Pari Mahal is a seven-terrace Mughal monument on the Zabarwan ridge above Srinagar, built for Prince Dara Shikoh as a school of astrology and astronomy. The name means palace of fairies. It gives the widest view over Dal Lake of anywhere in the city, which is why most people come up for the last hour of daylight.
Duke Kashmir Travels is a Srinagar travel agency, registered with the J&K Department of Tourism as JKTA00003978 since 2011. We add this climb to the Srinagar sightseeing day when guests want the view; Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, two sharing a room.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Seven stepped terraces, arcaded in stone rather than planted like the lakeside gardens.
- Built for Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's eldest son, as a teaching place for astronomy.
- Stands directly above Chashme Shahi on the same ridge road.
- A ruined reservoir crowns the top terrace; the fifth carries a wall of pigeon holes.
- From the upper steps you can pick out the Tulip Garden, the Botanical Garden and the whole sweep of the lake.
- About 21 km from Srinagar airport, roughly an hour with the climb.
What was Pari Mahal used for?
It was built for Prince Dara Shikoh as a school of astrology and astronomy, not as a pleasure garden.
That purpose shows in the layout. Where Nishat and Shalimar are built around water, Pari Mahal is built around rooms and arcades, with the terraces acting as floors on a hillside. The Islamic-era stonework is largely intact and the beds between the arcades are kept planted.
What is the view like?
The best in Srinagar: the whole of Dal Lake below, the city beyond it, and the Zabarwan slopes rising on either side.
Photographers come for the late afternoon, when the light crosses the water. On a clear evening you can trace the line of Boulevard Road, the houseboat rows and the Hazratbal dome from a single spot on the upper terrace.
When should you go up?
April to September for the garden itself, and the last two hours of daylight for the view in any season.
Winter visits are possible when the ridge road is clear, and the bare terraces have a stark appeal, but snow can close the approach for a day or two at a time.
How do you reach Pari Mahal?
By the ridge road above Chashme Shahi, about 21 km from Srinagar airport and roughly an hour door to door. From Jammu the drive is closer to nine hours.
There is a short walk up from the parking area to the lowest terrace, then steps between the levels. Our vehicles take guests to the gate; the climb inside is on foot and is not step-free.
What else is on this ridge?
Chashme Shahi is directly below, with the Botanical Garden and Tulip Garden at the foot of the same slope.
Shankaracharya Temple crowns the next hill south, and the lakeside gardens run north along the shore. See the Srinagar list for the rest, or Kashmir tour ideas for full itineraries.
Booking this with us
Duke Kashmir Travels works out of Nowhatta Chowk in Srinagar, registered as JKTA00003978 since 2011, IATO allied member since 2016 and a TAAK member. See About Us for the rest.
Share your travel dates and group size and we will price the trip around this stop. Phone +91 9018 44 0000, write to info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or open the contact page.
About the founder
Founder Rayies Ahmad Zargar opened Duke Kashmir Travels in Srinagar in 2011, sits in TAAK, co-founded the JK Tourism Council, and signs off the guides on this site. Find him on LinkedIn.