Char Chinar

Murad Baksh, brother of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, constructed the Roph Lank. == Chinar ==

Chinar trees characteristically grow in Western Himalayas. Their botanical name is Platanus orientalis. They have been an important part of Kashmiri tradition, in that, a Chinar tree is found in almost every village in Kashmir. These trees have survived for ages, because Chinar is basically a long-living tree. It spreads wide across a region of cool climate with sufficient water. The tree has several properties - leaves and bark are used as medicine, the wood, known as lace wood, has been used for delicate furniture and the twigs and roots are used for making dyes. == Decline and restoration ==

Chinar all over Jammu and Kashmir have been affected due to various reasons such as indiscriminate tree felling and floods. Three of the four trees have shown signs of drying up. Some locals blame construction on the island, whereas others blame recent floods and climate change. The floriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir is making efforts to restore the island and have also planted more Chinar trees on the island. == Gallery ==

File:Char Chinar.jpg File:Char Chinar at Dal Lake 1.jpg File:A view of Dal Lake with Chinar islands.jpg File:Char Chinar - panoramio.jpg File:Char Chinar at Dal Lake 2.jpg File:India - Srinagar - 019 - Char Chinar Island on Dal Lake.jpg ==References==