Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India (September 2022)

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At an elevation of 1600m Srinagar is located in a valley below the Zabarwan mountain range. It is built on the banks of the Jhelum river, which meanders across the city, and on the shores of several lakes, the largest being Dal lake. The city has a complex history of over 2000 years, during which it was governed by diverse rulers, including Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, and British rulers. Today, the area is a hotbed of Muslim separatist activity, resulting in a heavy police and army presence throughout the city.

Dal Lake:

Lotus flower in a swamp bordering the lake. On the warm September afternoon when I took this photo, I had a hard time visualizing that Dal lake and other surrounding lakes freeze over for several consecutive winter months every year.

Shikaras on the lake. These light gondola-type rowing boats are used for various purposes. Those covered with colorful tarpaulins are used by tourists (including locals) to enjoy rides on the lake. Others are used for transporting goods, fishing, and harvesting aquatic vegetation.

Shikaras seen in the early morning.

Jhelum river:

Here it is seen from the New Zaina Kadal bridge. The wooden bridge in the photo is the Old Zaina Kadal bridge. The domed building at the center of the photo is the Tomb of Zain-ul-Abidin's mother (see further down in this page).

Shalimar Bagh:

Located to the northeast of Dal lake, Shalimar Bagh is one of the Mughal-era gardens of Srinagar. It was built in 1619 by Mughal emperor Jahangir for his wife. Modeled after Persian gardens, it consists of terraced fountain pools and lawns interspersed with elegant pavilions.

Marble pavilion at the upper end of the garden. Under the Sikh ruler Rajit Singh, it was used to host important visitors.

Dargah Dastgeer Sahib:

Built in the early 19th century in an old part of Srinagar (Khanyar), this shrine is believed to house relics of the revered Persian Sufi Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jelani, five graves containing remains of renowned followers and descendants of this saint man, and a copy of the Quran written by Ali, a cousin, son-in-law, and companion of the prophet Muhammad. It attracts a daily flow of worshipers.

People at the entrance of the shrine.

Graves, relics, and Quran are exposed in a fire-proof vault inside the shrine.

Women are allowed to pray in a small room of the shrine providing a view over the relics in the vault.

Colorful Khatamband ceiling in the shrine's main prayer hall. (Khatamband is an ancient craft imported from Persia. It consists of forming geometrical patterns by cutting small pieces of wood and fitting them by hand without using nails.)

Inside the main hall.

Men chatting in a corner of the main hall, next to a window.

Khanqah-e-Moula:

This is arguably the most beautiful mosque in Srinagar. Erected in the 1730s this quintessentially Kashmiri mosque (perhaps inspired by earlier Buddhist pagodas) is built in wood without any nails. Its interior is decorated with colorful papier-mache and Khatamband wood panels.

View of the mosque overlooking the Jhelum river, next to traditional brick-and-timber houses.

Left: Exterior of Khanqah-e-Moula, Right: The mosque's square turret (used for muezzin calls) surmounted by a steep spire.

The highly decorated back of the mosque.

Entrance of the mosque.

In the prayer hall.

Jama Masjid:

This 17th-century mosque consists of several interconnected halls around a large courtyard, covering a total area of 117x116 meters. The halls contain 378 roof-supporting columns, each cut from the trunk of a single deodar tree (a type of cedar).

Interior of one of the halls. The mosque is massive, but much less inspiring than Khanqah-e-Moula.

Patthar Masjid (˝Stone Mosque˝):

Dating from 1623, this elegant grey-stone mosque was commissioned by Mughal Empress Nur Jahan, the wife of emperor Jahangir. Its interior consists of 9 bays with beautifully decorated ceilings, over a rectangular floorplan. Its facade includes 9 arches, with a portico in the center.

Hazratbal shrine:

This shrine, which is believed to contain prophet Mohammad's hair strands, is considered the holiest Muslim shrine in Kashmir. It was first constructed in the 17th century during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. However, the present-day structure is recent and was built in 1968-1979. The holy relic is displayed only on special Islamic occasions.

Left: View of the shine's white dome. Right: Inside the shrine's prayer hall, before the Friday prayer.

Tomb of Zain-ul-Abidin's mother:

This is one of the strangest and most mysterious sites in Srinagar. With its five domes, the main building, which looks more like an old Byzantine church than an Islamic structure, is unlike any other building in Srinagar. Constructed in the 15th century by the 8th sultan of Kashmir, Zain-ul-Abidin, for his mother; it contains a single grave, that of his mother. According to the site's caretaker when I visited, the tomb of this sultan is an unassuming tomb located among other unmarked tombs in a walled cemetery behind the domed building. The entrance of this Muslim cemetery is adorned with much older stone carvings in the Gandara Buddhist style, suggesting that this site may have previously been occupied by a Buddhist temple. Finally, next to the walled cemetery, a marked grave contains the remains of a 16th-century member of a prominent Kashgaria family, who became Governor of Kashmir under the emperor Humayin.

Left: Five-dome tomb of Zain-ul-Abidin's mother, surrounded by a modern cemetery. Right: Lonely grave of Zain-ul-Abidin's mother inside the building.

Below, from left to right:

- Walled cemetery with old tombs, behind the five-dome building.

- Stone carving at the entrance of this cemetery, featuring damaged representations of Buddha.

- Tomb of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, according to the site's caretaker during my visit.

- Tomb of Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat (1499-1551), near the enclosed cemetery. A member of the Dughlat family of rulers of Kashgaria (present-day Xinjiang), Muhammad Haidar was a renowned historian, commander, and statesman. He participated in the founding of the Kashgar Khanate and was one of its leaders. In 1533 he served as an advisor for Mughal emperor Humayun, before becoming Governor of Kashmir in 1540, until his mysterious death in 1551. He was killed by the arrow of one of his soldiers, which may have been an accident or a carefully executed murder.

In the streets of old Srinagar:

The streets of old Srinagar still feature traditional houses made of bricks piled between timber frames and sealed with clay or lime mortar, a combination well suited to the local climate and to withstand earthquakes. Most of these houses date from the 19th century, but too many of them are poorly maintained, threatening their architectural legacy.

Shops and market scenes in old Srinagar:

The profusion of shops selling blankets is a reminder that the local winters are very cold.

Seller of colorful hanks of wool.

Wedding dress shops.

Various shops.

An unusual combination: a small tailor shop that also sells (excellent) lassi.

Vegetables, red pepper, and more.

Kashmiri breads come in very different shapes and flavors.

Preparation and cooking of paratha, a flat fried bread ubiquitous in Srinagar. A paratha weighs roughly 1 kilogram and is 3 feet in diameter. It is often eaten with moderately sweetened Kashmiri halwa made with sooji (a kind of semolina). Some halwa is wrapped into a piece of paratha and the combination is consumed hot.

Left: Kashmiri halwa with green and red decoration on top, between two stacks of parathas. Right and other photos below: other Kashmiri delicacies.

Nadir monji: Lotus stems fritters coated with besan (crushed chickpeas) and rice flour.

Fish vendors.

Other vendors: chicken, kaanak masaal (wheat and beans boiled until soft, then mixed with spices), and seeds.

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