Jammu & Kashmir has Srinagar as its summer capital and Jammu as its winter capital. The state has diverse geography due to its location in the Himalayan mountains. It has a population that speaks several languages including Kashmiri, Hindi, Dogri, Pahari, Ladakhi, and others. The state has a long history dating back to ancient times and was ruled by many local kingdoms and empires over the centuries. It currently has a multi-party democratic government and its economy depends heavily on agriculture, tourism, and handicrafts. The state is home to many rivers, temples, and diverse cultural influences from its various past rulers.
Jammu & Kashmir has Srinagar as its summer capital and Jammu as its winter capital. The state has diverse geography due to its location in the Himalayan mountains. It has a population that speaks several languages including Kashmiri, Hindi, Dogri, Pahari, Ladakhi, and others. The state has a long history dating back to ancient times and was ruled by many local kingdoms and empires over the centuries. It currently has a multi-party democratic government and its economy depends heavily on agriculture, tourism, and handicrafts. The state is home to many rivers, temples, and diverse cultural influences from its various past rulers.
Jammu & Kashmir has Srinagar as its summer capital and Jammu as its winter capital. The state has diverse geography due to its location in the Himalayan mountains. It has a population that speaks several languages including Kashmiri, Hindi, Dogri, Pahari, Ladakhi, and others. The state has a long history dating back to ancient times and was ruled by many local kingdoms and empires over the centuries. It currently has a multi-party democratic government and its economy depends heavily on agriculture, tourism, and handicrafts. The state is home to many rivers, temples, and diverse cultural influences from its various past rulers.
Capital : Summer(May-October)- Srinagar, Winters (November-April)- Jammu
istricts :!" languages: #r$u, %as&miri, 'in$i, ogri, (a&ari, )a$a*&i, Introduction to Jammu & Kashmir Jammu + %as&mir is t&e ,e-ele$ cro-n o. /n$ia -it& e0travagant beauty o. 'imalayas1 2a,3aringini, t&e c&ronology o. t&e %as&mir %ings -ritten by %al&ana eulogises t&e beauty o. %as&mir as 4%asmira (arvati (aro*s&5 3at S-ami c& Ma&es-ara41 Meaning %as&mir is as beauti.ul as 6o$$ess (arvati mani.est an$ its o-ner is )or$ S&iva 'imsel.1 3&e Mug&al 7mperor e0claime$ 46ar 8ar-ru-e-9amin Ast5 'amin Ast, 'amin Ast 'amin Asto1 Meaning i. t&ere is para$ise on t&is eart&: 3&is is it, t&is is it, t&is is it1 Jammu an$ %as&mir presents t&e $istinction o. multi.acete$, variegate$ an$ uni:ue cultural blen$1 Geography of Jammu & Kashmir Jammu + %as&mir is situate$ bet-een ;<1!= $egree an$ ;>1?@ $egree nort& latitu$e an$ ;=1<> $egree an$ @A1;A $egree east longitu$e1 3&e total area o. t&e State is <<<,<;> s:1 *ms inclu$ing =@,!!" s: *ms un$er t&e illegal occupation o. (a*istan an$ "<,>@? s: *ms un$er t&at o. C&ina1 3&e State is boun$e$ by (a*istan, A.g&anistan an$ C&ina .rom t&e West to t&e 7ast1 3&e State is -ell connecte$ -it& rest o. t&e country by air, rail an$ roa$ 1 3&e /n$ian Airlines an$ private airlines operate regular .lig&ts to Srinagar, Jammu an$ )e&1 3&e National 'ig&-ay !-A connects t&e capital cities o. Srinagar an$ Jammu -it& rest o. t&e country1 Brief History of Jammu & Kashmir %as&mir is mentione$ in t&e epic Ma&ab&arata1 /n <?A 8C, As&o*a, t&e great Mauryan *ing, establis&e$ t&e city o. (an$ret&an an$ built many vi&aras an$ c&aityas1 3&is says muc& about t&e strategic importance t&at t&is region &el$ even in t&at time1 Some sources claim t&at 8u$$&a also visite$ t&is region, t&oug& no proo. is available to vali$ate t&is t&eory1 %anis&*a, t&e great %us&ana *ing, calle$ t&e 3&ir$ 8u$$&ist Council at 'ar-an, near Srinagar, in t&e .irst century A1 3&is Council sa- t&e $ivision o. 8u$$&ism in t-o $istinct streams calle$ 'inayana an$ Ma&ayana1 %al&ana, t&e .irst /n$ian &istory -riter, gave a vivi$ account o. t&e &istory o. %as&mir be.ore t&e !At& century A1 )ocal *ing$oms rule$ e0tensively in t&is region until t&e !<t& century A -&en Muslims inva$e$ t&e region1 3&e greatest Muslim *ing o. early me$ieval age in %as&mir -as 9ain-ul-Abi$in, -&o ascen$e$ t&e t&rone in A !"<A an$ rule$ up to !"=A1 'is long rule contribute$ e0tensively to t&e sprea$ o. art, culture, music, an$ every ot&er sp&ere in t&e li.e o. %as&mir people1 'e also create$ a strong army an$ anne0e$ many regions nearby %as&mir1 3&ese -ere t&e time o. gol$en rule in %as&mir -&en peace an$ &armony prevaile$1 A.ter t&e $eat& o. %ing 9ain-ul-Abi$in, a perio$ o. $estruction came calling to %as&mir an$ many rai$ers .rom outsi$e loote$ t&e state an$ ma$e t&e people an$ local rulers t&eir captive1 /n !?@=, A*bar anne0e$ %as&mir into &is vast empire1 Ja&angir, son o. A*bar an$ ne0t Mug&al ruler, visite$ %as&mir !; times an$ create$ t-o beauti.ul gar$ens on t&e ban* o. al )a*e, namely, t&e S&alimar 8ag& an$ Nis&at 8ag&1 A.ter t-o centuries o. peace an$ $evelopment, %as&mir came into t&e &an$s o. t&e (at&ans in !=?<, -&en t&e A.g&an ruler Ab$ul S&a& Ab$ali attac*e$ t&is region on t&e re:uest o. local noblemen1 /n !@!B, t&e Si*&s un$er Ma&ara,a 2an,it Sing& anne0e$ t&is region, but t&eir empire remaine$ in place only .or <= years1 Crom !@"> to !B?=, t&e ogras rule$ over t&is region -&en 8ritis& $e.eate$ 2an,it Sing& an$ &an$e$ over t&e a$ministration o. t&is region to Ma&ara,a 6ulab Sing&1 Government of Jammu & Kashmir Jammu an$ %as&mir &as a multi party $emocratic system o. governance1 Main political parties inclu$e t&e National Con.erence, t&e /n$ian National Congress (/NC) an$ t&e Jammu an$ %as&mir (eopleDs emocratic (arty ((()1 (resently, /n$ian National Congress an$ its ally (( &ol$ t&e ma0imum number o. seats in t&e Jammu an$ %as&mir state assembly1 A.ter Mu.ti Mo&amme$ Sayee$ o. t&e (( complete$ &is t&ir$ year as C&ie. Minister, as per t&e po-er så agreement bet-een t&e ((-Congress alliance reac&e$ in late <AA<, Congress lea$er 6&ulam Nabi AEa$ replace$ Mu.ti on November <AA?1 Districts of Jammu & Kashmir 3&e /n$ian state o. Jammu an$ %as&mir is $ivi$e$ into !" $istricts - Anantnag, 8aramulla, 8u$gam, o$a, Jammu, %argil, %at&ua, %up-ara, )e&, (oonc&, (ul-ama, 2a,ouri, Srinagar an$ #$&ur Economy of Jammu & Kashmir Jammu an$ %as&mirDs economy is mostly $epen$ent on .arming an$ animal &usban$ry1 Ma,ority o. t&e population o. t&e state $epen$s on agriculture1 (a$$y, -&eat an$ maiEe are t&e ma,or crops1 8arley, ba,ra an$ ,o-ar are cultivate$ in some parts1 6ram is gro-n in )a$a*&1 3&oug& small, t&e manu.acturing an$ services sector is gro-ing rapi$ly1 3ourism .orme$ an important part o. t&e %as&miri economy1 Alt&oug& t&e tourism economy in t&e %as&mir Falley &as been &it by t&e terrorism t&reat, Jammu an$ )a$a*& continue to remain as popular tourist $estinations1 3&e Woo$ in %as&mir is also use$ to ma*e :uality Cric*et bats an$ as t&ey are popularly *no-n as %as&mir Willo-1 'an$icra.ts .rom Jammu an$ %as&mir &ave $eman$ .rom bot& insi$e an$ outsi$e t&e country1 Coal, gypsum, an$ limestone are t&e ma,or minerals pro$uce$ in t&e state1 Jammu & Kashmir Travel Information Srinagar is an ancient city an$ &as many attractions t&at can attract even t&e most un-illing o. tourists to t&is magical lan$1 al )a*e, Nis&at 8ag&, S&alimar 8ag&, an$ C&as&me S&a&i are some o. t&e best-*no-n tourist spot in Srinagar1 Jammu is t&e -inter capital o. t&e state an$ ne0t in importance a.ter Srinagar1 Most o. t&e tourists -&o come to t&e Jammu region &ave t&e Mata Fais&no evi s&rine as t&eir $estination, -&ic& is :uite close by1 'o-ever, t&e spirit o. &oliness permeates t&roug& t&e entire city, so muc& so t&at Jammu is also *no-n as t&e GCity o. 3emplesH1 /. 8a&u Mata is t&e presi$ing $eity o. Jammu, t&e $arga& o. (eer 8u$&an Ali S&a& is t&e ot&er s&rine t&at is believe$ to protect t&e local people1 3&e ot&er ma,or tourist attraction is t&e 2ag&unat& 3emple Comple0, -&ic& is t&e largest temple in Nort& /n$ia $evote$ to )or$ 2ama1 3&e construction o. t&is temple -as begun by Ma&ara,a 6ulab Sing& in !@?! an$ complete$ by &is son 2anbir Sing& si0 years later1 3&e temple o. Ma&a %ali (better *no-n as 8a&u or 8a-ey Wali Mata), locate$ in t&e 8a&u Cort, is consi$ere$ secon$ only to Mata Fais&no evi in terms o. mystical po-er1 3&e temple -as built s&ortly a.ter t&e coronation o. Ma&ara,a 6ulab Sing& in !@<<1 Ot&er temples in t&e city inclu$e t&e 6auri %un$ 3emple, S&u$& Ma&a$ev 3emple, S&iva 3emple, (eer %&o& Cave 3emple, 2anbires&-ar 3emple, an$ t&e (arman$al 3emple Comple01 3&e most stunning site in Jammu is t&e S&ees& Ma&al1 3&e (in* 'all o. t&e palace no- &ouses t&e ogra Art Museum, -&ic& &as miniature paintings o. t&e various &ill sc&ools1 3&e museum also &as t&e &an$-ritten (ersian manuscripts o. t&e S&a&nama an$ Si*an$ernama1 3&e palace -as once t&e royal resi$ence o. t&e ogra *ings1 8uilt as a group o. buil$ings aroun$ a courtyar$, t&e palace &as a comman$ing vie- o. river 3a-i on one si$e an$ t&e city on t&e ot&er1 3&e Amar Ma&al (alace Museum is a beauti.ul palace o. re$ san$stone, -&ic& stan$s ami$st t&e most pictures:ue environs o. Jammu1 /t o..ers a beauti.ul vie- o. t&e S&ivali*s in t&e nort& an$ t&e river 3a-i in t&e sout&1 3&is -as once t&e resi$ential palace o. 2a,a Amar Sing&, but no- it &as been converte$ into a museum1 3&e museum &as a gol$en t&rone ma$e o. !<A *g o. pure gol$1 A treat .or t&ose intereste$ in &istory is t&e to-n o. A*&noor, ;< *m sout&-est o. Jammu1 Stan$ing on t&e ban*s o. t&e mig&ty river C&enab, t&e to-n tells t&e tragic tale o. t&e lovers So&ni an$ Ma&i-al1 Along t&e riverban* are t&e ma,estic ruins o. t&e /n$us Falley CiviliEation t&at are o. great &istorical importance1 (atnitop, near t&e Fais&no evi 3emple, is .ast becoming a busy &ill station an$ a goo$ place to en,oy t&e nature in its eternity1 )a$a*& is &ome to t&e minority 8u$$&ist community in t&e state1 3&ey &ave preserve$ t&eir uni:ue culture .or t&e past &un$re$s o. years1 )e& is t&e &ea$:uarters o. t&is region1 3&e ma,or points o. attraction are t&e )e& (alace, Namgyal 3semo 6ompa, San*ar 6ompa, S&anti Stupa, an$ Soma 6ompa1 ivers of Jammu & Kashmir Main 2ivers in Jammu an$ %as&mir are 6al:uit 2iver, J&elum 2iver, S&a,s:em 2iver, S&i*ar(Sout&) 2iver, 9ans*ar river an$ %&urana 2iver 1 Education in Jammu & Kashmir Jammu an$ %as&mir is t&e only state -&ere e$ucation is .ree up to university stage1 Seasonal sc&ools &ave been opene$ .or people in t&e &illy areas an$ .or t&e sc&e$ule$ castes1 Iet t&e state is e$ucationally bac*-ar$1 Against t&e national literacy rate o. =?1B>J .or males an$ ?"1<@J .or .emales, t&e state &as a literacy .igure o. only >?1="J .or males an$ "!1@<J .or .emales respectively1 On t&e tec&nical e$ucation si$e, t&ere are t-o regional engineering colleges in t&e state1 /n a$$ition, t&ere are .our polytec&nics to impart vocational training1 istrict institutes o. e$ucation &ave been opene$ in all t&e $istricts o. t&e state to provi$e e0tensive an$ intensive training to t&e teac&ers1 !ood of Jammu & Kashmir 3&e %as&miris are passionate about t&eir .oo$ an$ *no-n .or spicy meat $is&es an$ t&e $elicate .lavor o. sa..ron1 Meat being t&e staple, most o. t&e special $is&es &ave mutton as a ma,or ingre$ient1 Na&ari, a special brea*.ast $is&, is a ste- o. trotters an$ tongue, seasone$ -it& cassia bu$s, car$amom, san$al-oo$ po-$er, vetiver roots an$ $rie$ rose petals1 3&e s&eermal brea$ goes -ell -it& t&is ste-1 3&e met&i maE, on t&e ot&er &an$, is a superb blen$ o. mil$-tasting entrails an$ strong-.lavore$ .enugree* leaves1 3racing its roots to %as&mir is t&e ever-popular rogan ,os&, -&ic& is spice$ lamb coo*e$ in yogurt an$ anisee$, a spice not very commonly use$ in ot&er regional cuisines1 W&ile taba* maE is spice$ ribs .rie$ to crispiness, .or t&e :orma, a lig&tly sour creamy $is&, s&oul$er o. lamb an$ tail are coo*e$ in mil* an$ $rie$ apricots, an$ t&e ya*&ni uses cur$ as t&e base .or its sauce1 2ista, t&e .irst gravy $is& to ma*e its appearance in a -aE-an, is a meatball o. poun$e$ lamb t&at is sil*y in te0ture1 A.ter a -&ole range o. $is&es comes t&e gus&taba, a giant meatball ma$e o. t&e same, poun$e$ meat, coo*e$ in a cur$ base$ gravy1 A semolina pu$$ing sometimes .ollo-s t&e main courses o. t&e -aE-an, but t&ere are not too many s-eet $is&es in t&e %as&miri repertoire1 'o-ever, a $i..erent preparation, serve$ to .res&en t&e mout& a.ter t&e -aE-an, is t&e gota-a mi0ture o. anisee$, sugar can$y, bits o. supari, coarsely grate$ coconut an$ *ernels o. mus*melon see$s1 "rts & #ulture of Jammu & Kashmir %as&miri li.estyle is essentially, irrespective o. t&e $i..ering religious belie.s, slo- pace$1 3&e culture &as been ric& enoug& to re.lect t&e religious $iversity as tribes celebrate .estivities t&at $ivert t&em .rom t&eir ot&er-ise monotonous -ay o. li.e1 W&ile t&e %as&mir &as been t&e &ig&est learning center o. Sans*rit an$ (ersian -&ere early /n$o-Aryanic civiliEation &as originate$ an$ .louris&e$, it &as also been embracing point o. a$vent o. /slam bringing its .ol$ .inest tra$itions o. (ersian civiliEation, tolerance, brot&er&oo$ an$ sacri.ice1 )a$a*& on t&e ot&er &an$, &as been t&e &ig&est an$ living center o. 3antrayan 8u$$&ism1 Jammu, t&e same -ay, &as been t&e seat o. 2a,as an$ Ma&ara,as, -&ic& &ave cemente$ an$ enric&e$ t&e cultural, &istorical an$ social bon$s o. all t&ese $iverse et&nic an$ linguistic $ivisions o. t&e state1 3&e ancient arc&eological monuments an$ remnants spea* volume o. t&e $istrict cultural tra$itions o. t&e state1 $usic & Dance of Jammu & Kashmir %as&miris are *no-n to en,oy t&eir music in its various local .orms an$ t&e $ress o. bot& se0es is :uite color.ul1 3&e um&al is a .amous $ance in %as&mir, per.orme$ by men o. t&e Wattal region1 3&e -omen per.orm t&e 2ou.., anot&er .ol* $ance1 !estivals of Jammu & Kashmir 3&e 'emis Cestival is &el$ in t&e mont& o. July -&en tourists in large numbers converge &ere .rom all over t&e -orl$ to -atc& t&e .amous mas*e$ $ances1 3&e music is c&aracteristically punctuate$ -it& soun$s o. cymbals, $rums an$ long, un-iel$y trumpets1 3&e mas*e$ $ancers move aroun$ slo-ly, very slo-ly, an$ t&e most vital part o. t&e $ance is t&e mas*s an$ not so muc& t&e actual movements o. t&e $ance1 3&e $ances en$ -it& 6oo$ van:uis&ing 7vil an$ t&e evil one is broug&t into t&e protective .ol$ o. 8u$$&ism1 )i*e t&e 'emis .estival, monasteries li*e )amayuru, 3&i*sey, Spitoo*, )i*ir an$ many ot&ers also &ave t&eir in$ivi$ual .estivals1 Since t&ey .ollo- t&e lunar calen$ar, t&e actual $ates o. t&e .estivals vary .rom one year to anot&er1 Ot&er t&an t&ese religious celebrations, )a$a*& &as also been &ost to a !?- $ay .estival eac& year to bring .or-ar$ t&e many nuances o. t&is ric& an$ e0otic culture t&at is peculiar to t&is &ig& part o. t&e -orl$1 3&e Jammu an$ %as&mir tourism $epartment organiEes t&e )a$a*& Cestival in t&e mont& o. September bringing .or-ar$ t&e regionHs .ol* $ances, art an$ cra.t, sporting events an$ rituals1