India - Jammu and Kashmir - Mughal Gardens in Kashmir

The celebrated Mughal gardens of Kashmir owe their grandeur primarily to Emperor Jahangir who had an undaunted love for Kashmir, and his son Shah Jahan. Jahangir was responsible for the careful selection of the site and manoeuvring it to suit the requirements of the traditional paradise gardens. Although the Mughals never deviated drastically from the original form or concept of the gardens, their biggest challenge in Kashmir was to exploit the chosen site and the abundance of water resource to its maximum potential. The sites selected were invariably at the foot of a mountain, wherever there was a source of water either in the form of streams or springs. This feature eventually resulted in terraced garden layouts. Undaunted by the challenges offered by mountainous terrain, the Mughal engineering skills and aesthetics helped in exploiting the dominating natural landscape and the available water resources to their maximum potential and achieved an unparalleled height of perfection.

Nishat Bagh N34 07 30.57 E74 52 53.90 Shalimar Bagh N 34 08 58.71 E74 52 23.21 Achabal Bag N 33 42 53 E75 06 38.32 Chashma Shahi N34 05 08.37 E74 53 12.86 Pari Mahal Verinag N33 32 10.86 E75 14 56