April 17, 1986
SRINAGAR/KASHMIR
Before I open up my next episode of the beautiful Dal Lake, I would like to thank all you kind folks who have accompanied me on this 1986 vacation in India and for all those who added their comments to “Clare’s Blog”. Thank you. God bless.
Srinagar city founded by king Pravarasena 11, well over 2,000 years ago is known for her beautiful Lakes in Kashmir, India. This city was a part of the Maurya Empire history has it there have been several rulers – Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim. The famous Arbar the Great established the Mughal rule in Srinagar and Kashmir Valley. In the year 1846 (101 years before Independence) the Treaty of Lahore was signed between the Sikh rulers and the British in Lahore that provided the British suzerainty over the Kashmir Valley and an independent and sovereign ruler Gulab Singh, ruler over of the region. Srinagar became part of his Kingdom, until 1947 when India received her Independence from the British.
During The Raj years the ruler of Kashmir did not allowed the British to build homes on Kashmir land, so they built on water and lived in Houseboats on Dal Lake. These British Houseboats have stayed on to become a symbol of the most beautiful Valley and is still there today. Houseboat living transfers you to another world.
Kashmir is dotted with villages surrounded by mountains, giving us this beautiful view from the Deluxe Houseboat.
Eric took several beautiful slides of this Deluxe Houseboat’s interior, shame I do not know how to add those photos off the slide to this site. Clare is not too familiar with steps that can be taken here to make it possible. Sorry about that.
M.T. Kenhard in 1888 was the designer of the first Houseboat in Srinagar named “Victory”. Tourists flock here during the summer months to stay on Dal Lake’s famous Houseboats, luxury floating caravans, reminders of The Raj, where the British families spent most of their summers away from those hot summers in the South of India.
On our first evening in Srinagar we took a shikara ride on Dal Lake to view the natural beauty God has graced this Lake area with, our ride was shortened by a heavy shower, forcing us back to the Houseboat.
Venders glide up to your doorstep in shikaras a floating market of fruits, flowers, shawls, jewelry, handicrafts and paper-mache boxes. Never in my lifetime did I ever think one day I would be blessed to stay in a Houseboat on Dal Lake. I have read about these houseboats, heard about these houseboats and seen them in movies, but never thought one day I would be staying on one with Eric. It was an exciting time for both Eric and I.
The Deluxe Houseboat we occupied had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a dining room and an extra large living room where stood a pot-belly stove heater, and there was the porch in front with a seating area, a place where you haggled with the shikara boatmen for his sales.
Sandalwood is used through out the interior of this Houseboat, every piece deeply carved with Indian open pattern craftwork, so very Indian. Sleeping or just sitting in the Living room one felt another world present, the Kashmiri-style world.
All through this trip I have forgotten to mention the cuisine, all our meals have been great, no complaints from Eric or Clare. Being back in my birth country India and eating the true Indian cuisine is another plus to this vacation for me.
An early morning knock on our bedroom door and in comes the Houseboy with our morning tea on a tray, dressed with a flower in a vase, and a tea cozy on the tea-pot. I have not seen one of these tea cozies in use, since I left India in 1950. Could this be real me, being served morning tea in bed?
The Houseboy’s attire when serving is a white lab jacket accompanied with white gloves. Yes, I do feel uncomfortable being waited on by the Houseboy after having to do for myself since I left India.
After breakfast the Houseboy would ask us what would we like for the day’s meals, all three cooked meals. I recall him asking me would I like English food or Indian food for that day. You guessed correctly, it was Indian all through our visit to India, and it was lovely to be back in that saddle again, reliving our childhood days and eating the real Indian cuisine. What a life to have abandon.
Another one of The Raj’s most popular summer retreats was Mussoorie, once the home of Sir George Everest, the legendary Surveyor General who mapped Mount Everest, they say this area is rich in medical plants.
There are so many Legends in India, however this one baffles me.
“Legend has it when Pravarasena 11, decided to build himself a new Capital, to choose a location he started walking at Midnight and was confronted by a demon on the other side of the Mahasarit River. The demon spread his bent leg across the stream and dared the King to cross over it to the other side. The King cut off this bent leg with one stroke of his sword and calmly crossed over. The demon was so delighted with the King’s boldness and told him to build his city where he would find the beginnings of his plan laid out for him. To this day the waters of Dal Lake are separated from the Tsont-i-kul by a Sathu or Bund that is shaped like a bent leg”
TO AN EMPEROR A DREAM GARDEN
TO A TRAVELER AN IDYLL:
THE MUGHAL GARDENS:
These 17th century gardens, Shalimar, Nishat, Chashma, Shahi, were laid out by the Mughals and are the formal gardens of Srinagar. The air that day while touring these gardens was refreshingly cold and crisp, not that piercing cold one gets in England that goes through your bones. The views surrounding us were like looking into a storybook and seeing nothing but beautiful sites of Mother Nature, untouched by human hands.
Our two nights on this Deluxe Houseboat has come to a close, tomorrow we leave for our flight back to Delhi where we shall stay overnight at the Taj Mahal Hotel.
Leaving this haven was hard, but then, each departure was difficult for me to let go.
Meet you in Delhi.
God bless
Clare
