The shikara is a type of wooden

boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on i ...

found on

Dal Lake Dal is a lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is an urban lake, the second largest lake in Jammu and Kashmir, and the most visited place in Srinagar by tourists and locals. It is integral to tourism and recreation in t ...

and other water bodies of

Srinagar Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its ...

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

Shikaras are of various sizes and are used for multiple purposes, including transportation. A usual shikara seats six people, with the driver paddling at the rear. Like the Venetian

gondola The gondola (, ; vec, góndoła ) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, ...

s, they are a cultural symbol of Kashmir. Some shikaras are still used for fishing, harvesting aquatic vegetation (usually for fodder), and transport, while most are covered with tarpaulins and are used by tourists. Some are used as floating homes. Shikara Making a Semi Circle

Construction

The craft relies on deodar wood (which does not decompose in water) ranges from 25 to 41 feet in length. The pointed front end is followed by a central section made of 8 planks of wood and the boat eventually ends in a flat rear segment. Two planks of wood lend to each of the side elevations a vertical height of 1.5 feet. It has a conspicuous spade shaped base. The nails and iron clamps used for joinery are flush and fixed into the wood diagonally when they are red hot, to ensure stronger bonding. Care is taken to keep them hidden for the visual aesthetics of the boat. Caulking uses a paste containing poplar seed. The boat is created over 10 to 12 days. Seating arrangements are organized in the central segment of the boat by positioning cushions and related upholstery over the built-in storage space underneath. A canopy is supported on four pillars. The centre and the ends are equipped with iron anchor rings and wooden pegs, which are used to fasten the shikara on the banks of the lake. The shikaras are eventually painted in bright colors and may further be polished, engraved and embellished.

Use

The boats are often navigated by two boat men in

phiran Pheran or phiran ( , ) is the traditional outfit for both males and females in Kashmir. The pheran consists of two gowns, one over the other. The traditional pheran extends to the feet, which was popular up to the late 19th century C.E. However ...

and they carry kangris (portable heaters) and have cushioned seats and back rests. The long boats crowd the Srinagar lakes. They are used for getting back and forth from the houseboats or for longer tours of Dal Lake. Because the Dal is central to the landscape of Srinagar, many places of tourist interest have been built in its vicinity. Nishat and Shalimar gardens as well as the

Hazratbal shrine The Hazratbal Shrine ( ks, ), popularly called Dargah Sharif ("the Holy Shrine"), is a Muslim shrine located in Hazratbal locality of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It contains a relic, ''Moi-e-Muqqadas'', which is widely believed to ...

are directly accessible by shikara.

White-throated kingfisher The white-throated kingfisher (''Halcyon smyrnensis'') also known as the white-breasted kingfisher is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Asia from the Sinai east through the Indian subcontinent to China and Indonesia. This kingfisher is a ...

s, large birds with robust bills can be seen perched on the branches of willow trees. These birds concentrate their hunting on the floating Gardens. These man-made islands of reeds, willow rods and aquatic vegetation are held together with humus from the lake bottom providing a rich source of food in the form of frogs, lizards, mice, grasshoppers and other insects for wildlife. Though native to the Kashmir valley, shikaras can sometimes also be found on lakes in other parts of India due to their popularity among tourists.

Gallery

File:Shikara Whoopee setting off on Dal Lake.jpg, Shikara "Whoopee" setting off on Dal Lake File:Colorful Shikaras.jpg, Shikars at

File:A man with his Shikara.JPG, A man with his shikar File:Shikara, Dal Lake.jpg, Shikar at sunset File:Sukhna Lake, chandigarh - panoramio.jpg, A sikhara on Sukhna lake, Chandigarh File:Shikara 2.jpg, Shikar of

File:Shikaras of Dal Lake.JPG, Shikar of

File:Shikaras in Dal Lake.JPG, Shikars of

File:Shikara in Dal Lake in Kashmir.JPG, Shikars of

File:Shikara di Tasik Dal.jpg, Shikar of

File:Srinagar floating market.jpg, The floating vegetable market on

File:Pichola See.JPG, A shikara on

Lake Pichola Lake Pichola, situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, is an artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362, named after the nearby Picholi village. It is one of the several contiguous lakes, and developed over the last ...

Udaipur Udaipur () ( ISO 15919: ''Udayapura''), historically named as Udayapura, is a city and municipal corporation in Udaipur district of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is the administrative headquarter of Udaipur district. It is the historic ...

References

Dal Lake
/ref> {{Reflist Boat types Kashmir Houseboats Transport in Srinagar Culture of Jammu and Kashmir