Where To Stay :Srinagar

Where To Stay :Srinagar

At the time of writing many hotels are being requisitioned by the army; others have closed down because of local violence or lack of trade. Tourism however is Kashmir’s main industry and, as soon as it can, the industry will undoubtedly reinstate itself. Hotels you can get anywhere in India. Houseboats you find only in …

At the time of writing many hotels are being requisitioned by the army; others have closed down because of local violence or lack of trade. Tourism however is Kashmir’s main industry and, as soon as it can, the industry will undoubtedly reinstate itself.

Hotels you can get anywhere in India. Houseboats you find only in Kashmir. They come in all shapes, sizes and categories, and are wonderfully relaxing. Most of them have the word ‘deluxe’ somewhere in their title, and aren’t deluxe at all. The better ones are located in quiet backwaters offering fine views of the lake, and are run not by ‘managers’ but by local families. There are lots of relaxing boats like this up at Nehru Park, and on Nagin Lake. Boats in Dalgate/Boulevard area, tend to be very noisy.

Don’t take the first boat you’re shown. First, check who else is on board. Out of season, it’s easy to have a whole boat to yourself; in season, you may have to share

The best boats are about 30m long, so you don’t lead a cramped life. They have a verandah/sun-lounge to sit out on, a spacious sitting-room with exotic wall-to-wall carpeting, a dining room with plush cushions and magazines, and three doublebedrooms, each with dressing-room and bathroom. Servants pad noiselessly about (except when trying to sell you something) and the furniture is handcrafted in the style of 80 years ago. For entertainment, there may be a colour TV and a stereo.

Before you agree the rate, make quite sure that it includes a) free shikara rides from boat to shore; b) all meals (usually breakfast and supper, with a packed lunch thrown in for daytime sightseeing); c) hot water for showers whenever required; d) free Kashmir tea (though this tends to arrive all day long anyway); e) laundry service (worth a try). The golden rule with houseboats is never to pay by the day. This gives you the upper hand if rascally houseboat owners slack off after initially impeccable service.

A big plus (or minus) of houseboats is the food. There is generally a grinning khansamah (cook-boy) in attendance, who will attempt practically anything you ask him. Steak and chips, apple pie, and banana cake are popular Western requests. But far better to go for authentic Kashmiri food and drinks. Endless cups of sweet green-black Kashmiri tea (spiced with cinnamon, lemon and cardamom) and toasty breakfasts of fresh Kashmiri bread and boiled eggs arrive without asking. But try to persuade the cook to prepare you a traditional Kashmiri ‘wedding-feast’ meal. T his might cost you extra, but is well worth it, especially if eating in a group.

There is an official charge list issued by the tourist office, setting out the allegedly ‘fixed’ prices for the five main categories of houseboat. In practice, nobody pays any notice to these rates. To start with, there’s no way of knowing what category any particular boat belongs to: if they have a listed rating, they don’t seem able to prove it. Thus a ‘five-star’ advertised houseboat may have facilities just as bad as a D class ‘donga’ boat. Alternatively, a well-run C class boat may be far better equipped .ands more comfortable than a poor A class boat. Another reason why the official rates arc ignored is that houseboat owners are so keen for business. There are 1300 houseboats on the rivers, and, even before the onset of political unrest, not enough tourists to go round. This means that you can bargain yourself a very nice discount, particularly in the off-season. Be prepared to haggle quite firmly with the houseboat owner. Afterwards you can be the best of friends.

Since 1991 many of the hotels have either closed their shutters or been requ isi tioned by the security forces. On dry land, the five-star Oberoi Palace Hotel (teal 75651, 71241, tlx 0375-201 LXSR IN) is an ex-Maharajah’s palace with 20 acres of landscaped gardens and unrivalled views over Dal Lake. Situated 7 km (4 1/2 miles) from the city centre, it has charming olde-worlde rooms (with antique furnishings and light, bright decor). Ask for a lake-view room on the 1st floor. The one hotel that In anywhere like fully operational during the troubles is the Centaur Lake View, cheshma Shahi, 9Tel 77601, 73135, tlx 0375-205). Situated on the eastern shore of Dal lake the hotel continues to provide regular service. Hotel Broadway, Maulana Azad rd (tel 75621-3, tlx 0375-212), overlooks the golf course and is very convenient for shopping centres and the tourist office. Centrally air-conditioned , with good pool and marvellous restaurant. Rooms are good value at Rs650-900. Hotel Shangri-La (tel 72422) has a quiet, out-of-the-way location at Sonwar Bagh, 2 km (11/4 miles) from Dalgate.

EATING OUT If you tire of houseboat cooking, and wish to try the authentic, Persian-influenced, and spicy Kashmiri cuisine, go in search of Wazwan, the Grand Feast. In its original form, it comprised a basic pilaf (rice platter) with which were served up to 17 meat courses. Many of these were lamb dishes like the guzhtaba (meatballs cooked in yo gurt, curd sauce and spices), tabaq-rnazh (grilled spare ribs cooked in cashew-nut, Opyseed and onions), birianis and kebabs.

In better times, you should find these dishes either at the Oberoj Hotel or the Broadway Hotel; also a small selection of favourite local dishes—mutton roganjosh, rishta lamb dumplings, and guzlitaba meatballs. The Shahenshah Hotel’s Kohinoor restaurant is also worth a try. The most authentic local-style restaurant is still Mughal Darbar on Residency Rd (near the post office) with a wide range of Wazwan dishes, Including rislita, guzlitaba , roganjosli (mutton cooked with ginger and yogurt), and nurchwangampranza (mild korma curry), plus a variety of tasty sweets. Lots of cheaper restaurants do Kashmiri mutton or the traditional kanti (mutton or chicken cooked in spices and onions), but take care. Even in the best of times, many places heated old food when business was slow, and stomach bugs were a common result.

GENERAL INFORMATION J & K Government Tourist Reception Centre, Shervani Rd, Dalgate (tel 77303, 77305, 734568) is the largest tourist complex in India. Everything you need—post office, Indian A rlines (tel 73270, open 10 am to 5 pm, airport tel 31521-29), bookshop, restaurant, In houseboat/hotel reservations, fishing/wildlife/sports information—is located here. open 24 hours a day (in season, in peace time) for information and assistance, but only Skeleton service operates outside the normal 10 am-5 pm working hours. The post office, on the Bund, is open 10 am to 5 pm daily; poste restante open 10 am to Om Monday to Friday, 10 am to 1 pm Saturday, closed all day Sunday. The Foreigners’ Registrations Dept, Sheryani Rd (just behind post office) is open 10 am to 4 pm.