Dal is a lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The urban lake, which is the second largest in the state, is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is named the "Jewel in the crown of Kashmir" or "Srinagar's Jewel".
Activities
Find things to do near you. Explore the top-rated attractions, tours, and activities nearby Srinagar.
At the north end of the triangular patch of grass near the Sufi shrine of Pir Dastgir Sahib is a small, green shrine known as Rozabal. A highly controversial theory claims that the shrine’s crypt holds the grave of Jesus Christ. Locals are quite aggressive in discouraging tourists from approaching, so assume you won't be allowed in.
This distinctively spired 1730s Muslim meeting hall is one of Srinagar’s most beautiful mosques. It was constructed without any nails, and both frontage and interiors are covered in painted papier-mâché reliefs and elaborately coloured khatamband (faceted wood panelling). Non-Muslim visitors can peek through the door but may not enter.
Looking more Bulgarian than Kashmiri, the multi-domed 15th-century brick tomb of King Zeinalabdin’s mum was built on the plinth of a much older former Buddhist temple. It’s within an ancient graveyard hidden in Gadu Bazaar's maze of copperware, spice and cloth vendors’ shops. To view the interior, you will need to find the caretaker; ask at the shops in front of the cemetery.
Looking like the movie set for an imagined Central Asian castle, this mighty 1672 mosque forms a quadrangle around a large garden courtyard with fountain and monumental spired gatehouses marking the four cardinal directions. There’s room for thousands of devotees among the 378 roof-support columns, each fashioned from the trunk of a single deodar tree.
Of all Srinagar's Mughal gardens, Nishat Bagh is arguably the most appealing, with terracing that's steeper than that of better known Shalimar Bagh and fragrant blooming magnolias that frame a lovely lake panorama. It's on the lakeside drive, 7.5km from Nehru Park.
Incredibly, in September 2015 the city resolved to 'realign' these boats (ie move them to a new location) with the aim of improving the lake's water quality. However, the plan is thought to threaten Srinagar's trademark scene, and few locals believe it will actually happen.
On top of thickly forested Shankaracharya Hill, this small Shiva temple is built from hefty blocks of visibly ancient grey stone. Previously known as Takht-i-Sulaiman (Throne of Solomon), it’s now named for a sage who reached enlightenment here in AD 750, but signs date the octagonal structure as 5th century and the site is even older. Some claim, very controversially, that a previous temple here was once renovated by Jesus and St Thomas.
On the strategically and spiritually significant Hari Parbat, north of the city centre, is this fortress, which dates to the 6th century. The hill was also fortified by Emperor Akbar in 1590, but most of the upper fortress dates from the 1808 constructions of Pathan governor Atta Mohammad Khan.
