Kishtwar District

 KISHTWAR DISTRICT- The Land of Sapphire and Saffron

(Kishtwar District map)(source-Google)

Kishtwar district is one of the districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Kishtwar district is one of the largest and least populous districts of Jammu and Kashmir in 2011. Kishtwar district is located on the bank of the river Chenab. Kishtwar district has been reached out in the year 2007. On 1st April 2007, the Kishtwar district started working as an independent administrative unit. The headquarter of the Kishtwar district is Kishtwar town. Kishtwar district is located at a distance of 235 kilometers from the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir State. Kishtwar district is very rich in Forest products. Kishtwar district is covered by the district Doda, District Anantnag, and touches the boundaries of Himachal Pradesh state. Kishtwar district covers an area of 7737 square kilometers after Leh and Kargil.

People in Kishtwar:

Kishtwar district is home to people of varied racial dawns, ranging from Buddhists, Gujjar, Kashmiri, Gaddi, and Paharis. The people of the Kishtwar district are mostly gracious in rural areas. The people of these areas growing rice, rajma, fruits, wheat, millet, maize, potato, and vegetables. The languages which are spoken by the people of Kishtwar are Hindi, Pahari, Urdu, Balti, Kashmiri, Kishtwari, Paddri, and Gojjri.

Cuisine in Kishtwar:

Kishtwar district offers the traditional Kashmiri and Jammu cuisine at its best. There is both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If you want to opt for some vegetarian dishes then you can try Aloo in Yoghurt, Fried Paneer in red Sauce, Lotus Root Curry, etc. if you want to opt for non-vegetarian dishes then you can try Rista, Yakhni, Rogan Josht, Tabak Maz, and Chicken preparations. Kishtwar district is popular for its Rajma and rice, Anar danay ki chutney, Sticky white meetha bhaat, gucchi pulaow, and kasrod. There are some famous traditional dishes Bhothray and sabzi, Namkeen Chai with Local Kulcha and Makki Ki Roti and Sagg.

The tourist of attractions in the Kishtwar district is Chowgan, Shrine of Shah Asrar ud Din, Shrine of Shah Farid ud Din Bagdadi, Gori Shankar Mandir, Jamia Masjid, Pochall, Neel Khanth Mahadev Mandir. Other places in Kishtwar are Chatroo, Mughal Maidan, Sinthan Top, Chingam, Dacchan, Wadwan, Marwah, Nagseeni, Padder. There are some adventure sports for the tourists to enjoy in the Kishtwar district. Kishtwar and its valleys like Chatroo, Wadwan, Dacchan, Padder, and Marwah serve a variety of adventure sports like Paragliding, Trekking, Camping, Angling, Biking and Car Rally, Hiking, Mountaineering, and Rafting. There are some other interesting tourist places to visit in Kishtwar District are Bhandarkoot, Vimal Nag, Shrine of Shah Abdal Shaib, Kalamsater, Qila Top, Raghu Nath Mandir, and Shiv Mandir.

Kishtwar district is popular for its rare blue sapphire that is called the King of Sapphires. Its deep blue color with velvet touch seems to the neck of Peacock. This gives the only observable characteristic of stone from the rest of the world. The High Altitude National Park of Kishtwar situated in Dacchan which is popular for its Musk Dear, Himalayan Bear, Snow Leopard, and ibex, etc.

Doda District

 DODA DISTRICT

(Doda District Map)(source- Google)

Doda district is in the eastern part of the Jammu Division in the Indian Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir. Doda district is situated at 33.13 degrees North 75.57 degrees East. The Doda district boundaries do not touch with the LOC or international borders. The Doda district shares its border with Kishtwar, Anantnag, Udhampur, Ramban, and the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The whole Doda District is hilly. Kashmiri is the language that is majorly spoken by the people of the Doda district. The Kashmiri language is spoken as the mother language of the Doda district. The second largest group speaks the Pahadi language. The main ones are Bhadarwahi and Siraji. Hindi, Dogri, and Gojri languages are spoken by the other people of the district.

Doda district abounds in scenic spots with snow-clad peaks, the largest forest area, virgin trekking, and majestic Chenab River passing through it. The Doda district provides a variety of health resorts, tourist spots, and fascinating trekking routes despite the vast potential. Tourism in Doda has massive potential. The lush, the pristine Jamia Masjids and Ziyarats, verdant meadows of Lal Draman and Dal Draman with their deodar and fir forests, the Kailash Yatra and Vasukinag Temple, and Gupt Ganga fascinate pilgrim tourists by the droves. Doda district is one of the real treats for adventure enthusiasts with its several camping, trekking, and hiking zones of enchanting scenic beauty. The best season to stay in the Doda district is from September to April. In the Doda district, there are many guest houses, hotels and huts, and Bhaderwah town which suits everyone’s budget. Paying guesthouses and homestays are also available for tourists.

Doda is a place of various tourist of attractions. The list of scenic spots in the Doda district is- Bhaderwah, Kailash Kund, Bhaderwah fort, Khellani, Chinta Valley, Guldanda-Sonbain Glacier, Chandi Mata Mandir Chinote, Vaskui Nag Temple, Gupt Ganga, Kailash Yatra, Machail Yatra. Other interesting places to visit in the Doda district are- Ziyarat Bangla Nallah, Jamia Masjid, Jantron Dhar, Khanthi Dhar, Reushara, Chatergalla Pass, Marmat, Bhal Padri, Thathri, Nalthi, Dal Draman, and Bhalessa: A Land of Legendary People.

The art and craftwork of the Doda district are very famous. The handmade craftwork like Shawls, woolen blankets, Gaba is famous artwork of this region. The Bina work of Paddy and Wheat grass is also a very famous and rare kind of craft. The centuries-old Bakerwals silver jewelry is also famous among tourists and outsiders which is made by local jewelers. 

Doda District is also called the land of festivals and fairs. The annual Yatras and the other fairs and festivals which are celebrated in the Doda region are- Kud dance, Mela Pat, Sobar Dhar Mela, and Pahari folk music and songs. Bisou or Baisakhi, Kanchowth: A festival of Hindu married Women, Khanthi Dhar Mela and Jantron Dhar Mela are celebrated every 17th July. Doda district is famous for its natural beauty and its dense Pine forests. Doda district is also popular for growing Rajma in rural areas organically which are in high demand.

Poonch District

 POONCH DISTRICT

(Poonch District Map)(source- Google)

Poonch or Punch is a district of the Indian Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir. Poonch district is popularly known as Mini Kashmir which is the smallest in the area and the remotest district of Jammu and Kashmir. With headquarters, the town of Poonch is surrounded by the Line of Control (the boundary between the Indian and Pakistan administered Kashmir ) on three sides ( North, West, and South ). In 1947-48, the war between India and Pakistan earlier divided the Poonch District into two parts. One part went to Pakistan and the other became part of the Indian union territory Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani part of the Poonch district is a part of Azad Kashmir Territory while the Indian part of the Poonch District is a part of Jammu and Kashmir. Rawalakot is the capital of the Pakistan-controlled side and Poonch is the capital of the Indian side. Poonch District covers a total area of about 1,674 square kilometers. The official languages of the Poonch district are- Dogri, Kashmiri, Hindi, Urdu, and English. The languages which are spoken in the Poonch district are- Gojri, Pahari, and Punjabi. The main agricultural specialty of the Poonch district is- Potato, Chillies, Rajmash, and Garlic.

The climatic conditions of the Poonch district are humid subtropical. The climate of Poonch is much cooler than the rest of India. In winters, the temperature is cool in the daytime and the temperature below freezing at night. In winters the rainfall is characterized due to western disturbances. During January and February snowfall is quite common. The summers are short and pleasant. The summer temperature does not rise above 31 degrees Celsius.

Set betwixt majestic snow-capped mountains, spotted with pretty lakes and twisting streams, flourishing in nature’s choicest gifts of flowers, fruits, forests, and old age historical monuments. Poonch district provides the prospect of a vacation. Tourists would love and memorialize the beauty for a long time. The various tourists’ points of Poonch District are- Noori Chammb, Girgan Dhok, and Lakes, Mandi, Loran, Nandishool, Surankote, Behramgala, Dehra- Gali, Peer Ki Gali.

Poonch Fort is one of the most famous historical forts in the Poonch district. Poonch Fort is also called Poonch Qila. Poonch fort is the most famous tourists attraction in Poonch District.

(Poonch Fort)(source- Google)

Poonch District is also called the city of seven Lakes. The valley of seven lakes is one of the most beautiful, charming, and natural scenic spots of the Peer Panjal Region. The valley of seven lakes falls in Poonch District. The oval-shaped Sat Sars ( seven lakes ) is situated on the Poonch Sophian Border of Peer Panjal Range. These lakes are seventy kilometers from the Poonch District headquarters, and are situated at the height of 3500 meters. During winters the valley covers with snow for about five months. The valley includes- Gum Sar ( hidden lake ), Nandan Sar, Sukh Sar ( dried lake ), Kal Dachni ( dark water lake ), Neel Sar ( blue lake ), Katanan, or Sarota Sar ( blocked lake ), Katori Sar ( bowel lake ).

Ramban District

 RAMBAN DISTRICT

(Ramban District Map)

(Source- Google)

Ramban district is one of the districts of the Indian Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir. Ramban district is situated in the lap of the Pir Panjal mountain range. Ramban district is the district headquarters. The Ramban district is situated midway between the Jammu and Srinagar along with the Chenab River in Chenab valley on National Highway-44. Ramban district is around 1,156 meters above sea level. The boundary lines of Ramban district enclose hill station Patnitop as its southernmost point, Gool to the west, Assar on its eastern edge, and Banihal to the north. The terrain of the Ramban district is hilly and tough. Ramban district shares its border with Doda, Kulgam, Reasi, Anantnag, and Udhampur. The climatic conditions of the Ramban district vary according to the altitude. The working season of the Ramban district is about eight months due to the typical weather conditions of the Ramban district.

Ranbir Singh the son of Gulab Singh after his death became the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir in 1858 AD. Once when he was stumbling at Nashbad while going to Kashmir then he changed the name of Nashbad to Ramban. After this, Ramban received the status of stumbling station for the royal caravans. The most widely spoken languages of the Ramban district are Kashmiri and its dialects (Poguli and Sirazi). Urdu, Gojri, Punjabi, and Dogri are the other languages that are spoken in Ramban District. Ramban district has a majority of the Muslim population. In the Ramban district, 70% of the population is Muslim and 28% of the population is Hindu and the rest are other.

Sanasar Lake is one of the most famous lakes in the Ramban district for tourists. Sanasar Lake includes various tourist activities like- trekking, rock climbing, camping, paragliding, hot air ballooning, golf, and abseiling.

(Sanasar Lake of Ramban District)

(Source- Google)

Ramban District is the newly carved out district of Jammu and Kashmir state which came into force on 1st April 2007after the former Doda District which was further split into three districts of Ramban, Kishtwar, and Doda. The best season of the Ramban district is in March to May and October. The most favorite and popular dish of the Ramban District which is famous throughout the country that is Rajma with Chawal and with Desi Ghee and Anardana Chatni at the place Peerah on the National Highway.

Ramban district has many tourist places which provide special tourist attention towards the Ramban district. The list of the tourist potential places of Ramban district are- Banihal, Nilpal Lamber, Thandi Chhah, Neel Top, Zabban, Pogal Paristan, Gogli Dhar (Sunsaree), Kharwan, Maho Mangat, Gool. And the other tourist spots of Ramban District are- Bhatni Village, Ladha Dhar. These areas provide opportunities for orchards, cultural, agro, and adventure tourism potential. These areas have various scenic spots and vast lush green meadows.

In the Ramban district, there is the most important fort which is known as Gajpat Fort that is on the top of the mountain. Everyone said about this fort is, once Sheikh Abdullah was kept imprisoned in Gajpat fort for few days. In 1825, Raja Sultan Khan of Bimber was also imprisoned by Gulab Singh in this fort, and Raja Sultan Khan has died in this fort.

JAMMU DISTRICT

The District of Jammu

Jammu is one of the most crowded districts of the Jammu Division in India. Jammu is the winter capital of Indian Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir is bluffed on the Shivalik Range, dominating the northern plains. Jammu District obtains its name from the city of Jammu. Jammu is also called the city of temples. It is believed that Raja Jamboo Lochan was the founder of Jammu. One day the Raja Jamboo Lochan had gone out hunting when he happened to onlooker a tiger and a goat drinking water from the same pond. This astonishing occurrence set him thinking and decided to establish a city at this site so that the weak person and the strong person could live together in calm and patience. Ultimately, he established a city which is called ‘Jamboo’ after his name. Due to frequent pronunciation of the name got slightly changed and it is come to be known as ‘Jammu’ which is the called nowadays.  

Jammu is situated at 32.73 degrees North 74.87 degrees East. Jammu District covers an area of about 240 square kilometers. Jammu District advances around the Tawi River with the old city dominating it from the North while the new district advances around the Southern side of the river. There is a total of five bridges on the river. Jammu has a sub-tropical climate with warm summer and cold and foggy winter. The main crops grown in Jammu are Barley, Millet, Jowar, Pulses, Paddy, Bajra, Maize, and Wheat. But the major crops are grown in Jammu are Maize and wheat. The official languages that are spoken in Jammu are Hindi, Dogri, Urdu, and English.

Jammu District consists of various tourist places to visit which attracts the tourist and maintains its scenic beauty in the eyes of sightseers. The list of top attractions in Jammu City is- Vaishno Devi Mandir, Bagh-e-Bahu, Raghunath Temple, Surinsar Lake, Amar Mahal Palace Museum, Wave Mall Jammu, Bawey Wali Mata Temple, Leh-Manali Highway, Peer Kho Cave Temple, Ranbireshwar Temple, Mantalai Temple, Raghunath Bazaar.

The famous cuisine of the Jammu district is sund panjeeri, patisa, rajma with rice, and kalaadi cheese. Some other cuisines which are famous in Jammu are chaats, gol gappas, kachalu, chole bhature, gulgule, rajma kulche, dahi palla, etc.

(Kalaadi Cuisine) (Source- Wikipedia)

Due to its rich history and culture, the Jammu city holds various marvelous tales within its forts, temples, and palaces. Jammu city is covered by the glorious mountains and lush green forests, the love for these cannot be found anywhere on the planet. The list of things that you can do in Jammu is quite substantial but we have listed some of them are- trekking to Vaishno Devi Temple, Visit Mubarak Mandi Palace, Skiing in Patnitop, Savor Jammu Cuisine, Stroll in Bagh-e-Bahu, Enjoy a Helicopter ride to Poonch, Explore Bhimgarh Fort, Go Boating in Mansar Lake, Pray at Bahu Fort, Ride a Jeep or a Camel, Seek blessings at Raghunath Temple, Explore Peer Kho Cave, Drop by Manda Zoo, Marvel at Amar Mahal Palace, Celebrate Spituk Gustor Zanskar.

Resai District of Jammu

Reasi District is one of the eighth recently generated districts of Jammu which came in the existence from 1st April 2007. The essential occupation of the people is Agriculture and federated activities. Reasi District is economically an underdeveloped District. The main crops that are grown in Reasi District are Maize and Wheat, but now farmers have started to medley in Horticulture and vegetable crops. The Reasi District is enclosed by Udhampur District and Ramban District in the East, Jammu District in the South, Rajouri District in the West, and by Kulgam District in the North.

(Reasi District Map)

(Picture from Google)

Reasi District is situated at a distance of 64 kilometers from Jammu. Reasi District is predominately a hill district that revels inconsistent climatic conditions that range from sub-tropical to semi-temperate. The summers are substantially warm and the winters are cold with snowfall on the high ridges. One most attractive thing about Reasi District is that in summers, the temperature will be less than the temperature of other districts of Jammu and in winters, the temperature will be higher than the temperature of other districts of Jammu. So, this thing makes Reasi the most favorable district for all kinds of people who visit there. 

Reasi District is precious with numerous tourism hotspots. There are various places that you can visit in this district. The Reasi district has numerous pilgrimage places, waterfalls, caves, etc. While, the major Hindu crusade sites like-Gulab Garh, Dhagantop, Rama Kunda, Bhimgarh Fort, Shivkhori, Vaishno Devi Temple, Kalika Temple, Baba Dhansar, Dhyangarh, Baba Bidda, Siyad Baba Waterfall, Sula Park, Dera Baba, Thanpal, Dewel Marg are situated in Reasi District. Mainly in summers, due to these sites, Reasi District perceives great in-rush of people from all over the world. Reasi District is a great place for adventure fanatics. River rafting is a very famous adventurous sport in this district. You can opt for river rafting in Chenab River, 35 kilometers long extend. And you can also do river rafting on the way to Shiv Khori near Siyad Baba.

After this, this district had also the highest Railway Bridge in the world with a height of 1315 meters. This bridge is constructed on the Chenab River, which ultimately joins the Reasi-Banihal railway connection constructed by Konkan Railways. Salal Dam Power Project is also in the Reasi District. The Hydro Power Plant irradiates the whole of Northern India. This dam provides electricity to Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.

(The highest railway bridge in Reasi District)

(Picture from Google)

(Salal Dam in Reasi)(Picture from Google)

Reasi District is one of the most charming and gorgeous places that nobody wants to leave. The Chenab River flows through and the view of mountains softens your heart and this feels that you are in the lap of nature. The wind, climate, and trees make you feel that you are in another world. The extensive view of this district will carve in your mind forever. Most of the area of Reasi District is surrounded by dense forest. In those dense forests, there are an array of plants and animals. Hence, the Reasi District is liberal in flora and fauna.

Districts of Jammu

 List of districts of Jammu

Jammu Region consists of 10 districts:-

1. Kathua

2. Jammu

3. Samba

4. Udhampur

5. Reasi

6. Rajouri

7. Poonch

8. Doda

9. Ramban

10. Kishtwar

Kathua District

 KATHUA DISTRICT

Let’s know about the first district of Jammu that is the Kathua District.

(Kathua District)

(Picture from Google)

Jammu consists of 10 districts in which Kathua district is one of the 10 administrative districts of Jammu. Kathua district is covered with Jammu to the Northwest, the Doda and Udhampur districts to the North, the state of Himachal Pradesh to the East, Punjab to the south, and Pakistan’s working boundary to the West. The homestead of Kathua is diverse, that consists of rich agricultural areas along the Punjab/Kashmir border. Kathua district is separated into 8 blocks- Bani, Barnoti, Basohli, Billawar, Duggan, Ghagwal, Hiranagar, Kathua, and Lohai Malhar. The traditional language which is mainly spoken in the Kathua district is Dogri. Pahari languages are operable in the mountainous area of the East. English, Hindi, and Urdu are the principal languages of Kathua. The total population of the Kathua District is around 59,866.

Kathua is situated at a distance of about 88 km from Jammu. About 2000 years ago, a popular Rajput King, Jodh Singh of the Andotra Dynasty was settled here with his three sons, those three sons founded their own small towns namely, Taraf Tajwal, Taraf Manjali, and Taraf Bhajwal. These three towns were together called Kathai by the local people. Ultimately, Kathai became Kathua.

(Night view of Kathua district)

(Source- Wikipedia)

The climatic conditions of Kathua are sub-tropical which is similar to the rest of the places of Jammu. Kathua endures cold winters and warm summers. Summer seasons are quite salubrious here and most of the tourists love to visit this city during summers. The summer season commences from April and continues till June. During summers travelers can delight in all the outdoor activities such as sightseeing and trekking.

Kathua district has beautiful gardens and parks, of which one is Dr. K. K. Birla Garden. Kathua city has a garden along with the tributary of Ravi river which is famous for its beauty throughout the Jammu Region. 

(Dr. K.K Birla Garden)(source- Wikipedia)

(Dream park)(source- Wikipedia)

(Atal Setu Bridge on Ravi River)

(Source- Wikipedia)

Tourists are attracted to the various tourist places where they can relish and make their journey unforgettable. So, the following are the list of the comprehensive famous tourist of attraction in Kathua District-

 1- Bani

2- The Dream

3- Chandel

4- Mata Sundrikote

5- Mata Bala Sundri

6- Airwan Temple

7- Peer Chattershah

8- Gurudwara Singh Sabha

9- Panyalag

10- Sarthal

11- Jodia Di Mata Temple

12- Sukrala Mata Temple

13- Mahabilvakeshwar Temple

14- Chamunda Devi Temple

15- Sanan Ghat

16- Hiranagar

17- Narsingh Ji Temple

18- Shree Anand Ashram

19- Jasrota

20- Asha Purani Mandir

21- Sapt Sarober Mandir

22- Dhoula Vali Mata

23- Billawar

24- Machhedi

25- Bhaddu

26- Mankote

27- Shiv Temple

28- Dhar Mahanpur 

29- Basohli

Basohli is a town of Kathua District which is majorly known for its paintings, memorialized by their artistic eminences and their connoisseur patrons, today Basohli is a metaphor town which is a vigorous, bold, and imaginative artistic style, stylish rich, and unconventional. The painting style is characterized by the vigorous use of primary colors a peculiar facial formula that persists in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in the foothills of the Western Himalayas in the Jammu and Punjab states.

(Famous painting of Basohli)

(Picture from Google)