Nishat Bagh 🇮🇳

Nishat Bagh, meaning "Garden of Joy" or "Garden of Delight," is a historic terraced Mughal garden built in 1633 by Asif Khan. Located on the eastern bank of Dal Lake near Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley, it stands against the Zabarwan Range with views extending across the lake to the Pir Panjal Range. As the second-largest Mughal garden in Kashmir, Nishat Bagh was designed using a rectangular axial stream flow layout adapted from Persian garden models to fit the local hillside topography.

When you visit, you will experience twelve distinct terraces representing the twelve zodiacal signs, descending from the top hillside terrace down toward Dal Lake. The layout includes a public garden section and a private Zenana garden at the twelfth terrace, framed by a high wall with blind arches, octagonal towers, and a two-story pavilion surrounded by lush plantings. Along the broad cascades, lined with chinar and cypress trees, a four-meter-wide central canal features water flowing over stepped stone ramps, fountains, pools, and stone or marble thrones placed at waterfall heads.

Notable features include the second terrace with its arched niches, Persian lilacs, and pansies, plus engraved paths and benches.

What to see at Nishat Bagh

• Twelve terraced levels representing the zodiacal signs
• Central water canal fed by the Gopi Thirst spring with stone cascades and fountains
• Avenues of chinar and cypress trees overlooking Dal Lake
• Impressive second terrace featuring arched niches, Persian lilacs, and pansies
• Top Zenana terrace with octagonal viewing towers and a two-story pavilion

Visiting tips

You can approach the garden's lowest terrace directly from Dal Lake via a shikara ride.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Nishat Bagh is easy to reach on Srinagar’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Shalimar Bagh. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Srinagar travel guide.