Srinagar’s floating vegetable market is one of its kind
attracting millions of tourists every year. We had heard and read so much about
it that we decided to sacrifice our sleep, and got ready at 4 am to be escorted
by a shikara to the market in the middle of the Dal lake.
Dawn at Dal lake en-route to the floating vegetable market
The shikara ride was indeed captivating with the little
alleys and canals lined with trees inside the lake. Our shikara wala showed us
several floating gardens laden with vegetables (such as bottle gourd,
ladyfinger, cucumber). The early morning’s cool breeze, the tranquil waters,
and melodious distant prayers (we visited during the Ramzan season) had a
soothing effect.
Alleys in the middle of the Dal lake
The silence was suddenly broken by loud haggling of the
tradesman. Yep, we had reached the market place. It took about an hour of
steady rowing to reach there.
Shikara laden with cabbage
It was quite an interesting site to see shikaras jostling with each-other, and making the way by pushing
and nudging the boats. It is a wholesale market, where farmers bring their vegetable-laden
shikaras to exchange their produce every morning.
Taking mental snapshot of the picturesque lake before leaving
