Introduction

One of the hills around Srinagar is the Hari Parbat and like many other parts of the region, this has its share of legend too. One story has it that two demons Tsand and Mund lived in the lake and would emerge every now and then, to harass the people of the area. The people appealed to the goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva for help. She took the form of a bird and flew over the lake with a tiny pebble in her mouth. She dropped the pebble over the demons and the moment it touched them, the tiny stone assumed the form of a huge hill that crushed them under its weight. Another version talks about the demon Jalobhava who met the same fate. As the savior of the valley, Parvati is worshipped as Jagadamba Sharika Bhagwati, with cosmic energies and a temple dedicated to her is halfway up the western slope of the hill. She is also regarded as the patron goddess of Srinagar by its Hindu community.

The Hari Parbat, at different places along its slopes has other places of considerable interest. For one, this is topped by the fort whose construction was initiated by the Mughal emperor, Akbar – though in its present form, it owes its shape and size to the Durrani ruler of Afghanistan, Shah Shuja; architecturally, this has the remarkable Kathi Darwaza which is the main entrance to the fort and the Sangin Darwaza. A detachment of the Indian army currently garrisons the fort.

The Gurdwara Chatti Patshahi is by the southern side of the fort and commemorates the visit of sixth Sikh Guru, Hargobind. This connects down to the Rainawari locality.

The southern slopes of the Hari Parbat have the shrines of Khwaja Makhdoom Sahib and Akhund Mullah Shah. The former, was a well-known Sufi saint and his shrine is held in considerable veneration not just by Mulims, but by people of other faiths too – the multi-pillared double storied shrine is of considerable architectural interest.

Special Attributes

Hill with fort and other places of interest

Nuisance

The site is very peaceful and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Conservative but comfortable

Connectivity

Taxis, buses up to a point and walking

Enjoyed by

History, heritage and architecture lovers, and general and religious interest.

Exposure

Mild exposure to sun when outdoors. It is pleasant for the better part of the year.

Avoidable Season

Late evenings

Facilities

Some restaurants and road-side parking.

Things Not Allowed

No shoes in the temples or shrines

Tip

Covering all the places on the Hill is likely to take a few hours. Please plan accordingly

Type of site

Hill with different places of interest