Pari Mahal, Srinagar

Pari Mahal or the house of fairies is popularly known as Quntilon and is situated above the Chashm-e-Shahi Gardens in Srinagar. The structure was constructed by Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of the famous Mughal King, Shah Jahan, in the mid 17th century.

Dara Shikoh built the garden over the ruins of a Buddhist monastery in honour of his Sufi tutor, Mullah Shah Badakhshi. The Pari Mahal was also a centre of learning astronomy and astrology. The overall length and breadth of this garden is 122 m and 62.5 m, respectively.

Located in the southwest of the Dal Lake, this garden has six terraces. Unlike other Mughal gardens, the gardens of Pari Mahal do not have water cascades. Its water tanks are located separately on the terraces and are filled with the help of underground pipes. The garden has a spring and a lawn with a variety of flowers and fruit trees growing in it.