmir became the summer resort to successive Emperors: Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurengzeb. To Jahangir, Kashmir seemed a paradise of which ‘priests had prophesied and poets sung’ For nearly a century and a half these four great Emperors came, from far away Delhi and Agra, in stately progress across the PirPanjal, with glittering retinues and splendid state, with escorts and audiences, tributes and labour, from the dusty glamour of an Indian court to the cool and quite of a Kashmiri summer. Jahangir spent fourteen summers in the Valley of Kashmir, coming in with the blossoming of the lilac and the wild iris in the spring, and setting out back towards the hot plains of India when the saffron flowers had bloomed in autumn.
