[3] Although the exact origin of the word remains unknown, the most correct etymology could be Persian-Arabic mixed expression shah al-‘imarat (Master of Buildings).

[2][5] During the Mughal period, in particular, Emperor Jahangir and his wife Nur Jahan were so enamoured of Kashmir that during summer they moved to Srinagar with their full-court entourage from Delhi at least 13 times.

They crossed the arduous snowy passes of the Pir Panjal mountain range on elephants to reach Srinagar.

The garden was built on flat land on a square plan with four radiating arms from a central location as the water source.

It needed to be modified to suit the hilly terrain and availability of a well, which could be diverted from a higher elevation to the planned gardens.

[2] The garden was linked to the open Dal Lake water through a canal of about 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) length and 11 metres (36 ft) in width that ran through swampy quagmire.

The garden was laid in trellised walkways lined by avenues of aspen trees planted at 0.61 metres (2 ft 0 in) interval.

In the third terrace, the axial water channel flows through the Zenana garden, which is flanked by the Diwan-e-Khas and chinar trees.

At the entrance to this terrace, there are two small pavilions or guard rooms (built in Kashmir style on stone plinth) that is the restricted and controlled entry zone of the royal harem.

A double cascade falls against a low wall carved with small niches (chini khanas), behind the pavilion.

[9] It has been aptly described by a chronicler glowingly: [9] A subtle air of leisure and repose, a romantic indefinable spell, pervades the royal Shalimar: this leafy garden of dim vistas, shallow terraces, smooth sheets of falling water, and wide canals, with calm reflections broken only by the stepping stones across the streams.Even in later years, during Maharaja's rule, the gardens were well maintained and continue to be so even now as it is one of the prominent visitor attractions around the Dal Lake.

The garden is considered to be very beautiful during the autumn and spring seasons due to the colour change in leaves of the famed Chinar trees.

Translated to English, it means: If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.It is also mentioned that when Jahangir was asked on his death bed about his cherished desire he is credited to have said:[13] Kashmir, the rest is worthless.The poem "Kashmiri Song" by Laurence Hope (pseudonym of Violet Nicolson) opens with the line referring to Shalimar:[14][15] Pale hands I loved beside the Shalimar The song was set to music by Lawrence Hope herself and was very popular in Europe.