Srinagar: For long, Mughal-era gardens in Kashmir have been a major attraction for tourists. Built in the 16th and 17th centuries, these gardens could soon get an all-important recognition for their long term conservation.The J&K government has renewed its efforts to secure a spot for these celebrated gardens in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.“We have started the process to engage a consultant for preparation of a proposal for nominating these gardens for inclusion into the UNESCO list,” director archives, archaeology and museums, Munir-ul-Islam told the Wire.‘Immense historical significance’Some of these terraced-gardens are located on the foothills of Zabarwan mountains in the summer capital Srinagar, presenting a breathtaking view with the Dal Lake in the foreground.The six Mughal gardens which would be nominated are Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashma Shahi, Pari Mahal – all in Srinagar – and Achabal Bagh and Verinag in Anantnag.An official said the state government floated the bids earlier this month and a consultant, when chosen, will require completing the preparation of the dossier in three months.“These (heritage) sites are subjected to processes of degradation with time, which leads to a situation in which they became unable to fulfill the purpose for which they were built,” reads the bid document floated by J&K’s department of culture. “Considering the immense historical significance of these gardens, their inscription on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites will bring in a much needed international attention and appreciation to these gardens.”An official said the process to get the UNESCO tag for the gardens was taken up for the first time in 2010. The gardens had then made it to the tentative list, under a notification that lasts for seven-ten years.“The proposal, however, got consigned to official files owing to lack of interest by successive regimes,” the official said. “Nobody bothered to push for the preparation of the dossier, a must to seek a permanent place for any heritage site in the UNESCO list.”These six and other gardens, along with some other sites, are the last remnants of the Mughal rule in Kashmir and testimony to the flamboyant lifestyle of the emperors. Every year, lakhs of tourists visit these gardens, which were built with a unique engineering style. The gardens all located at the foot of a mountain, with a water source, either in the form of streams or springs, eventually resulting in terraced garden layouts.A brief about the gardens reads:“Undaunted by the challenges offered by mountainous terrain, the Mughal engineering skills and aesthetics helped in exploiting the dominating natural landscape and the available water resources to their maximum potential and achieved an unparalleled height of perfection.”“The spectacular, mountainous natural settings, within which all of these gardens are laid, are perhaps impossible to be found in any of the other Mughal Gardens of India,” it says.The official said a site must meet at least one of the ten set criteria to be included in the UNESCO list. Once listed, the government gets funding from the World Heritage Fund for preservation and protection of a site.In India, there at least 35 sites which have already been included in the UNESCO list.“We have a strong case,” said another official. “The gardens have immense historical significance and their entry into the World Heritage Sites list will bring much-needed international attention,” said the official.The concernsWhile the move has once again brought the attention to places of historical significance in the restive Valley, an official said there were concerns as well.“The issue is whether we have been able to maintain the originality of these significant places or have we allowed them to become a victim of criminal acts in the garb of development, taking away their originality,” the official said.Brief about the gardensShalimar BaghAlso known as “abode of love” the garden was built by Mughal emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan, more than 400 years ago. Spread over 31 acres, Shalimar Bagh is a four-terraced garden and, according to historical accounts the topmost terraces was considered to be the most beautiful section and reserved for royal ladies. The highlights of the garden are chini khanas, which are delicately designed arched niches placed behind waterfalls.Shalimar Bagh Mughal garden in Srinagar. Photo: Flickr/Baasir Gaisawat CC BY NC ND 2.0Chashma ShahiHistorical accounts say the garden was constructed around a “royal spring” in 1632, on the orders of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The freshwater spring is the main focus of the garden, which flows through the garden’s centre in the terraces. The garden’s art and architecture have Iranian influence, while the design is based on Persian gardens.Chashma Shahi Mughal Garden in Srinagar. Photo: Amitraina at English Wikipedia, Public domain imageNishat BaghA 12-terraced garden, Nishat Bagh is the second largest Mughal garden in Kashmir after Shalimar Bagh. It was designed and built in 1633 by Asif Khan, the elder brother of Nur Jahan. A water stream divides the garden into two halves, and each level of the garden is marked by a raised embankment which has its collection of kaleidoscopic flowers waiting to be photographed.Nishat Bagh in Srinagar. Photo: Flickr/Mike Prince CC BY 2.0Pari MahalA mesmerising historical monument, Pari Mahal, as the name suggests, is also called abode of fairies. Built with six terraces, the garden has a traditional Islamic type of architecture and overlooks Srinagar. It was built by Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, and served as a school of astrology.Pari Mahal in Srinagar. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Subhashis Pattadar CC BY-SA 3.0AchabalAlso known as the “place of princesses”, Achabal is a small Mughal garden located in Achabal, a town in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The garden was built by Mughal empress Nur Jahan, wife of Jahangir. The most attractive feature of the garden is that it is watered by a spring from an adjacent hill. Rows of chinar trees offer captivating views of the garden. The stepped terraces, fountains and waterfalls add to its beauty.Mughal gardens in Achabal. Photo: Flickr/Varun Shiv Kapur CC BY 2.0VerinagVerinag is the first tourist spot a tourist comes across while travelling by road from Jammu. Its major tourist attraction is the Verinag spring. It was built by Jahangir. Later, a garden next to the spring was laid out by his son Shah Jahan. The spring is known to never dry up or overflow and is a major source of water for the river Jhelum. The spring and the Mughal arcade surrounding it is officially recognised by the Archaeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance.Mughal Gardens in Verinag. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Vinayak.razdan by CC BY-SA 4.0‘Optimistic about evaluation’Once the nomination list is finalised, the state government will submit it to UNESCO for evaluation. “are quite optimistic about the process,” an official said. According to him, if the gardens are included in the list, it will be significant for J&K, as the state depends on tourism.“As a society, it will also make us all more responsible toward conservation of historically important places in the state,” said Islam.
