Chashme Shahi (Cheshma Shahi) is one of the Mughal gardens built in Srinagar which was build in 1632 AD by Ali Mardan Khan, a governor of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as per the orders of the Emperor, as a gift for his eldest son Prince Dara Shikoh.
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There are three Mughal Garden in Srinagar and Chasme Shahi is one of them. Majority of the people usually recommend Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh garden and Chashme Shahi is the third name, the one people recommend at last. But this small mughal garden will definitely surprise you. There is a natural spring inside and you can drink the water directly from the tap.
If you are around Lal Chowk (a famous stop in Srinagar), Chashme shahi garden is located at just 9 km on the Zabarwan hillside in Srinagar. The drive is quite nice because Dal Lake keeps appearing through the trees as drive toward this garden. The most amazing view of this garden is; three terraces stepping down the hill.
Ali Mardan Khan, the Mughal Governor built this garden in 1632 by order of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a gift for his son Dara Shikoh who loved Kashmir and kept coming back throughout his life. The name Chashme Shahi means Royal Spring in Persian. Our first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru liked this spring water so much that he used to get it brought to Delhi. Whether you believe the health claims or not, the water is genuinely very cold and good. Please drink it when you visit, do not miss this.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Chashme Shahi Road, near Raj Bhawan, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190001 |
| Famous For | Mughal garden with a natural spring believed to have medicinal properties |
| Entry Fee | Rs. 24 per adult, Rs. 12 per child |
| Timings | 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM; Open all days (March to November) |
| Best Time to Visit | May to October |
| Also Known As | Chasma Shahi, Royal Spring Garden, Chashma Sahibi |
This garden was built by Ali Mardan Khan in 1632 on orders of Emperor Shah Jahan. It was built for the emperor’s eldest son Prince Dara Shikoh who was a scholar and Sufi student. He kept visiting Kashmir throughout his life. The garden was designed in Persian style and built around a natural spring that local Kashmiri people were already using for a very long time before the Mughals arrived here.
The spring had its own name before the Mughals came. Kashmiri people connected it to a saint called Rupa Bhawani and used to call it Chashma Sahibi. After the Mughal garden was built here the name slowly changed to Chashme Shahi. Same spring, just a different dynasty claiming it. Local people in Srinagar sometimes still use the old name.
When you walk up to the top terrace the old engineering is quite impressive. Water comes in from the spring at the top and flows down carved stone channels from one terrace to the next. This is original work from the 1600s and it is still working perfectly today. Just up the road about 1 km from Chashme Shahi is Pari Mahal where Dara Shikoh used to study astronomy and Sufi philosophy. Same prince, same time period. I highly recommend visiting both places together, makes complete historical sense.
Most travel guides treat Chashme Shahi as the smaller, less important Mughal garden of Srinagar. I disagree with this completely. Yes it is the smallest of the three Mughal gardens here. But it has something the bigger ones do not have at all – a real natural spring inside the garden where you can drink the water directly. No other garden in Srinagar has this. Chashme Shahi literally means Royal Spring. The spring is not just a decoration or a feature. It is the entire reason this place was built and the reason people remember it after visiting.
When you climb up to the top terrace you will see a small group of people near the stone wall on the left side. That is where the tap is. Just fill your hands or bring a bottle. The water comes out very cold, even in May and June I was surprised at how cold it was. People have been drinking from this spring for hundreds of years. Nehru sahib used to get it sent to Delhi also. Whether that story is fully correct or a little exaggerated over time I cannot say, but the water is genuinely very good. Please do not skip this, it is the whole point of coming here.
Start from the top terrace where the spring is and walk down. Top terrace has formal flower beds. Middle terrace has big chinar trees and the carved water channels running through. Bottom terrace has open lawns and shade. The whole walk is maybe 20 minutes if you are going slowly. I suggest going top to bottom because you get the view of Dal Lake below you as you walk down. Going bottom to top means you are looking uphill the whole time which is less interesting.
No extra camera fee here which is good, saves the usual hassle. The photo everyone takes is from the top terrace looking down over the garden beds and channels with Dal Lake in the background. In April and May you get tulips and irises in the foreground. In October you get the chinar leaves in orange and red colour. Both are beautiful but in my opinion October colour looks better. Also morning light before 10 AM is much better for photos than afternoon.
Most visitors get so focused on the spring that they forget to turn around and look. From the top terrace Dal Lake is right there below you. You can see the houseboats on the water. On a clear morning, which in Srinagar is usually before 10 AM before the haze comes, you can also see the Pir Panjal mountain range behind the city. It takes only two minutes and the view is very beautiful. Please do not miss this.
After Chashme Shahi please do visit Pari Mahal also. It is only 2 km up the same road. Dara Shikoh built this seven-terraced monument for studying astronomy and Sufi philosophy.
The bottom terrace is where families sit and stay for some time. Big chinar trees give very good shade there. If you have been walking since morning this is a nice place to just sit and relax. Evening light around 5 PM to 6 PM in summer is very soft and most tour groups have already left by that time. Much more peaceful than the afternoon.
Most visitors rush past without noticing but the carved stone channels and the stone enclosure around the spring are original work from 1632. Not renovated or replaced. Actually old, worn smooth with hundreds of years of use. Water still flows through these same channels exactly as it was designed 400 years ago. Please spend one or two minutes looking at this properly. It is real Mughal craftsmanship and it is impressive.
Entry to Chashme Shahi Garden is Rs 24 for adults and Rs 12 for children. Camera is free, no extra charge for that. Honestly this is very affordable compared to other tourist places in Srinagar. One small practical tip – please carry small change with you because the ticket counter sometimes does not have change for big notes and it creates unnecessary delay at the gate.
| Category | Entry Fee |
|---|---|
| Indian Adults | Rs. 24 |
| Children (below 12 years) | Rs. 12 |
Note: There is no additional charge for photography or video recording inside the garden. Fees may be revised, so it is advisable to confirm at the ticket counter.
Chashme Shahi Garden is open from 9 AM to 7 PM every day and there is no weekly holiday. But one very important thing to know is that the garden only operates from March to November. In December the Zabarwan mountains get snow and the garden closes completely until spring arrives again. The exact reopening date changes year to year depending on weather. Sometimes in peak summer season the garden stays open a bit past 7 PM but please do not depend on that.
If you ask me the best time to visit Chashme Shahi Garden I will say April to June without any hesitation. The spring flows strongly. The weather is comfortable for walking around and looking at things properly. If you are coming to Kashmir for the spring flowers season then Chashme Shahi should definitely be on your list. It is very close to Nishat Bagh so you can cover both in the same day easily.
But October is actually even better in my opinion. There are fewer tourists. The chinar trees turn beautiful orange and gold colour and this looks absolutely wonderful against the old stone walls. I was there in October and had almost the whole garden to myself for the first half hour. Cameras do not do full justice to those autumn colours, you really have to see it in person to understand why people love it.
July and August is the rain season in Kashmir. The garden remains open. After rain the grass becomes very green and the spring actually flows more strongly than any other time of year. If you do not mind getting a little wet then it is not a bad time to visit at all. Very few tourists also in these months.
Please do not come in winter. December to February the garden is completely closed because of snowfall on the Zabarwan. The road also becomes unreliable. Nothing to see and the trip will be wasted.
One more important thing about timing – please reach by 9 AM when the gate first opens. The first one hour is very peaceful and the spring area is not crowded at all. After 11 AM the tour buses start arriving and the garden gets quite busy. It is a small garden and does not handle large groups very gracefully. Early morning is the only way to enjoy it properly.
| Season | Months | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Peak) | April – June | Best time; flowers in full bloom |
| Summer | July – August | Warm; occasional rain |
| Autumn | September – October | Chinar leaves turn golden; fewer crowds |
| Winter | November – March | Garden mostly closed due to snow |
Chashme Shahi is very well located for combining with other nearby places. The same road goes up to Pari Mahal and down toward Nishat Bagh and Dal Lake. You can easily cover four or five good places in Srinagar in just one full day starting from here.
| Place | Distance | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Pari Mahal | 2 km | Seven-terraced heritage garden with panoramic views |
| Nishat Bagh | 6 km | Second-largest Mughal garden in Srinagar |
| Shalimar Bagh | 9 km | The largest Mughal garden in Kashmir |
| Dal Lake | 5 km | Shikara rides, houseboats, floating market |
| Shankaracharya Temple | 10 km | Ancient hilltop temple dedicated to Lord Shiva |
| Mughal Heritage Walk | 2 km | Walking trail connecting the Mughal gardens |
| Botanical Garden (Tulip Garden) | 2 km | Asia’s largest tulip garden; open in spring |
| Dachigam National Park | 15 to 20 km | Home to the endangered Hangul deer |
My suggested route for one day: start at Chashme Shahi because it is highest up on the hill, then go 1 km uphill to Pari Mahal, then come back down to Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh. You will cover three Mughal gardens and one heritage monument and be done by early afternoon. Very satisfying day.
In the evening please go to Dal Lake. It is only 4 km downhill from Chashme Shahi. A shikara ride on the lake in evening light is very beautiful. From the water you can actually see Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal on the hillside above. Nice way to end the day.
The best place to stay if you are visiting Chashme Shahi is Boulevard Road which runs along Dal Lake about 4 km downhill from the garden. From here all three Mughal gardens, Pari Mahal and Dal Lake are all within easy reach. There are options for every budget from heritage houseboats on the lake to mid-range hotels to budget guesthouses:
Disclaimer: Entry fees, timings, and other details mentioned on this page are based on the latest available information and may change without prior notice. Visitors are advised to verify details locally before planning their trip.