Srinagar /sriˈnɑːɡər/ (Urdu: سری نگر; About this sound listen (help·info)) is the summer capital of the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in the Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus.[3] The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats. Etymologically Srinagar is composed of two Sanskrit words, śrī (Lakshmi) and nagar, which mean
s "city". One theory of the origin of the name is that a Pandava King Ashok (not to be confused with the Mauryan Emperor Ashok) built the city of Srinagari (Srinagar).[4] Another theory is that Mauryan Emperor Ashoka founded the original city of Srinagar, then situated on the site of the present village of Pandrethan, 5 km to the north of the existing capital. The city is located on both the sides of the Jhelum River which is called Vyath in Kashmir. The river passes through the city and meanders through the valley, moving onward and deepening in the dal Lake. The city is famous for its nine old bridges, connecting the two parts of the city. Thousands of migratory birds come to Hokersar from Siberia and other regions in the winter season. Migratory birds from Siberia and Central Asia use wetlands in Kashmir as their transitory camps between September and October and again around spring. These wetlands play a vital role in sustaining a large population of wintering, staging and breeding birds. Hokersar is 14 km (8.7 mi) north of Srinagar, and is a world class wetland spread over 13.75 km2 (5.31 sq mi) including lake and marshy area. It is the most accessible and well-known of Kashmir's wetlands which include Hygam, Shalibug and Mirgund. A record number of migratory birds have visited Hokersar in recent years.[citation needed]season.
