HAZRATBAL SHRINE

Located on the west bank of Dal Lake is Hazratbal, the Place of Majesty. The most sacred of shrines in the Kashmir Valley for here is housed and venerated a single hair of the Prophet Muhammad brought a thousand years ago all the way from distant Medina. Made of white marble and screened with intricate filigree work, the shrine has a single dome with an accompanying minarat. The ground around the shrine is paved with stones and several chinar trees growing within its premises enhance its aesthetic appeal. On important religious occasions, the sacred hair is displayed to the faithful

SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE

Within Srinagar on its highest hill is the Shankaracharya Temple, nearly one thousand feet above the city. It is devoted to Lord Shiva. The site dates back to 2500 B.C. The Philosopher Shankracharya stayed at this site when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive Sanathan Dharma. Before this date the temple was known as Gopadri, as an earlier edifice on the same site was built by King Gopaditya in the 6th Century.TOP

HARI PARBAT

To the west of the Srinagar City is the much lower hill of Hari Parbhat, which is surrounded by a fort. On this hill is the temple of Sharika Devi believed to be a form of Durga Mata or Shakti. The Mughal emperor’s fort crowns the peak of Hari Parbat hill. There is little of its former glory now, 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 forest was later developed by an Afghan governor, Atta Mohammad Khan, in the 18th century TOP

KHEER BHAVANI

25 kms., from Srinagar past Ganderbal is the most important pilgrim place in Kashmir, the only exception being Amarnath Cave. This is the temple and spring of Tulla Mulla, the local name of the Goddess Raginia, believed to be another form of Durga Mata. The temple predates this millennium. The temple spring complex is affectionately called as Kheer Bhavani Top

AMARNATH CAVE

In Mamal village of Pahalgam there is a Shiva temple here, generally considered to be Kashmir’s oldest existing temple dating to the 8th century.Chandanwari, 16 kms., from Pahalgam is the starting point of the Amarnath Yatra which takes place every year in the month of Sawan (July-August). The destination is the Amarnath Cave, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Although the road from Pahalgam to Chandanwari is on fairly flat terrain and can be undertaken by car, from Chandanwari onwards the track becomes much steeper, being accessible on foot or by pony. 11 kms., from Chandanwari is the mountain lake of Sheshnag, after which, 13 kms., away is the last stop, Panchtarni. The Amarnath cave is 6 kms., away from there. During the month of Sawan (July-August), an ice stalagmite forms a natural Shivling which waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon TOP

VAISHNOV DEVI SHRINE

One of the most famous shrines is Vaishnov Devi Shrine situated in the Holy Town of Katra in Jammu Province, which is visited by lakhs of pilgrims every year. It is situated in the mountainous ranges of Peer Pancha TOP

JAMIA MASJID

The largest of Kashmir’s mosques. Jamia Masjid has had a somewhat chequered past. Built and rebuilt following fires that devastated the holy building, it was last repaired in 1961. It is said that Sikander But Shikoh laid the foundation of the Jamia Masjid in 1398 AD and completed it in 1402. He ruled from 1390-91 to 1414 AD while his son, Zain-ul-Abidin, improved it aesthetically. It was rebuilt after a fire ravaged it in 1479 AD. In 1620, during Emperor Jehangir’s reign, yet another fire destroyed it. In 1674, a third conflagration razed it down and it was left to Emperor Aurangzeb to rebuild it. Its principal features are the four minars and eight wooden columns as supports TOP