If you think post offices are all about brick-and-mortar buildings, now visit Srinagar and take a look at a small post office, located on a houseboat that is moored on the banks of Dal Lake. It is said that this is a unique post office of its kind in the world. This ‘floating’ post office is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city and travelers are often seen coming here in search of stamps.

history of floating post office

This post office is said to have been in operation for 200 years, making it unlike any other post office. There are some reports that say the post office was formally established in 1953, and was renovated in August 2011, when it was formally named the Floating Post Office. Although it offers all the services of a traditional center, it is also a popular spot for travelers, who come here for Instagram-worthy pictures and custom stamps, and also to relive the old experience of letter writing.

If you’re wondering who this post office serves, you’re not alone. The postman posted on this houseboat uses Shikara to deliver letters to the local people who live near or on the shore of the lake in their houseboats, as well as a CRPF camp nearby, from where most of the letters are received.

Also read: Here’s how you can book a shikara ride on Dal Lake with Uber

The floating post office consists of two small rooms, each with its own unique purpose. One serves as an operational office, while the other is a museum showcasing the philatelic history of the postal services of Jammu and Kashmir. The museum also displays various culturally and historically significant objects, including Kashmiri carpets, pherans and other globally acclaimed artefacts of the Kashmir Valley. We also recommend that you get some postcards, stamps and cards from here, or even better, post a letter to your loved ones while you are here!

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