Excursion of Jammu & Kashmir - India

The northern most state of India Jammu & Kashmir has always attracted travellers and visitors, tourists and pilgrims to its cool green heights and deep vales. Jammu, the ‘land of the fearless’ and the ‘land of Gods and Goddesses’ was discovered by Raja Jambu Lochan. Cosily placed in the foothills of the Himalayas, Jammu is an ideal short getaway from the hot plains during the summers.

There are charming bazaars crowded with tourists and exclusive boutiques offer the latest in fashion-wear and accessories. There are innumerable temples and shrines dotting the entire cityscape. Ladakh is bounded by two of the world’s mightiest mountain ranges — the Great Himalayas and the Karakoram. Geologically speaking, it is a 'young’ land — having been formed only a few million years ago by the buckling and folding of the earth’s crust as the Indian sub-continent pushed against the immovable mass of Asia.

Ladakh is the land of gompas and monasteries and also has in its folds a small number of ‘Dards’, who are widely believed to be the pure Indo-Aryan race whose ancestors came from down the Indus and settled here. However, besides Muslims, Ladakh’s population is mostly of Tibetan origin professing the Buddhist religion.

Kashmir it was that the Mughals fell in love with — a retreat from their city courts and courtiers. It was here that they allowed their imagination to blossom into magnificent, formal gardens with flowering bushes and plants, canals, lakes and fountains.

And, of course, the state has a number of important Hindu and Muslim pilgrim centres such as Vaishno Devi, Amarnath, the Hazratbal Dargah, and the Asrari Sharief.

Places to visit:
Raghunath Temple - is dedicated to Lord Rama. The inner walls of the temple are covered with gold sheet on three sides. The galleries are covered with lakhs of 'Saligrams'. The surrounding temples are dedicated to other gods and goddesses from the epic, Ramayana. The temple is located in the heart of Jammu. Construction of the temple was started in 1835 by Maharaja Gulab Singh and completed by his son, Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1860.

Bahu Fort - The original fort was built by Raja Bahulochan but was modified and improved by Dogra rulers. This fort, perhaps the oldest edifice in Jammu, is located 5 km from the city. The fort is built on rocks facing the Tawi river. A temple dedicated to Goddess Kali is also inside the fort. Exquisitely laid-out gardens surround the fort on all sides.

Peer Baba - This is the famous dargah of the Muslim saint, Peer Budhan Ali Shah. On Thursdays apart from Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs also come in large numbers to pay respect at the shrine.

Mubarak Mandi Palace - The architecture of this palace has a unique blend of Rajasthani, Mughal and even Gothic styles. The palace complex dates back to 1824 AD. The Sheesh Mahal segment in the palace is most famous. The pink hall has now been converted into the Dogra Art Museum. This museum is a treasure house of miniature paintings from various hill schools.

Katra - Katra acts as a base camp for pilgrims and tourists going to the Vaishnodevi shrine. Katra is 50 kms from Jammu. It can be approached by a road that passes through a stretch of beautiful valley.

Patnitop - This beautiful place is 112 kms from Jammu. It is located on the Jammu-Srinagar highway and is thus easily accessible. Patnitop was in fact a picnic spot for residents of Jammu. Later on it was taken up by JKTDC and developed as a tourist destination. Patnitop is usually covered with snow during winter and provides a good opportunity for winter sports.

Dal Lake - is at the east of Srinagar city. Much of it is a maze of intricate waterways. Dal Lake comprises of a series of lakes, including Nagin Lake, 8 km from the city center. Most of the modern houseboats are anchored here. The famous Mughal gardens are located on the far east side of Dal lake.

Pahalgam - is about 95 km east of Srinagar. At a junction of the East and West Lidder rivers, it is a popular trekking base. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims approach the Amarnath cave from this area.

Hemis Gompa - situated 45 km south of Leh is the most accessible and hence most visited gaompas of Leh. It has an excellent library, well preserved frescoes showing some Kashmiri influence and good Buddha statues.

Namgyal Tsemo Gompa - built in 1430, contains a fine three-storey-high Buddha and ancient manuscripts and frescoes. From here, the views of Leh are superb. A steep lane from here leads to the Leh Palace.

Shanti Stupa - looks impressive, especially at night when it is well lit-up. With financial assistance from the Japanese government, it was built by a Japanese and opened by the Dalai Lama in 1985. From the top, there are great views. The stupa is located at the end of the road which goes through Changspa, about 3 km from fort Road.

Top    

Information on Tours & Travel excursion of Jammu and Kashmir - india