TOURISM IN JAMMU & KASHMIR

 

 

Tourism IN JAMMU & KASHMIR

Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory of India locked in Himalayan Mountains. Jammu and Kashmir is home to several Valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Chenab Valley, Sindh Valley and Lidder Valley. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are Srinagar, the Mughal Gardens, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Patnitop, Sanasar, Mansar, Surinsar, Bhaderwah, Jantroon (Dhar), Jai Valley, Chinta Valley, Akhnoor. Kashmir is also known as Switzerland of Asia.

Kashmir is located mainly in the Himalayas. To the south of this Union Territory of India are the two Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Jammu and Kashmir is bounded on the north by the Pakistan-controlled Gilgit-Baltistan region and on the east by the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Kashmir is basically a popular eye-catching place for visitors from all over the world. Millions of visitors from all over the world flock here every year to enjoy its beauty. Places in Kashmir that fascinate visitors are:

City of Srinagar:

Within the city of Srinagar are Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Botanical Garden, Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashmeshahi Bagh, Parimahal, Hazrat Bal Dargah, Shankaracharya Hill. Places to visit in the city can be visited in one day.

Although facilities for visitors to Jammu and Kashmir have improved considerably since the late 20th century, the state’s potential in the tourist sector has remained generally untapped. Nevertheless, tourism has made a significant socioeconomic impact on Ladakh, which was largely isolated from outsiders until the 1970s. In addition to historical and religious sites, visitor destinations include the snow-sports centre at Gulmarg in the northern Pir Panjal Range west of Srinagar, the hot mineral springs at Chumathang near Leh, and the state’s many lakes and rivers. Mountain trekking is popular from July through September.

Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaSki trail at the winter sports centre in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir state, India.

Tourist attractions

Gulmarg view

• Jammu — the winter capital
• Srinagar — the summer capital of the state, set around Dal Lake, with its floating houseboats
• Gulmarg — Skiing and India' highest gondola
• Katra— in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains and home of the holy Mata Vaishno Devi shrine
• Pahalgam — a calm and serene place offering multiple trekking routes. The starting point of Amarnath Yatra
• Patnitop — a small hill station in Jammu
• Kishtwar locked between Himalayas and known for Saffron and Sapphire.
• Bhaderwah — a famous hill station in Jammu
• Amar Mahal is a palace on the banks of the Tawi river
• Jantroon (Dhar) — located in Doda district of Chenab Valley.

Tourist places

Gulmarg

Gulmarg is well known for its natural environment and it is counted as one of unique tourist destinations in the India.^{[citation needed]} Gulmarg is surrounded by dense forest. This place has a highland golf course.^{[citation needed]} There is a special Gondola ride(ropeway) from Gulmarg.

Vaishno Devi

The town of Katra, which is close to Jammu, contains the Vaishno Devi shrine. Nestling on top of the Trikuta Hills at a height of 1700 m is the sacred cave shrine of Vaishno Devi, the mother goddess. At a distance of 48 km from Jammu, the cave is 30 metres long and just 1.5 metres high. At the end of the cave are shrines dedicated to the three forms of the mother goddess — Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasarasvati, which is manifested as Vaishno Devi. Pilgrims start trekking to the cave temple, which is 13 km from Katra, enter in small groups through a narrow opening and walk through ice waters to reach the shrines.^[10]

Sonmarg

Sonmarg Valley

The way to reach Sonmarg or the Meadow of the gold is from the Sindh Valley. This valley also shows more amazing facet in Kashmir. Sonmarg is located at an altitude of around 2730 meters from the sea level; it has snow-covered mountains as its backdrop against the sky. The Zozila path which is one of the deadliest roads on the earth can be travelled from here.

Raghunath Temple

Raghunath Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Shri Rama. All the inner walls of this temple are covered with gold, on three sides. Galleries of this temple are covered with ‘ Saligrams’. The other surrounding temples are related to other gods from the Ramayana. This temple is located in the centre or we can say in the heart of Jammu.

Verinag

Verinag is the first town when you enter to Kashmir valley. It is particularly known as Gateway of Kashmir and known for being near the source of river Jhelum.

In Kashmir Valley

Main article: Kashmir Valley

Skiing is popular in Gulmarg, showing cable car in a snow clad mountain.

Shikara In A Row

• Vernag Spring and Mughal Garden- A freshwater spring and a Mughal garden next to it, spring is chief source of Jhelum River.
• Amarnath temple - pilgrimage site for Hindu devotees of Shiva.
• Srinagar - Summer Capital of Jammu and Kashmir, a popular hill station
  • Dal lake - a lake in Srinagar, with house boats called shikharas.
  • Manasbal Lake
  • Shalimar Gardens—Mughal Garden
  • Nishant Gardens-Mughal Garden
  • Chashme Shahi- Mughal Garden
  • Pari Mahal- old monument of Pari Mahal, one can have full view of Dal Lake.
  • Shankaracharya Temple- Ancient Temple of Lord Shiva
  • Hari Parbat- Ancient Temple of Goddess Sharika Bhagwati and an old fort on this hill.
  • Kheer Bhawani Temple
• Martand Sun Temple - a Kashmiri Hindu temple dedicated to Surya (the chief solar deity in Hinduism) and built during the 8th century CE. Martand is another Sanskrit name for the Hindu Sun-god. Now in ruins, the temple is located five miles from Anantnag.
• Gulmarg - Popular hill station and skiing destination.
• Pahalgam - Hill station
• Betaab Valley- A lush green valley 06 km from Pahalgam where the movie Betaab was shot.
• Sonmarg - Hill station
• Yusmarg - Hill station
• Aru - scenic valley
• Lolab Valley - Least disturbed camping site and lush green valley
• Eco-tourism places:Gurez, Bangus Valley.
• Aharbal -Hill Station

In Jammu

Main article: Jammu Division

Paragliding in Sanasar

The Vaishno Devi shrine

• Vaishno Devi - Hindu shrine.
• Patnitop - Hill station
• Poonch
• Sanasar
• Eco-tourism places: Mantalai and Shivkhori
• Bhimgarh Fort
• Ramnagar Fort in Udhampur District
• Mansar Lake with its length more than a mile and width half-a-mile, is a very attractive lake in the midst of lusting greeneries surrounded by forest-covered hills. It is considered as a very holy site known from mythological periods sharing the sanctity and legacy of Mansa Sarovar. It is a very popular base of tourists.

In Chenab regiON

Chenab region is also known as Chenab Valley which includes following tourist destinations:

• Bhaderwah Valley, located in Doda district is a famous tourist destination of Chenab Valley.
• Jai Valley, located in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
• Chinta Valley, also located in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
• Jantroon (Dhar) are the numbers of meadows located at the higher reaches of Thathri subdivision of Doda district.
• Padri Top, is the group of meadows, located in Bhaderwah.
• Bimal Nag, is a meadow located in Drabshalla tehsil (subdistrict) of Kishtwar district.
• Mughal Maidan, a tourist destination in Kishtwar district.
• Chatroo, famous for it small lake, is a tourist destination in Kishtwar district.
• Sinthan Pass, located in the higher reaches of Kishtwar district on Kishtwar-Anantnag road.
• Bhal Padri, a beautiful meadow located in Gandoh (Bhalessa).
• Lal Draman, a scenic tourist destination in Doda district.
• Dessa Valley, located in Doda district.
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