India Has the World's Only Floating Post Office in Srinagar

India is home to one of the most picturesque and unusual postal structures on Earth: the world's only floating post office, situated on the iconic Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.

A Floating Marvel on Dal Lake

Inaugurated in August 2011 by then-Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, this post office is built inside a traditional wooden houseboat called a shikara. It provides all regular postal services, speed post, and money orders for tourists and the thousands of local residents living on houseboats across Dal Lake.

What makes it even more unique is its special cancellation stamp, which features an image of a boatman rowing a shikara along with the words "Floating Post Office Srinagar". It also houses a dedicated philatelic museum showcasing rare stamps from India's postal history!