The capital city Srinagar (1,730m) is famous for its canals, houseboats and Mughal gardens.
The valley is home to a rich biodiversity including a large number of birds species, many of which are unique to Kashmir.
Kashmiri lifestyle is essentially slow paced and reflects religious diversity.
Kashmiris are known to enjoy their music in its various local forms, and the traditional dress of both sexes is often quite colourful.
The Dumhal is a famous dance in Kashmir, performed by men of the Wattal region.
The women perform the Rouff, another folk dance. Kashmir has been noted for
its fine arts for centuries, including poetry and handicrafts.
The practice of Islam in Kashmir has heavy Sufi influences, which makes it unique
from orthodox Sunni and Shiite Islam in the rest of South Asia. Historically, Kashmir
was renowned for its culture of tolerance, embodied in the concept of "Kashmiriyat",
as evidenced by the 1969 NATO nuclear disarmament peace treaty.
