Sringar's Dal Lake is famous the world
over for its scenic location, for its shikaras (boats) that float on it
and for the promotion of aqua sports like water skiing. The Dal Lake is
also famous for its 'floating vegetable market', the only one of its
kind in India and only the second in the world, the other being the
rowing shops along the backwaters of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
Floating vegetable vendors are a prime
tourist attraction in the Kashmir Valley, and this is reflected in the
sales and annual turnover, estimated to be in the range of Rs. 35
crores. There are no permanent shops on the lake. The floating market
first attracted international attention in 1960, when a Japanese
photographer featured it in a tourist guide that was published out of
Japan.
Around 10,000 kanals (around 1,250
acres) of land along the Dal Lake is being used for the cultivation of
vegetables, "This is a very old market where the sale and the purchase
of vegetables take place between 5 am. and to 7 am. everyday. Most of
the vegetables are grown on the lakeside and retrieved from the lake
before being sold in just 2 hours. Any vegetables left over are taken to
street markets. This market is famous. Many tourists come here just to
take photographs of it. Dal Lake is home to vast stretches of lotus
plant. Lotus flowers not only balance the wetland ecosystem, but also
lend a special kind of beauty to the lake.
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