Nagin Lake in Kashmir

Nagin Lake in Srinagar is a deep blue water offshoot lake of Dal Lake that is interconnected by a thin causeway. The lake is located to the east of the city of Srinagar, at the foothill of the Zabarwan Mountain. The Shankaracharya Hill on the south and Hari Parbat on the west enclose the Nagin Lake offers breathtaking views to the visitors. It is flanked by beautiful willow and poplar trees. Good numbers of houseboats and shikaras can be seen in Nagin Lake where tourists enjoy their peaceful vacations in Srinagar. Unlike Dal Lake, Nagin Lake is a calm, serene and peaceful getaway for those who want to spend holiday in sheer nature. Apart from houseboat staying and shikara ride, tourists can also enjoy water skiing, motor rides and sailing over there.

Etymology

The Nigeen Lake is surrounded by a large number of willow and poplar trees. Hence, it has come to be referred as a "nageena", which means "the jewel in the ring". The word "nigeen" is a local variant of the same word.

Location

The lake is located adjacent to the Hari Parbat hillock, to the west of the Dal Lake. To its north and west, lie the localities of Baghwanpora and Lal Bazar while to its north east lies the locality of Hazratbal, which is known for the famous shrine.

Present Status

The lake is a major tourist attraction in Srinagar, known for its relatively pristine waters as compared to the Dal Lake. Houseboats and shikaras are a usual sight. It’s also ideal for swimming, being deeper and less crowded than the Dal Lake. However, as is the problem with other water bodies in the Kashmir Valley, the lake also suffers from encroachments which are deteriorating its water quality and also increasing the risk of floods. As such, the government of Jammu and Kashmir is engaged in taking steps to help improve the condition of the lake and restore it to its original glory.

Shikara Ride

The shikara is a type of wooden boat found on Dal Lake and other water bodies of Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Shikaras are of varied sizes and are used for multiple purposes, including transportation of people. A usual shikara seats half-a-dozen people, with the driver paddling at the rear. Like the Venetian gondolas, they are a cultural symbol of Kashmir. Some shikaras are still used for fishing, harvesting aquatic vegetation (usually for fodder), and transport, while most are covered with tarpaulins and are used by tourists. Some are used as floating homes by poor people.

Nigeen Club

Established on the bank of famed and picturesque Nigeen Lake, the very ambience of Nigeen Club is enormously attractive. As an icing on the cake recently upgraded infrastructure and state- of- the- art facilities provide ample amusement and entertainment to the club visitors of not just the valley but outside too.

Houseboat

A houseboat (different from boathouse, which is a shed for storing boats) is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored, kept stationary at a fixed point and often tethered to land to provide utilities. However, many are capable of operation under their own power. Float house is a Canadian and U.S. term for a house on a float (raft), a rough house may be called a shanty boat.