by Farhana Imtiyaz
SRINAGAR: “This place was once a garden, then a prison. Now, it stands quietly, holding stories of its past,” said Ghulam Rasool Bhat, a longtime resident who has witnessed the site’s many transformations.
In the serene Habak area of Srinagar, adjacent to the picturesque Foreshore Road along Dal Lake, lies a 700-year-old site with a storied past. Built by the Mughals, who ruled over vast swathes of the Indian subcontinent, the garden was initially a place of beauty and repose. However, its fate took a grim turn when the Mughals themselves repurposed it into a prison, earning it the name Qaide Sangeen. The tranquil retreat became a place of confinement, where the sounds of flowing water were replaced by the anguished cries of the incarcerated.
The Dogras, who assumed control of Kashmir following the decline of Mughal rule, continued using the site as a prison. They expanded its function, housing both petty criminals and hardened offenders in its many chambers. Under their reign, the prison became synonymous with discipline and punishment, its formidable walls bearing silent witness to the region’s turbulent history.
After the Dogra era, the site’s purpose shifted once more. The cavernous spaces that had once confined prisoners became places of spiritual retreat. Locals began using the caves for chilla—a religious practice involving solitude and devotion. What was once a locus of suffering transformed into a sanctuary for contemplation, marking a profound shift in the site’s legacy.
A natural spring near the site further adds to its mystique. Bhat recalls a time when the spring was home to fish that the local community would feed with rice and other offerings. “It was a beautiful tradition that brought people together,” he reminisces. Though the fish have since vanished, the spring remains, its waters a quiet testament to the resilience of nature amid human history.
Not far from the site stands the shrine of Syed Abdullah Qadir Rahmatullah, lending a further spiritual dimension to the area. According to Bhat, Syed Abdul Qadir was among the saints who accompanied the revered Persian scholar and Sufi saint Mir Syed Hamdani to Kashmir seven centuries ago. The shrine, believed to possess divine grace, attracts pilgrims seeking solace and intervention in their struggles.
“The shrine has been a source of hope for many,” Bhat said. He recounts his own experience: “There was a time when I faced great hardship—financial loss, illness in my family. I approached the shrine with a pure heart, and, over time, my troubles eased.” Such narratives have solidified the shrine’s reputation, drawing visitors from across the region who believe in its ability to bestow blessings and alleviate misfortunes.
Today, the site remains a quiet testament to Kashmir’s layered past. From its origins as a Mughal garden to its transformation into a prison under the Dogras, and later its evolution into a place of spiritual reflection, it embodies the region’s history in all its complexity. The forgotten Bagh, once a symbol of beauty and later of suffering, now stands as an emblem of resilience—a place where faith, history, and nature intertwine.
This historic site continues to inspire, offering visitors a rare intersection of memory and meaning. It invites all who step onto its grounds to pause, reflect, and connect with the echoes of a past that refuses to be forgotten.
