The
Nishat Garden, also, is situated on the bank of Dal Lake. The word
means 'Pleasure'. The Nishat Garden is at the foot of a mountain and
commands a beautiful view of Dal Lake. Nishat is about two miles from the
Shalimar Garden. It is about eight miles from Amira Kadal. This garden was
laid out by Asaf Shah. He was Nurjahan's brother and the Prime Minister of
Shahjahan.
The
Nishat Garden has ten terraces. These terraces look like ten huge
flowerbeds. Nishat is smaller in area than Shalimar. It is at the most six
hundred yards long and two hundred and seventy yards wide.
In Nishat there are
flowerbeds of various kinds. In these flowerbeds, there are stone slabs
on which people walk. People go there to enjoy the view and to relax under
the chinar trees. The garden has many fruit trees, too.
A
stream runs through the Nishat Garden. In this stream there are rows of
beautiful fountains. These fountains are illuminated by glittering lights.
There
is a two-storied balcony in the garden. This balcony is sixty feet long
and fifty feet wide. It commands a view of Dal Lake and the mountain
range. Even in the summer one can see the snow on the tops of these
mountains.
The
top most terrace is filled with chinar trees. There is a hut there
in which people sit to enjoy the view.
Shahjahan
was amazed to find that the Nishat Garden surpassed Shalimar Garden in
beauty. The Nishat Garden is indeed a garden of pleasure.
Chapter
33
