The world's only floating post office

floating post office

 The world's only floating post office

         The breathtakingly picturesque Kashmir is situated in the high and lush green Himalayas and is famous all over the world for its incredible natural beauty. Surrounded by mountain peaks, lush green valleys, sparkling lakes, temples and magnificent Mughal era gardens for centuries. Here many dak houseboats and bright and colorful shikaras are used for tourists and local people to roam and travel. But what is most unusual here is a "floating post office".

         This unusual post office is said to have been in existence since the British rule. This floating post office originated during the British era, This post office is almost 200 years old and is still delivering letters and couriers to the people living on the lake.

         

       The world's only floating post office, built on an intricately carved maroon houseboat, now rests on the western shore of Dal Lake. It remains open 24 hours. Services like internet facility and international calling are also available in a post office. The stamp used on everything posted from the floating post office is unique. Along with the date and address, it has a picture of Nabhikari driving a shikara on Dal Lake.

             Before the year 2011 it was called "Nehru Park Post Office". But that year the then Chief Post Master John Samuel took the initiative to remodel it and renamed it the "Floating Post Office". in August 2011, the Floating Post Office Museum was formally launched by the then Chief Minister and Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology.

       The post office houseboat has two small rooms, one of which serves as an office and the other a small museum. The museum has a large collection of unique stamps and a souvenir shop where postcards, stamps and greeting cards can be purchased. Local citizens also avail the benefits of savings schemes of this post office