THE MUGHAL GARDENS

THE MUGHAL GARDENS

With terraced lawns, cascading fountains, paint-box-bright flowerbeds with the panorama of the Dal in front of them - the three Mughal Gardens of Chesmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar are the Mughal Emperors' concept of paradise and are today very popular places for picnics and excursions.

The entrance pavilion at Shalimar Garden

Shalimar Bagh

Built by Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jehan, Shalimar, 15 kms from the TRC, is a beautiful garden with sweeping vistas over gardens and lakes, and shallow terraces. The garden is 539 m by 182 m and has four terraces, rising one above the other. A canal lined with polished stones and supplied with water from Harwan runs through the middle of the garden. The fourth terrace, by far the best, was once reserved for royal ladies.

Shalimar Garden in summer

Nishat Bagh

Situated on the banks of the Dal Lake, with the Zabarwan Mountains as its backdrop, (11 km. from TRC), this 'garden of bliss' commands a magnificent view of the lake and the snow capped Pir Panjal mountain range which stands far away to the west of the valley. Nishat was designed in 1633 AD by Asaf Khan, brother of Nur Jehan.

Nishat Bagh in autumn

Chashma Shahi

At Chashmashai, is a tastefully laid garden in terraces, which commands a magnificent view of the Dal Lake below and surrounding mountain ranges. The cool water of the spring is highly refreshing and digestive. The original garden was laid out by Shah Jehan in 1632 AD. TRC Srinagar free of cost to visit the permits can be had from the infromation Counter Chashma Shahi Garden. Permits can be had from the infromation counter.

Chashma Shahi

Pari Mahal

	Pari Mahal

Once the royal observatory, Pari Mahal has a charmingly laid out garden and is a five-minute drive from Cheshmashahi. A Buddhist monastery at one time, it was converted into a school of astrology by Dara Shikoh, Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan's eldest son. Situated on the spur of a mountain overlooking the Dal, the ancient monument, with a well-laid spacious garden in front, is connected to Cheshmashahi by road. It is illuminated at night.

Harwan

On the hillside, south of the village of Harwan (19 kms from the TRC)), remarkable remains of ancient ornamented tile pavements of the Buddhist period have come to light. The tiles depict the dresses of the people, such as loose trousers, Turkoman caps or close fitting turbans and large ear-rings which reveal Central Asian influence.

Hazratbal Mosque

Hazratbal Mosque is located in a village of the same name on the banks of the Dal. Its pristine white marble elegance is reflected in the waters of the lake.

Hazratbal's special significance is derived from the fact that it houses a hair of the prophet Muhammad. This is displayed to the public on religious occasions, usually accompanied by fairs. Apart from these occasions, Friday prayers are offered at Hazratbal and attended by throngs of people. Hazratbal is remarkable for being the only domed mosque in Srinagar; the others having distinct pagoda like roofs. The shrine – mosque complex is situated on the western shore of the Dal Lake opposite Nishat Bagh and commands a grand view of the lake and the mountain beyond.

	The interior courtyard of Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid

The Jama Masjid at Nowhatta, in the heart of the old city, is the other important mosque in Srinagar at which thousands of people congregate for the Friday prayers. Of imposing proportions, the mosque is built around a courtyard and is supported by 370 wooden pillars.

The hushed quiet of the mosque counterpoints the bustle of the old bazaars surrounding it. Originally built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD, and enlarged by his son, Zain-ul- Abidin, it is a typical example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Destroyed thrice by fire and rebuilt each time, the mosque, as it now stands, was repaired during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh.

Shankaracharya Temple

	Shankaracharya Temple

The sacred temple of Shankaracharya occupies the top of the hills known as Takht-I-Sulaiman in the south-east of Srinagar. The site dates back to 250BC. The philosopher Shankaracharya stayed at this place when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive Sanatan Dharma.

Before this date, the temple was known as Gopadri, as an earlier edifice on the same site was built by king Lalitaditya in the 6th century AD. In fact, the road below the hill, with residences of high- ranking State Government officials, is still known as Gupkar road. Built on a high octagonal plinth and approached by a flight of steps with side walls that once bore inscriptions, the main surviving shrine consists of a circular cell. It overlooks the Valley and can be approached by a motorable road. A modern ceiling covers the inner sanctum and an inscription in Persian traces its origin to the reign of Emperor Shah Jehan. The original ceiling was dome- shaped and the brick roof, it appears, is not more than a century old.

Khanqah Shah Hamadan, Srinagar

Khanqah of Shah Hamadan

Situated on the banks of the river Jhelum, between the third and fourth bridge, it is the first mosque ever built in Srinagar. The original one was built in 1395.

Shah Hamadan's full name was Mir Sayed Ali Hamadni, the surname being derived from the city of Hamadan in Persia. Shah-i-Hamdan, who came from Persia in the 13th century, was responsible for the spread of Islam in Kashmir. Khanqah-i-Mualla, on the banks of the Jhelum, was the very spot where Shah-i-Hamdan used to offer prayers.

After staying in Kashmir for many years, he left for Central Asia via Ladakh.A mosque established by him at Shey (near Leh) attracts devotees from far and wide.

The Khanqah is a wooden structure whose chief aesthetic feature is its beautifully carved eaves and hanging bells. The interiors are richly carved and painted, and the antique chandeliers give it an air of opulence.

Hari Parbat Fort & Temple of Sharika Devi

	Hari Parbat Fort, Srinagar

The Mughal emperor's fort crowns the top of Hari Parbat hill. There is little left of its former glory, but the ramparts are still impressive and the old apartments within the fort, even though in a state of ruin, still convey at least a little of the grandeur of the Mughals’ summer retreat in ‘paradise’. The fort was later developed in 18^th century by an Afghan governor, Ata Mohammad Khan. The hill is considered sacred to the Hindus due to the presence of temple of Sharika, which is believed to be a form of goddess Durga or Shakti. The wall around the hill was built by Akbar in 1592-98 AD. The hill is surrounded by almond orchards, which make a lovely sight during April when the trees blossom, heralding the advent of spring in Kashmir.

Makhdoom Sahib

On the southern side of the Hari Parbat hill is the historic shrine of Makhdoom Sahib, which is visited by people of all faiths.

Legacy-of-the-warrior

In the late seventeenth century, the sixteen years old tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh came to the state of Sirmour on the invitation of its ruler Raja Maidni Prakash. The Raja accorded a grand reception at his capital Nahan. A gurudwara commemorates the spot where the Guru dismounted from his horse. After surveying the area Guru Gobind Singh decided to set camp on the banks of the river Yamuna, at what is now known as Paonta Sahib. Paonta means a space for a foothold and here Guru Gobind Singh spent the next four and half years.

Today Paonta Sahib’s large gurudwara gleams like an edifice carved out of snow and as the sun sets the white marble is offset by touches of pink and gold. Here the Guru wrote the Dasam Granth and with in the precincts are a number of significant spots associated with his sojourn. At the Sri Talab Asthan, the Guru disbursed salaries. At the Sri Dastar Asthan, he judged turban tying competitions; and at the Kavi Darbar Asthan, poetic symposia were held. Interestingly fifty two well known poets joined the Guru’s retinue at Paonta Sahib. There is also a memorial to Kaalpi Rishi and a museum where the pens of the Guru and weapons from those days are kept.

Just a short distance away from the gurudwara, the river Yamuna flows with all the noise that rivers are wont to make. But just short of its walls the water suddenly falls silent. And while there may be a perfectly sound geological reason for this lack of sound, the story goes that it happened only at the Guru’s behest. One version says that the Guru noise disturbed Guru’s meditations, and another says that the Guru found it hampered his communication with the sufi saint Bhure Shah who lived high above the opposite bank. Even today no pilgrimage to Paonta Sahib is regarded complete without a visit to the mazhaar, tomb, of Bhure Shah which has a commanding view of the area.

Past high pampas grass and luxuriant fields, Bhangani is fourteen kilometers out of Paonta Sahib. In a bid to crush the growing power of the Sikhs in 1687 the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb actively aided an army that some of Guru Gobind Singh’s old enemies had raised against him. Settling on high ground, the Guru fought his first battle at Bhangani. Guru Gobind Singh defeated a phalanx of twenty thousand professional soldiers that had expected scant opposition from the Guru’s rag-tag force of five hundred men. The Guru’s eldest son was also born during the twelve-day period of the battle. Near Bhangani, is the gurudwara Tirgadi Sahib, built at the spot where the Guru had fired arrows to help the kin of the slain perform the last rites. In the vicinity, the gurudwara Shergah Sahib commemorates the spot where the Guru sliced off the head of a man-eating tiger with one blow of his sword.

Rewalsar, 25 km from Mandi, is a place that is sacred to many faiths. With his enormous powers Padmasambhava is regarded to have flown from here to Tibet to spread Buddhism and the sage Lomas (regarded by many to be Padmasambhava) is also said to have meditated here. And at a couple of hike-hours, are the caves which are said to lie at the head of a labyrinth, where the Pandava brother are believed to have emerged through the escape tunnel when the palace of wax was burnt around them in an episode from the epic Mahabharata. Some what away from legend, the gurudwara at Rewalsar was built in 1930 under the patronage of Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi and with the humble efforts of Dewan Nath, Chief Minister Mandi State and Doctor Tehl Singh. This was also endowed with a grant of cultivated land for its upkeep. Guru Gobind Singh stayed here for a month in 1738 and held meeting with the hill Rulers – ‘the Bai-Dhar Rajas’ – to evolve a programme in his ongoing fight against Aurangzeb’s tyranny.
Another important gurudwara is at Manikaran, near Kullu. The place was visited by Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru.

Journey-with-the-Buddha

As the dew drop slip in to the shining sea the teachings of the Buddha, The Enlightened One, sought for the individual to merge with the Universal life. He could thus attain nirvana and end the cycle of birth and rebirth.

Tabo in Spiti is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Himachal and dates back to 996 AD. Many others are just a little younger. Then there are others which are barely a few decades old and came into being after 1959 when his Holiness the Dalai Lama left Tibet along with several of his followers and came to reside in India.

This circuit is planned as a two week itinerary which can be altered to time and interest. The two ends of the circuits Shimla and Dharamshala are well served by air, rail and road. The circuit itself is by road.

Day 1. Shimla. There are two recently built monasteries. The Geluk-pa sect has one at Sanjauli and the Nyingma-pa one is at Kasumpti

Day 2. Leave for the Baspa valley in Kinnaur. 229 km from Shimla. There are 33 Buddhist monasteries and temples in Kinnaur district and the Nyingma-pa Drug-pa and Geluk-pa sects are well represented. En route visit the small nineteenth century Buddha temple at Rampur 130 km from Shimla.

Day 3. Leave for Recong Peo 2290 m 38 km from Sangla village. En route visit some of the four small temples in the picturesque village of Sapni, Baru, Sangla and Batseri. Recong Peo is Kinnaur district headquarters and has a recently built gompa where his Holiness the Dalai Lama conducted a Kalchakra ceremony in 1992. The ancient settlement of Kalpa with spectacular views lies just above Recong Peo. Here is the Hu-Bu-lan-kar gompa said to have been founded by Rinchensang-po.

Day4. Leave for Nako. At 2950m 107 km from Recong Peo, 7 km on a side road bifurcating near Yangthang the village of Nako is built around a lake. On its northern side are four Buddhist temples that house large prayer wheels. Near Nako is a rock where a footprint like impression is ascribed to Padmasambhava.

Lippa. 14 km from Jangi. The gompa has three temples. Two house the sacred Kangyur and Tangyur texts and the third is the ‘Goldang Chakodar’.
Kanum. Access from Spillo. This is a complete monastic village and dates back to the time of Rinchensang-po
Pooh. On the highway. This has a Drug-pa monastery.

Day 5. Leave for Tabo. At 3050m 65 km from Nako. Tabo is in arid Spiti where there are thirty monasteries spread over its rugged terrain. Tabo is the largest monastic complex in Spiti and has nine temples, twenty three chortens, a monks’ chamber and a nuns’ chamber. The Tabo Chos-hKhor or Doctrinal Enclave was founded in 966 AD by the great teacher Rinchensang-po and is renowned for its breathtaking murals and stucco statues. This has been declared a ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO.

Day 6. Leave for Kaza. At 3660 m, 47 km from Tabo. This is Spiti sub-divisional headquarters and has a gompa. En route visit Dhankar gompa. This rests high over the valley and is a stupendous example of local architecture. It is regarded to have once been a fort and was also the residence of the ruler of Spiti – the Nono. Dhankar is a repository of Buddhist scriptures in the Bhoti script.

Day 7. Kaza. Based here visit the Ki (Key) monastery – 4116 m, 12 km from Kaza. This labyrinth of rooms and corridors once acted as a fort. It houses valuable thangkas and offers a panoramic view of the area. Also visit the small gompa at Kibber – 4205m, 9 km from Ki gompa. Kibber is the highest permanently inhabited village of the region connected by a motorable road. More time at Kaza will enable you to visit the Hikim, Komic and Langja monasteries.

Day 8. Leave early for Lahaul Spiti district headquarters Keylong – 3350 m, 188 km. Lahaul has twenty nine Buddhist monasteries. Almost all are affiliated to the Drug-pa sect. The rugged route from Kaza to Keylong, is over Kunzam Pass (4551 m). En route, there are gompas at Damphug, Chokur, Jagdang, Shashin, Khangsar, Gondhla, Teling, Dalang and Gajang.

Day 9. Based at Keylong visit the following monasteries – Guru Ghantal (8 km), associated with both Padmasambhava and Reinchensang-po. This is regarded to be the oldest one in Lahaul. Kardang (5 km), is one of the most revered places of the Drug-pa sect. Tayul (6 km) and Gemur (18 km) may also be visited.

Day 10. Leave for Manali. At 2050m, 115 km. The route is over the Rohtang Pass. Manali has four recently-built monasteries. The main one is located in the city centre.

Day 11. Leave for Rewalsar. 132 km. Legend has it that this was the place from where Padmasambhava left to spread the word of the Buddha in the eighth century. This has three monasteries built around a lake. Now rebuilt, the oldest one belongs to the Nyingma-pa order. Adorned with tiny prayer flags the lake has tiny island of floating reed supposedly embodying the spirit of Padmasambhava.

Day 12. Leave for McLeodganj. 1830 m, 160km. This is the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The impressive Namgyal monastery houses larger than life images of the Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avalokteshwara. En route visit the recently built monasteries at Bir and Tashijong.

Day 13. Spend more time at the monastery and visit the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.

Also see sections on Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti. A full list of the Monasteries of these areas is given in them.

Chail

Chail was the summer capital of the former princely state of Patiala. It came into being in the late nineteenth century when it’s handsome and dashing Maharaja Bhupender Singh was banished from Shimla, the summer capital of British India for a dalliance with the British Commander –in-Chief’s daughter. Smarting at this insult, Bhupender Singh began exploring the neighbouring hills with a single guiding force – to find a hill that was within sight of Shimla but higher. The little village of Chail seemed perfect. Shimla lay within direct vision, and most important, Chail was higher than the British controlled Shimla town. Large tracts of the land here already belonged to him. This had been given to his ancestors for services rendered during the Gurkha wars which had come to an end in 1815-16. A site was selected and the Maharaja began building his summer palace. But an ill omen seemed to hang over the construction area. Local legend has it that the moment anything was built, it would collapse over night. Dozens of snakes would appear from nowhere and attack the labourers. Then Bhupinder Singh had a dream. A sage appeared before him and declared that the site the Maharaja had chosen was where he had meditated till he was taken by the earth, and his peace should not be disturbed. The Maharaja had the sage’s blessing to build on any other spot. Bhupinder Singh moved to another site and at the original spot – which is about a kilometre from the Palace Hotel – he had a temple built to the sage. Here the stone embodiment of the sage may still be seen along with the iron tongs and trident. The shrine is known as the Sidh Baba Ka Mandir and is revered by many who claim that the sage has the power to grant boons. Meanwhile Bhupinder Singh had another site levelled out and a splended mansion was built and sumptuously furnished. And at 2226 m, a good hundered meters above Shimla’s average height, Bhupinder Singh’s summer capital was prepared to taken on the British one at equal terms.

Shimla

Height: Most of the town lies between 2,100 m and 2,300 m

Languages spoken: Hindi. Also English, Punjabi and Pahari.

Religion: Mostly Hindu. Also Sikh, Muslim and Christian

Medical Facilities: Good

Telecommunications: Worldwide links by the net, telephone and fax, code: 0177

With all its intricacies, history seems to have been the mortar for every brick and stone that has built Shimla. As the summer capital of British India for well over a century it was the seat of one of the most powerful governments in the world. From its cedar-shaded heights, one fifth of the human race was ruled and the decisions made those decades ago affect our lives to the present day.

Bilaspur

Formerly the seat of the ruler of the State is now submerged in the Gabind Sagar,it was situated on the south east side of the Satluj. Bilaspur Township is situated just above the old town of Bilaspur at an height of 670m. above in sea level. The new Bilaspur Township can be truely described as the first planned hill town of the country. The pleasure of a visit will be enhanced manifold when a motor launch is preferred as the means of travel, gliding through cool and enchanting waters of the lake.The Nalwari or annual cattle fair is held at Bilaspur for four or five days in March / April, the occasion is marked by wrestling and other amusements. Cattle are brought from Nalagarh and neighboring parts of Punjab.

General information

Area: 1167 sq. km

Population: 3.40 Lakh

Clothing: Cotton clothes in Summer and light woollen in winter.

Language: Hindi, Punjabi, English are understood and spoken by the people engaged in tourism trade.

Approach

Rail:The nearest broad gauge railway station is at Kiratpur Sahib and nearest narrow gauge railway station is at Shimla, which are connected by regular bus services.

Road: Bilaspur is approachable by road from Shimla and Chandigarh.

Distances from Bilaspur

Places to visit	Km
Bahadurpur fort	40
Bhakra dam	75
Markandeya	20
Deotsidh temple	40
Nainda devi temple	60
Sariun fort	58
Swarghat	40
Tiun fort	55

Chamba

The town of Chamba, the district headquarter of Chamba district is situated in the western Himalayas between north latitudes 32°10' and 33°13' and east longitudes 75°45' and 77°33'. The town stands on a plateau on the right bank of the Ravi river valley between Dhauladhar and Zanskar ranges south of the inner Himalayas. This town was founded by Raja Sahil Varman when he conquered the lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas and Thakurs in the beginning of 10th Area: 6528 sq. km

Population 4.60 lakh

Season: The best tourist season to visit Chamba is between April and October. Adventure tourists may like to undertake winter trekking from November to March when the higher reaches of the district are snow clad and access to most of the villages is on foot.

Climate: The climate of Chamba in general is tempreate with well defined seasons. However, there may be variations because of micro-climatic systems depending upon altitude and mountain aspect. The winters last from December to February. March and April generally remain cool and dry but snowfall does occur at higher elevations during these months. The temperature begins to rise rapidly from the middle of April till last week of June or first week of July when monsoon breaks-in. Monsoon continues till the end of August or mid September. During the monsoon, the weather remains misty, humid and cloudy. October and November are comparatively dry but cold. The maximum temperature in Chamba town in summers is 38°C and the minimum in winter is 0°C.

Approach: Chamba is approximately 52 kms from Dalhousie. The distance is reduced by 6 kms. via Upper Barkota and Khajjiar road. Bus and taxi service is available from Chamba to Pathankot, Delhi, Dharamsala, Shimla, Chandigarh, Jammu and most of the Punjab cities along the national highway.

Century. It seems the original name of the town was Champa as mentioned in Kalhan's Rajtarangani. In the bansauli or genealogical rolls of the Chamba Rajas a reference occurs of place which was adorned with highly fragrant Champaka trees and guarded by Goddess Champavati or more popularly known as Chameshni. The temple was built by Sahil Varman in the honour of his daughter Champavati who is worshipped as a goddess in Chamba. Champavati temple became the family temple of the ruling family.

The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon

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