Dal Lake in Sunset Hues @ Shrinagar, Jammu & Kashmir State of India || The Magical Lake of Kashmir during Golden Hour

Dal Lake is an amazing place in Srinagar with some miraculous stuff around it and beauty gets enhanced during golden hour.  This PHOTO JOURNEY shares some of the golden hour moments at Dal Lake in Kashmir...

Few days back we had shared same photographs in Black and White. So folks asked for colored versions as well. Please have a look at Black & White version as well and share your opinion colored vs B&W.

There is another lake near to Dal Lake, which was closer to our Hotel Centaur - Nagin Lake. Nagin Lake got its name from the trees surrounding the lake. Popularly known as the 'Jewel in the Ring’, it is one of the impressive lakes in east Srinagar. Nagin lake with its deep blue waters is separated from the Dal Lake by a thin causeway and is an exciting tourist spot with number of houseboats dwindling in the calm waters..

Nagin Lake is a perfect place to go for swimming as it is less crowded and deeper. Water Skiing & sailing on fiberglass boats can also be enjoyed here. May to September is considered to be the best time to visit here. Hazratbal Mosque is a close by attraction to visit... The lake is bounded by the Shankaracharya hill (Takht-e-Suleiman) on the south and Hari Parbat on the west and is located at the foot of the Zabarwan hills. Willow and poplar trees flank the edges of the lake.

Around the lake, there are various points to hire Shikaras for quick rides to other ends of the lake or exploring some of the interesting stuff around Lake. Shikara Ride is must while in Shrinagar and stay in Houseboats can be a wonderful experience. Various Houseboats can be seen around the shorlines of these Lakes in Kashmir.

Srinagar city is located on both the sides of the Jhelum River which is called Vyath in Kashmir. The river passes through the city and meanders through the valley, moving onward and deepening in the dal Lake. The city is famous for its nine old bridges, connecting the two parts of the city.

My friend Varun waiting for me to stop Click-Click and head towards our Hotel. He was done with his specific Clicks :) . His Photography work can be checked HERE..

Tourism in the Kashmir valley has rebounded in recent years and in 2009, the state became one of the top tourist destinations of India. Gulmarg, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green golf course. With the decrease in violence in the state has boosted the states economy specifically tourism. It was reported that around 7.5 lakh tourists visited Kashmir in 2010 including 23K foreigners. It's great to see increasing tourism is this beautiful State, which is also known as Heaven on Earth.

Above photograph shows Sun-rays in the sky after Sunset and it's hues in Dal Lake @ Srinagar, J&K, India

There is a wetland near Srinagar, named as Hokersar. Thousands of migratory birds come to Hokersar from Siberia and other regions in the winter season. Migratory birds from Siberia and Central Asia use wetlands in Kashmir as their transitory camps between September and October and again around spring. These wetlands play a vital role in sustaining a large population of wintering, staging and breeding birds.

Srinagar is one of several places that has been called the 'Venice of the East' or the 'Kashmiri Venice'.  Srinagar is known for its lakes, which include Dal Lake - noted for its houseboats and Nagin Lake.

Many kids ride these Shikaras/Boats in Dal Lake. Some of them use it for going to School or Market and many can be seen doing business.

There are different types of shikaras available in Dal Lake. Most of them are quite comfortable likes once shown in Bollywood Movie 'Kashmir Ki Kali'.

Srinagar has some Mughal gardens, forming a part of those laid by the Mughal emperors across the Indian subcontinent. Those of Srinagar and its close vicinity include Chashma Shahi, Pari Mahal, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and the Naseem Bagh. The Tulip Gardens have been recently opened to public but we couldn't go there.

We stayed in Shrinagar for three nights and every evening was more beautiful with these wonderful Sunset Hues.

Dal Lake lies in heart of the Srinagar city and is well connected by road and air links. The nearest airport, which connects with other major cities in the country, is about 7 kilometres away at Badgam. The nearest railway station is 300 kilometres away at Jammu. The National Highway NH1A connects the Kashmir valley with rest of the country.