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The Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar is also called Dargah Sharif. It contains a relic, Moi-e-Muqqadas, believed to be the hair of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The relic is displayed for public view only on special Islamic occasions, such as the birthdays of Muhammad and his four main companions.
It is situated on the northern bank of the Dal Lake in Srinagar, with the lakeshore on its east, against the backdrop of the Zabarwan hill range, and is considered to be Kashmir's holiest Muslim shrine.
The Hazratbal Dargah is a white marble building with a clean, symmetrical layout. The most prominent feature is a large central dome. The dome is smooth, bulbous, and sits on a short cylindrical drum. The drum itself stands on a octagonal structure with two arched jali windows on each face of the octagon. The drum is topped by a finial. The surface of the dome is plain and polished, without visible ornamentation.
Attached to the main structure on the south-west is a single tall minaret. The minaret is slender and cylindrical, rising vertically higher than the dome but slightly lower than the finial atop the dome. It has a narrow balcony ring matching the top of the octagonal base on which the drum of the dome stands. It is topped with a small pointed cap.
The base is a rectangular (24m x 38m) double-storeyed structure with the long side facing the lake-front. The structure extends north and south from the central hall through a narrower (16m) hall which is 30m long, the overall effect being that of two overlapping rectangles of differing width. The front façade consists of a series of evenly spaced and uniformly sized arches forming entrances. Windows, where present, are also set within similar rounded arches and are aligned symmetrically with the doorways. The edges of the building are straight and sharply defined, with no protruding decorative elements.
The walls are flat and unadorned, maintaining the same white marble finish as the dome.
The roofline beneath the dome is flat except for the central raised section supporting the dome. The transition from the rectangular base to the dome is smooth and proportionate. There are four small chhatris at the four corners of the roof.
The overall composition is dominated by geometric clarity: a central dome, a single vertical minaret, and a low, wide rectangular base with repeated arch patterns.
The shrine is also used as a mosque with regular prayers.
Hazratbal Shrine is located about 8 kilmetres from the city centre. It has a beautiful garden on its Dal side, dotted with Chinar trees.
Hazratbal Shrine was initially established by Inayat Begum, the daughter of Khwaja Nur-ud-Din Eshai and the custodian of the holy relic.
The first building of the shrine was constructed in 17th century by Mughal subedar Sadiq Khan during the emperor Shah Jahan's reign. This was initially called Ishrat Jahan. The building was ordered to be converted into a prayer hall in 1634 by Shah Jahan.
Construction of the present day structure was started in 1968 and took 11 years to complete, finishing in 1979.