H B Paristan

You can find us out on Dal Lake, specifically near Nehru Park at Lotus Lake. Living and working on the water is very different from being on land. H B Paristan is our place here. It is an old structure with lots of wood that needs constant painting and fixing because the water is tough on everything. We spend a lot of our time just maintaining the boat so it stays afloat and looks okay for visitors. It isn't always easy, especially when the winters are cold and the lake freezes up a bit. We get a lot of people coming by on shikaras just to look around. We show them the rooms and how things work on a houseboat. It’s quiet out here compared to the city streets, which is what most folks like. We have lived on the lake for a very long time, so we know the rhythms of the water well. Sometimes the electricity is a bit patchy, but that is common in Srinagar. We just make do with what we have. Most days are spent cleaning, talking to the neighbors on nearby boats, and making sure everything is ready for whoever might show up. It's a slow pace of life. We don't have a big staff, just family mostly helping out with the daily chores. If you are looking for us, just ask any shikara wala near Nehru Park, they usually know where we are parked.