Chaar Chinari

Char Chinari is an island in Dal Lake, Kashmir.

It has majestic Chinar trees at the four corners, thus known as Char-Chinari (four Chinars). Murad Baksh, the brother of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, is believed to have constructed the island.

The Chinar is a large, deciduous tree, known for its longevity and spreading crown. In fall, its leaves change to blood red, amber, and yellow color, providing spectacular views of the Chaar Chinari. The native Kashmiri word for the tree is boonyi.

Char chinari with a houseboat nearby

The Chinar tree is also commonly found in Greece, most small villages there have one or more very old Chinar trees in their central square. It is believed that Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine", taught at Kos island under a Chinar tree.

The Chinar trees are very long living. A 627-year-old Chinar tree has been found at Badgam, Kashmir, reportedly planted in 1374 AD by an Islamic mystic Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani.

Char chinari in winter with snow clad mountains in background

In 2019, the local government rolled out an initiative to plant two new Chinar trees on the island, as these had decayed over time