Hari Parbat

Hari Parbat, also known as Koh-i-Maran, is a historic hill overlooking Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is home to the Hari Parbat Fort, built by the Durrani Empire, along with significant religious sites including a Hindu temple, mosques, and a gurdwara.

The fort was originally conceptualized by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1590, who constructed an outer wall as part of his plans for a new capital. However, the fort was completed in 1808 under the reign of Atta Mohammed Khan, the Governor of Kashmir Province during the Durrani rule. Hari Parbat is considered sacred by Kashmiri Pandits, as it is believed to be the site where Goddess Parvati, in the form of a bird, dropped a pebble that grew large enough to crush the demon Jalodbhava.

The Sharika Temple, dedicated to Goddess Parvati, is located on the western slope of the hill. The hill also features the shrine of Hamza Makhdoom, a revered 16th-century Kashmiri Sufi saint, along with a mosque built by Mughal princess Jahanara Begum. Moreover, the Gurdwara Chatti Patshahi at Kathi Darwaza is believed to be the place where Guru Har Gobind, the sixth Sikh guru, stayed during his travels through Kashmir.