Short answers, pulled from the story.
Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, constructed the Pari Mahal garden in the mid-1600s. He commissioned the project on the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery to serve as a vibrant center of learning.
Dara Shikoh is believed to have stayed at this location during the years 1640, 1645, and 1654. These years mark the period when he transformed the ruins into a library and learning center for subjects like astrology and astronomy.
The seven-terraced structure known as Pari Mahal clings to the steep slopes of the Zabarwan mountain range. It overlooks the city of Srinagar and the south-western expanse of Dal Lake.
The site was originally an ancient Buddhist monastery used for Buddhist worship. Dara Shikoh repurposed the ruins into a Mughal garden that blended Islamic architectural principles with the existing landscape.
In recent times, the location has been used to film several movies, including the Bollywood movie Lamhaa. The garden has also served as a top-secret interrogation centre and as a base for high-level bureaucrats under the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.