Dec 06, 2023 By Juliana Daniel
Kashmir is a place with breathtaking views and greenery that attracts tourists who love nature. There is a dal lake in Kashmir, which is the most visited place in Srinagar. It is a central tourist spot in Kashmir, and various travelers are attracted to it.
It is also known as the Lake of Flowers or Srinagar's Jewel. This leg is also used for commercial purposes like water plant harvesting and fishing. It is not a girl. You will learn about the various things about this Lake, like floating markets, houseboats, lake distance, and the best times to visit.
The shoreline of this Lake is about 15.5 km long and is connected with gardens, parks, houseboats, etc. There are many scenic views that you can witness at the seashore. This Lake is a part of a natural wetland that also includes floating gardens.
In the Kashmiri language, these floating gardens are known as Rad, where lotus flowers blossom during July and August. The wetland has four basins: Gagribal, Nigeen, Lokut Dal and Bod Dal.
If you are visiting Kashmir, don't forget to spend some time in the Dal Lake houseboat. There are different options to choose from for this houseboat, and they have standard costs. These are made of wood that seems beautiful and lovely floating over the Lake.
You will experience different things, like the curved floor of the household and the mosquitos, because of the surrounding water and greenery. The stay at these boathouses depends on various things like how much time you want to spend in this area as a tourist.
If you are directly visiting Srinagar, you can stay on these boats. But if you are mainly visiting other places and came here for a short period, you shouldn't book any houseboat.
When you go to the Lake, you can book a boat to have the right to visit the whole Lake. The central part of this route has a floating vegetable market with fresh vegetables loaded by shikhara. These floating vegetable markets make the Lake colorful and vibrant for some hours of the day.
A barter system is a very old strategy that is still used in this part of India. People of Kashmir grow some vegetables in the small lines near their houses and exchange them with others starting in the morning. These vegetables are exchanged almost in an hour, and after this, they go back to their homes.
Basically, there are two partitions on Dal Lake. One of them is a group of people living on the land, and the other is a group of people living on Dal Lake. Two different lifestyles exist in the same city in India. However, the main source of food for the people living on the Lake is the fish.
When visiting these beautiful floating places, you will also experience a small Island called Char Chinar. It was named as such because of the four chinar trees over it. You can explore the beauty of Dal Lake by parking your boat on one side of the island. You can ask Shikhara about the place and the trees if you want to learn about them.
There is a Mughal garden on the Lake accessible by closing some distance from the Lake. It opens at 8:00 am every day, and many tourists love to explore the beauty of this piece of land. You can also visit the houses of people on Dal Lake and learn more about this place.
There is a special salty tea called Wanchai that you can have at one of these houses. The people of this place are friendly and shy, making your experience wonderful. Besides the Mughal garden, there is also a vegetable garden that has fresh and sweet vegetables.
On returning from the house on Dal Lake, you experience spotting stores like vegetables and other routine life products. You can explore these stores and also buy a product if you want to experience them.
Besides the households and the markets on Dal Lake, many water lilies are floating on this Lake. You can see these water lilies in bloom when they get direct sunlight, which makes them stronger. As these water lilies spread over the Lake, it enhances the beauty of this unique place.
It is also a beautiful spot to capture this moment in your camera. When you see them in full bloom during your visit to Dal Lake, you can see and capture some pictures with them. You can also pick a water Lily if you want to take some of them with you.
The floating part of the Lake is amazing, and you'll have fun visiting it. The scenic beauty and the natural environment of the Lake are amazing experiences that no one should skip.
You can reach this beautiful and amazing Lake in three directions via foreshore and Boulevard roads, which are connected to the various ghats of the city. You can wander around the Lake using shikharas, which are water taxis of this Lake.
As this Lake is located in Srinagar, you can easily cover the distance either by road or air to reach your destination. There is a nearest airport in Srinagar that is connected with all the major cities of India. This airport is about 18.8 km away from the Lake.
As it is a beautiful place in a gorgeous city, tourists are attracted throughout the year. However, to enjoy the trip in a more pleasant environment, you can visit the place between May and November. These months can provide a comfortable tour to the visitors.
The central attractions of this place are the houseboats, Shikharas, and the water lilies. These are the signs of a beautiful culture that Kashmiri people practice. A variety of floating vegetation and fish species are the natural and cultural ways of this place.