Jammu & Kashmir Tourism

Jammu and Kashmir is the northern-most state of Republic of India, lying mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with Himachal Pradesh to the south, Pakistan to the west and People's Republic of China to the north and the east.

Jammu and Kashmir consists of three divisions: Jammu, the Vale of Kashmir and Ladakh. Srinagar is its summer capital, and Jammu its winter capital. The Vale of Kashmir, also known as Kashmir Valley, is famous for its beautiful mountainous landscape. Known as the "City of Temples", Jammu attracts tens of thousands of Hindu and Muslim piligrims every year. Ladakh, also known as "Little Tibet", is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture which was established as early as the 2nd century. Though Islam is practiced by the majority of population, Jammu and Kashmir has large and vibrant communities of Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs.

History

Once a seat of the Dogra Rajput dynasty, Jammu came under the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19-th century and became a part of the Sikh Kingdom. The Rajputs were however able to re-establish their control over Jammu under the command of Maharaja Gulab Singh. With the help of General Zorawar Singh, Gulab Singh established the Kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir which extended beyond the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley to the Tibetan Buddhist Kingdom of Ladakh and the Emirates of Hunza, Gilgit and Nagar. The rule of Dogras over Jammu and Kashmir came to an end in 1947 when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession making the princely state a part of the Union of India.

 

Major Attractions

Kashmir is a beautiful valley in the northernmost part of India. It is part of a state called Jammu & Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley is surrounded by some of the highest mountain ranges in the world. The valley itself is green and thickly populated.
Two major Himalayan ranges, the Great Himalayan Range and the Pir Panjal, surround the landscape from the north and south respectively. They are the source of great rivers, which flow down into the valleys, forested with orchards and decorated by lily-laden lakes.

The Mughals aptly called Kashmir ‘Paradise on Earth’ where they journeyed across the hot plains of India, to the valley’s cool environs in summer. Here they laid, with great love and care, Srinagar’s many formal, waterfront gardens, now collectively known as the Mughal Gardens. Anecdotes of four and five centuries ago describe their love for these gardens, and the rivalries that centred around their ownership. They also patronized the development of art & craft among the people of Kashmir, leaving behind a heritage of exquisite artisanship among thes people and making the handicrafts of the land prized gifts all over the world.

Kashmir is a land where myriad holiday ideas are realised. In winter, when snow carpets the mountains, there is skiing, tobogganing, sledge-riding, etc. along the gentle slopes. In spring and summer, the honey-dewed orchards, rippling lakes and blue skies beckon every soul to sample the many delights the mountains and valleys have to offer.

 

How To Reach Kashmir

By Air:flights to Srinagar from Delhi, Mumbai and Jammu.
Srinagar airport is 14 kms from the city.Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates special coach services between the airport and the city.

Note: All foreigners are required to register themselves at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, at its Airport counter.

By Rail:The nearest railhead for Srinagar is Jammu Tawi (305 kms) where trains arrive from Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Ahmedabad, etc. As with flights, train bookings have to be made well in advance. During the holiday season, additional trains operate to and from various parts of the country.

By Road:National Highway 1-A, connecting Srinagar with Jammu, is a good, all-weather road with several sharp inclines and hairpin bends. It is maintained by the Border Roads Organization (BRO), which clears the road of any obstructions resulting from natural causes like landslides and heavy snowfall. The famous Jawahar Tunnel that connects Jammu with the Kashmir Valley across the Pir Panjal range falls en route.It is also possible to travel by taxi from Jammu to Srinagar in about 8 hours.

For those wishing to travel to Srinagar by a private car from Jammu, there are several places en route which have been developed for the convenience of the motorist. Among them Jajjar Kotli, Kud, Pantnitop, Batote, Ramban, Banihal and Qazi Gund.
 

Jammu

Nestled against the backdrop of the snow-capped Pir Panjal Mountains, the region of Jammu constitutes the southernmost unit of the state of Jammu & Kashmir.

The city of Jammu, the winter capital of the state, is the epicentre of all socio-economic activities in the Jammu region. It is also the base for visiting various centres of tourist and pilgrimage interest in which the region abounds. The most important pilgrimage centre is the shrine of Mata Vaishnodeviji situated in the Trikuta hills at a distance of 60 kms from Jammu. Over 4.5 million pilgrims trek to this holy cave shrine to pay obeisance to this most revered of Hindu deities every year.

How To Reach Jammu

By Air:Well connected between between Jammu & Delhi and Jammu & Srinagar/Leh.

By Rail:Jammu Tawi is an important railhead of the Northern India. The main trains operating to/ from Jammu are,Malwa Express, Super Fast, Jammu Mail, Jammu Express, Shalimar Express, Sealdah Express, Jhelum Express, Himgiri Express, Himsagar Express, Lohit Express, Sarwodaya Express, Sarvodaya Rajkot Express, Happa Express, Navyug Express, Gorakhpur Express, Barauni Express, Madras Express, Rajdhani Express and Ferozpur Express.

By Road:Jammu is on National Highway 1-A and is connected by the highway network to all parts of the country. Some important road distances from Jammu are,Amritsar- 243 kms Chandigarh- 436 kms Delhi- 586 kms,Katra- 48 kms Srinagar- 305 kms Manali- 428 kms,Patnitop - 108 kms,Mansar - 62 kms

Bus Service:Daily bus services of all classes operate to and from Jammu to Delhi, Amritsar, Ambala, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Shimla, Manali and Haridwar.

Besides the J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) the road transport corporations of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh also operate bus services between Jammu and various cities in north India. All interstate bus services operate to and from the Jammu General Bus Stand. Super deluxe, deluxe/ video coaches and A-class buses to Srinagar operate from the railway station and the Tourist Reception Centre. B-class buses to Srinagar leave from the General Bus Stand. Besides, some travel agencies also operate deluxe / video coaches on the main routes.