Details of Jammu & Kashmir
States & Union Territory Of India
Jammu & Kashmir
The paradisal state of Jammu and Kashmir is the pride
of India, with its lofty snowclad mountain ranges, sylvan landscape,
unbelievably fresh mountain air and its beautiful people. Located at the
extreme north west of the country, the state is divided into three
broad segments, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Kashmir has the maximum
population at 53%, Jammu has 45%, while Ladakh is rather sparsely
inhabited, due to obvious geographical constraints.
Jammu is situated on the banks of the Tawi river,
framed against the picturesque backdrop of the majestic Trikuta ranges,
is the winter capital of the state, Jammu. It is believed that Jammu was
founded by Raja Jamboolochan in the 9th century, though no such
historical records of the region exist. The Sikhs took over from the
Rajputs, following which, in 1832, Gulab Singh merged Jammu with Kashmir
to form the present state. The region is inhabited by three large
tribes - the sturdy Dogras dwelling in the plains, the Pahadis of the
hills, and the nomadic mountain - dwelling tribes of the Gaddis and
Gujjars.
Jammu houses a huge number of temples and shrines,
the soaring spires of which seem to pierce the skies above. The
Raghunath group of temples, the largest in the north; the Amar Mahal
Palace; the Ranbireshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva; the Baghi Bahu
temple and Fort are some of the popular landmarks of the region. The
Dogra Art Gallery showcases the Pahadi school of art, chiefly comprising
of exquisite wall paintings that adorn the local temples. The
handicrafts typical of Jammu are wooden ornaments, intricate bamboo
work, straw fans, rush baskets etc.
Festivals : In keeping with Jammu being a
colourful region, the festivals celebrated here are vibrant explosions
of gaiety, the principal amongst them being, Lohri (January), Baisakhi
(April), Bahu Mela (April and October), Chaitre Chandash (April),
Purmandal Mela (February), and Jhiri Mela (October).
Modes of transport :
By air: Jammu is connected by Indian Airlines with Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Srinagar.By rail: Jammu Tawi is an important railhead on the Northern Railway line. Express trains connect it with Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta and Amritsar.
By road: Located on the National Highway 1A, Jammu is linked by a network of roads to Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Katra, Srinagar, and Manali.
Kashmir :
The sheer beauty and grandeur of the Kashmir Valley cannot be captured in plain words. Set at the foot of the awesome Himalayas, with the splendid Jhelum river meandering through it, this land of raw natural magnificence has enticed people from all over the world, for centuries. Aptly referred to as Paradise, Kashmir has been ruled by Emperor Ashoka, the Kushans, Gonondas, Guptas, Karkotas, Mughals, Afghans, Sikhs, and finally by the Dogras in the 19th century. Despite all these invasions, the Kashmiris have retained their traditions and innate simplicity. The major chunk of the population is Muslim, followed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians.Kashmir is a land crisscrossed by umpteen lakes and rivers, each fascinating in its own way. The Jhelum or Vitasta, as it was called, is not only the bloodline, as it were, of the state, but also poses as the ethereal inspiration for many songs, legends, and poems. The other notable lakes include the Manasbal Lake, the Liddar river, the famous Dal lake, Nagin Lake and the Wular Lake, the largest in the state. Shalimar, Nasim Bagh, Nishat Bagh, and the legendary Chashme - e - Shahi are some of the delightful gardens, that are to be found here.
Apart from its being the land of soaring snowclad
mountains, sparkling waterfalls, shikaras (water taxis), impressive
chinar trees, and vast fields of vibrant flowers, Kashmir is also renown
for its unique handicrafts - papier-mache, woodwork, stone jewellery,
fine Pashmina and Shahtush shawls, carpet weaving and silverware. The
arts and crafts of this region are more than 500 years old, and bear a
distinct Persian imprint. The valley is studded with several mosques and
temples, built in diverse architectural styles. The Hazratbal Mosque,
the holiest of all Muslim shrines, the stone temples of Avantipur, the
cave at Amarnath, the most sacred Hindu shrine in the state, the great
Shankaracharya temple, the Martand Temple all add to the kaleidoscopic
appeal of Kashmir.
Compiled by My Preparation of Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Examination for the blog http://maharashtrapublicserviceexams.blogspot.com
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