The Mughal aptly called Kashmir paradise where they journeyed across the tortuously hot plains of India, to summer in the cool environs of Srinagar. It was here they laid, with great love and care, Srinagar's many formal, water-front gardens, now collectively known as the Mughal Gardens. Anecdotes of four and five centuries ago describe their love for these gardens, and the rivalries that centred around their ownership.

Srinagar is located in the heart of the Kashmir valley, and spreads on both sides of the river Jhelum. The lakes Dal and Nagin enhance its picturesque setting, while the changing play of the seasons, and the salubrious climate ensure that the city is equally attractive to visitors round the year.

Kalahana, the author of 'Rajatarangini', states that Srinagri was founded by Emperor Ashoka (3rd Century BC). The present city of Srinagar was founded by Pravarasena II , and Hiuen Tsang who visited the capital in 631 AD found the city at the same site as it is today. Lalitaditya Mukhtapida was the most illustrous ruler of the Hindu period which ended in 1339. King Zain-ul-Abdin (1420-70 AD), who was popularly known as 'Badshah', was a great patron of Sanskrit. Akbar captured the valley for the Mughals who endowed Srinagar with beautiful mosques and gardens. The Sikhs overthrew the last Muslim ruler in the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1819. In 1846 the Dogras secured the sovereignity of Kashmir from the British under the Treaty of Amritsar, and in 1947 the state of Jammu and Kashmir became part of the Indian union with Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah as its head. Today's Srinagar is a pleasure resort for the tourist who can experience, at first hand, the peculiar beauty of the valley that has attracted the Chinese, the Mughals and the British to it . Its waterways with their own quaint lifestyle, the unique accommodation in houseboats, the blossoming gardens, watersports activities, shopping for lovingly hand-crafted souvenirs, camping and trekking, and Srinagar's satellite resorts make it a cherished spot among those looking for a memorable holiday.