The legend of Kashmir says that at one point there was a beautiful lake here, beloved of the gods. The gods played happily by this lake till a demon began to haunt the land. The villagers sought the help of a holy man who drained the waters of the lake and thus created the valley of Kashmir. Is it myth, or is it fact? Marine fossils and corals excavated in Kashmir reveal that a large lake did once exist here! Water, in many forms, is one of Kashmir's charms. Lakes, rivers, springs make music all over the valley. And majestic sweeps of forested mountains are tempered with miles of flowering meadows. In this breathtaking land, fruits grow in abundance: apple, cherry, peach, pear, plum, loquat, almond, walnut and pine nut. And you know why the gods must have loved it here!

When the British discovered the cool of the vale, they made Kashmir their summer resort. They were not allowed to buy land and that is how the houseboat made its appearance.

Jehangir described Kashmir as a paradise on earth. The beauty of the land is breathtaking.