Historic Achabal spring rejuvenates, restored to its original glory after rains

Following fresh snow and rainfall in the Kashmir Valley, the historic natural spring at Achabal Mughal Garden in south Kashmir—which had dried up for the first time due to prolonged dry weather—has begun to rejuvenate.

For the past several days, people in the Valley have been expressing concern over the drying up of multiple water bodies. A video recently went viral on social media, showing a woman mourning the depletion of the historic Achabal spring, built by Noor Jahan, wife of Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

According to weather officials, Kashmir had experienced an 80% precipitation deficit this winter. Last week, forest fires were also reported in several areas. The fifth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games, originally scheduled for February 22-25 in Gulmarg, was postponed due to insufficient snowfall.

However, following overnight rainfall and snowfall in several regions, the Achabal spring has begun to regain its original state. “We are very happy that it has come back to life. Our prayers have been answered,” said Rashid Ahmad, a local from the Achabal area.

Villagers expressed excitement as the water flow returned. “The spring used to provide water to several villages. People are relieved and happy that the water is finally back,” said another resident.

On Friday, many locals visited the garden to witness the revival of the spring. “It had completely dried up. While the water has returned, it hasn’t been fully restored yet,” said a visitor. “We are praying for more rainfall and snowfall so that the spring is fully replenished,” he added.

According to the Meteorological Department, the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded 13 cm of snowfall on Friday, while the ski resort of Gulmarg received 7 cm in the past 24 hours. Srinagar, on the other hand, experienced light to moderate torrential rains.