HOUSEBOAT FESTIVAL - ART AND CULTURE
News: Houseboats
to be the highlight of winter tourism in the Kashmir Valley
What's in the news?
● The
Kashmir Valley’s famed and intricately carved houseboats, which Bollywood
movies over decades have projected as a dreamy stay for honeymooners, will be
this winter season’s main attraction.
● The
Kashmir Tourism Department on Saturday organized a houseboat festival in Srinagar.
Key takeaways:
● The
houseboat festival is a celebration of the unique role played by houseboats in attracting tourists from across the
globe for decades now.
● Shikaras, which are small
wooden boats, were decked up on the Dal lake for
the festive occasion in the evening.
● Around
1,200 registered houseboats are moored in and around the twin Dal and Nagin lakes in Srinagar.
Dal Lake:
● Dal
is a lake in Srinagar (Dal Lake is a
misnomer as Dal in Kashmiri means lake), the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
● The
urban lake is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or
“Srinagar’s Jewel”.
● The
floating gardens, known as “Raad” in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus
flowers during July and August.
● It
is located in Zabarwan mountain valley,
on the foothills of the Shankaracharya Hill.
Char Chinari Island:
● Char
Chinari Island is in the middle of the
Dal Lake in Srinagar.
● The
island owes its name to chinar trees, as Char Chinari means four chinars.
● It
was constructed by Murad Baksh, the
brother of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
● Chinar
trees were planted on the picturesque island with the Zabarwan hills in the
backdrop.
Other Islands of Dal Lake:
● One
island is located on the Bod Dal and
is known as Roph Lank or Silver Island.
● The
other island is located on the Lokut Dal
and is called Sone Lank or Gold Island.