Srinagar is an ancient town with more than one thousand years of history. Unfortunately, the old city was wiped out in 1894 Gohna Lake Dam Burst and with that, all its old relics have been lost. Therefore, the town does not have many historical monuments to visit. However, it does have a few ancient temples and above all an awesome natural beauty to enjoy.
Temples in Srinagar
If we go by the legends, most of these temples were established in ancient times. However, they have been rebuilt many times since then. Most of these places of worship have many interesting tales about them. To know more about them you may visit our page on Religious Spots in Srinagar.
Himalayan Archaeological and Ethnography Museum in Srinagar
Himalayan Archaeological and Ethnography Museum is another must visit place in this town. It has been established by HNB Garhwal University in 1980. However, it is open to public and a visit to the town can never be complete without a visit to this museum. Its aim is to preserve different aspect of the Himalayan heritage including its traditional arts and crafts, excavated materials and the famed Garhwal painting.
Indeed, the museum showcases varied artifacts from the Stone Age to the present day and thereby documents the lifestyle of the people residing here since the time immemorial. Here you will see different implements, sculptures, potteries and other antiques made out of stone as well as terracotta. They have been discovered in the Central Himalayan Region including places like Ranihat, located on the northwest of Srinagar. It also houses photographs, manuscripts, local records, ancient literature, periodicals and news papers. The museum also has a good collection of paintings by legendry artist Mola Ram. In all, a visit to the museum provides a comprehensive peek into the history as well as culture of the region. To know more you may contact at the following address:
The Director,
The Himalayan Archaelogical and Ethnography Museum
City: Srinagar
State: Uttarakhand
Pin Code: 246 174
Telephone No: ++91-1346-252391, 253420
River Alakananda in Srinagar
Hill Top in Srinagar
As the name suggests, Hill Top is the highest point in Srinagar. It is located on Pauri Road at a distance of 7 km from the main town. The place offers a good scope for a day’s outing. A motorable road takes you to the top. It also has a very mild gradient. Consequently, if you are in mood for a very short and easy trek you may also walk up to the top. The stretch with its twists and turns offer an enjoyable hike. From the top you can have a panoramic view of the Srinagar Valley and watch River Alakananda mingling by.
Maletha near Srinagar
In addition, there are quite a few interesting places to visit from the town. Maletha is one of them. It is located at a distance of 9 km from Srinagar and every visitor to the town ought to take a trip to this prosperous village. .
There is a fascinating tale related to this place. Although it is now a prosperous village once upon a time it was once a barren piece of land without any reliable source of water. Everything changed because of the determination of one man. His name was Madho Singh Bhandari. He was a famous warrior who joined the royal court at a very early age. On realizing the pitiful condition of the villagers he decided to have a canal dug through the mountains so that water from a nearby stream could be brought to the village.
Buoyed by his enthusiasm, the villagers burrowed through the mountain to connect their village with Chandabhaga stream. However, in spite of all efforts, the canal remained dry; water did not enter it. At night, Madho Singh dreamt that he must sacrifice his eldest son if he wanted water to reach his village. When the son heard this he severed his own head and as soon as it was placed before the deity, water began to flow through the channel. While the villagers rejoiced, Madho Singh went back to Srinagar never to return.
To this day, the canal Madho Singh built remains the only source of water for the village and during the harvest villagers sing songs glorifying the sacrifice of Madho Singh and his son. A statue of Madho Singh has also been erected in the village.
Ranihat near Srinagar
