Shalimar Bagh :

Shalimar Bagh is a Mughal garden in Srinagar, J&K, India, linked through a channel to the northeast of Dal Lake. It is also know as Shalimar gardens, Farah Baksh, and Faiz Baksh. The Bagh was built by Mughal emperor. Jahangir in 1619. The Bagh is considered the high point of Mughal horticulture. It is now a public park and also referred to as the “crown of Srinagar”. It is the earliest of the Mughal imperial gardens called Shalimar gardens, followed by one in Lahore, Pakistan, begun in 1641 under Shah Jahan and the one in Delhi, begun in 1653 by Izz – un – Nissa, his wife.

Shalimar Bagh was built by Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1619. He enlarged the ancient garden in 1619 into a royal garden and called it ” Farah Baksh” ( the delightful ). In 1630, under emperor Shah Jahan’s orders, Zafar Khan the governor of Kashmir extended it. He named it “Faiz Baksh” ( the bountiful ). It then became a pleasure place for the Sikh governor of the province.

During the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the marble Pavilion was the guest house of European visitors. Electrification of the premises was done during Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule. Thus, over the years, the garden was extended and improved by many rulers and called by different names, but the most popular name “Shalimar Bagh” continues to this day.

During the Mughal period, in particular emperor Jahangir and his wife Nur Jahan were so enamoured of Kashmir that during summer they moved to Srinagar with their full court entourage from Delhi, at least 13 times. Shalimar Bagh was their imperial summer residence and the Royal Court. They crossed the ardous snowy passes to the Pir Panjal mountains range on elephants to reach Srinagar.

The architectural details of the three terraces of the garden are elaborate :

The first terrace is a public garden or the outer garden ending in the Diwan – e – Aam ( Public audiences Hall ). In this hall, small black marble throne was installed over the waterfall.

The second terrace garden along the axial canal, slightly broader, has two shallow terraces. The Diwan – e – Khas ( The Hall of Private Audiences ), which was accessible only to the noblemen or guests of the court, now derelict, is in it’s center. However, the carved stone bases and a fine platform surrounded by fountains are still seen. The fountain pools of Diwan – e – Khas, the Diwan – e – Aam, and in turn the Zenana terrace are supplied in succession.

In the third terrace, the axial water channel flows through the Zenana garden, which is flanked by Diwan – e – Khas and Chinar trees.

The Shalimar Bagh is well known for Chini Khanas, or arched niches, behind garden waterfalls. They are a unique feature in the Bagh. These niches were lighted at night with oil lamps, which gave a fairytale appearance to the water falls. However, now the niches hold flowers pots that reflect their colors behind the cascading water. The black pavilion built during the early part of Jahangir’s reign ( 1569 – 1627 ), in the top terrace of the Shalimar Bagh, has the famous inscription in Persian, which says :

Agar Firdaus bar roy – e – Zamin ast, hami ast – o hami ast – o hami ast

This is a couplet by the Persian language poet Amir Khusrau, which is inscribed on many other buildings also in India and Pakistan. Translated in English, it means :

“If there is a paradise on earth it is here, it is here, it is here”.