About Pari Mahal
Pari Mahal is a seven-terraced Mughal garden on a spur of the Zabarwan range above Srinagar, overlooking the south-western end of Dal Lake. Built in the mid-17th century by Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan, it stands on the remains of an earlier Buddhist monastery and served as a library and a centre for the study of astronomy.
Arched doorways, retaining walls and water channels survive across the terraces.
What to look for
- Seven stepped terraces on a hillside
- Views over Srinagar and Dal Lake
- Mughal-era arched chambers and water channels
When to go
Off-season now · best Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct
Best months: Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct.
Good to know
- Steep stepped terraces with limited shade
- Reached only by the hill road above Chashme Shahi
From Srinagar
- Road ends at
- Pari Mahal car park
On the map
Nearby
APR – OCTChashme Shahi
SRINAGAR · 1 KM AWAY
Smallest of Srinagar's Mughal gardens, built around a spring
MAR – APRIndira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden
SRINAGAR · 2 KM AWAY
Asia's largest tulip garden, open only in the spring season
APR – OCTDal Lake
SRINAGAR · 4 KM AWAY
Srinagar's iconic urban lake, ringed by Mughal gardens and houseboats
APR – OCTNishat Bagh
SRINAGAR · 5 KM AWAY
Terraced 'Garden of Joy' on Dal Lake, backed by the Zabarwan hills
APR – OCTNagin Lake
SRINAGAR · 6 KM AWAY
Quieter lake beside Dal, known for houseboats and clear water
APR – JUN · SEP – OCTHari Parbat
SRINAGAR · 6 KM AWAY
Hilltop fort above Srinagar with Hindu, Muslim and Sikh sites
APR – JUN · SEP – OCTHazratbal Shrine
SRINAGAR · 6 KM AWAY
Marble Sufi shrine on Dal Lake holding a revered relic
APR – OCTShalimar Bagh
SRINAGAR · 7 KM AWAY
Jahangir's 1619 terraced garden on the shore of Dal Lake
Distances are straight-line, not by road.