A few days ago we went to Lister Park in Bradford. We had hoped to see the display of crocuses in the park grounds. However it was a cloudy day and a few days too early and so the crocuses were not open. Lister Park is one of Bradford's largest parks situated in the Manningham area of the city. The park was donated to the City of Bradford in 1870 by Samuel Lister who built Lister's Mill. In 2006 it was given the prestigious award of Britain's Best Park. We enjoyed a stroll around the park. In the middle of the park is Cartwright Hall which houses Bradford's art collection. As we approached the art gallery we walked through the Mughal Gardens.
The park recently had a £4 million restoration which included the construction of the Mughal Gardens. The water gardens were designed to reflect the rich Asian heritage of Bradford. This spectacular water garden has raised the profile of the park and formed part of Bradford's recent 'Capital of Culture' bid. Mughal architecture is a synthesis between Islamic and Hindu styles found on the Indian sub-continent. Mughal gardens are seen as paradise gardens that create the total immersion of the senses. It is a large rectangular enclosed space with a central geometric arrangement of cascading water, canals and fountains. We found it a calm and tranquil space that perfectly complemented the nearby Cartwright Hall. I love the sound of water from the fountains.
We had a look round the latest exhibition in Cartwright Hall entitled '100 Leading Ladies'. It was comprised of one hundred portraits of influential senior women in Britain. Over the course of two years, award winning photographer Nancy Honey photographed respected women over 55, from academics to entrepreneurs, fashion designers to composers. Each woman selected a place of inspiration for their portrait setting. I found the portraits captivating and really interesting. I do recommend a visit to the exhibition which is on until Sunday 10th April.
Why have I called this blog 'Two Mughal Gardens'?
As Lynne and I walked around the Lister Park Mughal Garden we recalled our visit to a beautiful Mughal Garden in Kashmir. You can see a photo of the Kashmir garden on the above right of this blog. We had crossed Dal Lake in a shikara (water taxi) arriving at the Nishat Bagh gardens which are sandwiched between the lake and the mountains.
* Below is a photo of Lynne in a 'shikara' water taxi on Dal Lake arriving at the Nishat Bagh Mughal Gardens.
We left our shikara by the lakeside and walked up through the Nishat Bagh gardens. Although it is based on the basic style of a Persian garden it was remodelled to fit the topographical location and water source of this area of the Kashmir valley. This resulted in a rectangular layout with an axial central stream and water course. We loved the sound of running water and the splashing of the fountains. As you can see from the photo above it is very popular with locals in the summer months.
We enjoyed a few weeks in Kashmir in July 1985. We did a trek through the local mountains to the spectacular Kolahoi Glacier and lakes. You can see photos of this trek in 'Photographs' under the 'Kashmir Trek' gallery. We also did the two day road journey over the Himalayas to Ladakh. Once again there is a Ladakh photo gallery in 'Photographs' and a poem 'Lamayuru Light' in 'Poetry'.
Today I have uploaded a new photo gallery, based on our time in Srinagar and the Kashmir Valley, into 'Photographs' on 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'.
I hope you have enjoyed reading 'Two Mughal Gardens!'?
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Happy Easter!!!!!
David