One of the more surreal things to consider is that I’ll have visited both Shalimar Baghs in Srinagar and Lahore. Both are highly regarded Mughal sites, both are masterworks of infrastructure and construction, both are symbols of national identity. They also both have a lot of water. But while Kashmir’s Shalimar Bagh was a luxurious representation of Emperor Jahangir and his wife Nur Jahan’s infatuation with Kashmir, Lahore’s is the project of Shah Jahan. While partially based on Jahangir’s gardens, Lahore’s Shalimar may be even grander and more elaborate. What’s more, Lahore’s Shalimar Bagh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, declared in 1981 at the same time as the structures of Lahore Fort.
