Heidi on a Shikara at Lake Dal, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Mughal Emperors loved Srinagar and retreated to these cool altitudes in the summer. The Mughals are long gone, but the terraced gardens they had built still bear witness of their sense for refined architecture. In Nishat Bagh, once twelve of those terraces cascaded all the way to the lake. Now it’s only eleven – the terrace closest to the lake had to make room for a road running along the shore. Continue Reading →
Golden Dal, Lake Dal, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Gliding through absolute tranquility in a Shikara, only the quiet slapping of the paddle to be heard, is the ultimate experience. Where? At the Golden Dal, a labyrinth of small canals, large fields with lotus plants, houses built on stilts and others made of bricks that are perched on little islands. In between – floating vegetable gardens with gigantic green squash dangling from the bushes. Some houses form little villages with stores and other businesses. The calm waters of Lake Dal allow making amazing photos – reflecting the sky, mountains, houseboats… A photographers dream! Continue Reading →
Floating Vegetable Market, early morning on Lake Dal, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
It was still dark when our Shikara dove into the labyrinth of Golden Dal. The lake was absolutely quiet and temperatures bone-chilling at around 05:00 am. We hoped so much that this trip was worth the effort of leaving our warm bed. Oh yes, it was! We found a place squirming with small boats selling squash, tomatoes, onions, eggplants, green beans, fish and flowers. Men only, squatting on their boats haggling with people they have probably known all their lives. Continue Reading →
House Boats reflecting on the waters of Lake Dal, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
When the plane dove below the thin layer of clouds, we spotted snowcapped mountains in the background and dark green land below. We instantly knew we would like Kashmir. For the uninitiated Kashmir traveller, the location of the houseboats is a bit confusing, even after arriving. A trip up the hill to the Temple of Shankaraya gives some perspective. The great view over Srinagar and Lake Dal helps understand that houseboats are only allowed in a small section of Lake Dal, in a kind of wide inlet called Golden Dal. The approx. 1.000 (!) houseboats line the northern shore of Golden Dal and the island that sits right in the middle of it. These houseboats do not float around, but are attached to the shore. Continue Reading →
