Charar-i-Sharief is the shrine town in Budgam district that holds the shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, the Sufi Kashmiris call Nund Rishi. It stands 30 km from Srinagar on the road to Yousmarg, and the shrine is roughly six hundred years old. The town is also a working craft centre: crewel embroidery, carpets and kangri weaving.
Duke Kashmir Travels, a Srinagar agency registered as JKTA00003978 with the Department of Tourism since 2011, takes guests through Charar on the Yousmarg run. Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, twin sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Thirty kilometres from Srinagar in Budgam district, on the Yousmarg road.
- The shrine honours Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, known as Nund Rishi and Alamdar-e-Kashmir.
- Among the oldest shrines in the valley, roughly six centuries old.
- Large congregations at the Urs and other religious days.
- The town works in crewel embroidery, carpets and kangri weaving.
- Half an hour is enough for the shrine; longer if you look at the crafts.
Who was Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani?
The fifteenth-century Kashmiri Sufi known as Nund Rishi and titled Alamdar-e-Kashmir, the standard-bearer of Kashmir, founder of the Rishi order in the valley.
His verse is part of the Kashmiri language, and his following crosses community lines. The shrine at Charar has been the centre of that devotion for six hundred years and remains one of the most visited religious sites in Kashmir.
What is the town known for besides the shrine?
Handicrafts: crewel work, carpet weaving and the making of kangris, the willow-and-clay firepots Kashmiris carry in winter.
Workshops sit along the approach roads, and buying at source is usually cheaper and more interesting than buying in the city. Ask before photographing people at work.
How do you visit?
Thirty kilometres from Srinagar, an hour by road, and directly on the way to Yousmarg.
Dress modestly, remove shoes at the shrine and expect separate areas for men and women. Most guests stop here on the way to the Yousmarg meadows. See Kashmir tour ideas.
Booking this with us
Duke Kashmir Travels has held Department of Tourism registration JKTA00003978 since March 2011 and has been an IATO allied member since 2016. The full list of registrations sits on our About Us page.
Send your dates and traveller count and we will build the itinerary around it. Call +91 9018 44 0000, email info@dukekashmirtravels.com or use the contact page.
About the founder
Rayies Ahmad Zargar founded Duke Kashmir Travels in Srinagar in 2011 and still runs it. He co-founded the JK Tourism Council and reviews the guides published here, including this one. Profile on LinkedIn.