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Jammu and Kashmir consists of three regions: Jammu; the Kashmir valley and Ladakh.
Srinagar is the summer capital and Jammu its winter capital. While the Kashmir valley is famous for its beautiful mountainous landscape, Jammu's numerous shrines attract tens of thousands of Hindu and Muslim pilgrims every year. Ladakh, physically very similar to Tibet is fondly known as "Little Tibet" and renowned for its remote mountain beauty, Buddhist culture and the world’s highest active motorable pass, Khardung La, at 5,602 m. In fact, a mini-health centre has been built there, and all drivers of vehicles are checked for hypoxia and force-fed Oxygen for 30 minutes before proceeding further. Foreigners need to obtain a permit to visit that area.
Geography and Climate:
Jammu and Kashmir is full of valleys, the main Kashmir valley being
100 km wide and 15,520 km2 in area. The Himalayas stop the Kashmir valley short of Ladakh
while another range, the Pir Panjal, which encloses the valley from the west and south, blocks off the Plains of northern India. People have settled in this beautiful valley, which averages an altitude of 1,850 metres above sea-level, making it dense. The Jhelum River originates in the Kashmir valley. |
Jammu is south of the Pir Panjal and exhibits Punjabi climatic conditions: Scorching heat in summer (42ºC+), wet in the monsoons, hot again in October till it cools down as winter sets in. It gets some of the winter rain caused by western disturbances crossing Turkmenistan, Tajikstan and China. The Valley gets a lot of this rain in February-May. The climate of Ladakh and Zanskar is extremely dry and cold with little rain as the mountains in the area divert the clouds into China.
Demographics:
J&K is the only Indian state predominantly Muslim, with as much as 97% in the valley, the remaining three per cent being Hindus and Sikhs. In Jammu, Hindus make up a sort of balance with 65%, Muslims 30%, Sikhs 4% and others the last bits. The Central Intelligence Agency believes that when Hindus were being targeted by Muslims in the Valley in the 1990s, 300,000 left their homes in Srinagar and fled. In J&K, the principal spoken languages are Kashmiri, Urdu, Dogri, English and Hindi.
How to Get There:
Getting to Jammu is no problem by air, rail or road, as it has excellent connections with the rest of India. It has a domestic airport as well. Getting to Srinagar is also easy, by air and by road. Although the Indian Railways have started laying lines in the valley and recently commenced limited operations on a 65 km stretch between Badgam railway station and Panzgam railway station in the valley’s Pulwama district, they will take some time to pierce the Pir Panjal− similar to the Banihal Pass for road travel− to connect with Jammu via Batote-Kud-Ramban, like the highway. They will also have to cope with separatist guerrillas and other anti-social elements, who, by blowing up a 3m stretch on April 2, temporarily disrupted a major infrastructural enhancement for the inhabitants of the valley, indicating that they would remain an unnecessary nuisance in the valley.
Getting to Srinagar:
• By Air: Srinagar is an international airport and well connected.
• By Road: A national highway connects Srinagar to Jammu.
• By Rail: Plans are afoot to connect Srinagar to Jammu by 2012. The project has come as a blessing for the people there. Indeed, it has radically changed the lives of around 40,000 people along the 150 km stretch on the southern base of the Pir Panjal range, from Reasi, 50 km north of Jammu to Poonch further north and Udhampur, to the east by constructing roads and building infrastructure for the first time since Independence. The railways have connected 60 hamlets in the area with the mainland by constructing around 260 km of roads, required for transportation of railway-related material. Locals, mainly Muslim residents of the region are both amazed by and grateful for these developments. Mobile phones have reached the remotest village and access to hospitals and schools made easy.
Earlier, people used to marry within Reasi, but now they are finding matches in distant places like Ramban and Batote. The connectivity has provided farmers with markets for their agricultural produce in Jammu and Srinagar. Pir Panjal is at an average altitude of 4,300 m.
Getting to Ladakh:
• By Air: Daily flights link Leh to Chandigarh and Delhi, weather permitting. Leh is the highest civil airport in the world, at 3,256 m.
• By Road: Possible only after mid-April up to November as the road gets snowbound.
Where to Stay: There are a number of decent hotels in Jammu. In Leh, there are a few hotels but many guest houses and lodges. It is a favourite spot for diehard backpackers. Srinagar caters to the well-heeled tourist, with hotels from 2 to 5 star class. The most desirable locale for a hotel is the Boulevard, overlooking Dal Lake. Dalgate, a central shopping area and nearest to the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), has mostly budget accommodation. Some good hotels are in Sonawar and Rajbagh areas, which are largely residential areas close to the TRC. Residency Road is the address of several hotels, right amidst a shopping centre adjoining the TRC. Lal Chowk, in the city’s centre, has several medium category hotels. And then there the Houseboats! Even these have star ratings!
What to See:
Srinagar is a unique city with everything you would like to see: lakes, Mughal gardens, springs, a golf course, hills & mountains, cycling tracks, trekking routes, angling, water, sports, indoor sports, world class hotels, an international conference centre, restaurants, traditional and continental foods. It also has pilgrimage spots, exquisite arts and craft and a rich heritage. Sightseeing in Srinagar is best by road, or by Shikara on its waterways. Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Wular Lake and Manasbal Lake should satisfy boatmen and swimmers. Pangong Lake, Tsomo-riri Lake and Tsokar Lake are water-bodies in Ladakh. As for gardens, there are enough in Srinagar to satisfy the ardent horticulturist. Natural parks which house protected species of birds and animals are also worth seeing.
Religious sites include Hazratbal Mosque, Jama Masjid, Imambara Zadibal, Makhdoom Sahib, ShankaracharyaTemple, Shah-i-Hamdan, Hari Parbat Fort, Chhatti Padshahi Gurudwara, Dastgir Sahib Shrine, Martand Temple, Kheer Bhawani, Awantipur ruins, the Parihaspora Budhistic Site and many others. Ladakh has Shey Palace & Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, Chemday Monastery, Takthok Monastery, Spithub (Spituk) Monastery, Likir Monastery and many more. Jammu also has its fair share in Mubarak Mandi Complex, Akhnoor Fort, Bahu Fort, Amar Mahal and Bhimgarh Fort. Religious spots include Krimchi, Raghunath Temple city, Ranbireshwar Temple, Panchvaktar Temple, Mahamaya Temple, Purmandal-Uttar Behni amongst others.
Gulmarg, Khilanmarg, Sonamarg and Wardwan Valley of Ladakh are known ski resorts.
Kashmiri Cuisine:
There are two great schools of culinary craftsmanship in Kashmir, of the Kashmiri Pandits and the Kashmiri Muslims. The basic difference is the abundant use of heeng (asafoetida) and curd among the Hindus and the generous use of onions and garlics among the Muslims. Kashmiri Pandits are not averse to eating meat but are voracious meat eaters. However, they prefer goat and that too a kid. Large pieces are cut, mainly from the legs, neck, breast, ribs and shoulders. No vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish, except certain kababs, is cooked without curd. Goshtabah, Kabargah, Kofta, Dum Alu, Methi Chaman and Firni are some of the delicacies of the region.
The traditional Kashmiri Muslim banquet known as Wazwan, a feast fit for kings, was
perhaps the most unique and elaborate royal spread of meat and delicacies compared to the
other parts of India. Imagine an orgy of thirty-six courses, with fifteen to thirty dishes of Wazwan being varieties of meat. It takes the entire night to cook these delicacies.
Arts and Craft:
Some unique products from Kashmir are: Kashmiri carpets, world renowned for two things - they are hand made and they are always knotted, never tufted; Papier Mache; Shawls: Wool, Pashmina and Shahtoosh; Saffron; Silks and Tweeds; Basketry and Copper/ Silverware.
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