Jammu and Kashmir
Climate:
Jammu : Winter-Average
20°C.
SummerAverage
35°C.
Srinagar :
Winter-Average Below 0°C to 30°C
Languages :
Kashmiri,
Dogri, Ladakhi.
Best Season :
April—October & December-January.
Area :
2,22,236 sq. km. (Provisional).
Population
:
About 1,00,69,917.
Jammu
The second largest city of
the state and its summer capital, Jammu is situated on a Shivalick
hillock, with the river Tawi flowing by at the foot of the hill.
Jammu is said to have been founded by Jamboo Lochan some 3,000
years back. The city has long been a centre of Indian culture
and arts. It is especially famous for its exquisite Pahari School
of Miniature Paintings. There are many Hindu, Muslim and Sikh
shrines, but the best known is Raghunath Temple in the heart of
the city, built in 1835.60 km. north-east of Jammu is the famous
shrine of Vaishno Devi. The holy cave shrine situated at the altitude
of 5,300 feet is visited by thousands of devotees every year.
The traditional pilgrimage is made during the Navaratra, preceeding
Dussehra in October and preceeding Ram Navmi in late March or
April.
Jammu city in itself has nothing much to offer besides acting
as the resting place for pilgrims going to Vaishno Devi or tourists
going to Srinagar. Thus Jammü is a gateway for the Valley
of Kashmir.
Basohli
East-South of Jammu near
Daihousie (Himachal) is Basohli, the birth place of renowned art
of Pahari Miniatures. It is in tradition of the great Ajanta Art.
Its wide spread influence can he seen on many other schools popular
in Jammu and neighboring Himachal.
Sudh Mahadeva
Situated on the banks of
river Devaka, Sudh Mahadev is associated with many Shiva myths.
Pilgrims in thousands congregate at the shrine during the three
days festival of Ashadh Purnima in July-August. There is a regular
bus service to Sudh Mahadev from Jammu, however, an eight kilometer
pleasant walking orjeepable road connects Sudh Mahadev with beautiful
hill resort of Patnitop on Jammu-Srinagar highway.
The Kashmir Valley
Kashmir is described variously
as the paradise on earth, the dream-land, the choicest creation
of God, etc. Jehanghir is said to have quoted the following Persian
Sher in praise of Kashmir.
Gar Firdaus Bay Roo-e-Zernin-ast Ha;ni;i sto, Hamin asto, Hamin
ast.
The same sher is etched in the walls of the Diwan-i-Aam in Red
Fort Delhi which means if there be paradisc an where on the earth;
it is here, it is here, it is here! The vale of Kashmir in its
sheer beauty and enchantment surpasses even the imagination. Kashmir
is unmatched by any other country for its pristine loveliness,
placid lakes reflecting like a mirror, the scenic beauty, green
meadows laced by gurgling streams, luxurious houseboats, stately
chinar, tall snow capped mountain, the highest golf course in
the world, flowers of many hues and scents and the proverbial
beauty of its maidens.
En-route Srinagar
By air Srinagar is just an
hour and ten minutes’ flight. There are daily air services
between Delhi and Srinagar, or you can take a train between Delhi
and Srinagar, or you can take a train to Jammu and then travel
by bus to Srinagar. Several deluxe bus services operate between
Jammu and Srinagar daily. There are a number of places of tourist’s
interest enroute and around Jammu which have been described briefly
below.
Sanasar
Situated at the height of
2,079 meters, Sanasar is one of the most captivating hill stations.
The lush green vale of Sanasar, full of lofty conifers, a wide
open meadow and a small lake, is really very enchanting. In summers
the local tribes gather here to resound the vale with tilting
music.
Kud
Kud, at 1,738 meters height,
is a fascinating for its sylvan slopes and serene, refreshing
surroundings, Especially a spring called “Swami-ki Bovli”,
in a thick alcove about 1 .5 km. away from Kud is a popular tourist
attraction.
Patnitop
This little table land, a
popular hill resort, situated at the altitude of 2,024 meters,
is becoming very popular with the tourists because of its very
pleasant surroundings. There is a Rest House and a hotel. Shive
Garh, Pathora, and Kariah are some fascinating sites.
Batote
Twelve km. from Patnitop
on the national highway is Batote at 1,560 meters. It is connected
with Kund and Patnitop by a number of bridle and footpaths passing
through thickly wooded forests and of captivating scenic beauty.
There is a Tourist Bungalow and a number of hotels.
Kishtawar
This land-piece is famous
for saffron and the rare blue sapphires. Well known for its numerous
water falls, the one facing the town across Chandrabhaga (Chenab)
is one of the highest waterfalls. In the neighborhood is the famous
shrine of 18 armed goddess at Sarthal. A trekking route from here
leads to Srinagar.
Bhadarwah or Badarwah
Bhadarwah is another such
fascinating place. Full of beauteous meadows and glens, there
is also a 4,400 meters high Kaplash Lake where, a fortnight after
Raksha Bandhan a big fair is held. A week later that fair shifts
to Bhadarwah.
Srinagar
This more than 2,00 years
old capital of the valley was founded by Ashoka the Great (3rd
century BC.). The original city of Srinagar was called Srinagari.
The present city was built by Pravarsena II(17-139 AD) adjoining
the old city. Srinagar literally means the City of Lakshmi, the
Goddess of Wealth. The following spots in or near Srinagar are
great tourist attractions.
Dal Lake
Gracefully spread on both
the sides of the river Jhelum or Vitasta, Srinagar, derives most
of its scenic beauty by this grand lake. The Dal Lake, east of
the city at the foot of Shridhara (Zabarwan) mountain, is 6 by
3 km. The lake is divided into Gagznibal, Lokutdal, Boddal and
Nagin by a series of causeways. The Lokutdal and the Boddal each
have an island in the centre, called Rupa Lank (Silver Island)
and Sona Lank (Gold Island). The former is to the south while
the later is to the north of the lake. Rupa Lank is also knows
as “Char Chinari” as it has four majestic chinar trees
on it. The Shankaracharya and the Han Parvat are on the west of
the Dal Lake. It is really paradisal to stroll in the Mughal Gardens,
or to explore the network of waterways, that lace the city, in
a shikara a Kashmiri paddle boat. The gentle murmur of the river
water or the soft splash of the floating gardens and markets of
vegetables and flowers on the lake are an echo of the leisurely
and easy-paced life style of the city.
Hari Parvat
Topped by the ruins of a
fort, Hari Parvat hill, to the north-east of Srinagar, is said
to have grown out of a small rock, dropped by Parvati (Goddess)
on the water hole to kill the demons, who were taking rest there.
Amidst delectable scenic surroundings, the hill is apopular picnic
spot. The temple there is very sacred to the Hindus and hundreds
of people visit it every day. Pravarsena II founded his capital
city at the foot of this hill and built a Shiva Temple, which
is now in ruins. The thick massive walls around the fort were
built by Atta Mohammad Khan, the Afghan Governor in 1776.
Shankaracharya Hill
305 meter Shankaracharya
hill or Takhti south of the Dal Lake, behind the Boulevard, rich
in legend and love, is held holy by the Hindus and the Muslims.
The Temple atop the hill is centuries old, but the present shrine
is of later origin. A millennium back, the Adi Shankaracharya
visited the shrine. Then Abhinavagupta was the Acharya of Srinagar
University. He met Adi Shankar and had long philosophical and
religious dialogues with him. Since Shankaracharya’s visit,
the hill is known by his name, the hill and the temple overlooking
the city offer a panoramic view of the city.
Hazaratbal
Near Naim Bagh, on the western
shores of the Dal, is one of the most sacred Muslim shrines. In
this mosque is preserved a hair from the beard of Prophet Mohammed.
This holy relic was brought here by Khwaja Noor-ud din in 1700
A.D. from Bijapur (Karnataka). Thousands congregate here to have
a ‘Deedar’ of the holy relic on ten specific dates
of the year. The grand mosque built by Shah Jahan, is a very fine
example of Mughal and Kashmiri architectural synthises. The fairs
held four times a year, are attended with great reverence by the
people of all faiths.
Jama Masjid
This magnificent wooden mosque,
originally built by Sultan Sikandar in 100 AD and enlarged by
his son Zainul Abidin in 1402, has been destroyed three times
by fire, but each time it emerged more beautiful than before.
It is a typical example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The present
mosque was rebuilt during the time of Dogra King Pratap Singh.
Pathar Masjid
This stone mosque on the
opposite bank of the river Jhelum near Fateh Kadal in the heart
of the city, was built by Empress Nurjehan, in 1623.
Pari Mahal
Pari Mahal or the Palace
of the Fairies nearby Chasma Shahi on the spur of a hill, was
built by Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Shah Jehan. It was a terraced
college where plilosophical discussions were held in those days.
The ruined arched tarrace are now turned into a botanical garden.
Nagin Lake
South-West of Hazratbal,
a part of the Dal Lake, separated by a causeway is Nagin Lake
or ‘the Jewel on the Ring’ surrounded by tall green
chinars, poplars, etc., forming a ring, the lakelet, appears like
a sapphire set in an emerald ring. The nearby Nagin Bagh is full
of many kinds of beautiful trees such as chinar, poplars, willow,
cherry apricot, apple and almond. It is a popular haunt of many
song-birds. On its lovely banks is Nagin Club which has a bar
and a restaurant. Nagin Lake, calm and quite, is aparadise for
swimmers, divers, water skiing enthusiasts and those fond of aquatic
holiday.
Nehru Park
This Island park, named after
the first Prime Minister of India, has a swimming pool. a boat
club, a garden and a restaurant. In the evening illuminated by
thousands of lights, it turns into fairy land to the great delight
of the tourists.
Shalimar (The Abode of Love)
16 km. east of Srinagar,
this divine piece is the creation of Emperor Jahangir for his
beloved wife Nur Jehan. This beautiful garden, 539 by 182 meters
in area, has four terraces, rising one above the other. A canal
lined with polished stones and supplied with water from Harwan,
runs through the centre of the garden. The fourt terrace, by far
the best, with a grand pavillion of black stones, was reserved
for the royal ladies in the days long past. A Light & Sound
(Son-et-Lumiere) is held every evening from May to October.
Nishat Bagh (The Pleasure Grove)
Bordering the Dal Lake, at
the foot of Zabaravan Hill, this famous garden was laid out by
Asaf Khan, the brother of Empress Nur Jehan in 1633. It is 548
by 338 meters in area, and a canal lined with polished stone runs
through the centre of it. It has ten terraces and two pavilions.
One of these is double storied, and enclosed on tow sides by lovely
latticed windows.
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