Pari Mahal — the terraced garden of fairies above Dal Lake
What it is
Pari Mahal, the palace of fairies, is a Mughal garden of seven terraces on top of the Zabarwan Range, looking down on Srinagar and the south-western end of Dal Lake. Wikipedia describes it as a fine example of Islamic architecture under Shah Jahan, with arched doorways, terraced gardens and water channels.
Photos: Deepank Ranka (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
History
Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's eldest son, built it in the mid-1600s over the ruins of an older Buddhist monastery. It doubled as a library and a place to study astrology and astronomy. In recent decades it has been used by the government and as a film location, and it is now a popular place to look at the lake.
Getting there
By road it is about 10 km and 15 minutes from the centre of Srinagar on our routing, off the same hillside road as Chashme Shahi.
Combine it with
Chashme Shahi is just below, and the Shankaracharya Temple is on the same range. The one-day plan and the spring tulip day include it. See when to visit Srinagar.
Plans that include this
All 2 plans that stop here →
Nearby places
All of Srinagar →
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Questions people ask
What is Pari Mahal?
A Mughal garden with seven terraces on the Zabarwan Range above Srinagar; its name means the palace of fairies. Wikipedia says Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's eldest son, built it in the mid-1600s over an older Buddhist monastery's ruins, and that it doubled as a library and a place to study astrology and astronomy.
What can you see at Pari Mahal?
Arched doorways, terraced gardens and water channels, as Wikipedia describes them, and above all the view over Dal Lake and the city below. Chashme Shahi lies just below it. The site is a monument of Islamic architecture in ruins rather than a complete palace, so allow about 45 minutes.
How far is Pari Mahal from the centre of Srinagar?
About 10 km and 15 minutes by road on our routing from the centre. It is reached from the same hillside road as Chashme Shahi. We have no verified opening hours or entry fee, so ask locally before you go, and go in clear weather or at sunset for the view.