Jammu & Kashmir State Information

Capital : Summer(May-October)- Srinagar, Winters (November-April)- Jammu

istricts :!"
languages: #r$u, %as&miri, 'in$i, ogri, (a&ari, )a$a*&i,
Introduction to Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu + %as&mir is t&e ,e-ele$ cro-n o. /n$ia -it& e0travagant beauty o.
'imalayas1 2a,3aringini, t&e c&ronology o. t&e %as&mir %ings -ritten by
%al&ana eulogises t&e beauty o. %as&mir as 4%asmira (arvati (aro*s&5 3at
S-ami c& Ma&es-ara41 Meaning %as&mir is as beauti.ul as 6o$$ess (arvati
mani.est an$ its o-ner is )or$ S&iva 'imsel.1 3&e Mug&al 7mperor e0claime$
46ar 8ar-ru-e-9amin Ast5 'amin Ast, 'amin Ast 'amin Asto1 Meaning i. t&ere
is para$ise on t&is eart&: 3&is is it, t&is is it, t&is is it1 Jammu an$ %as&mir
presents t&e $istinction o. multi.acete$, variegate$ an$ uni:ue cultural blen$1
Geography of Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu + %as&mir is situate$ bet-een ;<1!= $egree an$ ;>1?@ $egree nort&
latitu$e an$ ;=1<> $egree an$ @A1;A $egree east longitu$e1 3&e total area o.
t&e State is <<<,<;> s:1 *ms inclu$ing =@,!!" s: *ms un$er t&e illegal
occupation o. (a*istan an$ "<,>@? s: *ms un$er t&at o. C&ina1 3&e State is
boun$e$ by (a*istan, A.g&anistan an$ C&ina .rom t&e West to t&e 7ast1 3&e
State is -ell connecte$ -it& rest o. t&e country by air, rail an$ roa$ 1 3&e
/n$ian Airlines an$ private airlines operate regular .lig&ts to Srinagar, Jammu
an$ )e&1 3&e National 'ig&-ay !-A connects t&e capital cities o. Srinagar
an$ Jammu -it& rest o. t&e country1
Brief History of Jammu & Kashmir
%as&mir is mentione$ in t&e epic Ma&ab&arata1 /n <?A 8C, As&o*a, t&e great
Mauryan *ing, establis&e$ t&e city o. (an$ret&an an$ built many vi&aras an$
c&aityas1 3&is says muc& about t&e strategic importance t&at t&is region &el$
even in t&at time1 Some sources claim t&at 8u$$&a also visite$ t&is region,
t&oug& no proo. is available to vali$ate t&is t&eory1 %anis&*a, t&e great
%us&ana *ing, calle$ t&e 3&ir$ 8u$$&ist Council at 'ar-an, near Srinagar, in
t&e .irst century A1 3&is Council sa- t&e $ivision o. 8u$$&ism in t-o $istinct
streams calle$ 'inayana an$ Ma&ayana1 %al&ana, t&e .irst /n$ian &istory
-riter, gave a vivi$ account o. t&e &istory o. %as&mir be.ore t&e !At& century
A1 )ocal *ing$oms rule$ e0tensively in t&is region until t&e !<t& century A
-&en Muslims inva$e$ t&e region1 3&e greatest Muslim *ing o. early me$ieval
age in %as&mir -as 9ain-ul-Abi$in, -&o ascen$e$ t&e t&rone in A !"<A an$
rule$ up to !"=A1 'is long rule contribute$ e0tensively to t&e sprea$ o. art,
culture, music, an$ every ot&er sp&ere in t&e li.e o. %as&mir people1 'e also
create$ a strong army an$ anne0e$ many regions nearby %as&mir1 3&ese
-ere t&e time o. gol$en rule in %as&mir -&en peace an$ &armony prevaile$1
A.ter t&e $eat& o. %ing 9ain-ul-Abi$in, a perio$ o. $estruction came calling to
%as&mir an$ many rai$ers .rom outsi$e loote$ t&e state an$ ma$e t&e people
an$ local rulers t&eir captive1
/n !?@=, A*bar anne0e$ %as&mir into &is vast empire1 Ja&angir, son o. A*bar
an$ ne0t Mug&al ruler, visite$ %as&mir !; times an$ create$ t-o beauti.ul
gar$ens on t&e ban* o. al )a*e, namely, t&e S&alimar 8ag& an$ Nis&at
8ag&1 A.ter t-o centuries o. peace an$ $evelopment, %as&mir came into t&e
&an$s o. t&e (at&ans in !=?<, -&en t&e A.g&an ruler Ab$ul S&a& Ab$ali
attac*e$ t&is region on t&e re:uest o. local noblemen1 /n !@!B, t&e Si*&s
un$er Ma&ara,a 2an,it Sing& anne0e$ t&is region, but t&eir empire remaine$
in place only .or <= years1 Crom !@"> to !B?=, t&e ogras rule$ over t&is
region -&en 8ritis& $e.eate$ 2an,it Sing& an$ &an$e$ over t&e a$ministration
o. t&is region to Ma&ara,a 6ulab Sing&1
Government of Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu an$ %as&mir &as a multi party $emocratic system o. governance1
Main political parties inclu$e t&e National Con.erence, t&e /n$ian National
Congress (/NC) an$ t&e Jammu an$ %as&mir (eopleDs emocratic (arty
((()1 (resently, /n$ian National Congress an$ its ally (( &ol$ t&e
ma0imum number o. seats in t&e Jammu an$ %as&mir state assembly1 A.ter
Mu.ti Mo&amme$ Sayee$ o. t&e (( complete$ &is t&ir$ year as C&ie.
Minister, as per t&e po-er s&aring agreement bet-een t&e ((-Congress
alliance reac&e$ in late <AA<, Congress lea$er 6&ulam Nabi AEa$ replace$
Mu.ti on November <AA?1
Districts of Jammu & Kashmir
3&e /n$ian state o. Jammu an$ %as&mir is $ivi$e$ into !" $istricts -
Anantnag, 8aramulla, 8u$gam, o$a, Jammu, %argil, %at&ua, %up-ara, )e&,
(oonc&, (ul-ama, 2a,ouri, Srinagar an$ #$&ampur
Economy of Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu an$ %as&mirDs economy is mostly $epen$ent on .arming an$ animal
&usban$ry1 Ma,ority o. t&e population o. t&e state $epen$s on agriculture1
(a$$y, -&eat an$ maiEe are t&e ma,or crops1 8arley, ba,ra an$ ,o-ar are
cultivate$ in some parts1 6ram is gro-n in )a$a*&1 3&oug& small, t&e
manu.acturing an$ services sector is gro-ing rapi$ly1 3ourism .orme$ an
important part o. t&e %as&miri economy1 Alt&oug& t&e tourism economy in t&e
%as&mir Falley &as been &it by t&e terrorism t&reat, Jammu an$ )a$a*&
continue to remain as popular tourist $estinations1 3&e Woo$ in %as&mir is
also use$ to ma*e :uality Cric*et bats an$ as t&ey are popularly *no-n as
%as&mir Willo-1 'an$icra.ts .rom Jammu an$ %as&mir &ave $eman$ .rom
bot& insi$e an$ outsi$e t&e country1 Coal, gypsum, an$ limestone are t&e
ma,or minerals pro$uce$ in t&e state1
Jammu & Kashmir Travel Information
Srinagar is an ancient city an$ &as many attractions t&at can attract even t&e
most un-illing o. tourists to t&is magical lan$1 al )a*e, Nis&at 8ag&,
S&alimar 8ag&, an$ C&as&me S&a&i are some o. t&e best-*no-n tourist spot
in Srinagar1 Jammu is t&e -inter capital o. t&e state an$ ne0t in importance
a.ter Srinagar1 Most o. t&e tourists -&o come to t&e Jammu region &ave t&e
Mata Fais&no evi s&rine as t&eir $estination, -&ic& is :uite close by1
'o-ever, t&e spirit o. &oliness permeates t&roug& t&e entire city, so muc& so
t&at Jammu is also *no-n as t&e GCity o. 3emplesH1 /. 8a&u Mata is t&e
presi$ing $eity o. Jammu, t&e $arga& o. (eer 8u$&an Ali S&a& is t&e ot&er
s&rine t&at is believe$ to protect t&e local people1 3&e ot&er ma,or tourist
attraction is t&e 2ag&unat& 3emple Comple0, -&ic& is t&e largest temple in
Nort& /n$ia $evote$ to )or$ 2ama1 3&e construction o. t&is temple -as begun
by Ma&ara,a 6ulab Sing& in !@?! an$ complete$ by &is son 2anbir Sing& si0
years later1 3&e temple o. Ma&a %ali (better *no-n as 8a&u or 8a-ey Wali
Mata), locate$ in t&e 8a&u Cort, is consi$ere$ secon$ only to Mata Fais&no
evi in terms o. mystical po-er1 3&e temple -as built s&ortly a.ter t&e
coronation o. Ma&ara,a 6ulab Sing& in !@<<1 Ot&er temples in t&e city inclu$e
t&e 6auri %un$ 3emple, S&u$& Ma&a$ev 3emple, S&iva 3emple, (eer %&o&
Cave 3emple, 2anbires&-ar 3emple, an$ t&e (arman$al 3emple Comple01
3&e most stunning site in Jammu is t&e S&ees& Ma&al1 3&e (in* 'all o. t&e
palace no- &ouses t&e ogra Art Museum, -&ic& &as miniature paintings o.
t&e various &ill sc&ools1 3&e museum also &as t&e &an$-ritten (ersian
manuscripts o. t&e S&a&nama an$ Si*an$ernama1 3&e palace -as once t&e
royal resi$ence o. t&e ogra *ings1 8uilt as a group o. buil$ings aroun$ a
courtyar$, t&e palace &as a comman$ing vie- o. river 3a-i on one si$e an$
t&e city on t&e ot&er1 3&e Amar Ma&al (alace Museum is a beauti.ul palace o.
re$ san$stone, -&ic& stan$s ami$st t&e most pictures:ue environs o.
Jammu1 /t o..ers a beauti.ul vie- o. t&e S&ivali*s in t&e nort& an$ t&e river
3a-i in t&e sout&1 3&is -as once t&e resi$ential palace o. 2a,a Amar Sing&,
but no- it &as been converte$ into a museum1 3&e museum &as a gol$en
t&rone ma$e o. !<A *g o. pure gol$1 A treat .or t&ose intereste$ in &istory is
t&e to-n o. A*&noor, ;< *m sout&-est o. Jammu1 Stan$ing on t&e ban*s o.
t&e mig&ty river C&enab, t&e to-n tells t&e tragic tale o. t&e lovers So&ni an$
Ma&i-al1 Along t&e riverban* are t&e ma,estic ruins o. t&e /n$us Falley
CiviliEation t&at are o. great &istorical importance1 (atnitop, near t&e Fais&no
evi 3emple, is .ast becoming a busy &ill station an$ a goo$ place to en,oy
t&e nature in its eternity1 )a$a*& is &ome to t&e minority 8u$$&ist community
in t&e state1 3&ey &ave preserve$ t&eir uni:ue culture .or t&e past &un$re$s
o. years1 )e& is t&e &ea$:uarters o. t&is region1 3&e ma,or points o. attraction
are t&e )e& (alace, Namgyal 3semo 6ompa, San*ar 6ompa, S&anti Stupa,
an$ Soma 6ompa1
ivers of Jammu & Kashmir
Main 2ivers in Jammu an$ %as&mir are 6al:uit 2iver, J&elum 2iver,
S&a,s:em 2iver, S&i*ar(Sout&) 2iver, 9ans*ar river an$ %&urana 2iver 1
Education in Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu an$ %as&mir is t&e only state -&ere e$ucation is .ree up to university
stage1 Seasonal sc&ools &ave been opene$ .or people in t&e &illy areas an$
.or t&e sc&e$ule$ castes1 Iet t&e state is e$ucationally bac*-ar$1 Against t&e
national literacy rate o. =?1B>J .or males an$ ?"1<@J .or .emales, t&e state
&as a literacy .igure o. only >?1="J .or males an$ "!1@<J .or .emales
respectively1 On t&e tec&nical e$ucation si$e, t&ere are t-o regional
engineering colleges in t&e state1 /n a$$ition, t&ere are .our polytec&nics to
impart vocational training1 istrict institutes o. e$ucation &ave been opene$ in
all t&e $istricts o. t&e state to provi$e e0tensive an$ intensive training to t&e
teac&ers1
!ood of Jammu & Kashmir
3&e %as&miris are passionate about t&eir .oo$ an$ *no-n .or spicy meat
$is&es an$ t&e $elicate .lavor o. sa..ron1 Meat being t&e staple, most o. t&e
special $is&es &ave mutton as a ma,or ingre$ient1 Na&ari, a special brea*.ast
$is&, is a ste- o. trotters an$ tongue, seasone$ -it& cassia bu$s, car$amom,
san$al-oo$ po-$er, vetiver roots an$ $rie$ rose petals1 3&e s&eermal brea$
goes -ell -it& t&is ste-1 3&e met&i maE, on t&e ot&er &an$, is a superb blen$
o. mil$-tasting entrails an$ strong-.lavore$ .enugree* leaves1 3racing its roots
to %as&mir is t&e ever-popular rogan ,os&, -&ic& is spice$ lamb coo*e$ in
yogurt an$ anisee$, a spice not very commonly use$ in ot&er regional
cuisines1 W&ile taba* maE is spice$ ribs .rie$ to crispiness, .or t&e :orma, a
lig&tly sour creamy $is&, s&oul$er o. lamb an$ tail are coo*e$ in mil* an$
$rie$ apricots, an$ t&e ya*&ni uses cur$ as t&e base .or its sauce1 2ista, t&e
.irst gravy $is& to ma*e its appearance in a -aE-an, is a meatball o. poun$e$
lamb t&at is sil*y in te0ture1 A.ter a -&ole range o. $is&es comes t&e
gus&taba, a giant meatball ma$e o. t&e same, poun$e$ meat, coo*e$ in a
cur$ base$ gravy1 A semolina pu$$ing sometimes .ollo-s t&e main courses o.
t&e -aE-an, but t&ere are not too many s-eet $is&es in t&e %as&miri
repertoire1 'o-ever, a $i..erent preparation, serve$ to .res&en t&e mout& a.ter
t&e -aE-an, is t&e gota-a mi0ture o. anisee$, sugar can$y, bits o. supari,
coarsely grate$ coconut an$ *ernels o. mus*melon see$s1
"rts & #ulture of Jammu & Kashmir
%as&miri li.estyle is essentially, irrespective o. t&e $i..ering religious belie.s,
slo- pace$1 3&e culture &as been ric& enoug& to re.lect t&e religious $iversity
as tribes celebrate .estivities t&at $ivert t&em .rom t&eir ot&er-ise
monotonous -ay o. li.e1
W&ile t&e %as&mir &as been t&e &ig&est learning center o. Sans*rit an$
(ersian -&ere early /n$o-Aryanic civiliEation &as originate$ an$ .louris&e$, it
&as also been embracing point o. a$vent o. /slam bringing its .ol$ .inest
tra$itions o. (ersian civiliEation, tolerance, brot&er&oo$ an$ sacri.ice1 )a$a*&
on t&e ot&er &an$, &as been t&e &ig&est an$ living center o. 3antrayan
8u$$&ism1 Jammu, t&e same -ay, &as been t&e seat o. 2a,as an$
Ma&ara,as, -&ic& &ave cemente$ an$ enric&e$ t&e cultural, &istorical an$
social bon$s o. all t&ese $iverse et&nic an$ linguistic $ivisions o. t&e state1
3&e ancient arc&eological monuments an$ remnants spea* volume o. t&e
$istrict cultural tra$itions o. t&e state1
$usic & Dance of Jammu & Kashmir
%as&miris are *no-n to en,oy t&eir music in its various local .orms an$ t&e
$ress o. bot& se0es is :uite color.ul1 3&e um&al is a .amous $ance in
%as&mir, per.orme$ by men o. t&e Wattal region1 3&e -omen per.orm t&e
2ou.., anot&er .ol* $ance1
!estivals of Jammu & Kashmir
3&e 'emis Cestival is &el$ in t&e mont& o. July -&en tourists in large
numbers converge &ere .rom all over t&e -orl$ to -atc& t&e .amous mas*e$
$ances1 3&e music is c&aracteristically punctuate$ -it& soun$s o. cymbals,
$rums an$ long, un-iel$y trumpets1 3&e mas*e$ $ancers move aroun$
slo-ly, very slo-ly, an$ t&e most vital part o. t&e $ance is t&e mas*s an$ not
so muc& t&e actual movements o. t&e $ance1 3&e $ances en$ -it& 6oo$
van:uis&ing 7vil an$ t&e evil one is broug&t into t&e protective .ol$ o.
8u$$&ism1
)i*e t&e 'emis .estival, monasteries li*e )amayuru, 3&i*sey, Spitoo*, )i*ir
an$ many ot&ers also &ave t&eir in$ivi$ual .estivals1 Since t&ey .ollo- t&e
lunar calen$ar, t&e actual $ates o. t&e .estivals vary .rom one year to anot&er1
Ot&er t&an t&ese religious celebrations, )a$a*& &as also been &ost to a !?-
$ay .estival eac& year to bring .or-ar$ t&e many nuances o. t&is ric& an$
e0otic culture t&at is peculiar to t&is &ig& part o. t&e -orl$1 3&e Jammu an$
%as&mir tourism $epartment organiEes t&e )a$a*& Cestival in t&e mont& o.
September bringing .or-ar$ t&e regionHs .ol* $ances, art an$ cra.t, sporting
events an$ rituals1