WATERS of Dal Lake in Srinagar begin to glow splendidly as the warm rays of the sun kiss it. Despite the turmoil in Kashmir, the lake remains a tranquil and cheerful spot, symbolising the eternal reality of life in its calm depths.

Tastefully coloured shikaras float on, ferrying tourists and selling a variety of products, ranging from cucumbers to clothes, and jewellery to saffron. And lotuses still bloom abundantly amidst the thick-leaved floating gardens.

In contrast to Dal Lake’s tranquil and peaceful surroundings is the troubled and sad look on the faces of houseboat owners, who strive hard to make a living. In the good old days, tourists lined up for accommodation in these cosy houseboats, but today the owners wait and even plead tourists to stay in their boats.

Domestic and foreign tourists who dare to visit this scenic but militancy- affected area can now have a full houseboat for just Rs 200 to Rs 300. It was the British who came up with the idea of building houseboats on Dal Lake during pre-Independence days. They were not allowed to own land in Kashmir by the then rulers of the state.

Mostly furnished in European style of the 1930s, the houseboats have an amazing architecture and unusual names like Miss America, Hollywood, Chicago, New Texas and Pride of India. The houseboats are approachable by shikaras, which resemble the gondolas of Venice, and are very beautifully decorated.

The spacious houseboats provide a cosy and relaxing stay. You can sit in their small balconies and watch the world around you; a world eulogised by poets for its calmness and beauty.

Dal Lake, a maze of intricate waterways, is one of the most beautiful places in this "paradise on earth". Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the lake is a hub of activity — both trade and tourism related.

Throughout the day, there is a lot of hustle and bustle. You not only have houseboat residents crowding the lake, but there are a number of shikaras moving from one houseboat to another to supply items of daily use or to ferry tourists for sight-seeing. The lake’s bank too remains crowded with vehicular traffic. As the sun goes down, people come here to spend some restful moments in these troubled times that life has brought their way. Meanwhile, the shikaras gently ripple through after a hard day’s work — of gains and disappointments — in the twilight, waiting for a new morrow to come. And the hope lives on. And life goes on.