Located on the western banks of the Dal Lake and nestled in hundreds of mighty chinar trees, Naseem Bagh has become a favourite spot for autumn lovers in Kashmir.
In the summer of 1635, the Mughal emperor in Kashmir planted 1,200 chinar saplings, all at the same time in a “char chinar pattern” — four chinars trees in four corners of a rectangular piece of land — so that a person at the centre enjoys shade throughout the day. The area was later named as Naseem Bagh, meaning “garden of breeze”.
It is also said the saplings were nourished with water and milk, which made the Naseem Bagh a reality.
In 1950s, during the time of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, the last Prime Minister of Kashmir, the garden was handed over by the Dogra royal family to the civil administration and the area was developed into the beautiful University of Kashmir campus.
For the last many decades, Naseem Bagh is being loved for its pristine beauty during the autumn season as crimson chinar leaves fill the campus and make it a unique place for visitors.
“No place can match the beauty of this place in autumn. It can be developed into a tourist hotspot. You have an entirely different experience during the autumn season here,” said Mohasin Ahmad, a resident of north Kashmir.
The love for autumn and the mesmerising beauty of Naseem Bagh has forced many dignitaries to visit the Valley again and again during the season.
“Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi made it a point to visit Kashmir valley during autumn,” said a retired professor from University of Kashmir.
For the Kashmir University students the spot is the most relaxing and beautiful throughout the year.
“Whenever I feel low or stressed I come here and sit for an hour or so. It relieves me,” said Basira, a university student.
Naseem Bagh a favourite haunt of autumn lovers
