LALLA ROOKH'S GARDEN 157 



springs, at the base of some limestone hills in 

 the neighbourhood and, after feeding the tanks 

 and canals of the garden, runs off with the 

 Dhamrai river that skirts the plain on the north 

 and east." The present owner takes a great 

 interest in this old Imperial pleasure-ground, 

 and has recently built up the ruined walls and 

 done much to restore the gardens. 



Entering the Kashmir valley through the 

 ravine of Baramulla, the rest of the journey to 

 the capital at Srinagar was undertaken by water. 

 Crossing the stormy Wular Lake, the largest 

 lake in India, Sumbal on the Jhelum River 

 proved a favourite halting - place. At a short 

 distance below the village a canal leads off to 

 the little Manasbal Lake. The road to Gilgit 

 runs along its western shore, and round the 

 steep north-eastern banks are remains of various 

 Mughal gardens. The largest of these, the 

 Darogha Bagh, the royal palace built for the 

 Empress Nur-Jahan, now fancifully called Lalla 

 Rookh's Garden, juts out into the lake with its 

 burden of terraced walls and slender poplar trees, 

 like some great high-decked galleon floating on 

 the calm clear water. 



The banks of the Manasbal are deserted now, 



