A complete guide on Know Your District

Series for all JKSSB and JKPSC exams.

By Maroof Muzafer

DISTRICT SERIES
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Brief History of Kashmir

Kashmir, if literally translated, means land desiccated from water: “Ka” (the
water) and shimeera (to desiccate). Tradition says that Kashmir was originally
a lake that was drained by the great saint of ancient India Kashyap. It was
included in the empire of Ashoka Maurya who is credited with the foundation
of the city of Srinagar around the year 250 BC. During this period Buddhism
spread in Kashmir and flourished under the Kushans. During the reign of
Kanishka, the fourth Buddhist council took place in Kashmir which has been
attested by the 7th century Chinese traveler Hien Tsang. But Hinduism held its
sway in the region. The 7th Century AD witnessed the establishment of a
dynasty called the Karkota whose foundation stone was laid by
Durlabhavarrdhana. The most famous ruler of this dynasty was Lalitaditya
Muktapid who built the world famous sun temple (Martand) in Kashmir. The
Karkotas were supplemented by the Utpalas in 855 AD. The most important
ruler of this dynasty was Avanti-verman. He recovered Kashmir from utter
political and economic disorder into which Kashmir had fallen during the rule
of his predecessors. Didda, a Gupta widowed queen, ruled Kashmir until 1003
AD when the Lohara dynasty took over. The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was
Udyan Dev. His Chief Queen Kota Rani was the de-facto ruler of the kingdom.
With her death in 1339 the Hindu rule in Kashmir came to an end and thus
was established the Muslim rule in Kashmir under Sultan Shamas-ud-din-
whose dynasty ruled the valley for 222 years.
The greatest ruler of this dynasty was undoubtedly Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin.
Under his rule, Kashmir was culturally and politically at its zenith. He was
essentially a man of secular out-look and patronized all faiths and religions
alike. He made Kashmir the centre of a great culture and worked hard to
promote learning and to build up the economy of the people. Badshah was
not anxious for the expansion of his dominion but was equally reluctant to part
with the territories which belonged to Kashmir and were of a strategic
importance. The Chiefs of Ladakh and Baltistan who had acknowledged their

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allegiance to Shahab-ud-Din and Sikandar his predecessors had, however,

declared themselves independent during the weak rule of Ali Shah. He,
therefore, set out with his army and made a Bumlde IV, Raja of Ladakh, to
recognize his sovereignty. The ruler of Baltistan also followed suit and
surrendered. He next captured the town of Kulu which was till then in the
possession of Ladakhis. After these achievements, Badhshah proceeded to
subdue the ruler of Ohind who had also declared himself independent during
the reign of Ali Shah. As before, the ruler of Ohind was defeated and agreed to
acknowledge the sovereignty of the king of Kashmir. Badshah also exchanged
embassies with various foreign countries. In particular, he deputed his envoys
to Khurasan, Egypt, Mecca, Rukh, son of Timur, were most cordial. Budshah
took a series of measures for development of Agriculture trade and
Commerce. He constructed many irrigation canals. As a result of these works
and the reclamation of vast areas, Kashmir became self-sufficient in food.
According to Moorcroft, Kashmir produced as much as 5.50 lakh tons of rice
per year during the time of Badshah. The Kingdom was annexed into the
Mughal Empire in 1586. In 1757 Kashmir came under the control of Ahmed
Shah Durrani, the Afghan who invaded India many times.

In 1819 Kashmir was annexed by Ranjit Singh and made a part of his Sikh
empire. The two Anglo-Sikh wars fought between the Sikhs and Ranjit Singh
resulted in the complete extinction of the Sikh sovereignty in Kashmir. The
British gave away Kashmir to Ghulab Singh for the sum of 75 lakhs of rupees
under the Treaty of Amritsar. He extended his territory by annexing Ladakh.
Gulab Singh died in 1857 and was replaced by Ranbir Singh (1857-1885). Two
other Marajahs, Partab Singh (1885-1925) and Hari Singh ruled in succession.
Maharaja Sir Hari Singh ascended the throne in 1925. He continued to govern
the state till 1950. In 1932 Kashmir’s first political party-all Jammu and Kashmir
Muslim Conference was formed by Sheikh Abdullah. The party was later
renamed the National Conference in 1939 and continues to be a major
political party in Kashmir today. After Indian Independence in 1947, the ruler

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of the princely state of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, refused to accede to

either India or Pakistan. When Pakistan invaded Kashmir in the following year,
the ruler of Kashmir sought help from the Indian government and agreed to
place Kashmir under the dominion of India.

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District Srinagar
Srinagar was ruled by the Mauryan empire till around the 14th century and it
was emperor Ashoka, who had introduced Buddhism to the valley of Kashmir.
The Kushans believed to have controlled this region during the first century
who ruled over this place from their stronghold at Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Even King Vikramaditya from Ujjain, ruled over this place before transferring
the reigns of control to a nomaid tribe named Huns during the 6th century.
One of the most terrified rulers of the city was Mihirkula who belonged to this
tribe.
After the 14th century, the city came under the Mughal rule and was ruled by
the Muslim Kings. This city was made the capital during the rule of Yusuf Shah
Chak who was then tricked to death by Akbar who set up his dominion on the
city post the fall of Yusuf Shah Chak. It was in the year 1707 that the Mughal
dominion came to end with the death of their last King, Aurangzeb and then
Srinagar came under the reign of the Durrani Empire. This empire was the
leader of the Pasthun tribe and they ruled on Srinagar for multiple decades.
Raja Sukh Jiwan Mal was a soldier in the Afghan Durrani army who became
governor and, later, the king (1754–1762) of Kashmir. It was in 1814 that the
rule of Sikhs was established and Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled over Kashmir. It
was ruled by the Sikhs till the British Raj came into India. Till the year 1947
Srinagar was considered as a princely state in the British India.

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Places of Interest

Srinagar is one of several places that have been called the “Venice of the
East” or the “Kashmiri Venice”.
The Sher Garhi Palace houses administrative buildings from the J&K
government. Another palace of the Maharajas, the Gulab Bhavan, has now
become the Lalit Grand Palace hotel. The Shankaracharya Temple on the hill
top in the middle of the city, is important Hindu temple in the city.

Chashma Shahi
Chashma Shahi or Chashma i Shahi (translation: the royal spring), also called
Chashma Shahi, is one of the Mughal gardens built in 1632 AD around a spring
by Ali Mardan Khan, a governor of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as per the
orders of the Emperor, as a gift for his elder son Prince Dara Shikoh. The
garden is located in the Zabarwan Range, near Raj Bhawan (Governor‘s
house) overlooking Dal Lake.
In the east of Chashma Shahi the Pari Mahal (Fairy Palace) lies where Dara
Sikoh used to learn astrology. The garden is 108 m long and 38 m wide and is
spread over one acre of land. It is the smallest garden among the three
Mughal gardens of Srinagar; the Shalimar garden is the largest and the Nishat
garden is the second largest. All the three gardens were built at the right bank
of the Dal Lake, with Zabarwan mountains (Zabarwan Range) at the backdrop.
The garden presents Mughal architecture as used in different Mughal gardens.
The artistically build garden has Iranian influence in its art and architecture
and the design is based on the Persian gardens. It is built around a fresh water
spring, which flows through its center in terraces. The main focus of the
garden is the spring which flows down in terraces and is divided into three
sections: an aqueduct, waterfall, and fountains. The water of the spring is

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believed to have some medicinal properties. The former Premier of India,

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, used to get the water of the spring to Delhi.
Access

Badamwari
Situated on foothills of Koh-e-Maran, the 300 kanals garden was dotted with
trees, flowers and cascades providing a soothing experience to the visitors.
Historians maintain there was no record to suggest who laid the garden but
they say it existed even before the rule of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin in the 14th
century. A well covered dome in the garden is named after an Afghan ruler,
Warris Shah.

Nigeen Lake
Nigeen Lake (alteratively spelled as Nageen Lake) is a mildly eutrophic lake
located in Srinagar.It is sometimes considered a part of the Dal lake and is
connected to it via a narrow strait. It is also connected to the Khushal Sar and
Gil Sar lakes via a channel known as Nallah Amir Khan.
The Nigeen lake is surrounded by a large number of willow and poplar trees.
Hence, it has come to be referred as a “nageena”, which means “the jewel in
the ring”.

Dal Lake
Dal is a lake in Srinagar (Dal Lake is a misnomer as Dal in Kashmiri means lake).
The urban lake is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s
Jewel”.
The floating gardens, known as “Raad” in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers
during July and August. The wetland is divided by causeways into four basins;
Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin (although Nagin is also considered as
an independent lake). Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre,
known as Rup Lank (or Char Chinari) and Sona Lank respectively.

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Hari Parbat Fort

Hari Parbat is also known as Kooh-e-Maran lies on the west of Dal Lake in
Srinagar, in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. This Mughal structure was built by an
Afghan Governor Atta Mohammed Khan in 18th century. A long wall was
constructed in 1590 by Emperor Akbar. Surrounded by commendable
structures from all religions, this fort sits at the top giving a spectacular view of
Dal Lake.
This fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and still
stands impressive with old apartments and tall pillars. Hari Parbat provides a
top view of Makhdoom Sahib shrine.

Dachigam National Park

Dachigam National Park covers an area of 141 sq km. The name literally
stands for ‘ten villages’, which could be in memory of the ten villages that
were relocated in order to create the park.
Dachigam was initially established to ensure the supply of clean drinking
water to Srinagar city. A protected area since 1910, it was declared as a
national park in 1981. The park is best known as the home of the hangul,
or Kashmir stag.

Harwan Garden
Harwan Garden, situated in Harwan Village (19 km) from Srinagar is an
impressive, large and admired tourist spot. It is the gateway to Dachi Gam
Wildlife sanctuary.

Tulip Garden
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden, previously Model Floriculture Center, is
a tulip garden in Srinagar. It is the largest tulip garden in Asia spread over an
area of about 30 hectares. It is situated on the foothills of Zabarwan

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Range with an overview of Dal Lake. The garden was opened in 2007 with the
aim to boost floriculture and tourism in Kashmir Valley
Tulip festival is an annual celebration that aims to showcase the range of
flowers in the garden as a part of tourism efforts by the Government of Jammu
and Kashmir. It is organized during the onset of spring season in Kashmir
valley.

Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden was set up in 1969.This garden has a collection of about
150,00 ornamental plants and a huge collection of oak varieties. It also has a
rare collection of Kashmiri tropical plants. It has four main divisions: the Plant
Introduction Centre, the Research Section, the Recreational Garden and the
Botanical Garden.

Pari Mahal
Pari Mahal or The Angels Abode is a seven terraced garden located at the
top of Zabarwan mountain range over-looking city of Srinagar and south-
west of Dal Lake. The Pari Mahal was built by Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh
in the mid-1600s. It served as a library and an abode for him. Dara Shikoh
was said to have lived in this area in the years 1640, 1645, and 1654. It
was further used as an observatory, useful for teaching astrology and
astronomy.

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District Kupwara
District Kupwara was carved out form erstwhile District Baramulla in the year
1979. The geographical area of the District is 2379 sq kms. The north west part
of the District is bound by line of actual control (L.O.C) while the southern
portion is bound by the District Baramulla. There are three bad pocket areas,
namely, Machil, Keran and Karnah located near L.O.C which remain land
locked for more than six months in a year. There are some other areas located
at barbed distances and remain cut off from District Headquarter for a
considerable time, like Kumkadi, Lashdat, Jumgund, Kethanwali and
Budnambal.

Places of interest:

Seemab Valley
About 4 Kms from the tourist reception centre Kupwara, the Seemab Valley is
located at the entrance of the Lolab Valley.

Lolab valley
Named after Maharaja LOLO, is known for its lush green forests and pastures.
It is traversed by a stream known as Lalkul (Lahwal). It is also known for the Sat
Barran (Seven doors) and a cave in the jungles of Madmadav. Lolab Valley is
also historically important as Varnow village, a small settlement in the region,
is the birthplace of Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri. It provides road connectivity
to Machil which is known for the water fall, Rangil.

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Bungus Valley
One of the relatively unknown areas of Kashmir with vast tourism potential is
the valley of Bangus. Lying within the Trans-Himalayan area Bangus is a unique
ecological combination comprising a mountain biome, which includes
grassland biome with flora at lower altitudes; and Taiga or Coniferous forest.

Sadhna Pass View Point

Sadhna Pass is a mountain pass which connects Karnah tehsil of Kupwara
district with the rest of the Indian administrated Kashmir valley. It is located in
the vast Shams Bri mountainous range. The pass is best known for its
generation old mythological legend of Blind and Deaf Fairies.

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BARAMULLA

The city of Baramulla, was founded by Raja Bhimsina in 2306 BC. The city held
the position of a gate-way to the valley as it was located on the route to the
Valley from Muzaffarabad, now in POK, and Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan.
As such, a number of prominent visitors have been to Baramulla. These include
the famous Chinese visitor Heiun T’Sang and Moorcraft, the British historian.
Mughal Emperors had special fascination for Baramulla. Being the gateway of
the valley, it was a halting station for them during their visits to the Valley. In
1508 AD, Emperor Akbar who entered the Valley via Pakhil spent a few days
at Baramulla and according to “Tarikh-e-Hassan” the city during Akbar’s stay,
had been decorated like a bride. Jahangir also stayed at Baramulla during his
visit to Kashmir in 1620 AD.
In the 15th century, Baramulla became important to Muslims, as the famous
Muslim saint Syed Janbaz Wali, who visited the valley along with his
companions in 1421 AD, chose Baramulla as the centre of his mission, and
after his death he was buried there. His shrine attracts pilgrims from all over
the Valley. In 1620 AD, the sixth Sikh Guru Shri Hargobind visited the city. It
was the oldest and the most important town in north of princely state of
Jammu and Kashmir and the ‘Gateway of Kashmir Valley’ by Rawalpindi-
Murree-Muzaffarabad-Baramulla Road until 27 October 1947.

Places of Interest:

Parihaspora:
is an old town situated near the district of Baramulla. This town was the
capital of Kashmir during the Shankervarman regime. It was found in the 8th

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century AD by the king of Kashmir, Lalityaditya Muktapid. The most popular

feature of this place is the ancient archaeological monuments present at the
Parihaspora Pattan and the Pattan Bazaar. Apart from these monuments, the
town also houses few remains of a Buddhist Stupa and monastery. A few
Vishnu temples, Raj Bhawan, and a Chaitya were also found in an excavation
held here in 1914.

Gulmarg:
literally means “Meadow of flowers”. One of the main attractions in Gulmarg
is the Gulmarg Gondola, the Highest Cable Car in the world. The 1st phase of
the Gondola takes tourists to the height of 8530 ft to Kongdori Station and the
second stage of the Gondola goes up to the height of 12293 ft. Tourists can
ride up to “Kongdori” to see the frozen lake of “Al- Pathar”. Gulmarg in winter
is a magnificent experience, fully covered in a white blanket of Snow which
turns it into a skiers paradise
Gulmarg has been a resort for the kings like Yousuf Shah Chak and Jahangir
who used to visit frequently. The old name of Gulmarg was “Gaurimarg”, the
name of Lord Shiva’s wife. Yousuf Shah Chak changed its name to Gulmarg,
meaning the place of roses. During the early part of the 20th century the
famous Central Asian explorer Sir Marc Aurel Stein (1862–1943), made his
home here in a tent between his expeditions. It was a favourite summer
holiday destination for the British stationed in India.

The Ziarat of Baba Reshi:

is a popular shrine of Baramula, situated near the Alpather Lake at 13 km
from Gulmarg and belongs to saint Baba payam-Din. Baba payam-Din was a
well-known Muslim saint as well as a courtier of the king of Kashmir, Zain-ul-
Abidin. This shrine is that very site where Baba payam-Din died in 1480 after
spending his days in prayer and meditation.

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BANDIPORA

It is located on the northern banks of Wular – the largest fresh water lake in
Asia. Bandipora has a terraced garden similar to that of Nishat Bagh in
Srinagar. In Kashmiri there is a famous phrase about Bandipora or in other
words Bandipora is famous for three A’s – A’lim (knowledge), Adab (good
habits or literature) and Aab (water). As can be known from the folklore, the
name of Bandipora originated either from Bund of Wular as Bund e pur, from
the local Folk-singing Bands as Baand e pur or from the enlosed geographical
location as Bandh e pur. Bandipora is bound by mountains on three sides and
by Wular Lake in the fourth. Bandipora is also a stepping town to the higher
reaches of Razdan, Gurez and Tragbal. Bandipora was the connecting link
between North India and Central Asia via the Silk Road. At Pazalpora village
there was a custom and immigration department which is now a forest check
post. Due to the fact, Bandipora is also known as Gateway to Central Asia.
There are strong links between Skardu Gurez and Bandipora.

Places of Interest:

Wular Lake:
is the 2nd largest fresh-water lake of Asia, situated on the foothills of
Haramuk Mountain. It is spread in a total area of 200 square km covering
almost 24 km in length while its breadth is 10 km. The lake lies between the
towns of Sopur and Bandippore, in Sangrama, near Baramula Road.
Main source of water for Wular Lake is River Jhelum. This lake also has a small
island in its centre called the ‘Zaina Lank’. This island was constructed by King
Zainul-Abi-Din. Wular Lake is also said to be a remnant of Satisar Lake that
existed in ancient times.The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic

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activity. The lake is one of Indian wetlands designated as a Ramsar site. The
Tulbul Project is a “navigation lock-cum-control structure” at the mouth of
Wular Lake.

Nishat Park:
in Bandipora was constructed in 1954 under the supervision of the then Prime
Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad. Nishat
park Bandipora is built in accordance with the Nishat Garden Srinagar and is in
the outskirts of main market Bandipora.

Chota Amarnath:
One of the sacred places of Hindus is Danishwar,locally also called as Chota
Amarnath. It a cave in dense forests of Arin. Pilgrim have to crawl about 60
meters to reach a cave where there are engraved features of Lord Shiva.
People used to go there on the Sharvan Purnima,the date on which Amar
Nath Yatra is being performed.

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DISTRICT GANDERBAL
It was carved out of Srinagar and given the status of District on Ist April 2007.
The Ganderbal town is the district headquarter and has derived its name from
a famous spring Ganderbhavan. In the olden days the territory of Ganderbal
has acted as gate way to the central Asia by constituting one of the most
important station of the erstwhile silk-route
In addition Islamic influence on Kashmir found its way through Sindh valley.
Hazrat Shahi Hamdan, Rinchan Shah the first ruler of Kashmir and Mirza
Hyder Daughlat have entered Kashmir through Ganderbal popularly known as
Sindh valley those days because river Sindh traverses’ course of about 100
kms through the district.
District Ganderbal holds some of the scared pilgrimage sites like the Holy
Amarnath cave, the serene spring of Kherbhawani. With the presence of
tourist resort Sonamarg and Mansbal lake on its fringes, Qamar Sahib and
Baba Hyder(RA) Tullamula .

Sonamarg:
Sonamarg, which means ‘meadow of gold’ has, as its backdrop, snowy
mountains against a cerulean sky. Thajiwas glacier is a major attraction during
the summer months.
From Sonamarg, trekking routes lead to the Himalayan lakes of Vishansar
Lake, Krishansar Lake, Gangabal Lake and Gadsar Lake,Satsar Lake.
Baltal is 15 km east of Sonamarg. This little valley lies at the foot of the Zojila,
only a day’s journey away from the sacred cave of Amarnath is a base camp
for Amarnath yatra.

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Mansbal Lake:
Manasbal Lake is located in Ganderbal District in the State of Jammu and
Kashmir in India. The name Manasbal is said to be a derivative of the Lake
Manasarovar. Lake is stated to be the deepest lake in India. The large growth
of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) at the periphery of the .The Mughal garden,
called the Jaroka, (meaning bay window) built by Nur Jahan overlooks the
lake.
The lake is a good place for bird watching as it is one of the largest natural
stamping grounds of Aquatic birds in Kashmir and has the sobriquet of
“supreme gem of all Kashmir Lakes.

Nilagrad:
Nilagrad near Sonmarg is where a mountain river, red in colour, meets the
mighty Indus River. The Baltic community that stays here believes that the
waters have curative powers.

Kheer Bhawani Temple:

The Kheer Bhawani Temple, situated in the middle of a natural spring, is often
visited by tourists out of curiosity. Devotees offer milk and kheer to the
resident deity. Rumour has it that the waters turn black as a warning for any
looming calamity.

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DISTRICT BUDGAM
In the olden days Budgam was a part of the district of Baramulla when
Srinagar itself was a constituent of the Anantnag district. It was then known as
Tehsil Sri Pratap. Old records also refer to the area as `Pargana Deesu’. The
present Budgam town (the district headquarter) has a long history. According
to the chronicler, Khawaja Azam Dedmari, the area was known as
Deedmarbag and was densely populated. The place many believes, owes its
name, Budgam (Big Village) as it was densely populated. Famous warrior,
Mehmood Ghazni, made two abortive attempts to invade Kashmir in the 11th
century through the Poonch Gali, the boundary of the present district of
Budgam in Khag area. In 1814 A.D. Sikh ruler, Ranjit Singh, also made his first
attempt from here to capture Kashmir. The famous Chinese traveler, Hien
Tsiang,while visiting Poonch, also took this route.
One of the tallest personalities of Kashmir, Sheikh Noor-ud-din, popularly
known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir, has traveled much in the present Budgam
district and meditated at several places here. His resting place at Chrar-e-
Sharief is also situated in the district. A Prominent village, Nasrullah Pora, is
named after one of his distinguished disciples, Baba Nasr.
The tehsil of Chadoora has also a rich history. the famous Malik Hyder
belonged to this place. Malik was a very influential landlord and a close friend
of Emperor Jahangir. The emperor too reposed great trust in him. It is said
that after the death of her first husband, Nur Jehan (Jahangir’s wise) was given
in Malik’s custody by the Emperor before he finally married her.Malik also
chronicled the history of Kashmir. Jahangir has eloquently praised the beauty
of Chadoora and mentioned in his Tuzk-e-Jahangiri, about a tree which would
tremble all over if only a branch of it was pulled. The tree, he says was known
as Halthal At Chadoora is also situated the grave of Mir Shams-ud-Din Iraqi, a

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Shiete theologist. The counsellor of the last native ruler of Kashmir, Yusuf
Shah Chak and his son, Yakub Chak’s tutor, Ali Dar also belonged to this area.
Another block of the district, Beerwah, was formerly known as Behroop after a
famous spring of the same name. Here is situated a cave about which it is
believed that the famous Shivite philospher, Abhinav Gupt, alongwith some of
his associates, entered in it sometime between 10th and 11th century A.D and
did not return. In 1760 A.D. the Durrani Governor, Badal Khan Khatak,
constructed a fortress in Beerwah which was repaired in 1801 A.D by
Abdullah Khan. In 1884 A.D the fortress was destroyed in a severe
earthquake.
The village of Kanihama, the home of famous Kani Shawl, was an important
trade centre during the Dogra rule. The idols of Raja Beerwa’s period, are
found in Beerwah tehsil pointing to the Shivite influence on the area.

Places of Interest:
Doodhpathri
The name “Doodpathri” means Valley of Milk. It is said that the famous saint
of Kashmir Sheikh ul Aalam Sheikh Noor Din Noorani has prayed here and
once when he was in search of water in the meadows, to offer prayers, he
pricked the ground with his stick to search for water and milk came out. He
asked the milk that you can only be used for drinking and not
performing ablution. Hearing this milk at once changed its state to water and
the meadow got its name Doodpathri. The famous Tosamaidan lies in the west
of Doodpathri.

Yusmarg:
Located in Badgam district, Meadows of Jesus or Yusmarg is known for its long
stretches of green pastures.

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It has some of the highest peaks in PirPanjal range including Tattakutti (4,725
m) and Sunset Peak (4,746m). The majestic river Doodh Ganga also makes this
destination more thrilling and challenging. On the other side, the holy shrine
of Charar-e-Sharif endows blessing to the entire regions and is reckoned to
protect the land from all kinds of mishaps.

Tosamaidan:
Tosa Maidan is meadow in khag tehsil of Budgam district of Jammu and
Kashmir. The Mughals used to go to Poonch using this route. It is said that
they had constructed a seven-storeyed building – Dam-Dam – here.
The Basmai Gali(13,000 ft) is the pass which leads into Tosa Maidan. Another
pass – Poonch Gali – on its right side leads to the valley of Poonch. This pass
was deemed to be the safest, easiest, and nearest to reach Punjab in ancient
times. From here, a path also leads to Nilnag.

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Pulwama
The District was formed in 1979 by separation of Tehsils Pulwama, Shopian
and Tral of District Anantnag. The district is administratively divided into four
Tehsils i.e.Pulwama, Pampore, Awantipora and Tral.
The district is famous for Archaeological monuments especially for those left
by Raja Avantivarman & Lalta Ditya religious shrines like that of Khan-Kahi
Faiz Panah of Shah Hamdan(R.A) at Tral and temple of Jawala Mukhi at
Khrew.
There are important shrines and temples in the District to name a few
Khankha Tral built by Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, the great saint and scholar of
iran, besides the town Awantipora present the remnant of the building and
sculptures of the time of the king of Awantivarman.
Tehsils Pampore have acquired in the district a distinction for cultivation of
Saffron “Crocus-Sativus
According to the revenue records the original name of Pulwama was
Panwangam which comprised 4 villages namely Malikpora, Dangerapora,
Chatpora and Dalipora. Panwangam become to be called as “Pulgam” which
was with the passage of time changed to the present name of Pulwama.
Awantipora was the capital during the reign of Avantivarman . The
archaeological movements at Awantipora, Jawlerari Kakapora and other
places signify the rich history of the District. Awantiverman (854-83 A.P) was
great patron of Art sculpture. Besides Awanti Swami temple, he built another
one, about a kilometer away, at Jawlerari. There temples according to history
were circled by artificial lakes. After the death of the king. It is said that his
son, Shanker Varma ascended the throne and retained Awantipora as his
capital.

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Places of Interest

Shikargah
in Tral area of Pulwama and is an attractive tourist spot. It is also an abode for
wildlife. Maharaja Hari Singh (1925-1947) also used to visit the place for wild
life hunting. Shikargah is situated at the junction of the Wasturwan Mountain
and Kherwon surrounded by forests.

Tarsar and Marsar Lake

The Tarsar and Marsar lakes are the two most significant lakes of Pulwama
District. The Tarsar and Marsar lakes are situated 3km and 5km away,
respectively, from the village of Nagberan. These two lakes are also closely
associated with the folklore of Kashmir.

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SHOPIAN
Shopian or Shupiyan in Kashmir situated on the historical road commonly
known as Mughal Road. In March, 2007, the district was carved out of
Pulwama.
The geologist Frederic Drew stated that Shopian derived its name from a
distortion of word Shah-Payan, i.e. “Royal Stay”. However, the local people
hold the view that Shopian was earlier named as “Shin-Van” meaning “snow
forest”. The Shias have a different view, believing it was earlier inhabited by
Shias so it is “Shin-Van” that is “The Forest of Shias”. Shopian is situated on
the ancient imperial route, commonly known as Mughal Road, which connects
Lahore and Srinagar. Shopian was one out of six Wazarat Headquarters in
Kashmir from 1872-1892 A.D.

Places of Interest:

Peer Ki Gali
The Pir Panjal Pass, also called Peer Ki Gali (or Peer Gali), is a mountain pass
and a tourist destination, located in the Pir Panjal Range in Jammu and
Kashmir. It connects the Kashmir Valley to the Rajouri and Poonch districts via
the ‘Mughal Road’. It is the highest point on the Mughal road at 3,490 m
(11,450 ft).

Mughal Road
The Mughal Road was originally known as Namak Road (Salt Route) before
Kashmir was surmounted by Mughal. It was famous by this name because salt
was exported to Kashmir from the Western Punjab through this circuit It
came to be known as the Mughal Road because the prominent Mughal
Emperors like Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb along with their
caravans travelled through this route/road to the Paradise of Kashmir.
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The decision to construct the Mughal Road from Bufliaz Poonch to Shopian
was taken in 1978 by the then Chief Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah to
afford an alternate route to Kashmir Valley, to establish direct link with Rajouri
– Poonch and to make the most of scenic spots of Pir Panchal region as a
tourist attraction.The construction of Mughal road was included in Prime
Minister’s Reconstruction Programme in 2005.
The Aliabad Sarai is still intact where Royal Mughal Caravan after crossing Pir
Panchal would halt for few days, relaxing and enjoying the rich nature of the
area. Noorichum waterfall, Bheramgala, Dhera-ki- Gali, Thanamandi and
Chingus can be also developed as tourist resorts which are equally important
for heritage.

Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary

is located in Shopian district of It spreads over an area of 341 km2. It is
bounded to the north by Lake Gumsar.

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DISTRICT KULGAM
Tazkira Sadat-i-Simanania, compiled by 13th-century scholar and poet Swaleh
Reshi, gives the name of place as “Shampora”. Syed Hussain Simnani later
renamed it “Kulgam” (kul for ‘clan’ and gam for ‘village’ in Sanskrit). Simnani
is said to have invited Hazrat Amir Kabir Mir Hamdani to Kashmir with poets
including Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani and Lal Ded.
The area had been a hunting place for Mughal emperors and Dogra rulers,
especially for Shah Jehan, who laid the Chinarbagh and Maharaja Hari Singh,
who discovered the virgin potential of sanctuary at Kutbal. The District is the
birthplace of Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani, the founder of the Rishi order, and
of the forefathers of Allama Iqbal and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Kulgam is known for a religious saint Syed Simnan who came from a place
called Simnan in Iran. His ‘aastan’ is a draw from the population in and around
Kulgam.
Shaikh Nur-ud-din also known as Nund Rishi, was a Kashmiri saint who
belonged to the Rishi order and is also called Alamdar-e-Kashmir was also
born in a village called Kaimuh of the Kulgam distinct in AD 1377. Kulgam is
known as the rice bowl of the valley .
Kulgam was in the news regarding the recent excavation of a new
archaeological site in a nearby village called Kutbal which has yielded signs of
having been home to a first-century civilization as some artifacts belonging to
the period of Kushana kings appeared in Kulgam district.
The old Kulgam is situated on the banks of “Kaval”. The topography of Kulgam
is. The lower portion is situated on the banks of Kaval, offshoot of river
Vashiv. Kulgam is famous being the first seat of missionaries of Islam. Salar
Sanz father of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din wali embraced Islam and was renamed

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Salar ud-din and was married to Sadder, a daughter of Kota Rajas of Daderkot.
It was due to the efforts of Sayeed Simnani this marriage took place.

Places of Interest:
Aharbal Waterfall
It is also known as “Niagara Falls of Kashmir.

Kousarnag(Vishnupad)
The Kousarnag lake is a high-altitude oligotropic lake situated in the Pir
Panchal range at a heigh of 4000 metres above sea level to the south of
Shopian. It is about 5 KMs long and 3 KMs wide and is the source of river
Vishav.

Panchanpathri D K Marg Kulgam

Situated close to Sheikh ul Aalam (RA) Astaan (Shrine) at Chimmer is
Panchanpathri ( pathri meaning valley).

HOUEN HENG
A piece of tragic history lies buried under Kulgam’s snow covered Houen Heng
(Dog’s Horn) peak . On 7th February 1966 a Fokker F 27 IA aircraft veered 12
miles off its course, crashing straight into the mountain, claiming all 37 lives on
board. Time stands still here as the debris, well preserved to this day, beckon
visitors to hear their tale.

VASAK NAG KUND

Vasak Nag is a cold water spring of special significance. The Waltengo Nar
villagers believe it is the outcome of a pact between the Sufi Saint Syed Noor
Shah Baghdadi (RA) and a Hindu seer that the spring flows merely for 6

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months before disappearing back into the earth mysteriously. It is welcomed

with much fanfare around the 15th of April when it emerges and bid farewell
when it disappears around the 15th of September, each year.

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DISTRICT ANANTNAG
Anantnag claims the largest number of streams (Nallas) like Sandran, Brengi,
Arpath and Lidder. The most important among these is Lidder which takes of
from Sheshnag lake and irrigate maximum area of the district. The name of
Anantnag according to a well known archaeologist, Sir A.Stein from the great
spring Ananta Naga issuing at the southern end of the town. This is also
corroborated by almost all local historians including Kalhana according to
whom the town has taken the name of this great spring of Cesha or Ananta
Naga “land of countless springs”. The spring is mentioned in the Neelmat
Purana as a sacred place for the Hindus and Koshur Encyclopedia testifies it.
The district as well as its headquarter town are also called Islamabad. The
name of Islamabad was assigned to the town by one Islam Khan who was the
Governor of Kashmir during the Mughal rule in 1663 A.D., but the change in its
nomenclature proved temporary and during the reign of Gulab Singh the town
as well as district again resumed the old name. Before the advent of Muslim
rule in 1320 A.D., Kashmir was divided into three divisions, viz; Maraz in the
south, Yamraj in the centre and Kamraj in the north of the Valley. Old
chronicles reveal that the division was the culmination of the rift Marhan and
Kaman, the two brothers, over the crown of their father. The part of the valley
which lies between Pir Panjal and Srinagar now called the Anantnag was given
to Marhan and named after him as Maraj. While Srinagar is no longer known
as Yamraj, the area to its north and south are still called Kamraz and Maraz
respectively. Lawrence in his book “The Valley of Kashmir” states that these
divisions were later on divided into thirty four sub-divisions which after 1871
were again reduced to five Zilas or districts.

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Places of Interest:

Verinag
Verinag is spring of great importance and beauty with deep blue water.
Jehangir built a pleasure garden and a summer house. An octagonal
pavement has been raised around the spring by the Emperor Jehangir. The
Emperor was infatuated with the beauty of Verinag to the extent that while
breathing his last at Chengas village near Rajouri he wished to be buried at
Verinag. And after the completion of the construction design of the spring and
the nearby garden he has written that the traveler who has travelled through
the earth can hardly give any example of another place of such a beauty.

Achabal
Achabal gushes out of the Sonsanwar Hill and was at once enlisted by the
Emperor Jehangir in the service of beauty and pleasure. It is said that the
Brengi Nallah which disappears at Dewalgam in the fissures of limestone is
the real source of the Achabal Spring. The fountains that have been laid
through the water channels add to the charm of this Mughal garden.

Kokernag
A famous spring called “Kokernag” gushes out from the foot of the nearby hill
covered with evergreen pine trees. This beautiful garden has been developed
during the rule of Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad. Asia’s biggest trout rearing
farm is situated on the western side of this garden.

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Pahalgam
Pahalgam is one of the famous health resorts of Jammu and Kashmir State.
The Lidder Nallah flows through it. It is also an important transit camp on the
way to holy Amar Nath Ji Cave.

Shri Amarnath Ji
Anantnag District is famous for the Amarnathji cave situated at Mount
Amarnath .The world famous shrine of Amarnathji is situated about 48 Kms.
from Pahalgam . The cave is an ice cave, it contains a certain amount of ice
stalagmites.
The ice pillar present inside the cave is also called ice lingham, the phallic
symbol of Lord Shiva. Two smaller ice stalagmite represent Parvati, his wife,
and Ganesha, his son. The Hindu pilgrims also believe, that the height of the
lingham increases and decreases with the phases of the moon. In the month
of Shravan, on the full moon in August, thousands of Hindus go on a
pilgrimage up to the cave. At this time the lingam reaches its biggest size.
The temples of Mattan, Martand, Anantnag and Bijbehara which fall enroute
are also worth seeing.
Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in the
Amarnathji cave. Pilgrims trek to Amarnathji, in the month of Shravan (July –
August.
According to an ancient tale, there was once a Muslim shepherd named Buta
Malik who was given a sack of coal by a sadhu. Upon reaching home he
discovered that the sack, in fact, contained gold. Overjoyed and overcome,
Buta Malik rushed back to look for the sadhu and thank him, but on the spot of
their meeting he discovered a cave, and eventually this became a place of
pilgrimage for all believers.

Ziarat Hazrat Zain-ud-Din Wali

Village Aishmuqam is very well known in every part of Kashmir on account of
the historical shrine of Sheikh Zain-ud-din who lived in the 15th century A.D.

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and was one of the principal disciples of Sheikh Nur-ud-din.

Ziarat Baba Hyder Reshi (Reshi Maloo)

The tomb of Baba Hyder Reshi popularly known as Harda Reshi or Reshi Molu,
the saint at whose anniversary local people of the area abstain from flesh
eating for one week. It is Situated in Mohalla Reshi Sahib in Anantnag Town.

Masjid Baba Dawood Khaki

Masjid Khaki is one of the oldest mosques in the town and is situated in Reshi
Bazar of mohalla Kakhi Sahiban in Anantnag town.It is more than 600 years old
and is named after Hazarat Sheikh Baba Dawood Khaki the chief disciple of
Hazarat Sheikh Hamaza Makhdoom.

Martand Temple
The ruins of the Hindu temple of Martand or, as it is commonly called, the
Pandu-Koru, or the house of the Pandus and Korus. It is usually called the
House of the Pandus by the Brahmins , and by the people “Martand”, or the
sun, to which the temple was dedicated. The period of its foundation can be
determined within the limits of one century, or between A.D 370 and 500, The
colonnade is recorded in the Rajatarangini as the work of the famous king
Laltaditya, who reigned from A.D.693 to 729 . Fergusson gives the date of
Martand as A.D.750.

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Brief History of Jammu

During the 12th century, Rajputs of Jammu province and carved out separate
estates and principalities in Jammu Province, such as, Jammu, Kishtwar,
Bhaderwah, Basholi, Reasi etc. which they ruled as independent sovereigns.
Except the fact that the city of Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboo Lochan
who lived in 9th century A.D, very little information is available about the
successive regimes which swayed the different regions of the province from
time to time till Raja Ranjit Dev, son of Dhruv Dev, proclaimed himself as the
ruler of the principality of Jammu in1730 A.D. From all available information,
it appears that the first Raja of Dogra dynasty, named Agnivarna settled at
Parol near Kathua and his son subsequently extended his domination as far
west as Jammu Tawi. Four other Rajas followed in succession and two of the
sons of the fifth Raja Agnigarbha, named Bahu Lochana and Jamboo Lochana,
are said to have founded the Bahu Fort and the Jammu town respectively.
With the installation of Sikh rule in Punjab, however, Jammu and all other
adjoining areas were annexed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with his territories.

Mian Kishore Singh who was a direct descendent of Raja Dhruv Dev held a
prominent and respectable position in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at
Lahore. His son Gulab Singh joined the army of Ranjit Singh while in teens and
in course of time became an accredited lieutenant of Ranjit Singh. Gulab Singh
was eventually made the Raja of Jammu by the Treaty of Amritsar dated:
16.3.1846. Later on, he annexed Kashmir with Jammu.

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DISTRICT JAMMU
The winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir is bluffed on the Shivalik Range,
overlooking the northern plains. Jammu is known as the city of temples. The
city was originally founded by Raja Jamboo Lochan who lived in fourteenth
century B.C. The Raja had gone out one day for hunting when he happened to
witness a tiger and a goat drinking water from one and the same pond. This
extraordinary phenomenon set him thinking and he decided to build a city at
this site so that the strong and weak could live together in peace and mutual
tolerance. Eventually, he founded the city which came to be known as
“Jamboo” after his own name
Jammu is situated on a hillock, on the bank of river Tawi. Jammu serves as
base camp for the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi. Jammu is also the Railhead of
the state.
It is largest populated District of the state and second largest in terms of
population density and falls under the category ‘B’. The literacy percentage of
the District is 77% in as per 2001 census which was highest in the state.
This District is having a National Airport situated at Satwari. This District
serves as the Winter Capital of J & K state from November to April when all
the offices move from Srinagar to Jammu.
Raja Jambu Lochan, who lived in the later vedic period, decided to found his
capital , Jambupura, on his soil, on the right bank of the Tawi, overlooking his
brother king Bahu’s fort. Today the temple of Maha Kali ( better known as
Bahu or Bawey Wali Mata), located in the Bahufort, is considered second only
to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of mystical power. The present temple was
built shortly after the coronation of Maharaja Gulab singh, in 1822. The
existing fort, as well as the Manasabdar’s palace inside it, was constructed in
1820.
If Bahu Mata is the presiding deity of Jammu, the dargah of Peer Budhan Ali
Shah is the other shrine that protects Jammuites. The other major tourist
attraction is the Ragunath Temple Complex. Maharaja Gulab Singh began the
construction of the Raghunath Mandir Complex in the crowded downtown

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Bazaar named after it, in 1851. It was left to his son, Ranbir Singh, to
inaugurate it six years later perhaps the most popular temple north of
Benares, it contains representations of almost entire Hindu pantheon, though
the emphasis falls on the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

Places of Interest:
Shri Raghunathji Temple
Raghunath Mandir is perhaps the most famous of the Jammu Temples. It is the
largest temple complex in Northern India. Situated in the heart of the city in
the Raghunath Bazar, the temple was built in 1857 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh.
The main temple has the idols of Lord Rama, Mata Sita and Shri Lakshman ji
placed on a raised platform. The inner walls of the main temple are covered
with gold sheets on three sides. There are many galleries with lakhs of
saligrams. The numerous other temples in the complex are dedicated to
various Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu Pantheon. The Temple also houses a
Sanskrit Library containing rare Sanskrit manuscripts.
Raghunath Temple has seven shrines each with its own `Shikhara`, (shikhara, a
Sanskrit word translating literally to `mountain peak. The presiding deity is
Lord Ram, an `avatar` (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu.

Shri Ranbireshwar Temple

The Temple is named after its founder Maharaja Ranbir Singh. The
construction of the temple was started in 1863 A.D and was completed in
1878 A.D. It is the biggest Shiva temple in North India. The temple houses a
huge sphatic shivlingam measuring seven and a half feet in height surrounded
by ten 2 feet high billaur (crystals) lingas and galleries with 1, 25,000 tiny
Shivlings brought here from the river Narmada. The Temple is located on the
Shalamar Road about a kilometer from the Raghunath Bazaar.

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Panchvaktar Temple
The temple was constructed by Raja Guje Singh of Jammu (1687-1703) and is
considered one of the oldest in Jammu. It is linked to the visit of
Shankaracharya in the ninth century A.D. The temple, constructed much later,
is considered sacred because of the self- originated Shivalinga ( Svayambhuva
Shiva linga). One of the most revered Shiva Shrines in the city, the Lord is
worshipped here in the Swachananda form having five faces representing the
totality of Shiva in His most abstract form. Hence it is known as Panchvaktar.
The temple is also popularly known as ‘ Rupay wala mandir’ as coins have
been embedded in the floor slabs. It seems that there were also inscriptions in
Dogri script on the exterior of the surrounding walls.

Peer Kho Temple

During the reign of Raja Biram Dev of Jammu (1454 – 95) a famous mendicant
Jogi Guru Garib Nath belonging to the Guru Gorakh Nath order came to
Jammu and resided at Peer Kho. Kho means cave in the local dialect. He came
to be known as Peer-i-Kho and thus with the passage of time the cave got its
name. The cave is also known as the Jamwant Gufa (cave) as the bear hero of
Ramayana is believed to have meditated here. A Shivlinga is established inside
the cave. Devotees throng the cave on Puranmashi, Amavasya and Ekadashi
and during Shivratri.

Radhey- Shayam Temple( Billo mandir)

This is one of the oldest temples of the city situated in Panjthirthi. The temple
was constructed in 1839 AD by Bahi Charan Dass. The temple has beautiful
idols of Radha Ji and Lord Krishna. It is also known as Billo temple after the
name of the priest who took care of the temple for many years.

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Pir Mitha
The tomb of Pir Mitha is situated in the old Jammu city in the locality bearing
the same name. In the mid of 15th century A.D., a Sayid named Qutul Alam
came to Jammu from Sawazwar and made hindus and muslims his followers.
He was contemporary of Raja Ajaib Dev, who ruled Jammu from 1423A.D to
1454 A.D. As sugar and sweets were his favourite so most of his followers
brought him gifts of milk, sugar and sugar cane. He was also sweet spoken to
people as hence was popularly known as Pir Mitha.

Peer Budhan Ali Shah Sahib

The shrine of Peer Budan Ali Shah situated at Satwari near the Jammu Airport
is also popularly known as Peer Baba. Peer Budan Ali Shah was a close friend
of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji.

Akhnoor Fort
The Akhnoor Fort lies on the bank of the Chenab river. The fort was built
by Raja Alam Singh in 1802. Work on the fort, actually began in 1762 at
the behest of Raja Tegh Singh and was completed by his son Raja Alam
Singh in 1802. This two-storeyed fort which is perched on a cliff
overlooking river Chenab is under the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) since 1982 and has been declared a national monument protected
under the Monument Act, 1958. This fort, where excavation is still in
progress in a phased manner, is perched upon an ancient site depicting
three periods of history. The first period is represented by the Harappan
red and grey earthenware that include jars, beakers and goblets. The
second period is marked by the presence of early historic pottery and the
third period is represented by Kushana objects and an impressive wall of
rubble diaper masonry flanked on both sides by a 3-metre wide street.
The Jia Pota Ghat on the right bank of Chenab at Akhnoor is the crowning
glory of this ancient town and under whose shade the Raj Tilak or

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coronation ceremony of Maharaja Gulab Singh on 17th of June 1822

A.D. by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh
Neolithic site Akhnoor is considered as the northernmost point of Indus
Valley civilization. Just imagine Harappan settlement Manda is presently
inside the Akhnoor fort.

Mubarak Mandi Palace

The palace was the royal residence of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
from the Dogra dynasty. It was their main seat till 1925 when Maharaja Hari
Singh moved to the Hari Niwas Palace in the northern part of Jammu.
The palace is built in a manner that resembles both Rajasthani and Mughal
architecture. The Pink Hall houses the Dogra Art Museum with miniature
paintings of the various Hill Schools of Kangra, Jammu and Basholi. It also has
a gold painted bow and arrow of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The pink hall
owes its name to the pink plastered walls of the palace section.

Amar Mahal Jammu

This museum is housed in the Amar Mahal Palace, built in 1862 in a unique,
French-chateau style of architecture. Located atop a hill overlooking the Tawi
river, 4 rooms of the palace have been converted into art galleries and historic
museums, depicting the royal history of Jammu.
The star of this museum is the golden throne of Jammu, weighing a whopping
120 kgs, all pure gold. The art collection here is also quite impressive, with
paintings of M F Hussain and Laxman Pai on display, among other famous
Indian contemporary painters. Another interesting aspect is the Pahari
Paintings displayed here, depicting tales from the Mahabharata and other
folklore, especially those of Nal Damyanti.

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Bahu Fort Jammu

Bahu Fort stands on a rock face on the left bank of the river Tawi. Perhaps the
oldest fort and edifice in the city, it was constructed originally by Raja
Bahulochan over 3,000 years ago. Inside, there is a temple dedicated to the
Hindu goddess Kali. An extensive terraced garden, known as Bagh-e-Bahu, has
been developed around the fort.
Bahu Temple is situated inside the Bahu Fort, popularly called Bave Wali Mata
Mandir.
Behind the Bahu fort, the city forest surrounds the ancient Maha Maya
Temple overlooking the River Tawi. A small garden surrounded by acres of
woods furnishes a populated destination for tourists. Mahamaya is the local
goddess of the Dogras, who lost her life 14 centuries ago combating foreign
invaders. The present Bave Wali Mata mandir was built shortly after the
coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1822. It is also known as the Mahakali
Temple, the goddess considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of
mystical power. The Bahu Temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali, the reigning
deity of the region of Jammu & Kashmir.

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DISTRICT KISHTWAR
Kishtwar the land of saffron, sapphire and shrines was an independent hilly
state during the medieval period. Maharaja Gulab Singh, the Dogra ruler of
Jammu annexed it in 1821 AD. District Kishtwar was carved out from the
erstwhile District Doda during the year 2007-08. It is the biggest district of the
UT in area. The district has four Tehsils namely Marwah, Paddar, Chhatroo and
Kishtwar with headquarters at Nauphachi, Atholi, Chhatroo and Kishtwar.

Qilla Kishtwar
The fort is said to be built by Raja Kahan Paul. With the passage of time, the
house and the fort at Kishtwar became non-existent excepting the throne,
made of stone, which stands there even today. The two guns locally called
‘TOPE’ have been preserved and installed within the premises of the office of
the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.

Chowgan
In the center of the Kishtwar there is a big play ground/ grazing field known as
Chowgan. On its North there is a big temple called Gori Shanker Mandir and in
its south their is a Shrine (Ziyarat) namely Asrar-Ud-Din- Bagdadi. Its ancient
name is Goverdhansar which is a beautiful lake in olden days.

Machail Mata
Machail in Paddar has turned out to be important place of religious
importance and sanctity because of the temple of ‘Chandi Mata’. On the day
of first Bhadon or Bhadoon Sankranti (15th or 16th August) every year, when
the doors of temples in Paddar are thrown open, a big mela is held outside
Chandi Mata temple at Machail where people from all over Paddar assemble
and offer prayers to the deity and invoke her blessings.

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Kishtwar National Park

Kishtwar possesses a unique position in Jammu and Kashmir because of
Kishtwar High Altitude National Park spread over an area of 2190.50 Sq.Kms
providing a natural habitat to various species of mammals and and of birds.
The National Park encompasses the catchment area of Kiber, Nanth and Kiyar
Nallas, all of which drain south-west into Marwah river locally called Mariv
Sudir which joins Chenab at Bhandarkoot Kishtwar town.

Sinthan Top
Sinthan top is a mountain pass at an altitude of 3784 meters from sea level
which connects Kishtwar with Anantnag district of Kashmir.

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DISTRICT DODA
According to the records of rights (Misli Haqaqit) maintained by the State
Revenue Department one of the ancient Rajas of Kishtwar whose dominion
extended beyond Doda persuaded one utensil maker namely Deed a migrant
from Multan (Pakistan) to settle permanently in his territory and set up a
utensil factory there. Deeda is then said to have settled in a village which later
on came to be known after him. With the advent of time, the name Deeda
seems to have got distorted into Doda, by which name it continues to be
known today. Very little information, if any is available about the early history
of the District and its rulers. It is reported that Jaral Ramas, Katoch Rajas Bhaus
Manhases, Chibs, Thakkars, Wanis and Gakkars have had their rule
Doda was winter capital of erstwhile state of Kishtwar. Maharaja Gulab Singh
had firstly of all conquered Doda in 1822 AD. The English Traveller G.T. Vigne,
visited Doda in 1829.
The Fort of Doda was of great interest to historians. Thakur Kahan Singh
Balowria, the author of Tarikh e Rajgane Jammu va Kashmir, writes that there
were seventy forts in Jammu province. When Maharaja Gulab Singh came to
power he got these forts newly built and repaired. The Doda Fort was built for
the fear of possible attacks from the Rajas of Bhaderwah. Since the Doda town
was the winter capital of Kishtwar state, this fort was of special importance.
There was a pit in the courtyard of the fort, called Chah Bacha. It is said that
professional criminals were put in this pit during winter season. This historical
fort of Doda was demolished on government instruction in 1952.
Tourist Places: Dessa Valley, Padri, Telli Garh, Jai Valley.

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DISTRICT RAMBAN
Ramban lies on the banks of the Chenab river.Before the formation of the
J&K State in 1846, there was a small village consisting of 15 houses on the
right bank of Chenab river known as Nashband (later ‘Ramban’). When
Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu became the Maharaja of J&K State, he adopted
Jammu-Udhampur-Banihal route to reach Srinagar for the movement of
royal carvans. In this process, Ramban got the status of halting station for
the royal Carvans. Sukhdev Singh Chadak writes in his book ‘Maharaja
Ranbir Singh’ that Maharaja passed order for a cart road from Jammu to
Srinagar via Banihal and a suspension bridge over Chenab River at
Ramban.

Places of Interest

Dagan Top
is situated about 10kms from Gool on Gool-Mahore road. It is situated at an
altitude of nearly 2000 metres above thesea level and offers a panoramic view
of the Gool town.

Tattapani
This place is famous for the sulphur spring whose water is believed to have
miraculous healing powers.

Sanasar
Sanasar is the name given to the two small villages of Sana and Sar. Named
after small local lakes, Sana and Sar. A nearby mountain range is called the

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Shanta Ridge. The Shank Pal Temple is located at the highest point of the
Shank Pal ridge, at an altitude of 2,800 metres, a few hours’ walk from
Sanasar. The 400-year-old temple is dedicated to Nag Shank Pal.

Patnitop
This famous hill resort is perched on a beautiful plateau, at an altitude of 2024
m across which the Jammu-Srinagar Highway passes. The towns of Kud and
Batote are nearby. Kud is a very small town where sweet shops make fresh
Patissa (a sweet). It may be bought hot and melts in one’s mouth. Batote is
known as a place for quality rajma or the kidney bean.

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DISTRICT UDHAMPUR
Named after Raja Udham Singh elder son of Gulab Singh it serves as the
district capital and the Northern Command headquarters of the Indian Army.
A Forward Base Support Unit (FBSU) of the Indian Air Force is also stationed
here.
Udhampur is a lush green area replete with eucalyptus forests.
The Kiramchi temples located on the Udhampur-Jammu highway are a
particular attraction in Udhampur along with other temples in the region such
as the Chountra Devi, Babore Temples, Pingla Devi, and places of heritage such
as Ramnagar Fort, Sheesh Mahal, and many others.

Places Of Interest:

Sudh Mahadev And Mantalai

This highly revered Shiva temple is located at a distance of 42 Kms from
Patnitop. Legend has it that after bathing at a spring called Gouri Kund, just
short of Sudh Mahadev ,the Goddess Parvati would worship the Shivling here
that is believed to be at least 3000 years old .The temple also houses a black
marble statue of local Shiva and Parvati .A trishul of Lord Shiva is also
preserved here.Pilgrims in large number visit the shrine on the full moon night
of Sawan to participate in the festival to worship Lord Shiva. The mystical
underground stream,Devak believed to be as sacred as the Ganges originates
at Sudh Mahadev and disappears among the rocks some distance
downstream.
A few kilometers further ahead of Sudh Mahadev is Mantalai surrounded by
lush deodar forests. As per legend ,it is the place where lord Shiva got married
to goddess Parvati.

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Ramnagar Fort
Ramnagar is situated on the left bank of Kud river in mid Himalayan range,
about 40 kms west of Udhampur. Ramnagar also served as the captial of old
Bandarlta State. During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, it came under Sikh
rule and Raja Suchet Singh.
Ramnagar Fort is believed to have been built by Raja Suchet Singh, who died
in 1844. His wife performed sati nearby. There is a Samadhi of Maharani at the
site where the sati was performed. The fort was renovated and undertaken by
the Archaeological Survey of India in 1972. It is a protected monument of the
Archaeological department.

Devika
Udhampur is also well known city for the Devika river. The Devika river is also
known as the sister of the river Ganges.
In the Nilmat Purana that was written in the 7th century by Nela Muni, it is
mentioned that the Devika River is a manifestation of the mother Goddess
Parwati herself to benefit the people of Mader Desha that covers areas
between river Ravi and Chenab and the river Devika appeared on Shiv Ratri.
Water comes out by digging about a foot into the sand bed. Cremation on the
sands of Devika is considered as meritorious as cremation on the banks of the
Ganges at Kashi.

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District Reasi

Situated at the bank of River Chenab, it is the headquarters of the Reasi

district. In the eighth century, Reasi was a part of the Bhimgarh state
established by Bhim Dev. The name Reasi is derived from the town’s old name
“Rasyal”. The erstwhile Bhimgarh State, which is now called Reasi, was
established by Bhim Dev in the 8th Century AD.

Places of Interest:

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine

Vaishno Devi shrine is located in the lap of Trikuta hills which is 13 Kms from
base camp Katra. It is managed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board since
1986. Million of Pilgrims from within and outside the country visit this holy
place every year.

BHIM GARH FORT

This is an historical fort built by Gen. Zorawar Singh, the famous Dogra
General who repelled the Chinese from Ladakh. The fort is built on the bank of
River Anji at a hillock.

Salal Power Project

Salal Hydroelectric Project constructed on river Chenab in the district
Reasi. The project has capacity of 690 MW.

Baba Aghar Jitto

Baba Aghar Jitto a spiritual devotee of Shri Vaishno Devi Mata. A farmer
sacrified his life for getting due right share of agriculture crop from Jagirdar
Bir Singh who denied to give the committed share. This is why he scarified his

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life for getting his right & became famous among the farmers, have a
attraction for yatries also. The statue of Baba Jitto is situate near road side in
the lap of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi.

Shiv Khori (Ransoo)

Holy cave of Lord Shiva is situated at Shiv Khori (Ransoo) . A large fair takes
place on Shivratri day which continues for three days.

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District Poonch
In the 6th Century A.D. Chinese traveller Huien Tsang passed through Poonch.
He wrote that Poonch was famous for graphics, fine tea (Musloom) and good
horses. Around 850 A.D., Poonch became a sovereign state when Mr. Nar, a
horse trader declared himself Raja of Poonch . In 1596 A.D. Mughal King
Jehangir nominated Siraj-ud-din of village Kahuta as Raja of Poonch . In 1798
A.D. a Gujjar leader Rooh-ullah-Sangu became the ruler of this area.
From 1819 A.D. to 1850 A.D. Poonch remained a part of Khalsa Darbar ,
Lahore. In 1850 A.D. Dogra Raja Moti Singh laid foundation of Dogra Raj in
Poonch . On the death of Raja Jagat Dev Singh in 1940, Sardar Abdul
Qayoom Khan became administrator of Poonch under the orders of Kashmir
Government. In 1947 two and half tehsils of Poonch principality went under
the illegal occupation of Pakistan, while the rest became a constituent of
Rajouri Poonch district. In 1967 for administrative convenience this district was
further divided into two parts , viz district Rajouri and district Poonch.

Places of Interest:

LOC Trade Centre (Chakkan da Bagh

Poonch)
It is located on 46 kms long cross LOC Poonch-Rawlakote road at a distance of
about 8kms in south of Poonch Town. The loaded trucks from POK arrive on
Monday to Friday every week.

Loran
Loran was once the capital of Poonch state under Hindu rulers upto 1542 A.D.
It was then known as Loran-Kote. There are ruins of the Lohar Kote fort which
was once called the Gateway of Kashmir.

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Noori Chammb Waterfall

Noori Chammb associated with the name of Mughal Queen Noor Jahan is
famous for its scenic beauty & water fall. She had got fixed a mirror besides
the fall on the mountain wall where she used to have her make- up after the
bath.

Nandishool Waterfall
Nandishool is a beautiful water fall about 12 km. from Loran and 6 Km. from
Sultan Pathri. Water comes from Pir Panchal and fall on a glacier.

Mandi
It is a small village in a narrow valley enclosed by steep and grassy hills of no
great elevation, situated near the confluence of two streams namely Gagri and
Pulsta. Mandir Swami Budha Amar Nath Ji is situated in this village.

Girgan Dhok and Lakes

It is a valley of seven lakes Sukhsar, Neelsar, Bhagsar, Katorasar, Kaldachnisar
and Nandansar. Nandansar is one of the biggest lake near Girgen dhok. The
length of this lake is about one mile and its breadth is half a mile.

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District Rajouri
Rajouri area remained the region of great importance in ancient times.
In Mahabharta there was a kingdom known as Panchal Desa. The king of this
State was Panchal Nareshwhose daughter Dropdi was married to Pandvas.
The Historians Identify Panchalya Desha as the region in Panchal range of
mountains. Rajouri was also a part of this kingdom of Panchal Naresh.
Rajouri, then known as Rajapuri – ‘the land of Kings’ – finds its mention in the
travelogue of Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang who visited the town in 632 A.D.
and described it as a part of Kashmiri dominion. Still earlier in the Buddhist
period it formed a part of Gandharterritory (Afghanistan, Gandhar and
Tashkent) and later was included in the domain called Darabhisanga which
comprised the hilly stretch from Poonch to Kashmir. Those
days Laharkote in Poonch district and Rajouri had emerged as two powerful
states of the area.
According to F.E.Pargitor, second branch of Aryan emigrants crossed
Himalayas in the north and west and settled in Rajouri and Poonch area.
Rajouri, Bhimber and Naushera were included within the territory of Abhisar,
which was one of the hill states of Punjab Kingdom. During the Mughal rule,
the rulers of Rajouri have embraced Islam though they retained the title of
Raja.
Alberuni visited Rajouri with Sultan Masud (Son of Sultan Mehmud) in 1036
A.D. In his book “India” he wrote name of Rajouri as Raja Vari. Srivar, the
writer of ‘Raj Tirangini’ written during the regime of Sultan Zain-Ul-Abdin,
also named this area as Raja Vari. It appears that Raja Vari is the changed
shape of Raj Puri. Praja Bhat another writer of Raj Tirangini of 16th century
A.D. wrote this place as Raj-Vare in his book. Mirza Zafarulla Khan writer of
‘Tarikh Rajgan-E-Rajour’ described in his book that this place was originally
known as Raj-Avar and then changed from Rajour to Rajouri. With the passage
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of time the name changed from Raja’s Raj Avar to Raja Puri, Rajpuri to Raj Vari,
Raj Vari to Raj Vara, Raj Vara to Raj Avar, Raj Avar to Rajour and then Rajour to
Rajouri. As per Rajtirangini of Kalhan, Rajouri emerged as principality in about
1003 A.D. The first ruler of this kingdom was Raja Prithvi Paul. From 1033 A.D.
to 1194 A.D. these Pauls ruled this state. They were Raja Prithvipaul,
Raja JankiPaul (1035 A.D.), Raja Sangram Paul (1063 A.D.), Raja Som Paul (1101
A.D.), Bahu Paul (1113 A.D.) and AmnaPaul (1194 A.D.). Raja Prithvi Paul
defeated Pir PanchalPass at the time of invasion of Sultan Mehmud in1021
A.D. Raja Sangram Paul defended his Principality Rajouri when Raja Harash of
Kashmir assaulted his country in 1089 A.D. Sangram Paul fought so bravely
that Raja Harash was compelled to return from Prithvi Paul fort without
capturing Rajouri
As per ‘Tarikh-Rajgan-e-Rajour” Noor-Ud-Din who migrated from Punjab to
Rajouri revolted against Raja Amna Paul. Raja Amna Paul was killed in the
revolt and Noor-Ud-Din became the Raja of Rajouri. In this way Raja Noor-Ud-
Din aid the foundation of Jaral Muslim rule in Rajouri in 1194 A.D. to 21st
October 1846 A.D. Raja Raheem Ullah Khan was the last Muslim Ruler
of Rajouri who governed this principality upto 21st October, 1846.
Jaral Muslim Rajas rebuilt Rajouri city during their rule. Raja Aggar Ullah Khan
(1808-1819) fought bravely, first against Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1815 and
then Raja Gulab Singh in 1819.
In 1846 Amritsar pact was signed between British Government and
Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu. In the light of this pact, Jammu and Kashmir State
was handed over to Raja Gulab Singh and he was designated as Maharaja of
Jammu and Kashmir.
After taking the charge of Rajouri from Raja Faqir Ullah in 1846,
Maharaja Gulab Singh changed the name of Rajouri to Rampur. He
appointed Mian Hathu as Governor of Rajouri. Mian Hathu remained in
Rajouri upto 1846 A.D. He constructed a beautiful temple in
between ThannaNallah near Rajouri city. He also built Rajouri Fort
at Dhannidhar village. After Mian Hathu, Rajouri was converted into a Tehsil

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and affiliated with Bhimber District. In 1904 A.D., this Tehsil was bifurcated
from Bhimber and affiliated with Reasi District. On Ist January 1968, Rajouri
emerged as a new District on the map of the State.

Places of Interest:
Shahdara Sharief
The Ziyarat Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah (R.A) Shahdara Sharief is located in
the mid north edge of district Rajouri. Before the arrival of Baba (R.A) this
place was named as Sein Dara which later changed into Shahdara Sharief.

Doodadhari Temple
Dudhadhari Temple, also known by the name of Dudhadhari Barfani Ashram, is
situated in Rajouri The temple was built in the memory of Saint Dudhadhari
Baba, who is believed to have survived only on milk. This is the tallest temple
in the city of Rajouri.

Dhanidhar Fort
In 1819 Maharaja Ranjit Singh while concurring Kashmir captured Rajouri, he
appointed Mirza ReheemUllah Khan as Raja of Rajouri in place of Raja Agar
Khan. Raja Raheem Ullah Khan remained governing Rajouri principality upto
1846 under the control of Khalsa Darbar Lahore. On 15th March, 1846,
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladhakh was sold by the Britishers to Raja Gulab
Singh of Jammu and Kashmir. By this way, the Rajouri principality also came
under the jurisdiction of Maharaja Gulab Singh. Since Maharaja was not having
good relation with Raja Raheem Ullah Khan of Rajouri, therefore, he directed
him to step down. But Raja Raheem Ullah Khan refused to do so. In these
circumstances, Maharaja Gulab Singh alongwith his forces reached Rajouri and
dismissed Raja Raheem Ullah Khan and his administration and on 26th of
October, 1846, Raja Raheem Ullah Khan was compelled to leave principality

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alongwith his family and reletics. Then Maharaja Gulab Singh appointed Mian
Hathu the Governor of Rajouri. Mian Hathu governed Rajouri from 1846-1856
AD. In this very period, he started the construction of Dhannidhar Fort. The
Fort was completed in 1855 AD. The Dogra regime, collected revenue from the
farmers in the shape of grains and this grain was dumped in this Fort which
was sold later on. This Fort has been used by the defense in the past.

Kotranka Budhal
Kotranka at the distance of 40 kms is an attractive tourist spot situated on the
right bank of river Ans.

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DISTRICT SAMBA
It is said that Samba was principally established somewhere in 1400 A.D. As
per folklore, Malh Dev, the younger son of Rai Saidu of Lakhanpur was the
founder of Samba, who married into the family of Ghotar a local tribesman.
After his marriage he stayed at Samba and made himself the master of the
tract with Samba as its capital. Samba ultimately came under the supremacy
of Jammu, during the period of Hari Dev in 1816 A.D. In 1822, Suchet Singh
younger brother of Raja Gulab Singh was made the Raja of Bandralta and
Samba.
Historically, Samba has been known for its 22 Mandies which were established
by Raja Suchet Singh to whom the District also owes the famous Samba fort.
In 1846 A.D it was annexed to J&K by Maharaja Gulab Singh making it an
integral part of the state.Samba was carved out of Jammu on 27.10.2006.
Famous as land of Rajput warriors, the district has produced many gallant
soldiers including the recipient of the first gallantry award of Independent
India Brigadier Rajinder Singh, MVC. Samba is also famous for traditional
Calico Printing, where local dyes and wooden blocks are used for block
printing of weaved cotton fabrics (bed sheets). It is for this reason that it is also
known as ‘City of Sheets’.
Places of Interest
Utterbehani
Utterbehni is another religious place situated on the bank of legendary Devika
and is having centuries old temples located at a distance of five kms from
Purmandal.
Some other places of interest are: Shri Narsingh Dev Ji Temple, Baba Sidh
Goria Shrine, Baba Chamlyal, Chichi Mata.

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District Kathua
It is believed that Jodh Singh a famous Rajput of Andotra clan migrated from
Hastinapur to Kathua nearly 2000 years ago and settled here. The three
Hamlets of Taraf Tajwal, Taraf Manjali and Taraf Bhajwal were established by
his three sons Viz. Teju, Kindal and Bhaju. Their descendent are now called as
Tajwalia, Bhajwalia and Khanwalia Rajputs of Andotra sub-caste. The
conglomeration of these three hamlets was loosely called “Kathai” in earlier
times which with the passage of time came to be called as Kathua.
Greek historians, who provide an insight into the ancient history of Jammu
prominently record the existence of two powerful empires of Abhisara
(Present day Poonch) and Kathai at the time of invasion of India by Alexander,
Strabo describes Kathai as a mighty republic of that era located in the foot hills
along river Ravi. The topography of Kathai corresponds with the present day
Kathua. Starbo describes the people of the republic as epitone of bravery and
courage and records that they gave a tough fight to invading Army of
Alexander.

Places of Interest:

Sukrala Mata
The Most famous shrine dedicated to mother goddess is Sukrala Devi Shrine
The holy shrine is the abode of goddess Mal Devi, the re-incarnation of Sharda
Devi. The Holy Shrine is believed to have been built by Madho Singh and exiled
Prince of Chamba (Himachal Pardesh.

Airwan Temple
It is a famous Shiva . The 4th century old temple is believed to have been
constructed by King Vikramditya. The Airwan village bears its name after the
River Ravi. Fairs are held here on Shivratri and Baisakhi. There are large

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number of Bowlies near the temple where the pilgrims take bath before
worship. People who cannot afford to visit Haridwar immerse ashes of the
dead in the holy water known as Gupt Ganga.

Atal Setu
Atal Setu (Basohli) is a 592 mt long cable-stayed bridge on the Ravi river. The
bridge is situated on Dunera(Pathankot) to Basohli road and built to improve
connectivity among three states of India- Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and
Himachal Pradesh.
This bridge is the first of its kind in North India and fourth of its kind in the
nation. The other three bridges are in Mumbai (Bandra-Worli sealink),
Allahabad (Naini) and Kolkata (Hooghly).

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