Dal Lake

Dal is the most visited place in Srinagar by tourists and locals. Over 15 Kms around, Dal Lake is Srinagar’s jewel, a vast sheet of water reflecting the carved wooden balconies of the houseboats and the misty peaks of the Pir Panjal Mountains. Flotillas of brightly painted shikaras move around the lake, transporting goods to markets, children to school and travelers to delightful houseboats inspired by originals from the Raj era.

 Srinagar Tourism is famous for its stunning Dal Lake that's why it is placed on top of the list of places to visit in Srinagar. Spread over an area of 26 sq km, it is widely known for its houseboats and Shikaras. Surrounded by lush green surrounding mountains and beautiful Mughal Gardens, the lake offers many picturesque views that leave every tourist awestruck. It is an ideal location for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, angling and Shikara boat riding. It also offers impeccable views of sunrise and sunset.

Some historical aspects of the Dal Lake: Dal Lake is mentioned as Mahasarit in ancient Sanskrit texts. Ancient history records mention that a village named Isabar to the east of Dal was the residence of goddess Durga.

During the Mughal period, the Mughal rulers of India designated Kashmir, Srinagar in particular, as their summer resort. They developed sprawling Mughal-type gardens and pavilions as pleasure resorts to enjoy the cool climate on the perpheri of the Dal Lake. At the fall of Mughal Empire, Durranis of Afghanistan took control of the place. In 1814 a significant part of the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, was annexed from the Afghans by Maharaja Ranjt Singh to his kingdom, and the Sikhs grew in influence in the region for 27 years. During the Dogra raj, Srinagar became the capital of Dogra territory, attracted by the cool climate of the Kashmir valley, amidst the back drop of the majestic snow covered Himalayan ranges.

The lake surroundigs experience temperatures in the range of 1–11 °C during winter and 12–30 °C during the summer season. The lake freezes when temperatures drop to about −11 °C during severe winter. Although the Dogra Maharaja of Kashmir restricted the building of houses in the valley, the British circumvented this rule by commissioning lavish houseboats to be built on the Dal. The houseboats have been referred to as, "each one a little piece of England afloat on Dal."

After the independence of India, the Kashmiri Hanji people have built, owned and maintained these houseboats, cultivating floating gardens and producing commodities for the market, making them the centre of their livelihoods.