of
Kashmir is one of the most beautiful and picturesque
lakes in India. It has been and continues to be a part of the poetry by some renowned poets. The second largest
lake of
Jammu and
Kashmir state,
is encircled by magnificent mountains on three sides.
Adorning the banks of the
is a number of blooming
gardens and orchards. Five basins and a number of channels well linked with each other are some of the features of the
lake.
is approximately 6 km by 3 km in size and changes its moods and scenery after every few kilometers.
The embankments of
also house a number of Mughal monuments and the campus of the University of
Kashmir. Further beautifying the scenery of the
lake are two hillocks that house the famous
shrine of Shankaracharya and Hari Parbat temples.
The other unique features of the
are the famous Shikaras and
Houseboats. Numerous
Houseboats line the
lake, providing their guests with serene atmosphere and picturesque surroundings. The Shikaras provide ferry rides to and from the banks of the
lake to the
Houseboats.
The
of
Kashmir, India is divided into four parts by causeways, namely Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. Scenery of this
lake also consists of clusters of sloping roofed houses on its islands.
\Apart from being one of the greatest attractions of the valley,
also supports the second largest industry of the region,
fishing. The plethora of fishes in the
lake provides occupation to a large number of people in the valley. It is believed
originated from the Pleistocene Oligotrophic
lake, which at one point of time covered the entire
Kashmir valley.