Serenity in the midst of conflict. Few things compare to gliding along in a shikara; the silence broken only by the gentle lapping of the paddle through the still water. Call to Prayer echoes in the background. Large pink lotus float nearby, eagles circle overhead, and the Himalayas provide a stunning backdrop.

We flew up to Kashmir for our fourth visit in the last 20 years. We took a shikara from Dal Lake, through the backwaters, to Nageen Lake. Nageen Lake, often called the “jewel in the ring,” is a serene, relatively pristine lake in Srinagar, known for its deep blue waters and surrounding willow and poplar trees. Trying to get our bearings, we went under the bridge and there it was. Our old favorite houseboat.

We made a deal, booked in for two weeks, and relaxed in the comfort of the 70-year-old hand-carved houseboat, with crystal chandeliers, Kashmiri carpets, and rich memories of important people who had stayed there since the time of the rajas. A little more worn, but not much had changed. Both daughters married, the cook retired, and the son trying to take over the business with a big smile but zero experience. They remembered us, and we reminisced about our last visit, complete with photos from our webpage in August 2018.

The weather was hotter than normal — a heat wave in Delhi! That is how the houseboats started. British expats would escape the sweltering heat of the plains by heading up to the coolness of Kashmir. Mr. Wonderful immediately heard through the lake grapevine that we had returned and showed up with a boatload of his amazing fresh flowers. Four bouquets later — my lover likes to buy me boatloads of flowers! — we were invited to their house again.

Down the narrow back canal we went in the barely floating wooden canoe. Always an adventure! Warmly welcomed, we sang and danced and enjoyed tea together. The highlight for me was always walking through the fields of flowers and selecting unbelievably colorful bouquets. This time, we invited them to our houseboat for tea and cookies — and the usual small gifts for Mrs. Wonderful.

We took a tour of the surrounding area, unfortunately delayed because the newly budding entrepreneur son had slept in and forgotten to arrange the car, and, and… We regrouped and changed the itinerary because we ran out of time, and we could not return from the mountains to the city after dark. An underlying tension prevails. At the checkpoints we would have been interrogated — “What was your business in the terrorist-occupied mountains?” No thanks. And so we chose some new and interesting places to visit closer to the lake.

Kashmir has tried a little bit of everything over the years, from a major Hindu-Buddhist center to a Muslim-majority region under Mughal, Afghan, and Sikh rule, before becoming a princely state under the British. The Sikh Empire annexed Kashmir in 1819. Following the Anglo-Sikh wars, the British sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh of Jammu in 1846.

Following the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, it became a heavily contested territory divided between India, Pakistan, and China. In 1965, Pakistan tried once again to invade Kashmir and Jammu. Kashmir asked India to help. They came. They stayed.

Today it remains Muslim, with the melody of “the adhan” drifting over the lake five times a day. Occupied, then occupied again, sold and annexed, the Kashmiris simply want their land back. India needs the natural resources of Kashmir for its development, and they don’t plan to leave any time soon. Any resistance is labeled as terrorism. And so the conflict continues.

Kashmir deserves a time of peace. The world deserves a time of peace. It starts with each of us. Make it so!

Love, Light & Laughter, 

xo  Nancy & Joseph

TRAVEL NOTES:

Greeting   Assalam-o-Alaikum an Arabic phrase meaning “Peace be upon you”.  It is the traditional Islamic greeting used by Muslims worldwide to express peace, respect, and safety. It acts as a prayer for the person being greeted, wishing them safety from harm and divine mercy. 

Srinigar/Dal Lake/Nigeen Lake:
We come to Srinigar to have a one of a kind houseboat stay, as with the British of old escaping the heat of India.  Step back in time and relax.  Be smart and make a wise choice to start with and have a hassle free stay.
1) Never book ahead.  You will pay 10 times the price for a shabbier boat if you book from Delhi, etc.  Everyone has a cousin who owns a boat and wants a commission.  Meet the family and get a feel if they are genuinely glad to have you stay with them or they just want your money.
2) When choosing a house boat look for a good wide open view of the lake; no barking dogs or street noise; no screaming kids; no garbage floating.

3) You need a breeze, not in a row of houseboats listening to each other’s noise; away from boatloads of backpackers or worse Indian pilgrims visiting the Ice Lingum by day and partying by night; not next to mosque loudspeakers. 4) Clean and well maintained rooms, hot water, good decks from which to enjoy the lake, close accessibility to markets, etc 5) We suggest getting everything in writing as some owners promise the moon and try to increase the price later.  Write down what meals are eaten every day w/price and have them sign.  Settle up often.  We had no trouble with Habib and family, but we all forget things, change isn’t given, a common little scam, and on & on. Keep it businesslike to avoid trouble at the end when leaving.  You can also get to know the family better without money issues ruining the relationship. 
Nigeen Lake is cleaner and more pristine than Dal Lake. You can get a shikara driver to paddle you around looking at the back side of Dal Lake and for another 200r go over to Nigeen (settle the price per hour ahead of getting in: 100r per hour, or per trip).

Nigeen Lake:
A quiet, pleasant place to enjoy life on the lake.  Bargain hard for a good price. ranges from low season 300R to 1000R rarely in high season).
Check a number of places first to find out the range of quality of accommodations and prices at the time you visit. An overabundance of houseboats has lowered prices.  As stated above get the price and what’s included, in writing.  We hope for everyone’s sake that political tensions ease and life and business will resume.    You won’t ever want to leave.

Eating around Nigeen Lake:

Second falafel restaurant past Nigeen Club on left side of road – great veg curry and naan

Nairobi Houseboat:
Deal with Daughter Nazima  9622429180
Her Father can get pushy but is away most of the time.

near Ghat #2  Nigeen Lake
Take Shikara over
email:  houseboatnairobi@gmail.com

Taxi – 600 to the airport
Mehraj Din Dar
9906476319  9419951409

Nisar Beigh – one of the gem dealers who will drop by your houseboat if asked.  He wasn’t pushy and had certificates for many of his stones.  Kashmir is famous for blue sapphires. Nisar Jewels  Email or call Nisar
Email   beighsahab@rediefmail.com
9797219233

Stuck in Srinigar/Dahl Lake? – go online to find a place or last minute try for a local experience:

Punjabi Haveli – pure veg near crossroads of lake and road from Nigeen to Srinigar Across from lake – best naan and aloo palak in Srinigar

Hotel New Green View II Gate 15 – Dahl Lake – friendly owner and family.  Basic accommodations – houseboat, tours, and very basic hotel but low prices.  Go to the market with Ghulam and pick out vegetables for him to cook.  Great mixed-veg curry.

Saklains Coterie Phone # 91 9818731913

32 Polo View Rd., Srinigar

We bought wonderful freshly distilled essential oils from this tiny shop , at a great price.  Their organic farm outside of town grows and processes everything from heavenly lavender to zippy lemongrass.

Top attractions around Dal and Nigeen Lakes include iconic Mughal Gardens (Shalimar, Nishat), the sacred Hazratbal Shrine, and the historic Shankaracharya Temple. Key experiences include serene Shikara rides on both lakes, staying in houseboats, visiting the floating market, strolling the Boulevard Road