Kashmir sobriquet as the “heaven on earth” has earned the title because of the unparallel beauty of the placid lakes, the alluring valleys, the snow clad mountains, the orchards, the Mughal gardens and much more. But despite all of them when one thinks of Kashmir the one picture that comes to our mind are the wonderful houseboats and the Shikaras floating on the famous Jhelum River, Dal and the Nagin lakes. The houseboats have become an icon of the state.
The tradition of these houseboats was started by the Britishers during the colonial periods. Inspired by the beauty of the place the Britishers tried to settle in state but were not granted permission to construct on the land here so the Britishers stared to settle on the calm waters of the Dal and the Nagin Lake and with time added the necessary facilities that are needed in a proper house. Post independence the houseboats were left behind and the local people have successfully carried along the tradition and today the houseboats are the choice of every most of the tourists visiting Kashmir. Unlike the houseboats of Kerala in India the houseboats are stagnant and remain sided on the banks of the Jhelum River, the Dal Lake and the Nagin Lake. The tour around the lakes and the rivers here are usually done with the help of the Shikaras that take for the sightseeing to nearby places as the Mughal gardens as the Nishat and Shalimar gardens, Hazratbal mosque and some deeper parts of the Dal lake. Some houseboats also have the paddle boats that allow the tourists to have some fun in the waters into the lakes. Since the houseboats have to remain in water hence they are made up of fine quality cedar wood. The carvings on the interiors are magnificent and speak of the fine artistry of the craftsmen belonging to the state. The class and the beauty reflect in the rooms here due to the fine works.
There is a variety in the line of the houseboats that you can choose from as according to your budget. There is usually the standard, the deluxe and the super deluxe category of the houseboats that cost you a fair and very much comparable with the costs of the resorts and the hotels that stand on the land. There are a number of the houseboats on the lakes and each has its own list of the celebrities that have stayed on them. The names too are very much whimsical. There are more than thousand of the houseboats and each is provided with around 2, 3 or 4 rooms with proper sanitation in the rooms and the bathrooms along with the proper carpeting with the finest carpets woven by the weavers from Kashmir and the fine furniture. The food is excellent with each houseboat provided with a cook so that you can order your choice of food. The food is usually free and the all the major meals are provided at the houseboats along the morning cup of fresh local drink called Kahwa. The service is excellent and the food is served at the dining area with due care to sanitation and cleanliness.
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