Thursday, April 23, 2009

Patni Top

Patni Top:


From 112 kms from Jammu. This famous hill resort is perched on a beautiful plateau, at an altitude of 2024 metres across which the Jammu-Srinagar Highway passes.



Enveloped by thickly wooded forests, Patnitop offers beautiful picnic spots, peaceful walks and breathtaking views of the mountainscape of the Chenab basin.



In winter, the resort is generally covered with a thick mantle of snow thus providing opportunities for various snow games including skiing.


It is the best developed tourist spot of Jammu and is second to none in its natural charm, climate, pine forests and lush green cover. The occupancy of the huts and Dak Banglow is full in summer months.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Ziarati Hazrati Youza Asouph

Ziarati Hazrati Youza Asouph, in the Khanyar area, about 150 meters NW of Dastgir Saheb mosque & shrine. This tomb, also known as Roza Bal.


Roza Bal is the name of a shrine located in the Khanyar district of Srinagar, in Kashmir, India, venerated by some Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. Some people identify the sage buried there with one Yuz Asaf and with Jesus, whom they allege to have arrived in Kashmir after surviving his crucifixion.



The tomb itself consists of a low rectangular building on a raised platform, surrounded by railings at the front. It has three arches at the front, where entry can be had, and four arches at the side. Inside is a rock carving that is said to show feet bearing crucifixion wounds.


The tomb had previously been maintained by local descendants of the buried sage. It is currently maintained by a Board of Directors consisting of Sunni Muslims. Sahibzada Basharat Saleem, a former caretaker (now deceased), claimed to hold genealogical tables that link him as a direct descendant of the buried sage. In recent time another man was buried there, who is revered by some local Muslims as a Sufi saint, although others point to historical data that he was only the shrine's long-serving caretaker.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Shah-e-Hamdan

Shah-e-Hamdan is also known as Khanqah-e-Molla is a very old Muslim shrine that is situated on the banks of river Jhelum in the city of Srinagar. It is believed that the shrine contains ‘the secret of Allah’




This shrine was initially built by Sultan Sikander in 1395 in memory of Mir Syed Ali Hamdan, a Sufi saint who played an important role in the spread of Islam in Kashmir.
The wooden architecture of this shrine is based on the Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist styles.

In 1480, the shrine was destroyed by fire and rebuilt by Sultan Hassan Shah in 1493. In 1731, the shrine was damaged and rebuilt by Abul Barkat Khan in 1731. Currently, this shrine has a square plan that is supported on irregular walled base comprising of materials from ancient temples.

There exists a two-tiered and two-storied monument along with slightly sloping pyramidal roofs along with double-arcaded verandahs that run around the building in the first tier. There is an arcaded balcony that extends on all four sides in the second tier.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Harwan

In the district of in Srinagar Harwan Garden is situated. Harwan is a huge garden with a beautiful canal passing through its heart. Lined with flowerbeds and massive Chinar Trees, the canal is fed from a beautiful lake, which lies just behind the garden.



The main attraction of this garden is that it does not have the usual terraces, artificial fountains, etc, like the other gardens of Kashmir.


It has been deliberately kept devoid of these man-made things. Purposefully kept devoid of fanciful things and artificial fountains, the abundant natural beauty of the place complete with vast big green-carpeted lawns, makes it an ideal spot for picnics and excursions.



Harwan is the perfect place to take long walks in the lap of nature. It also serves as a take-off point for visiting Dachi Gam Wild life sanctuary and a starting point of a Mahadev Mountain trek.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Pari Mahal

Pari Mahal means a house of Fairies is as much as a historic monument as a garden ) is situated just above Chashma Shahi Gardens, about 10 km from Srinagar, in Jammu and Kashmir.



This was initially a garden, it was once a Buddhist monastery, later converted into a school of astrology built by Dara Shiko for his Sufi teacher, Mulla Shah. Pari Mahal gardens are now the pride of the state. Pari Mahal is illuminated at night, and can he see, located on the spur of a hill, from most places in Srinagar.



It overlooks the picturesque Dal Lake. It is spacious garden situated around a small spring, the garden has beautiful flowering plants and various kinds of fruit. Although Pari Mahal boasted a large number of springs earlier, only a few can be seen today. The mahal, on the spur of a hill, is illuminated at night and can be seen from most places in Srinagar.