Anchored on Kashmir’s Dal Lake, the world’s only floating post office has been delivering letters and memories for 70 years.
As dawn breaks over Dal Lake, a shikara (traditional wooden boat) glides over still water, carrying postcards tied with string, carefully wrapped parcels, and letters written the night before. Its destination is a houseboat anchored near Nehru Park, along Boulevard Road between Ghat No. 14 and Ghat No. 15. It is no luxury stay for tourists. It is the world’s only floating post office on Kashmir’s iconic Dal Lake which has quietly delivered letters, parcels, and memories for seven decades.
For Srinagar’s residents and travellers alike, this houseboat is both a functioning postal hub and a living emblem of Kashmiri resilience. In red and yellow of India Post, it rocks softly with the rhythm of the lake in a hyper-digital age.
Among those keeping this rhythm alive is Bashir Ahmad Kuloo, who has spent years rowing across Dal Lake to collect letters and parcels from visitors eager to send home a tangible 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.”
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A post office like no other
India boasts many records, but Srinagar’s floating post office remains one of its most heartwarming distinctions. Resting on Dal Lake in a traditional Kashmiri houseboat, it may appear modest at first – a two-room structure gently nudged by ripples.
Step inside, and time seems to slow. A portrait of Kashmiri poet Mehjoor gazes down from the wall as computers hum softly beside old lockers. On an average day, the office handles 10 to 20 letters and parcels, most sent by tourists, shikara riders, and houseboat operators.
Abdul Hameed Tantray, one of the four staff members, has watched visitors marvel at the experience. “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.
Within these wooden walls, everyday acts — writing, sealing, waiting — acquire an extraordinary sense of meaning.
A museum afloat on water
Beyond its postal counter, the floating post office also houses a small philately museum. Once home to rare stamps and postcards tracing Jammu and Kashmir’s postal history, much of its collection was lost during the devastating floods of 2014. Though not fully restored, recreated displays preserve its spirit, lending the interiors the warmth of a traditional Kashmiri home.
Carpets cushion the wooden floors, intricate khatamband ceilings crown the rooms, and the walls showcase papier-mache, brass samovars, and embroidered fabrics. Even the walnut wood desk stands as a tribute to generations of Kashmiri artisans.
To visitors, it feels less like a government office and more like a floating gallery where letters, stamps, and hand-carved wood narrate Kashmir’s enduring bond between art and daily life.
How a 1953 Boat Became the World’s Only Floating Post Office
The floating post office traces its roots to 1953, when a simple postal boat first connected Dal Lake’s communities to the city. Long before phones and the internet, it served as a lifeline for families living on water.
In 2011, it was officially christened the Floating Post Office under an initiative by then Postmaster General John Samuel. Renovated and reopened, it soon became a magnet for both locals and travellers. Managed by India Post’s Srinagar division, it continues to serve with quiet dedication. “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.”
A lifeline for lake communities
For families living on and around Dal Lake, the floating post office has always been more than a landmark. For decades, it was their sole link to the outside world.
Houseboat owner Tariq Ahmad Patloo says, “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.
Majid Farooq Reshi, 32, who grew up helping on his family’s houseboat, feels the nostalgia deeply. “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 visit the post office to send parcels — often filled with Kashmiri walnuts, saffron, or papier-mâché crafts.
More than a tourist attraction
Today, the floating post office is among Dal Lake’s most photographed landmarks. Visitors step inside to click pictures, write postcards, and send them home stamped with images of shikaras and snow-capped mountains.
Many tourists choose to ship carpets, wicker baskets, papier-mâché art, and walnut wood souvenirs directly from here — not just for convenience, but for symbolism. “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.
As evening settles and shikaras drift home, the floating post office closes for the day. Mailbags are secured, the lake grows still, and stories sealed in envelopes begin their journeys.
(This article has been curated with the help of AI)