Shalimar Bagh is a Mughal Garden situated in Shrinagar of Jammu and Kashmir. The garden is situated in the north eastern side of Dal lake. The bagh is believed to be built by the Mughal emperor Jahangir for his beloved wife Noor Jahan. The garden is so beautiful that it is considered as the Crown of Shrinagar.
Shalimar Bagh is also known as Farah Bakhsh that is the Delightful Garden. The bagh is considered as one of the finest foundation by the Mughals. The garden is laced with fountains, shaded trees and innumerable varieties of flowers that blossom in spring and autumn. One can also enjoy sound and light show in the evening.
Mughal Emperor Jahangir built this alluring garden to please his beloved wife Noor Jahan. Jahangir named this garden as Farah Baksh. The garden was further extended by another Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and was again renamed as Faiz Baksh. It was during the the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, that the garden was again extended and renamed as Shalimar Bagh. Shalimar is a Sanskrit word which means the abode of love and is the most popular name till date.
The pristine architecture of Mughals have made this garden an incredible piece of art. The garden offers a wonderful view of the Dal Lake and the nearby hills and covers an area of around 540 by 183 meters. This garden is built on a flat land on a square plan with four radiating arms from a central location as the water source. Further, It has a Persian Garden layout of three terraces. Each terrace is comprised of water fountain and pool with water supply in series.The first terrace is a public garden or the outer garden ending in the Diwan-e-Aam. The second terrace has a canal in the center, which was used as a source of water supply. The magnificent upper terraces used be reserved for the emperor and the ladies. Black stone and black marble is used at several places including the pavilion and pillars.
Exhibiting the exemplary craftsmanship of Mughals in horticulture, exotic terraced gardens, floral beds, and fascinating fountains, this Mughal garden is quite popular with tourists from all over the world.
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