Across the ages, there have been number of boat festivals that are celebrated all around the world. The famous ones include the Onam festival in India, Dragon Boat festivals in China, Australia, US, Thailand etc. One such festival which is gaining its reach amongst the tourist population is the Shikara Festival of Kashmir. The government had introduced this festival in 2016 to promote tourism in the region. Since then, it has seen an abundant increase in the number of people visiting the region for witnessing the festival. Shikara is a type of wooden boat which can house a maximum of five to eight people with the skipper paddling from the rear. These can also be of various sizes accustomed to various purposes like transportation, shops, lodging and catering. Over the period of time, it has become a popular cultural identity of Kashmir region. Typically, these boats have two boat men in ‘Pheran’ with ‘Kangri’ which is a portable heater especially during the onset of winter and spring seasons.

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During the famous Shikara festival which is predominantly celebrated in Dal Lake, Srinagar, locals portray their rich culture, values and ethos. In this iconic festival, Shikaras loaded with beautiful artists float over the jewel of Kashmir showcasing their art and craft, “traditional rouf dance” and musical fests. It captivates the eyes of audience, instilling a sense of artistic bliss. As part of the festival, races are also organized which include Shikara race and Dragon boat race. The local Shikara Union actively participates in these races every year with full zeal and enthusiasm which is a delight to the eyes of tourists. There are also scores of floating shikara shops which offer all sorts of things to be bought by the visitors like ice creams, locally spiced chicken, mutton and fish, saffron and also souvenirs. The warmth of the people makes every tourist feel home away from home. The kind of taste, aroma and design is one of its kinds and cannot be judged with any other in the world. The atmosphere is so homely that after spending a whole day, people end up hitching themselves to a house boat. The feel of a whole night sky gazing with galaxies on top will give one an out of the world experience.

Few things in life are apprehended only if we extend our sense of touch to it. One such is this mind boggling experience of Kashmir visit during the Shikara festive season. The Department of Tourism of Jammu and Kashmir has been taking a positive step towards promoting this festival every year since its inception. This must be in the bucket list of vivid travelers who wish to perceive and witness an authentic picturesque of Kashmiri culture.

“Shikara rides and Mountain vibes…”