172 GARDENS OF THE DAL LAKE 



little pots. It is the small scale and multiplicity 

 of these gumalis, and flower-beds, which prevents 

 us seeing that they are only the degenerate forms 

 of two well-known Mughal motives — ^geometrical 

 floral designs and plants in vases. Beautiful 

 carved stone and moulded earthenware garden- 

 vases might yet be made by Indian masons and 

 potters if they were given scope and time. Filled 

 with flowers, their effect on the great masonry 

 platforms would be wonderfuHy fine. After all, 

 the mali has a sound tradition in his favour. 



The Nishat, like other gardens of its size, was 

 originally planted with avenues of cypress* and 

 fruit trees. On two of the terraces green depres- 

 sions mark the sites of former parterres. The 

 garden will be even more lovely when these old 

 details are taken into account ; when roses are 

 once more trained down the sides of the walls, 

 and soften the edges of the steps by the water, 

 repeating the motive of the cascades they enclose. 

 Taking a hint from the early Mughal minia- 

 tures, where the garden is " flower -scattered " 

 like some picture by Sandro BotticeUi or from 

 the alpine meadows on the crags, which rise 

 4000 feet above the Nishat Bagh, let us 

 scatter spring flowers under the fruit trees. 



