Nishat Bagh is located on the banks of the famous Dal Lake about ten kilometers from the Srinagar city center in the lap of Zabarwan mountains. This beautiful terraced garden commands a breathtakingly awesome view of the Dal Lake in all seasons with summers having charm of its own. Second largest Mughal garden after Shalimar Bagh in the Kashmir Valley, the garden was designed and built by Asif Khan, elder brother of Nur Jehan in 1633. The Nishat Bagh has an axial stream flow design, suitable for hill conditions with water source originating at the top of the hill. N ishat Bagh has a rectangular layout with east-west length of 548 metres and width of 338 metres.
Starting from the shores of Dal Lake, Nishat Bagh has twelve 12 terraces representing twelve Zodiacal signs. However, the lower terrace no longer exists now, having been cut off by the modern road. The garden, thus, consists of only nine terraces at present. It has two sections; the public garden and the private garden. The central canal, running through the garden, is 4 metres wide and has a water depth of 20 centimetres. Some old Mughal period buildings dot the outskirts of the garden, reminding one of the builders of this famous picnic spot and tourist attraction.
This garden has been centre of shooting of many Bollywood movies and has lent exquisite shots for film songs. For its lined Chinars, multi- hued flower beds and tranquil ambience, it has remained one of the most sought after locations in Kashmir ever since it was thrown open to the public by the Mughals. The place can be approached from Tourist Reception Centre by a local bus or one can hire a taxi that will drop at its gate in just 15 minutes. One more way of visiting the Bagh is through the Dal Lake using the famous water taxi of Kashmir, the Shikara. It is the most pleasant mode of transport for the tourists to reach here. A famous picnic spot, Nishat Bagh also offers shopping facilities to its visitors as there are a number of shopping stalls situated opposite the garden.
