Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory of India locked in Himalayan Mountains. Jammu and Kashmir is home to several Valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Chenab Valley, Sindh Valley and Lidder Valley. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are Srinagar, the Mughal Gardens, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Patnitop, Sanasar, Mansar, Surinsar, Bhaderwah, Jantroon (Dhar), Jai Valley, Chinta Valley, Akhnoor and Jammu. Some areas require a special permit for non-Indians to visit.Kashmir is called the land of beauty.

Gulmarg Gondola, Cable Car

Kashmir is located mainly in the Himalayas. To the south of this Union Territory of India are the two Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Jammu and Kashmir is bounded on the north by the Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan region and on the east by the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi recently created two Union Territories with the overwhelming support of both Houses of Parliament by repealing Article 370 and Article 35A of the Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmir is basically a popular eye-catching place for visitors from all over the world. Millions of visitors from all over the world flock here every year to enjoy its beauty. Places in Kashmir that fascinate visitors are:

City of Srinagar:

Within the city of Srinagar are Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Botanical Garden, Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashmeshahi Bagh, Parimahal, Hazrat Bal Dargah, Shankaracharya Hill. Places to visit in the city can be visited in one day.

Regions
The Vaishno Devi shrine attracts millions of Hindu devotees every year, located in Jammu region.
  • Jammu — Jammu is the winter capital of state and known for its temples, particularly The Vaishno Devi Temple in Katra which is visited by over 1 crore (10 million) pilgrims every year,[1] making Jammu the most visited part of Jammu and Kashmir State.
Shikaras on Dal Lake in Kashmir region.
  • Kashmir Valley — is visited for its gardens, lakes, and pristine streams and landscapes. Kashmir Valley consists of many ancient temples and shrines which makes it an important site for Hindus and Buddhists.

Tourist attractions
  • Jammu — the winter capital
  • Srinagar — the summer capital of the state, set around Dal Lake, with its floating houseboats
  • Gulmarg — Skiing and India' highest gondola
  • Katra— in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains and home of the holy Mata Vaishno Devi shrine
  • Pahalgam — a calm and serene place offering multiple trekking routes. The starting point of Amarnath Yatra
  • Patnitop — a small hill station in Jammu
  • Kishtwar locked between Himalayas and known for Saffron and Sapphire.
  • Bhaderwah — a famous hill station in Jammu
  • Amar Mahal is a palace on the banks of the Tawi river
  • Jantroon (Dhar) — located in Doda district of Chenab Valley.

Overview
Main articles: Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus

Before militancy intensified in 1989, tourism formed an important part of the Kashmiri economy and Kashmir was the favorite destination for Bollywood. Kashmir had 19 cinema halls which were closed due to rising Islamic Terrorism.[2][3] The tourism economy in the Kashmir valley was worst hit. However, the holy shrines of Jammu continued to remain popular pilgrimage and tourism destinations. Every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit holy shrines of Vaishno Devi and Amarnath which has had significant impact on the state's economy.[4]

Tourism in the Kashmir valley has rebounded in recent years and in 2009, the state became one of the top tourist destinations of India.[5] Gulmarg, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green golf course.[6] The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the states economy specifically tourism.[7] It was reported that 7.36 lakh tourists visited Kashmir in 2010 including 23,000 foreigners. In 2011, the number of tourist arrivals in Kashmir touched the mark of 10 lakh.[8][9]

Transportation
Main articles: Srinagar International Airport and Jammu Airport

By plane
Srinagar International Airport

Flights operate to Jammu and Srinagar. Air India, Air Asia, GoAir, Indigo Airlines and SpiceJet operated in the state.

By train
Banihal Railway station.

The last stop on the railway line north is Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station, where you can catch onward buses and hire SUVs/MUVs (Tata Sumo / Toyota Innova/ Mahindra Scorpio). However it is better to get down in Jammu and catch a taxi from there as these are more readily available.

The Jammu–Baramulla line is a railway line being built in India to connect the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. The Project officially coded USBRL (Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link) starts from the city of Udhampur, 55 kilometres (34 mi) north of Jammu, and travels for 290 kilometres (180 mi) to the city of Baramulla on the northwestern edge of the Kashmir Valley. The route crosses major earthquake zones, and is subjected to extreme temperatures of cold, as well as inhospitable terrain, making it an extremely challenging engineering project.

By Bus

There are two ways to get in by land - via Jammu and up to Srinagar or via Manali in Himachal Pradesh and up to Leh.

Khardungla 18380ft.

Transportation within
Sanji Chhat helipad vaishno devi
  • Buses are operated by J&K SRTC to most points around the state. They offer package tour to Gulmarg, Shonmarg, Yusmarg, Wular lake, City tour, etc. There is Tourist information center, where one get the tickets plus info.
  • 4 wheel drive jeeps are quicker, a little more expensive and reach more locations. Private hire jeeps are also available.

Tourist places

Gulmarg
Main article: Gulmarg

Gulmarg is well known for its natural environment and it is counted as one of unique tourist destinations in the India. Gulmarg is surrounded by dense forest. This place has a highland golf course. There is a special Gondola ride(ropeway) from Gulmarg.

Vaishno Devi
Main article: Vaishno Devi

The town of Katra, which is close to Jammu, contains the Vaishno Devi shrine. Nestling on top of the Trikuta Hills at a height of 1700 m is the sacred cave shrine of Vaishno Devi, the mother goddess. At a distance of 48 km from Jammu, the cave is 30 metres long and just 1.5 metres high. At the end of the cave are shrines dedicated to the three forms of the mother goddess — Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasarasvati, which is manifested as Vaishno Devi. Pilgrims start trekking to the cave temple, which is 13 km from Katra, enter in small groups through a narrow opening and walk through ice waters to reach the shrines.[10]

Sonmarg
Main article: Sonmarg
Sonmarg Valley

The way to reach Sonmarg or the Meadow of the gold is from the Sindh Valley. This valley also shows more amazing facet in Kashmir. Sonmarg is located at an altitude of around 2730 meters from the sea level; it has snow-covered mountains as its backdrop against the sky. The Zozila path which is one of the deadliest roads on the earth can be travelled from here.

Raghunath Temple
Main article: Raghunath Temple

Raghunath Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Shri Rama. All the inner walls of this temple are covered with gold, on three sides. Galleries of this temple are covered with ‘ Saligrams’. The other surrounding temples are related to other gods from the Ramayana. This temple is located in the centre or we can say in the heart of Jammu.

Verinag

Verinag is the first town when you enter to Kashmir valley. It is particularly known as Gateway of Kashmir and known for being near the source of river Jhelum.

In Kashmir Valley
Main article: Kashmir Valley
Skiing is popular in Gulmarg, showing cable car in a snow clad mountain.
Shikara In A Row

In Jammu
Main article: Jammu Division
Paragliding in Sanasar
The Vaishno Devi shrine
  • Vaishno Devi - Hindu shrine.
  • Patnitop - Hill station
  • Poonch
  • Sanasar
  • Eco-tourism places: Mantalai and Shivkhori
  • Bhimgarh Fort
  • Ramnagar Fort in Udhampur District
  • Mansar Lake with its length more than a mile and width half-a-mile, is a very attractive lake in the midst of lusting greeneries surrounded by forest-covered hills. It is considered as a very holy site known from mythological periods sharing the sanctity and legacy of Mansa Sarovar. It is a very popular base of tourists.

In Chenab region

Chenab region is also known as Chenab Valley which includes following tourist destinations:

  • Bhaderwah Valley, located in Doda district is a famous tourist destination of Chenab Valley.
  • Jai Valley, located in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Chinta Valley, also located in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Jantroon (Dhar) are the numbers of meadows located at the higher reaches of Thathri subdivision of Doda district.
  • Padri Top, is the group of meadows, located in Bhaderwah.
  • Bimal Nag, is a meadow located in Drabshalla tehsil (subdistrict) of Kishtwar district.
  • Mughal Maidan, a tourist destination in Kishtwar district.
  • Chatroo, famous for it small lake, is a tourist destination in Kishtwar district.
  • Sinthan Pass, located in the higher reaches of Kishtwar district on Kishtwar-Anantnag road.
  • Bhal Padri, a beautiful meadow located in Gandoh (Bhalessa).
  • Lal Draman, a scenic tourist destination in Doda district.
  • Dessa Valley, located in Doda district.
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See also
  • Tourism in North East India

References
  1. "Vaishno Devi pilgrimage close to 5 million". dailyexcelsior.com.
  2. "Kashmir begins to attract Bollywood again, but cinemas still shut due to militancy fears". The Economic Times. 7 June 2015.
  3. "Kashmir has lost its cinema halls but not its love for the movies".
  4. "Amarnath Board to study yatra impact on Kashmir economy". Online edition of The Hindu. Chennai, India. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  5. "Foreign tourists flock Kashmir". Online edition of The Hindu. Chennai, India. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  6. Cris Prystay (26 October 2007). "Fairway to Heaven". WSJ.
  7. "Tourists arrival gives boost to J-K economy". Sify.
  8. NDTV News report. youtube.com.
  9. NDTV Correspondent (29 May 2011). "Welcome to Jammu and Kashmir's new tourist hot-spot". NDTV.com.
  10. "Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine". maavaishnodevi.org.

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