About Jammu and Kashmir
Located in North India, Jammu and Kashmir is one of India's most popular travel destinations. The state covers an area of 222,236 square kilometres and comprises a population of 12,541,302 as of 2011. Jammu and Kashmir consists of three divisions -Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. It has two capitals - Jammu is the winter capital and Srinagar is the summer capital. The state is almost mountainous with stretches of valleys and some mountain lakes.
Places of interest
Jammu and Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty since time immemorial and has been aptly described as "heaven on earth". The state has some of the best tourist spots in the country. Tourists from India, and abroad, visit the state to enjoy its scenic beauty. Tourism is one of the main industries of the state and has immensely contributed to the economy. Some of the major tourist attractions in the state are Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Leh, Patnitop, and Ladakh.
Jammu is also known as the City of Temples. Some famous temples located here are Raghunath Temple, Bave Wali Mata, Ranbireshwar Temple and Panchbakhtar Temple just to name a few. The summer capital Srinagar is famous for its Dal Lake. The biggest attraction of the Dal Lake are the houseboats that can be seen floating there. The Mughal Gardens of Srinagar is also a popular tourist attraction. Some of the major pilgrimage centres of the nation are located in the state. The two most important pilgrimage centres are the Amarnath Caves and Vaishnodevi Shrine.
Apart from its rich cuisine and culture, there are many other attractions that one can indulge in while on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Some of these are trekking, rafting and skiing. Kashmir is also known for its traditional crafts and has some of the best handicrafts in the country; carpets, shawls, paper mache and walnut wood craft to name a few.
Jammu and Kashmir has some of the best hotels to cater to its ever-growing tourism industry. Hotels range from the budget category to the luxury ones. Even the Dal Lake houseboats come in various categories like deluxe and economy.
Best time to visit
Endowed with immense natural beauty and architectural wonders, Jammu and Kashmir is truly a traveller's delight. The months between October and March are the best time to visit the state. During this period, the weather conditions are good and offer visitors the opportunity to indulge in various activities.
Transportation
The Srinagar airport connects the state to other important Indian cities. Some airlines that operate here include Air India, IndiGo, Jet Airways and GoAir. The Jammu Tawi Station is the most important railway station in the state. The state has a good road network which connects it to other Indian cities such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ambala, Amritsar and many others. The Srinagar Jammu National Highway connects Srinagar and Jammu. It is a part of the National Highway 44 (India).
Education
Some reputed institutions in the state are the Indian Institute of Technology, Jammu;Indian Institute of Management, Jammu; National Institute of Technology, Srinagar; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jammu; Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar; Government College of Engineering and Technology, Jammu; among others.
Jammu And Kashmir State Information | |
|---|---|
| Capital | Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter) |
| Date of formation | 26/10/47 |
| Governor | Narinder Nath Vohra |
| Chief Minister | Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed |
| Tourist attractions | Dal Lake, Shalimar Bagh, Pahalgam Gulmarg, Vaishno Devi, Ladakh |
| Festivals | Tihar, Navroz, Eid, Urs, Shab-e-Miraj |
| Major dance and music forms | Kudd, Dogri/Pahari music, Hafixa, Bacha/Nagma dance |
| Arts and crafts | Kar-i-kalamdan or the art of making lacquered pen cases out of paper pulp is a famous handicraft industry; Kashida embroidery. |
| Languages | Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Dogri, Kashmiri, Balti, Ladakhi, Purig, Gurji, Dadri |
| Size | 222,236 sq. km |
| Population (Census 2011) | 12541302 |
| Rivers | Chenab, Jhelum, Indus, Zanskar, Suru, Nubra, Shyok |
| Forests and wildlife sanctuaries | Dachigam NP, Hemis High Altitude NP |
| State animal | Hangul |
| State bird | Black-necked crane |
| State flower | Lotus |
| State tree | Chinar |
| Major crops | Paddy, wheat, fruit, saffron |
| Factoids | The hangul or Kashmiri stag is the only species of European red deer found in India. |
| In Ladakh, they believe in Bon which is an animistic religion in which the forces of nature are worshipped. | |
| No. of Districts | 22 |
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