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The white dome and arched cloister of the Hazratbal shrine beside an empty paved road under a blue sky
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Photo: Paul Zahid · CC BY-SA 4.0
temple12 min from Srinagar

Hazratbal Shrine — the white-domed Sufi shrine on Dal Lake

The Hazratbal Shrine beside Dal Lake in Srinagar: a Sufi dargah and mosque holding the Moi-e-Muqqadas relic, with its history and the road time from the centre.

What it is

The Hazratbal Shrine, also called Dargah Hazratbal, is a Sufi shrine and mosque beside the north shore of Dal Lake in Srinagar. It keeps the Moi-e-Muqqadas, a relic that tradition says is a strand of hair of the Prophet Muhammad. Wikipedia says many Muslims regard it as the holiest Islamic site in Kashmir.

Photos: flowcomm (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

History

The shrine grew under the patronage of Inayat Begum, daughter of the relic's custodian. The earliest building on the site was raised in the 17th century by a Mughal governor and made a prayer hall in 1634 by order of Shah Jahan. The present white building was begun in 1968 and finished in 1979.

Visiting

By road it is about 8 km and 12 minutes from the centre on our routing. It is an active place of worship, so dress modestly, remove your shoes and ask locally about visiting; we have no verified rules or hours.

Combine it with

The Shalimar Bagh garden is on the same side of the lake. The one-day plan and the two-day plan both include it. See when to visit Srinagar.

Plans that include this

All 1 plans that stop here →
The tall wooden Khanqah-e-Moula with its carved balconies and a spired pagoda roof against the sky
Two days in Srinagar — the old city's shrines, then the lake and gardens
1 night · 2 days · culture · Temples & heritage
A two-day Srinagar plan: the Khanqah-e-Moula, Jama Masjid, Hari Parbat and Shankaracharya Temple, then Hazratbal, Shalimar, Nishat and Dal Lake. Free to copy.
Best Apr–May · Sep–Oct
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Srinagar →
Dal Lake — shikara boats, houseboats and floating gardens in Srinagar
Dal Lake — shikara boats, houseboats and floating gardens in Srinagar
lake · 2.7 km away
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
fort · 3.5 km away
Nishat Bagh — the terraced Mughal garden of joy on Dal Lake
Nishat Bagh — the terraced Mughal garden of joy on Dal Lake
monument · 3.6 km away
Shalimar Bagh — the Mughal garden on Dal Lake's north shore
Shalimar Bagh — the Mughal garden on Dal Lake's north shore
monument · 3.7 km away
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
temple · 4.4 km away
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden — Asia's largest tulip garden
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden — Asia's largest tulip garden
park · 5.0 km away
Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
temple · 5.2 km away
Shankaracharya Temple — the hilltop Shiva temple above Srinagar
Shankaracharya Temple — the hilltop Shiva temple above Srinagar
temple · 5.5 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Dalhousie hill station across its five hills
Dalhousie
206 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
Chamba town on the bank of the Ravi, seen from the hillside above
Chamba
212 km away · 3 itineraries · 5 places
The stone tower of the Narasimha temple at Bharmour with a green mountain behind it under a blue sky
Bharmour
245 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Namgyal Monastery, the Dalai Lama's temple complex in McLeod Ganj
Dharamshala
253 km away · 5 itineraries · 15 places
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Questions people ask

What is the Hazratbal Shrine?

A Sufi dargah and mosque beside the north shore of Dal Lake in Srinagar, which keeps the Moi-e-Muqqadas, a relic that tradition says is a strand of hair of the Prophet Muhammad. Wikipedia says many Muslims regard it as the holiest Islamic site in Kashmir. The name joins the Arabic hazrat, respected, to the Kashmiri bal, place.

When was it built?

The earliest building on the site was raised in the 17th century by a Mughal governor and made a prayer hall in 1634 by Shah Jahan's order. Construction of the present building began in 1968 and was finished in 1979. We have no verified visiting rules, so ask locally before you go.

How far is Hazratbal from the centre of Srinagar?

About 8 km and 12 minutes by road on our routing. It is on the lake's northern side, so it fits a morning with the Mughal gardens on the eastern shore or an afternoon beside the water. It is an active place of worship, so dress modestly and keep to the visitors' areas.