A shikara is to Kashmir what a gondola is to Venice. It's a cultural symbol of the place and a must-try activity for tourists. While a ride on the Venetian gondola will set you back 80 euros, a shikara ride is almost free. Payment is generally tip-based. If you're staying on one of the houseboats on Dal Lake, the houseboat owner usually provides free shikara rides to and from the jetty. There are several shikara stands around the huge lake.
A shikara is a wooden boat that could seat up to half a dozen people, with the driver paddling at the rear. It is made of deodar wood--a type of wood that is extremely durable and doesn't decompose in water. Shikaras come in various sizes. Some of them have been beautified to accommodate tourists. They are painted in bright colors, and decked with cushioned seats, curtains and roofs.
As you go cruising around the lake, you will notice little floating shops, much like the ones in Thailand's floating markets. The sellers operate their businesses from inside their shikaras, going from houseboat to houseboat, selling stuff like jewelry, pashmina, snacks and even ice cream. If you'd like to buy something, flag one down, and the seller will come up to your houseboat to have a cup of tea with your host (because everybody is friends with everybody here) while you make your purchase. Or if you're on a shikara, your driver will help hold the other shikara close so that it doesn't drift away as the seller shows you their wares or prepares your food.
Actually, you don't have to worry about flagging them down. If they see a tourist on board, they will come flocking to you anyway. I think some houseboat owners even tip them off each time there's a new guest checking in.
My partner and I went on a sunset cruise around Dal Lake during our stay in Srinagar. It was late summer and the weather was perfect. We had grilled chicken with naan bread on the shikara. Our driver rowed slowly to let us soak in the view. It would have been a lovely, peaceful ride had it not been for our chatterbox tour guide who wouldn't stop making passes at me and blowing cigarette smoke at our faces.
When it was time to wash our hands, we simply dipped them in the lake.
Actually, you don't have to worry about flagging them down. If they see a tourist on board, they will come flocking to you anyway. I think some houseboat owners even tip them off each time there's a new guest checking in.
My partner and I went on a sunset cruise around Dal Lake during our stay in Srinagar. It was late summer and the weather was perfect. We had grilled chicken with naan bread on the shikara. Our driver rowed slowly to let us soak in the view. It would have been a lovely, peaceful ride had it not been for our chatterbox tour guide who wouldn't stop making passes at me and blowing cigarette smoke at our faces.
When it was time to wash our hands, we simply dipped them in the lake.
