Books and food are the two joys of life that most of us can’t do without. And what if we say, you can have the pleasure of both while overlooking a grandiose lake ringed by stunning mountains? Sounds mesmerizing, isn’t so? Gulshan Books is a cosy book cafe tucked away in the middle of Srinagar’s serene Dal Lake that has more than 80,000 books across diverse genres which took it to the Limca Book Of Records 2018.
What Is It?
This bookstore-cum-cafe is the first-of-its-kind in Srinagar, that can be reached only by taking a Shikara. The cafe has a separate reading room where you can run your fingers through the book of your choice while sipping piping hot coffee. With wooden bookshelves, quaint Kashmiri furnishings and marvellous floorings, the decor of this porch-style cafe will leave you utterly spellbound. The book store out here is a square room teeming with timeless classics, coffee-table books and various titles on Sufism, Islam, Urdu Verses and Kashmir. It has some ravishing curios and photographs that speak of Kashmir’s rich artistic culture.
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What’s More?
Coming to the menu, the cafe spells out some soul-quenching coffee varieties, delish snacks and exotic shakes. If you have got a sweet tooth, you should definitely try the Chocochip Cookies out here. What’s more, the place also offers free Wi-fi services.
Gulshan Books is one of the leading publishing houses in Kashmir owned by Sheikh Ajaz Ahmad, that has five bookstores in the state, and this one on the Nehru Park island of Dal lake is the most popular among them. Worth mentioning, it is one of the best cafes in India for a memorable romantic date.
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So, the next time you plan a trip to Kashmir, don’t forget to check out this standout book cafe in the heart of Srinagar.