How a 1953 Boat Became the World’s Only Floating Post Office on Kashmir’s Dal Lake

At first light on Dal Lake, a shikara (traditional wooden boat) glides over still water carrying postcards tied with string, neatly wrapped parcels, and letters written the night before. The boat heads toward a modest houseboat anchored near Nehru Park, along Boulevard Road, between Ghat No 14 and Ghat No 15. It is not a hotel. It is the world’s only floating post office.

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For the people of Srinagar and the travellers who visit, this houseboat is both a working post office and a living symbol of Kashmiri culture, heritage, and resilience. Painted in the bright red and yellow of India Post, it moves gently with the rhythm of the lake, a reminder that tradition and connection can still float side by side in the modern world.

Among those who keep this rhythm alive is Bashir Ahmad Kuloo, who has spent years rowing across the lake to collect letters and parcels from tourists eager to send home a small piece of Kashmir. “The tourists love sending their letters or gifts from here. Even during the toughest times, this post office never lost its charm for them,” he tells The Better India. “Despite the internet and smartphones, people are thrilled to know their parcel starts its journey from a boat on Dal Lake. That experience is something digital communication cannot replace.”

For many visitors, posting a letter here becomes a quiet ritual — a small ceremony that blends nostalgia with the stillness of the water, turning an everyday act into a keepsake of Kashmir.

A post office like no other

India holds many records, but Srinagar’s floating post office stands out as one of its most endearing. Resting on Dal Lake in a traditional Kashmiri houseboat, it appears modest at first glance — a two-room structure that gently rocks with the ripples.

Step inside, and the space tells a story of time and tradition. A portrait of Kashmir’s beloved poet Mehjoor looks down from the wall, surrounded by computers, lockers, and the quiet hum of daily work. On an average day, the office handles between 10 and 20 parcels and letters, sent mostly by tourists, shikara riders, and local houseboat operators.

Abdul Hameed Tantray, one of the four staff members, has witnessed the fascination it sparks among visitors. “Every day, tourists line up to send postcards and parcels. Some are mailing pashmina shawls (fine handwoven woollen shawls made in Kashmir), saffron, or dry fruits, while others just want to send a small token from Kashmir. Each parcel carries a story,” he says, smiling.

For those who step inside, the floating post office feels like more than a workplace. It is a place where ordinary acts — writing, sending, waiting — take on an extraordinary sense of meaning.

A museum on water

Beyond its postal counter, the floating post office also houses a small philately museum that once displayed rare stamps and postcards tracing the postal history of Jammu and Kashmir. Much of its collection was lost in the devastating floods of 2014 and has not been fully restored. However, a few recreated displays help preserve its original charm, giving the houseboat’s interior the warmth of a traditional Kashmiri home.

Inside, craftsmanship comes alive through every detail. Carpets soften the wooden floors, while khatamband (intricate geometric wood ceiling design) adds richness overhead. The walls are lined with papier-mâché, brass samovars (traditional kettles used to brew tea), and embroidered fabrics that reflect the valley’s artistry. Even the office desk, carved from local walnut wood, feels like a tribute to generations of skilled artisans.

To many visitors, it feels less like a government facility and more like a floating gallery — where stamps, letters, and hand-carved woodwork come together to tell the story of Kashmir’s enduring bond between art and everyday life.

A legacy that runs deep

The story of this post office began in 1953, when a simple postal boat started serving the communities living on Dal Lake. Long before phones or the internet, it was a vital link between the houseboats and the city.

In 2011, it was officially renamed the Floating Post Office, an idea introduced by John Samuel, then Postmaster General of the Jammu and Kashmir Circle. After renovation, the houseboat reopened to the public, drawing interest from both locals and travellers.

Managed entirely by India Post’s Srinagar division, the post office continues to serve the lake community and visitors with the same quiet efficiency. “This is more than a post office,” says Tantray. “It is heritage — a bridge between the past and the present, and a reminder of how connected we have always been.”

Over the years, it has adapted to changing times while keeping its spirit intact. What began as a floating boat of letters has become a living monument to Kashmir’s resilience and the timeless rhythm of its lake life.

A lifeline for those who call the lake home

For families who live on and around Dal Lake, the floating post office has always been more than a landmark. For decades, it was their only connection to the outside world.

Houseboat owner Tariq Ahmad Patloo remembers those years clearly. “Before mobile phones, this was the only way to send letters and parcels. Even now, I take pride in rowing across the lake to drop off posts. It is part of our identity,” he says.

For Majid Farooq Reshi, 32, who grew up helping on his family’s houseboat, those memories carry a gentle nostalgia. “This post office has been here for as long as I know. Earlier, people would eagerly wait for letters. Reading a handwritten note was a beautiful experience. With emails and social media, that feeling has faded, but I miss it.”

On an average day, 10 to 15 people — including tourists, local houseboat owners, and shikara riders — visit the post office to send parcels, usually containing Kashmiri walnuts, papier-mâché items, or saffron.

For the community here, the floating post office is more than a service. It is a reminder of how words once travelled slowly yet carried warmth — a rhythm that the fast pace of modern communication often forgets.

A tourist stop that delivers more than mail

Today, the floating post office is among Dal Lake’s most photographed and visited sites. Visitors step in to take pictures, write postcards, and send them home stamped with images of shikaras and the surrounding mountains.

Many tourists who buy Kashmiri carpets, wicker baskets, papier-mâché crafts, or walnut wood souvenirs prefer to ship them directly from here. For them, it is not only convenient but also symbolic — a way to take home a piece of living heritage.

“Some people write long letters, others just send a single line saying they miss this place. Everyone wants to take something from Dal Lake that lasts longer than a photograph,” says Tantray.

Despite its old-world charm, the post office has kept pace with modern needs. It continues to offer standard mailing and philately services, including speed post and registered post, while also serving as a gentle reminder of India Post’s legacy in an age of instant messages.

Where every postcard floats before it flies

As the sun dips behind the Himalayas and the last shikaras return home, the floating post office closes its doors for the day. The staff secure the mailbags, the lake falls still, and the stories sealed within each envelope begin their journey.

For many, this post office is more than a tourist spot. It is a bridge between memory and movement, between the stillness of the lake and the restless world beyond. In an age of speed, it reminds us that connection is measured not by how fast a message travels, but by how deeply it is felt.

Among the ripples of Dal Lake and the fading light, this humble houseboat keeps floating, carrying forward a legacy that speaks of people, place, and the enduring need to reach out — and to be remembered.