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Jammu
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General
Information
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| Area
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20.36
sq.kms |
| Altitude
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305
m |
| Best
Season : |
September
to April. |
| Population
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6,98,674
(as per Census 2001) |
| Languages
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Dogri,
Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English |
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| Nestling
in the foothills of the Himalayas, with the river Tawi
flowing alongside, is the place that Raja Jambu
Lochan discovered one day while he was on a
hunting trip. Legend has it that he came upon a clearing
where he saw a sight that left him wonderstruck. A tiger
and a goat stood side-by-side, drinking water from the
same place in the Tawi River. He was so struck by this
unusual sight that he decided to build a city on this
land where no living creature seemed to bear enmity
towards each other. Little is known of Jammu’s subsequent
history until, in 1730 AD, it came under the rule of
the Dogra king, Raja Dhruv Deva. The Dogra
rulers moved their capital to the present site and Jammu
became an important centre of art and culture, especially
the Pahari school of paintings. |
Tourist Attraction
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| Raghunath
Mandir |
| Amongst
the temples in Jammu, the Raghunath Mandir
takes pride of place being situated right in
the heart of the city. It consists of a cluster
of temples and is the largest temple complex
in northern India. Its inner sanctums contain
gigantic statues of deities and numerous ‘lingams’.
It contains representatives of almost the entire
Hindu pantheon, which make it a rare site to
behold. |
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| Bawey
Wali Mata |
| The famous
temple of Bawey Wali Mata is inside the
Bahu Fort where, every Tuesday and Sunday,
pilgrims throng to worship the goddess. |
| Peer
Baba |
| A
friend of Guru Gobind Singh, Peer Baba is said
to have lived his entire life on milk alone
and lived to the age of five hundred. On Thursdays,
Hindu and Sikh devotees vastly outnumber their
Muslim brethren at this shrine; such is the
faith of the people in Peer Baba. Most VIPs
make it a point to visit this ‘durgah’ when
they come to Jammu. |
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| Bahu
Fort |
| On the opposite
bank of the Tawi river, on an upland plateau, is situated
the majestic Bahu Fort, the oldest edifice
extant in the region. Looking at this fort one can imagine
the wars fought, invasions prevented, and yes, even
the grandeur the royal family must have enjoyed at the
time. Today it is surrounded by a lush green terraced
garden, with waterfalls and flowers of just about every
kind and colour. It is a favourite picnic spot for the
city folk. |
| Amar
Mahal Palace |
| The
Amar Mahal Palace, a sight to
behold, is on an eyrie overlooking the Tawi
river. This grand palace, with sloping roofs
and tall towers, so characteristic of continental
castles, reminds one of France. The palace has
been converted into a museum which also houses
the city’s finest library of antique books and
paintings. An entire series of miniatures on
the epic Nal-Damayanti can be
seen in the museum. |
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| Old
Bazaars |
| There are
two charmingly contradictory aspects to the city of
Jammu which one can see while shopping. For instance,
in the crowded streets of Raghunath Bazaar,
among the age-old dry fruit shops, you’ll find designer
boutiques that display the very latest in fashion and
fashion accessories. |
| Here the
main bazaars – Vir Marg, Raghunath Bazaar and Hari Market
– are famous for Kashmiri handicrafts, traditional Dogra
jewellery and various dry fruits, chiefly walnuts (‘akhrot’)
and almonds. Jammu is also known for the superlative
quality of its ‘basmati’ rice, ‘rajma’ (red
beans), ‘ampapar’ (dried and candied mango peel),
‘anardana’ (dried pomegranate seeds) and ‘barfi’
(milk sweets).For purchasing authentic Kashmiri
handicrafts, one can visit the J&K Government
Arts Emporium near the Tourist Reception Centre
on Residency Road. The emporium displays and sells a
wide variety of handicrafts, including Pashmina
shawls and exquisite hand-knotted carpets of silk and
wool. |
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Suggested Tours
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Jammu Travel
Reservation Form
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