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The Kashmir Timeline

Pari Mahal

Dara Shikoh's terraced retreat, the palace of fairies.

Pari Mahal photograph

Photo: Basharat Alam Shah from Chicago, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Prince Dara Shikoh built Pari Mahal for his teacher, the Sufi Mulla Shah Badakhshi. Its arched terraces step down the hillside above the lake and look out over the whole city, and it is often said to have been used for studying the stars.

Facts

  • Its name means palace of fairies.
  • The arcades are lit at night and can be seen from across Dal Lake.