Pari Mahal may be the most beautiful and unusual spot in Srinagar. It keeps countless secrets, starting with the goal of building such a luxurious complex and ending with the name of this castle, palace or monastery, whatever it was designed to be.

The one thing that is known for sure is that the Palace of Fairies was built in the middle of the 17th century by order of Dara Shikoh – a Mughal prince, heir to the throne of the then reigning emperor. But was it pure entertainment that made Dara build such a chic residence with seven terraces on top of a mountain ridge where a Buddhist monastery was located earlier?

Several legends are trying to explain why this majestic palace was erected here. The first one says that Dara Shikoh was, unlike the rest of his royal family, a highly intelligent and learned man. And while his father and brothers were building gardens for amusement and alleys for recreation, he ordered to create the first educational establishment in the city. And the ancient records prove that astrology and astronomy were indeed studied and taught in Pari Mahal, basic literacy was given to the children of the poor, and the locals were educated in every way.

But according to the second legend, this huge observatory was built to commemorate the teacher of Dara Shikoh, Mullah Shah Badakhshi, who preached Sufi Islam, which the Prince himself wanted to convert to. The legend says that one of the terraces hides the tomb of the great teacher. But, unfortunately, it hasn’t been found yet.

Also, there is a fairy tale connected with this place. It gave Pari Mahal its second name – the Palace of Fairies. One day, Dara’s sisters, the daughters of the emperor, came to visit their brother. The local evil magician fell in love with one of them. When the girl rejected him, he cast a spell and put all the princesses, guesting in the castle, to sleep. And only the forest fairies that lived on the mountain and protected the scientists could save those beautiful girls. That is why Pari Mahal got the nickname «the Palace of Fairies».