“The most beautiful place I have ever laid eyes on is Kashmir. I’ve been there thrice for the shooting of my film “Raazi,” and I can’t get enough of Dal Lake…every sunset on it is like a new canvas,” says celebrated film director Meghna Gulzar.
My son wanted to see the snow, so we took a holiday to Gulmarg. Just the drive up to it in winter is magical, with snow-covered treetops and winding roads— it is an ethereal setting. There is a botanical garden near Srinagar, which is beyond beautiful.
I’ve been to South Africa on vacation and that country is incredible, too, with every kind of landscape from mountains to ocean. But it is Kashmir that speaks to me.”
Know Before You Go
Dal Lake is home to more than 1,000 houseboats, which are usually moored along the lake’s edges.
As the sun sets lower on the horizon, it casts silhouettes of trees, houseboats, and structures along the lake’s edge. Combined with the reflection on the water, this gives the scene that magical beauty that will have you stop in your tracks.
The botanical garden Meghna Gulzar refers to is Achabal Bagh. It is about 58 kilometres south of Srinagar, in the town of Achabal, Anantnag district. Pahalgam is also close by.
Emperor Jahangir built Achabal Bagh in the 17th century as his pleasure garden. Its Mughal-style architecture with beautifully laid-out terraces, fountains, pavilions, and cascading water channels will charm you.
On your drive from Srinagar to Gulmarg, you can take a short detour to visit the stunning Alpather Lake. Cradled among snow-covered peaks and meadows, it is an ethereal beauty!
Cruising through the Dal Lake on a houseboat has to be the most beautiful experience in Kashmir by far. Here’s all that you need to know before going on that shikara ride!
Featured video courtesy : Traveling Eyesight
