Shalimar
Shalimar
You have chosen to visit the Mughal gardens of Shalimar, on the other side of the lake, and the front desk of the hotel has sent someone with you to arrange transportation at a reasonable price. The thin young man darts through the streets, carefully looking over his shoulder to check if you are following. At the canal he enters into earnest discussion with the owner of a small water taxi or shikara, and several others join in.
After several minutes the young man announces the price to you and you board the shikara with its name: "Seventh Heaven" painted in colorful lettering on the canopy. Reclining on a small mountain of pillows, you watch the city go by. On the open lake lotus flowers bloom in abundance, and your boatman steers around them skillfully using a heart-shaped paddle.
The gardens live up to their reputation, with ancient pavilions gracefully posing in reflective ponds, surrounded by delicately arranged flowering plants. It is altogether a surprisingly harmonious place, blending perfectly with the mountains on one side and the lake on the other.
On the way back, a boat comes alongside yours, and while one occupant paddles, the other explains that he sells handicrafts and would be happy to show them to you, while you return to Srinigar.
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