Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir

Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir

Kargil is the second largest town in Ladakh after Leh. Kargil is the headquarters of the district of Kargil. Kargil was once spectator to the most chaotic bartering among traders of different faiths and nationalities. It is situated 60 km and 204 km from Drass and Srinagar to the west respectively, 234 km from Leh to the east, 240 km from Padum to the southeast and 1,047 km to Delhi in the south. This town has an average elevation of 2,676 metres (8,780 feet), and is situated along the banks of the Suru River. As per 2001 Census of India, Kargil had a population of 9944. Males comprise 61 percent of the population and females 39 percent. Kargil has an average literacy rate of 73 percent, higher than the national average of 59.5 percent.

People in Kargil are of diverse Dard and Tibetan descent. The inhabitants of Kargil were adherents of Tibetan Buddhism until the 14th-15th centuries when Muslim missionaries began to proselytise to the local people. At present 90 percent of Kargil`s population are Shia Muslim, 5 percent Sunni and 5 percent Tibetan Buddhist. The architecture of older mosques in Kargil is an amalgamation of Tibetan and Iranian styles, while the newer mosques architectural styles have a tendency to follow those of modern Iranian and Arabic styles. Kargil town lies in the lower Suru basin. Two other rivers that meet here are Drass and Wakha Chu. All around there are thriving green fields of barley and wheat, vegetable beds and rows of poplars and willows. Kargil is well-known for its apricots and mulberries.

There are several places of tourist interest in Kargil town. Situated 45 km east of Kargil on the road to Leh, Mulbekh (3230m) is a typical Buddhist village. Many monuments of the early Buddhist era dot the landscape and are accessible from the village. Perched atop a rocky cliff, the Mulbekh gompa (monastery) dominates the valley. Like all monasteries it is adorned by frescoes and statues. Shergole is a small village right of the Wakha brook on the Kargil-Leh road. Visible from afar as a white speck against the brown granite, the monastery here literally hangs out of a cliff. The hilly land Kargil, has its own appeal to the travellers for the near to heaven surroundings with the snowy vicinity that takes the minds of the travels to a distant place where the beauty of Himalayas catches the eyes of the beholder.

Ganderbal, Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir

Ganderbal, Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir

Ganderbal is a small settlement in the Srinagar district of the northern state of India, Jammu and Kashmir. It was originally known as Doderhom and was the official headquarters of the Sindh valley. The Sindh Nallah, which originates from the inner Himalaya ranges of Drass flows through the town and enters the plains. The town appears like a floating garden surrounded by swamps.

According to the 2001 India census report, Ganderbal had a population of 13,944 inhabitants. Males constitute 53% of the population and females constitute 47% of the population. In Ganderbal, 12% of the population is less than six years of age. Ganderbal has an average literacy rate of 52%, which is lower than the national average literacy rate of 59.5%. The male literacy rate is 66%, and the female literacy rate is 37%.

The shrine of Khirbhawani of Goddess Ragni, is in the Tullamulla Village, at a distance of 5 km from Gandarbel.

Hajan, Baramulla District, Jammu and Kashmir

Hajan, Baramulla District, Jammu and Kashmir

There is no dearth of towns and cities in the whole of Indian Territory. Regarding the state of Jammu and Kashmir it can also be said that there is plentiful of towns also. In the Baramulla District, Hajan has been regarded as an important town, which is being administered of the `notified area committee`. This Hajan falls on the way to Chandanwari.

The geographical location of the Hajan town is quite significant. To be precise, Hajan is situated at 34.3° N 74.62° E. It has an average height of 1556 meters (5104 feet). Through out the year, many people of the region frequently visit to this Hajan, which has been gained recognition as an ideal picnic spot. The picturesque beauty of Hajan is superb. This makes it ideal for the moviegoers who will distinguish it immediately and thus it has been the location of several movie settings.

Due to its integration with the Jammu and Kashmir state , it is natural that the resident of this Hajan town follow the norms and tradition of the state as a whole . Thus the economy of the Hajan town is centered on the agriculture and farming, animal husbandry and tourism.

The prevalent religious practices in the city of Hajan are Hinduism, Buddhism and also Sikhism. Thus people of Hajan city are feting all the conventional festivals and fairs of the Jammu and Kashmir valley. In Hajan town, the main languages spoken are Kashmiri, Dogri, Pahari, Balti, Ladakhi, Punjabi, Gojri and Dadri, Kishtwari. Now days, the Hajan residents have developed fluency in other languages like Hindi and also english.

Chenani, Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir

Chenani, Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir

Chenani is a town and a notified area committee in Udhampur district in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir .

According to the 2001 census , males constitute 55% of the population and females comprises of 45% of the population .The literacy rate of this region is quite high at 80% while the national average literacy rate is 59.5% .The male literacy rate of Chenani is 85% which is higher than that of the female population which is 73% .12% of the population is below the age of six years.The major lanuages spoken in the district are Hindi , Urdu,Kashmiri and Dogri.

Bari Brahmana, Jammu and Kashmir

Bari Brahmana, Jammu and Kashmir

Bari Brahmana is a town as well as a notified area committee located in the Jammu District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The bulk of the population of the district comprises Hindus. The tehsils of Jammu district are Akhnoor, Ranbir, Singh Pur, Samba, Bishnah and the Jammu City. The district is the birthplace and the home of Shri Gautam Dogra.

As per the 2001 India census, Bari Brahmana has a population of 31,616. Males comprise 53% of the population and females make up 47%. Bari Brahmana has a mean literacy rate of 61%, higher than the nationwide standard of 59.5%. 59% of the males and 41% of the females are literate. 14% of the population consists of children below six years of age.

Kupwara , Jammu & Kashmir

Kupwara , Jammu & Kashmir


A person finds no paucity of towns and cities in the soils of the Jammu and Kashmir state of Indian Territory. Kupwara is one such significant town of this state. It is `a notified area committee` and is located in the district of Kupwara of the same state.

Demographical knowledge about a place helps one to develop familiarity with the concerned place. Towards achieving that goal , several demographers have conducted numerous surveys and research works and thus inferred demographical data viz population , literacy rate etc. In this regard, the name of the Census report that has been issued forth in the year 2001 naturally comes into the limelight. According to this report, the total population of Kupwara showed a counting of 14,711. Like many places of Indian territory, in this Kupwara town also., the number of males are more in number than that of females. In other words, male populace comprises of 61 percent while that of females is only 39 percent. Information of Kupwara also is also important. It is noted that the rate of average literacy constitutes of 55 which is lower than that of the entire nation. 59.5 percent is the average literacy rate of India.. Out of it , male literacy rate constitutes of 64 percent and female literacy rate is 41percent only.

Hiranagar,, Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir

Hiranagar,, Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir

In the vast country of India , a multitude of cities and towns have developed by leaps and bounds . In the sate of Jammu and Kashmir also, one finds no dearth of cities and towns. Amongst them , the name of Hiranagar deserves mentioning. Hiranagar is a town that is located in the district of Kathua of the same state . For the administration of the Hiranagar town , a notified area committee has been formed. Today, as per reliable source , the Hiranagar town houses a rapid `Developing Industrial Estate` and also a contemporary industrial teaching institution.

Certain information also have been gathered by many other experts which all are related to the town of Hiranagar . According to them , Hiranagar is acclaimed as `Tehsil HQ`. As far as the origination of Hiranagar town is concerned, a legend too is popular. Raja Hari Singh is supposed to have formed this town of Hiranagar when he was being conferred with the honorable title of Jagir of Jasrota by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab at a time period of 1834-44 AD. Also the Hiranagar was named after the Raja.

The strategic location of the Hiranagar town too is quite significant. As per the finding of the experts , Hiranagar is situated at approximately 32.45° N 75.27° E. It has an average height of 308 metres or 1010 feet.

Since it is not possible to know about the place or city properly without the knowledge about the demography, the experts too have thrown some light in this regard also. In other from the demographical data, one can get to know about several aspects of the town like population status, literacy rate etc. According to the Census report that has been brought out in the year 2001, the total population of the Hiranagar town has been enumerated to be 7879. Out of it, males comprise of 56 percent , while the female populace constitutes of 44 percent . In Hiranagar town , 12 percent of the total population is below six years of age.

What is also interesting to note that Hiranagar town has an average literacy rate which is even higher than that of the nation as a whole. Thus the average literacy rates of Hiranagar and India are 73 percent and 59.5 percent respectively. To be specific, male literacy rate has been constituted to be 80 percent and rate of female literacy is 65 percent .

Numerous places of interests have attracted myriads of tourists from all over the Indian subcontinent. One such is Shree Anand Asharam that is located in Suba Chak, which lies quite nearby of Hiranagar.It is located at the base of small hills with a vast landscape on its northern part , hills on the south-eastern part and also ancient fort behind it. In Hiranagar, the founder of this Asharam has been named as " Swamy Dr Omanand Maharaj.

Akhnoor , Jammu and Kashmir

Akhnoor , Jammu and Kashmir

History of Akhnoor can be traced back to ancient times and forms an important chapter in the rich and glorious culture of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian subcontinent. Akhnoor is a beautiful town situated at a distance of 32 kilometers from Jammu and Kashmir. It is in the northwestern part of Jammu that the River Chenab meets the plain of Akhnoor. According to the census of 2001, Akhnoor had a population of 10,770. In fact Akhnoor is a city, which has undergone a metamorphoses ever since militancy erupted in Kashmir. The city of Akhnoor today is also considered as a cultural crossover region.

The city of Akhnoor finds a special mention in the modern history of Kashmir. This land of composite cultures also narrates fabled love story of two betrothed lovers Sohni and Mahiwal. Along the banks of the River Chenab here in this historic town, one can also find the majestic ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization. It is really nice to be in this place as the region commands a panoramic view.

This beautiful city is also regarded as a very fascinating tourist spot. The most popular tourist attraction in this region is the Amar Mahal Palace, which is a magnificent palace, built of red sandstone and is fixed among the most spectacular and panoramic surroundings of Jammu. Not only this, it also offers a stunning view of the Shivalik range in the north and Tawi River in the south. It is universally believed to be the residential palace of Raja Amar Singh once upon a time but now the Kashmir Government has converted it into a museum. The museum also has golden throne made of pre gold weighing up to 120 kilograms.

Nowadays reaching the exquisite town of Akhnoor has become very expedient. The national and state highway network links this town to other parts of Jammu and Kashmir and many important cities in India. All sorts of hired transports are available and all comes with the most experienced drivers. Although this small town doesn`t have a airport of its own, there is an airport situated at Jammu and from there one can easily avail regular buses and taxis.

Akhnoor being on the border of India and Pakistan in the Upper Shivalik region of Kashmir valley with its high mountains and valleys and mighty river Chandrabhaga is often plundered by terrorist attacks and mass killing has been a common phenomenon in the region for the last ten years. The game of political blame or the futile tears of the international community might have taken this place into the newspaper but they have failed to safeguard the people of this magnificent piece of the earth. Inspite of all this Akhnoor still remains to be heaven for the nature-lovers.

Sonamarg, Jammu and Kashmir

Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir

The Golden Meadow is at an altitude of 2740 meters and is gateway to Ladakh.It has brilliant forests of sycamore and alpine flowers, silver birch,fir and pine; Sonamarg is a place of enthralling beauty. Three lakes viz Kishensar,Vishensar and Gangabal can be viewed from Nichnai Pass. 20 Kms east of Sonamarg is Zoji-La Pass at 3540 mtrs which leads into Ladakh Plateau.

Adventures & Sports
Sonamarg mainly offers trekking, water rafting, Skiing adventure.

Getting There
Sonamarg is in Srinagar District on the Srinagar Leh Highway approx.110 Kms from Srinagar.The nearest Airport is in Badgam Distt. This Airport is connected with major cities of India.The nearest Rail Head is at Jammu and from there National Highway NH1Aconnects the Kashmir valley with India.

Every sort of transport to suit every budget from Buses to Taxisply on this Highway. It Takesaround 10 to 12 hours to cross this mountaineous road whichcrosses some beautiful spots andthe famous Jawahar Tunnel linking Kashmir Valley with India. Bus service is available from Srinagar which leave at fixed time from the Srinagar Bus stand. Taxis and other sort of transport can be hired from Srinagar at pre-fixed rates. Assistance isavailable at Tourist Reception Centre Srinagar.

Hotels & Accomodation
Sonamarg has a number of Hotels and lodges of various types which are open only during summer months. Accomodation needs to be booked well in advance from srinagar.

Cities of Jammu and Kashmir

Cities of Jammu and Kashmir
Exquisite scenery of the cities of Jammu and Kashmir demand kudos from the tourists from India as well as overseas. Lush green forests encroach by the valley of flowers and fruit, sometimes intersected by the floe of rivers Jhelum. There is a beautiful Dal lake, a favorite spot for the tourists; especially those who want to get elated seeing nature`s beauty. Beautiful cities like Ladakh , the capital city Srinagar, Udhampur are safe haven of tribal folks like Gaddis etc celebrate the fairs and festivals ,adding their own local customs and rituals.

The cities of Jammu and Kashmir have been noted for its fine arts of ancient Indian culture consisting of poetry and handicrafts. Shikaras, the conventional small timber boats, are quite common in several lakes and rivers across the Valley.