Skywatch Friday – Sunset at Dal Lake,Srinagar

Shikara ride on Dal lake is the most natural choice for anyone to end their day  in Srinagar. Dal lake is Srinagar’s most enchanting place surrounded by mountains. It is even more charming due to its brightly painted Shikaras and houseboats which will embellish the vast beautiful lake with bustling life. Shikaras are the wooden boats which are the means for commute in Dal lake.

Shikara ride on Dal lake

 Inside the boats they have cushions for comfort and decked with Kashmiri clothes giving us the taste of Kashmir.Dal lake is a floating township. It has everything to contain a smooth life, from  coffee shop to Apparels , from Restaurants to handicraft shops, from hotels( House boat) to vegetable market. 

Floating shops on Dal Lake

Interiors of Shikaras parked in a row

When we started our Shikara ride it was late in the evening. Temperature was dipping every minute. Sun was almost behind the mountains towards west. As we started our ride, floating trinket hawkers stopped us every 5 minutes. Finally we decided to buy something. While we were negotiating with them, couple of other Shikaras surrounded us with albums. You guessed it right. Mobile studio. They showed us  albums to get photographs in Kashmiri dress and  were ready with different colors of dresses and necessary accessories. I was sold before they finished their selling session. In next 2 minutes I was in Kashmiri dress posing !! They delivered the pics later to our house boat.Though it was funny,  it is nice to  relish those moments now

Me posing

As we make our way from these entrepreneurs, picking up tasting Kashmiri kava from the floating restaurants, western sky was in its colors. Some pics for you.

Dal lake

Dal lake at Sunset

 We stayed in one of the house boats. It was not floating as they say. It was well anchored permanent hotels in the shape of a boat in Dal lake.  Boat we stayed had luxurious interiors in its lobby. But comfort of stay was just basic. 

House boat

 If I ever visit Srinagar again, I don’t think I will stay in floating house boat.Rather I explore home-stays as suggested by   Poorna & Brinda .
Go and check out more Skywatch images at the Skywatch site.

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