Saturday, April 4, 2009 History of Shalimar Bagh A canal, about
a mile in length and twelve yards broad, runs through the marshy
swamps, the willow groves, and the rice-fields that fringe the
lower end of the lake, connecting the garden with the deep open
water. On each side there are broad green paths overshadowed by
large chenars ; and at the entrance to the canal blocks of
masonry indicate the site of an old gateway. There are fragments
also of the stone embankment which formerly lined the
watercourse. The Shalimar was a royal garden, and as it is
fortunately kept up by His Highness the Maharaja of Kashmir, it
still shows the charming old plan of a Mughal Imperial summer
residence. The present enclosure is five hundred and ninety
yards long by about two hundred and sixty-seven yards broad,
divided, as was usual in royal pleasure-grounds, into three
separate parts : the outer garden, the central or Emperor's
garden, and last and most beautiful of the three, the garden for
the special use of the Empress and