A R T

I N T E G R A T E D
P R O J E C T O N

Jammu - Kashmir
and Ladakh
Jammu - Kashmir

and Ladakh

UNION TERRITORY, INDIA

Jammu and Kashmir, union territory of India (until October 31,
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2019, a state), located in the northern part of the Indian
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subcontinent in the vicinity of the Karakoram and westernmost
Himalayan mountain ranges. The territory is part of the larger
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region of Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute

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between India, Pakistan, and China since the partition of the
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subcontinent in 1947. Legislation passed in August 2019 set the
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stage for downgrading Jammu and Kashmir from statehood to

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union territory status and splitting off a part of it, known as the
Ladakh region, into a separate union territory. The change went

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into effect on October 31 of that year, though several court cases
affecting its status remained pending. The information that
follows describes the former state of Jammu and Kashmir,
including the Ladakh region.
Jammu and Kashmir, formerly one of the largest
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princely states of India, is bounded to the northeast by
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the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang (China), to
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the east by the Tibet Autonomous Region (China) and
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the Chinese-administered portions of Kashmir, to the
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south by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and
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Punjab, to the southwest by Pakistan, and to the
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northwest by the Pakistani-administered portion of
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Kashmir. The administrative capitals are Srinagar in
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summer and Jammu in winter. Area 39,146 square miles
(101,387 square km). Pop. (2011) 12,541,302.
 Ladakh

Ladakh, large area of the northern and eastern Kashmir region,

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northwestern Indian subcontinent. Administratively, Ladakh is
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divided between Pakistan (northwest), as part of the Northern

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Areas, and India (southeast), as part of Ladakh union territory
(until October 31, 2019, part of Jammu and Kashmir state). The

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Great Himalayas are an ethnic and cultural as well as physical
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divide. The portion of the Ladakh area (sometimes called “Little
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Tibet”) located in northeastern Jammu and Kashmir is thinly
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populated. To the east, around Leh, the inhabitants are
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predominantly Buddhists of Tibetan ancestry who speak a
Tibeto-Burman language (Ladakhi). In the region around Kargil
to the west, however, the population is predominantly Muslim,
most belonging to the Shiʿi branch of Islam.
 Land

The vast majority of the state’s territory is mountainous, and

the physiography is divided into seven zones that are closely
associated with the structural components of the western

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Himalayas. From southwest to northeast those zones consist of
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the plains, the foothills, the Pir Panjal Range, the Vale of

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Kashmir, the Great Himalayas zone, the upper Indus River
valley, and the Karakoram Range. The climate varies from
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alpine in the northeast to subtropical in the southwest. In the

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alpine area, average annual precipitation is about 3 inches (75
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mm), but in the subtropical zone (around Jammu) rainfall

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amounts to about 45 inches (1,150 mm) per year. The entire

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region is prone to violent seismic activity, and light to moderate
tremors are common. A strong earthquake centred in
neighbouring Pakistani-administered Kashmir killed hundreds
in Jammu and Kashmir state in 2005.
 The Pir Panjal Range

The Pir Panjal Range constitutes the first (southernmost)

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mountain rampart associated with the Himalayas in the state
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and is the westernmost of the Lesser Himalayas. It has an
average crest line of 12,500 feet (3,800 metres), with
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individual peaks rising to some 15,000 feet (4,600 metres).
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Consisting of an ancient rock core of granites, gneisses, quartz
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rocks, and slates, it has been subject to considerable uplift
and fracturing and was heavily glaciated during the

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Pleistocene Epoch. The range receives heavy precipitation in

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the forms of winter snowfall and summer rain and has
extensive areas of pasture above the tree line. It is drained
principally by the Jhelum, Punch, and Chenab rivers.
 The Vale of Kashmir

The Vale of Kashmir is a deep asymmetrical basin lying between the

Pir Panjal Range and the western end of the Great Himalayas at an

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average elevation of 5,300 feet (1,620 metres). During Pleistocene
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times it was occupied at times by a body of water known as Lake
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Karewa; it is now filled by lacustrine (still water) sediments as well as

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alluvium deposited by the upper Jhelum River. Soil and water
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conditions vary across the valley. The climate is characterized by

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annual precipitation of about 30 inches (750 mm), derived partially
from the summer monsoon and partially from storms associated

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with winter low-pressure systems. Snowfall often is accompanied by

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rain and sleet. Temperatures vary considerably by elevation; at
Srinagar the average minimum temperature is in the upper 20s F
(about −2 °C) in January, and the average maximum is in the upper
80s F (about 31 °C) in July.
The Great Himalayas zone

Geologically complex and topographically immense, the Great

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Himalayas contain ranges with numerous peaks reaching
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elevations of 20,000 feet (6,100 metres) or higher, between
which lie deeply entrenched remote valleys. The region was
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heavily glaciated during the Pleistocene Epoch, and remnant
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glaciers and snowfields are still present. The zone receives some

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rain from the southwest monsoon in the summer months—and
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the lower slopes are forested—but the mountains constitute a

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climatic divide, representing a transition from the monsoon
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climate of the Indian subcontinent to the dry continental
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climate of Central Asia.
The upper Indus River valley

The valley of the upper Indus River is a well-defined feature that

follows the geologic strike (structural trend) westward from the

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Tibetan border to the point in the Pakistani sector of Kashmir
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where the river rounds the great mountainous mass of Nanga
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Parbat to run southward in deep gorges that cut across the strike.

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In its upper reaches the river is flanked by gravel terraces; each
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tributary builds an alluvial fan out into the main valley. The town of
Leh stands on such a fan, 11,500 feet (3,500 metres) above sea level,
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with a climate characterized by an almost total lack of

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precipitation, by intense insolation (exposure to sunlight), and by

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great diurnal and annual ranges of temperature. Life depends on
meltwater from the surrounding mountains, and vegetation is
alpine (i.e., consists of species above the tree line), growing on thin
soils.
The Karakoram Range

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The great granite-gneiss massifs of the Karakoram Range—which
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straddles the Indian and Pakistani sectors of Kashmir—contain
some of the world’s highest peaks. Those include K2 (also called
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Mount Godwin Austen) on the border of the Pakistani sector and

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one of the Chinese-administered enclaves, with an elevation of
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28,251 feet (8,611 metres); at least 30 other peaks exceed 24,000 feet
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(7,300 metres). The range, which is still heavily glaciated, rises

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starkly from dry desolate plateaus that are characterized by
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extremes of temperature and shattered rock debris. The Karakoram,
along with other areas in and around the Himalayan region, is often
called the “Roof of the world.”
 Climate

SUMMER (MARCH TO MAY)

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The Jammu region has a sub tropical climate and the
summer is hot. The temperature starts soaring in the
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month of March and is at its peak in the month of April.
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The maximum temperature in summer can go as high as
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45 degree Celsius. Kashmir is quite pleasant with the
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temperature varying from 14 to 30 degree Celsius. Some
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days can be slightly on the hotter side, but the evenings
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are usually pleasant. Ladakh has a similar climate, but it is

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advisable to cover your skin to prevent sunburn while
stepping out during the daytime.
MONSOON (JUNE TO AUGUST)

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Jammu enjoys a good amount of rain during the monsoon.
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Rains make the evenings cooler, but humidity remains the
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same during the daytime. Hence, it is advisable not to visit

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Jammu during the monsoon. However, Kashmir and
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Ladakh don't receive much rain and the weather is fairly
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pleasant during these months.

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AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER)

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With the onset of autumn, there is relief from rain and
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humidity in the Jammu region. The average temperature
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dips down and the weather becomes pleasant. The

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temperature varies from 20 degree Celsius to 30 degree
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Celsius. Autumn is the season of different colours in
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Kashmir, where the changing colours of the leaves lend it a

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vibrant Hue. The landscapes have a magnetic appeal. The
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maximum temperature during the day is around 23 degree
Celsius but the nights are cooler.
WINTER (NOVEMBER TO FEBRUARY)

November marks the onset of the winter season in both

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Jammu and Kashmir regions. There is chilly wind sneaking

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into Jammu. The temperature is usually between 4 degree
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Celsius and 18 degree Celsius. This is the best time for

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sightseeing in Jammu for those who care for snow.

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Kashmir witnesses heavy snowfall in winters with
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temperature varying from -2 degree Celsius to 10 degree

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Celsius. Though there is a lesser number of tourists in
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Srinagar around this time, Gulmarg attracts a large
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number of tourists interested in adventure sports.
 animal life

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Among the wild mammals found in the state are the

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Siberian ibex, the Ladakh urial (a species of wild sheep
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with a reddish coat), the rare hangul (or Kashmir stag)

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found in Dachigam National Park, the endangered
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markhor (a large goat) inhabiting mainly protected areas
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of the Pir Panjal Range, and black and brown bears. There

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are many species of game birds, including vast numbers of
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migratory ducks.
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Constitutional framework

As a state, Jammu and Kashmir retained a special status

within the union government of India. Unlike the rest of
the states, which are bound by the Indian constitution,
Jammu and Kashmir followed a modified version of that
constitution - as delineated in the Constitution
(Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 - which
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affirmed the integrity of the state within the Republic of

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India. The union government had direct legislative
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powers in matters of defense, foreign policy, and
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communications within the state and has indirect

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influence in matters of citizenship, Supreme Court
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jurisdiction, and emergency powers.In August 2019 the
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union government effectively suspended the
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constitution of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and set
the framework for its bifurcation into the union territory
of Jammu and Kashmir and the union territory of Ladakh.
Under this framework, the union territory of Jammu and
Kashmir will be under the administration of a lieutenant
governor appointed by the president of India, aided by a
chief minister and a council of ministers appointed by
that lieutenant governor. It will have a Legislative
Assembly, with members elected to five-year terms,
though it may be dissolved by the lieutenant governor
before the term expires. Unlike state legislatures, which
have constitutional authority over matters of public
order and policing, those matters will remain under the
domain of the union government (through the
lieutenant governor as its representative). The territory
will directly send five elected representatives to the Lok

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Sabha (lower chamber) and four members, elected by
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the combined Legislative Assembly and Council, to the
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Rajya Sabha (upper chamber) of the Indian national
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parliament. The union territory of Ladakh will likewise be
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administered by a lieutenant governor. Unlike Jammu
and Kashmir (but like most other union territories in
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India), Ladakh will not have a legislative body. It will
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send one elected representative to the Lok Sabha. The
two union territories will share a High Court, which
consists of a chief justice and 11 other judges, who are
appointed by the president of India.
As a state with special status, Jammu and Kashmir had a
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governor as head of state, who was appointed by the
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president of India and was aided and advised by an
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elected chief minister as head of government and a
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council of ministers. The legislature consisted of two
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houses: the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha),
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comprising several dozen members elected from single-
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member constituencies; and the smaller Legislative
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Council (Vidhan Parishad), with most members elected
by various groups of politicians, local administrators, and
educators and a few appointed by the governor.
 Transportation

Transport within Jammu and Kashmir remains a problem,

although the Indian central government has made a substantial
investment in developing the state’s infrastructure. As a result of
the India-Pakistan dispute over the Kashmir region, the route
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through the Jhelum valley from Srinagar to Rawalpindi, Pakistan,
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was closed in the late 1940s. That made it necessary to transform
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a longer and more-difficult cart road through Banihal Pass into an

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all-weather highway in order to link Jammu with the Vale of
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Kashmir; included was the construction of the Jawahar Tunnel,
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which at the time of its completion in 1959 was one of the longest
in Asia. That road, however, is often made impassable by severe

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weather, which causes shortages of essential commodities in the

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vale. A road also connects Srinagar with Kargil and Leh. In
addition, a route through the Pir Panjal Range that followed the
ancient Mughal Road opened in 2010, significantly reducing the
travel distance between Punch and the vale.
 Health and welfare

Medical service is provided by hospitals and dispensaries

scattered throughout the state, although accessibility to
health care is somewhat lower in Ladakh than in other
areas. Influenza, respiratory ailments such as asthma, and
dysentery remain common health problems.
Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and tuberculosis have
increased in the Vale of Kashmir since the late 20th
century.
 Education

Education is free at all levels. Literacy rates are comparable

to the national average, but female literacy is considerably
lower than that for males. The two major institutes of
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higher education are the University of Kashmir at Srinagar
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and the University of Jammu, both founded in 1969. In
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addition, agricultural schools have been established in
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Srinagar (1982) and Jammu (1999). A specialized institute
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of medical sciences was founded in Srinagar in 1982.
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 Cultural Life

Jammu Kashmir is a diverse blend of various cultures People

from different religious and social practices of Muslim, Hindu,
Sikh, and Buddhist have created a composite culture of the
state which is called Kashmiriyat. Kashmiri comprises of
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Kashmiri Pundits, Kashmiri Muslims, Gurjars and Rajasthani

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Rajputs. The Pheran is the prominent attire for Kashmiri
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women. The Pheran is worn by women usually has Zari,

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embroidery on the hemline, around pockets, and mostly on
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the collar area. Ladies prefer a suit and Burgha in summer and
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Pheran are preferred in autumn.The typical dress of a
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Kashmiris man both Hindu and Muslim is Pheran, a long loose
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gown hanging down below the knees. The men wear a
skullcap, a close-fitting shalwar (Muslims), or churidar pyjama
(Pandits).
Due to Kashmir’s close proximity to Central Asia, Eastern
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Asia, and Southern Asia, a unique blend of music has
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evolved encompassing the music of the three regions.But,
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overall, Kashmiri Valley music is closer to Central Asian

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music, using traditional Central Asian instruments and
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musical scales, while music from Jammu is similar to that
of North India and Ladakhi music is similar to the music of
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Tibet.The Dumhal is a famous dance in the Kashmir valley,
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performed by men of the Wattal region. The women
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perform the Rouff, another traditional folk dance.
Thank
You