Originally christened Farah Baksh (The Delightful), Shalimar Garden was built by Mughal Emperor Jehangir (1605-1627) in 1616 to celebrate his love for his wife Nur Jahan. A second garden Faiz Baksh, (The Bountiful) was added eleven years later during Emperor Shah Jahan's (1628-1658) reign by Zaffer Khan, the governor of Kashmir at the time. Today, the garden is located about fifteen kilometers away from the center of Srinagar, the capital city of the Indian administered side of the Kashmir Valley. It covers an area of about 12.4 hectares.

The Kashmir Valley was a popular summer destination for Mughal rulers. Numerous gardens and pleasure palaces were built on its hills at the peak of the Mughal period. The Shalimar garden in particular demonstrates creative and successful handling of site contours, including the channeling of a stream that flowed down into the northeast corner of the Dal Lake from the hills above. Oriented northeast to southwest, the garden was originally accessed only by water and entered from the lowest terrace of the three square terraces. It is now reached by a road that runs around the lake. The Shah Nahar, or the central canal, forms the central axis of the garden with its regularly placed fountains and Sycamore tree-lined vistas, and unites the three-terraces. At regular intervals, the canal flows through a basin or a larger pool at each terrace to highlight the central pavilion. Its water originates from a spring located at the base of Mount Bahmak.

A hierarchy of spaces define the function of each one of the three terraces. The first charbagh at the lowest terrace, was meant as a garden for the public. Its central axis is crowned by the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) where the emperor held his daily court when in Kashmir. A black marble throne surrounded by water cascades forms the central feature of this structure. Only noblemen of the court, special guests of the emperor or the elite could proceed to the next terrace, which was conceived as the emperor's private garden. Its centerpiece also built across a waterfall, was the Diwan-i -Khas (Hall of Private Audience), which remains only in foundation.