The Jammu division (; ) is a revenue and administrative division within

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

, a union territory of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. It consists of the districts of

Jammu Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of ...

, Doda,

Kathua Kathua is a city and municipal council located in Kathua district of Jammu Division of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, near its border with Punjab, India and Himachal Pradesh. The city is headquarters of Kathua district and is ...

Ramban Ramban can refer to: * Nachmanides (1194 – ), Catalan rabbi and philosopher also known as RaMBaN * Cave of the Ramban in Jerusalem * Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India ** Ramban district, an administrative unit in India ** Ramban (Vid ...

Reasi Reasi is a town and a notified area committee and tehsil in Reasi district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Situated at the bank of River Chenab, It is the headquarters of the Reasi district. In the eighth century, Reas ...

, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Samba. Most of the land is hilly or mountainous, including the Pir Panjal Range which separates it from the Kashmir Valley and part of the Great Himalayas in the eastern districts of Doda and Kishtwar. Its principal river is the Chenab.

city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also known as "City of Temples" as it has many temples and shrines, with glittering '' shikhars'' soaring into the sky, which dot the city's skyline, creating the ambiance of a holy and peaceful city. Home to some of the most revered Hindu shrines, such as

Vaishno Devi Vaishno Devi (also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess, Durga or Adi Shakti. The words "''Maa''" and "''Mata''" are commonly used in India for '' mother'', and thus are often heavil ...

, Jammu is a major pilgrimage centre for Hindus. A majority of Jammu's population practices Hinduism, while

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

and

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

enjoy a strong cultural heritage in the region.

History

The hilly regions to the south and southwest of the Kashmir Valley formed the Jammu Province of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. During the declining years of the Mughal Empire, the region comprised 22 hill states that emerged from the Mughal suzerainty. Hutchison and Vogel, who first studied these states, called them the ''Dugar group'' of states. (''Dugar'' is a medieval term with ancient form ''Durgara'' and modern form

Dogra The Dogras or Dogra people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group in India and Pakistan consisting of the Dogri language speakers. They live predominantly in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, and in adjoining areas of Punjab, Himac ...

.) The state of Jammu is believed to have been the most prominent among the Dugar group, which they identified with the kingdom of ''Durgara''. The term ''Durgara'' is witnessed in a copper plate inscription from

Chamba Chamba may refer to: People *Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer *Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist Places Ghana * Chamba, a town in the Northern Region India * Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh * ...

in the 11th century. The inscription refers to an attack on Chamba by the "Lord of Durgara" allied with ''Saumatikas'' and the ''Kiras'' of Chamba. However, no kingdom by that name is mentioned in the Rajatarangini. ''Durgara'' could have been a reference to ''Vallapura'' (modern Billawar) or ''Babbapura'' (modern Babor). Some scholars believe it to have been a regional or ethnic name current in the region. Jammu is mentioned by name in the chronicles of Timur, who invaded Delhi in 1398 and returned to Samarkand via Jammu. In the Mughal chronicles of Babur in the early 16th century, Jammu is mentioned as a powerful state in the Punjab hills. Emperor Akbar brought the hill kingdoms of the region under Mughal suzerainty, but the kings enjoyed considerable political autonomy. In addition to Jammu, other kingdoms of the region such as Kishtwar and Rajauri were also prominently mentioned. It is evident that the Mughal empire treated these hill chiefs as allies and partners in the empire.* After the decline of the Mughal power in the 18th century, the Jammu state under Raja Dhruv Dev, of the ''Jamuwal'' ('' Jamwal'') family, asserted its supremacy among the Dugar states. Its ascent reached its peak under his successor Raja Ranjit Dev (r. 1728–1780), who was widely respected among the hill states. Towards the end of Ranjit Dev's rule, the Sikh clans of Punjab ('' misls'') gained ascendancy, and Jammu began to be contested by the

Bhangi Chuhra is a Dalit caste in India and Pakistan. Populated regions include the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, as well as Uttar Pradesh in India, among other parts of the Indian subcontinent such as southern India. Their traditional occupatio ...

, Kanhaiya and

Sukerchakia The Sukerchakia Misl was one of 12 Sikh Misls in Punjab during the 18th century concentrated in Gujranwala and Hafizabad district in Western Punjab (in modern-Pakistan) and ruled from (1752–1801). Misl was founded by Chaudhary Charat Singh a ...

''misls''. Around 1770, the Bhangi ''misl'' attacked Jammu and forced Ranjit Dev to become a tributary. Brij Lal Dev, his successor, was defeated by the Sukerchakia chief Mahan Singh, who sacked Jammu and plundered it. Thus Jammu lost its supremacy over the surrounding country. In 1808, Jammu itself was annexed to the Sikh Empire by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the son of Mahan Singh.

Gulab Singh and the Dogra dynasty

After the Sikh conquest of Jammu,

Gulab Singh Gulab Singh Jamwal (1792–1857) was the founder of Dogra dynasty and the first Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the largest princely state under the British Raj, which was created after the defeat of the Sikh Empire in t ...

, a descendant of Dhruv Dev via his third son, went on to enrol in the Sikh troops. He soon distinguished himself in battles and was awarded a ''jagir'' near Jammu with an allowance to keep an independent force. After the conquest of Kishtwar (1821) and the subjugation of Rajouri, he was made a hereditary Raja of Jammu in 1822, personally anointed by Ranjit Singh. His brother Dhyan Singh received Poonch and Chibhal, and Suchet Singh Ramnagar. By 1827, Gulab Singh brought under his control all the principalities lying between Kashmir and Jammu. Thus the entire Jammu province came under the control of the three Jamwal brothers under the umbrella of the Sikh Empire. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, the Sikh court fell into anarchy and palace intrigues took over. Gulab Singh's brothers Dhyan Singh and Suchet Singh, as well as his nephew Hira Singh, were murdered in the struggles. The relations between the Sikh court and Gulab Singh deteriorated. During the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846), Gulab Singh kept aloof. He was nevertheless invited to Lahore and installed as the Prime Minister of the Sikh Empire. His actions as the Prime Minister were duplicitous and contributed to a Sikh defeat. The British decided to weaken the power of the Sikhs and set up Gulab Singh as a counterweight. Accordingly, they demanded a war indemnity from the Sikhs which included all the hilly territory between the Ravi and Indus rivers, and then transferred it to Gulab Singh, recognising him as an independent Maharaja. Gulab Singh paid 7.5 million Nanakshahee Rupees to the British for the transaction. Thus the princely state of

came into being, ruled by Gulab Singh and his descendants, known as the Dogra dynasty. During the Dogra rule, Jammu in the Jammu province and Srinagar in the Kashmir province were both used as capitals, six months to a year each. Poonch and Chibhal were granted as ''jagirs'' to Dhyan Singh's surviving sons, Jawahir Singh and Moti Singh. However, Jawahir Singh got involved in conspiracies and was exiled to Punjab. Chibhal ( Bhimber) thus reverted to Gulab Singh, while Poonch remained under the control of Moti Singh and his descendants under the suzerainty of Jammu and Kashmir.

Partition and accession

During the partition of India, the ruler was Maharaja Hari Singh. He, along with all the other princes, was given the choice of acceding to either India or

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

, taking into consideration the geographical contiguity and the wishes of the population. The Maharaja chose not to accede to either dominion before the appointed date, citing the mixed religious composition of his state. This technical independence was short-lived as the Maharaja faced a rebellion in the western districts and a Pakistan-inspired Pashtun tribal invasion. Unable to withstand the assaults, the Maharaja acceded to India on 26–27 October 1947. India airlifted troops to Kashmir to repel the raiders. However, major portions of the western districts of Muzaffarabad, Poonch, and Mirpur remained under the control of Pakistan. The remainder of the state was incorporated into India via the Constitution of India, which also provided autonomy to the state under

Article 370 Article 370 of the Indian constitution gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, a region located in the northern part of Indian subcontinent and part of the larger region of Kashmir which has been the subject of a dispute between India, ...

Geography and climate

Jammu borders Kashmir Valley to the north, Ladakh to the east, and Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the south. In the west, the Line of Control separates Jammu from

i-administered Kashmir (known as Azad Kashmir in Pakistan). In between Kashmir Valley to the north and the Daman Koh Plains to the south, the Shivalik Range comprises most of the region of Jammu. The Pir Panjal Range, the Trikuta Hills and the low-lying Tawi River basin add diversity to the terrain of Jammu. The Pir Panjal range separates Jammu from the Kashmir Valley. Jammu region has geographically 8 sub regions Ravi-Tawi Kandi plains, Shiwaliks, Pir Panjal belt, Chenab Valley, Bhaderwah Valley, Gandoh Valley, Paddar Valley and Warwan-Marwah Valley. The climate of the region varies with altitude. In and around Jammu city, the climate is similar to the nearby Punjab region with hot summers, rainy monsoon, and mildly cold and foggy winters. While Jammu city itself does not experience any snowfall, the higher hills and mountains are snow-capped during the winter. People from all over India come to the

Patnitop Patnitop is a hill station, located, between Ramban Town and Udhampur city in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is in located on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (which is part of National Highway 44, formerly 1A), from ...

mountain resort to enjoy the winter snows. The shrine of

is covered with snow in the winter. The Banihal Pass, which links the Jammu region to the Kashmir region, often experiences closure in the winter months due to extremely heavy snowfall.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the total population of Jammu Division is 5,350,811.Census of India: Provisional Population Totals Paper 1 of 2011: Jammu & Kashmir
/ref> Scheduled castes ( Dalits) constitute 19.44% of the population and Scheduled tribes comprise 15-20% of the population in Jammu Division. Five out of 10 districts, mainly in the hilly areas of the east and north, have Muslim majorities, while the densely populated plains of the southwest are predominantly Hindu. Gurjar-

Bakarwal The Bakarwal (also Bakkarwal, Bakharwal, Bakrawala and Bakerwal) are a nomadic ethnic group, who along with Gujjars are listed as Scheduled Tribes in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir since 1991.https://tribal.nic.in/downloads/CLM/CLM_1/17. ...

s and Gaddi-Sippis, who practice transhumance, are also found here. The largest ethnic group in the Jammu Division are the Dogras, who comprise approximately 47% of the population. Jammu's people are closely related to Punjabis. Jammu Tawi

The Jammu District overall has a population – 84% practice Hinduism, 7% practice Islam and most of the remainder are Sikhs. The Hindus form a majority in the

, Samba and Udhampur districts, and roughly half the population in the

Reasi district Reasi district is a district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Reasi district is bordered by Udhampur district and Ramban district in the east, Jammu district in the south, Rajouri district in the west and by Kulgam distr ...

. Most of Jammu's Hindus are native Dogras, Kashmiri Pandits, Punjabi Hindu migrants and refugees from the Kotli and Mirpur areas which are currently administered by Pakistan. Many Sikhs are migrants from Pakistan-administered Kashmir, mainly from Muzaffarabad and Poonch sector areas annexed by Pakistan in 1947. In Jammu Division, "

Dogri Dogri ( Name Dogra Akkhar: ; Devanagari: डोगरी; Nastaliq: ; ) is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India, with smaller groups of speakers in adjoining regions of western Himachal Prad ...

is spoken by a majority in the five districts of Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua, Samba and Reasi". Other common languages include

Gojri Gojri (, ), also known as Gujari, Gujri, Gojari, or Gojri, is a variety of Rajasthani spoken by the Gurjars and other tribes of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In India, the language is mainly spoken in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, ...

, Pahari,

Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to: * People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir * Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley * Kashmiri language, their language People with the name * Kashmiri Saikia Baruah ...

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

and

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Shujaat Bukhari
Nearly 35% People Speak Kashmiri In Erstwhile J&K: Study
Rising Kashmir, 29 June 2014. Hindus of Jammu region are subdivided into various caste groups, and of them

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

s and

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

s are the predominant ones. According to the 1941 census, 30% of them were Brahmin, 27% Rajput, 15%

Thakkar Thakkar is a Hindu Indian family name under the Hindu. Alternative spellings of the name include Thakker, Thaker,Thakkar, Thakrar and Thacker. The surname is widely used in the state of Gujarat . Society and culture Thakkars are mainly situated ...

, 4% Jat, 8%

Khatri Khatri is a caste of the Indian subcontinent that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantilistic professions such as banking and trade, they were the d ...

and 8% Megh and

Chamar Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna ...

are the most common.

Other Backward Class The Other Backward Class is a collective term used by the Government of India to classify castes which are educationally or socially backward. It is one of several official classifications of the population of India, along with General castes, ...

es comprises 32% of population in Jammu. The districts of Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and

have a Muslim-majority population. The

has an almost equal number of Muslims (49.7%) and Hindus (48.9%). The Muslim ethnic groups are

Pahari-Pothwari The Indo-Aryan language spoken on the Pothohar Plateau in the far north of Pakistani Punjab, as well as in most of Pakistan's Azad Kashmir and in western areas of India's Jammu and Kashmir, is known by a variety of names, the most common of whic ...

, Gujjar and Bakerwal in Poonch and Rajouri districts who are ethno-linguistically different from the Kashmiri Muslims. There is a substantial presence of Kashmiri Muslims in Kishtwar,

and Doda districts.

also has a significant population of Kashmiri Muslims.C-16 Population By Mother Tongue: Jammu and Kashmir
General & Census Commissioner, India, retrieved 14 July 2018. The Jammu district also has a significant population of

Kashmiri Hindus Kashmiri Hindus are ethnic Kashmiris who practice Hinduism and are native to the Kashmir Valley of India. With respect to their contributions to Indian philosophy, Kashmiri Hindus developed the tradition of Kashmiri Shaivism. After their exodus ...

Districts

As of April 2021, the Jammu Division consists of ten districts: During the Maharaja's reign before the Independence and Partition of India (and of Jammu and Kashmir), the following districts were also part of Jammu region: Bhimber, Kotli, Mirpur, Poonch (Western parts), Haveli, Bagh and Sudhnati. Today these districts are part of Pakistan Administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Politics

The major political parties in the region are the

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

, the BJP, the National Conference, the

Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of ...

and the

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party The Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party is a socialist and secular state political party in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The party was founded on 23 March 1982 by Prof. Bhim Singh and a few prominent youth political personaliti ...

. Various sections of the society in the region including the BJP have been advocating the separation of Jammu region from Kashmir and its inclusion as a distinct entity into the Indian Union, citing largely Kashmir-centric policies in the existing state and neglect of the Jammu region by successive Kashmir dominated administrations. In November 2020, the organisation IkkJutt Jammu was launched as a party and demanded Jammu division be separated and given statehood. The then social organisation IkkJutt Jammu campaigned against the Roshni Act, which was declared unconstitutional by the

Jammu and Kashmir High Court The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is the common high court for union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. It was established as the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on 26 March 1928 by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. The s ...

in 2020. The present arrangement of legislative assembly seats (46 in Kashmir and 37 in Jammu) deprives Jammu region an equal say in decision-making process. This has been the main point of contention behind the strong regional divide. There have been repeated demands for the constitution of a Delimitation Commission to address issues related to electoral arrangements. After changing the status of the state to Union territory, the Government announced setting up of Delimitation Commission with retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai as its chairman.

Economy

Jammu Chamber of Commerce & Industry is an apex body of traders, industrialists and those associated with commercial activities in the Jammu division.

Places of interest

Jammu is known for its landscape, ancient temples,

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

shrines,

Mubarak Mandi Palace Mubarak Mandi is a palace in Jammu, India. The palace was the royal residence of the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir from the Dogra dynasty. It was their main seat till 1925 when maharaja Hari Singh moved to the Hari Niwas Palace in the nort ...

, Amar Mahal Palace (a castle type) now a Museum, gardens and

forts A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

. Hindu holy shrine Vaishno Devi attracts tens of thousands of Hindu devotees every year. Jammu's natural landscape has made it one of the most favoured destinations for adventure tourismBhaderwah: Welcome to the Heaven of Earth!!!
/ref> in South Asia. Jammu's historic monuments feature a unique blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture styles.

Purmandal

PURMANDAL, also known as ''Chhota Kashi'' or ''Kashi of Jammu'' , is located 35 km from Jammu city. An ancient holy place, it has several temples of

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...

and other deities. On

Shivratri Maha Shivaratri (IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ca ...

, the town wears a festive look and for three days as people celebrate the marriage of Lord Shiva to Goddess

Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...

Vaishno Devi shrine

The town of Katra, which is from Jammu, contains the Vaishno Devi shrine. Nestling on top of the Trikuta Hills at a height of is the sacred cave shrine of Vaishno Devi, the mother

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes ...

. The cave is long and just high. At the end of the cave are shrines dedicated to the three forms of the mother goddess —

Mahakali Mahakali () is the Hindu goddess of time and death in the goddess-centric tradition of Shaktism. Similar to Kali, Mahakali is a fierce goddess associated with universal power, time, life, death, and both rebirth and liberation. She is the cons ...

Mahalakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with '' Maya'' ("Illusion"). Al ...

and Mahasarasvati. Pilgrims start trekking to the cave temple, which is from Katra, enter in small groups through a narrow opening and walk through ice-cold waters to reach the shrines. According to legend, the mother goddess hid in the cave while escaping a demon whom she ultimately killed.

Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary

Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary is in an area of thick forests teeming with wildlife. It is a renowned natural habitat for a significant population of pheasants. Among the other avifauna are Indian mynah, blue rock pigeon, Indian peafowl, red junglefowl, cheer pheasant and chakor. Spread over an area of , the sanctuary is rich in fauna and provides refuge to a wide variety of

mammals Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur o ...

, chiefly

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, ...

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species i ...

rhesus monkey The rhesus macaque (''Macaca mulatta''), colloquially rhesus monkey, is a species of Old World monkey. There are between six and nine recognised subspecies that are split between two groups, the Chinese-derived and the Indian-derived. Generally ...

, bharal and grey langur.

Mansar Lake

Situated 62 km from Jammu,

Mansar Lake Mansar Lake is a lake located from the city of Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is fringed by forest-covered hills, and is over a mile () in length and half-a-mile () in width. Surinsar-Mansar Lakes are designated as Ramsar Convention i ...

is a lake fringed by forest-covered hills, over a mile long by half a mile wide. Besides being an excursion destination in Jammu, it is also a holy site, sharing the legend and sanctity of

Lake Manasarovar Lake Manasarovar (Sanskrit: मानसरोवर), also called Mapam Yutso (;) locally, is a high altitude freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. ...

. On the eastern bank of Mansar Lake is a shrine dedicated to Sheshnag, a mythological snake with six heads. The shrine comprises a big boulder on which are placed a number of iron chains perhaps representing the small serpents waiting on the tutelary deity of the Sheshnag. Newlyweds consider it auspicious to perform three circumambulations (''Parikarma'') around the lake to seek the blessings of Sheshnag. Two ancient temples of Umapati Mahadev and Narasimha and a temple of Durga are situated in the vicinity of the Mansar Lake and which are visited by devotees in large numbers. People take a holy dip in the water of the lake on festive occasions. Certain communities of Hindus perform the

Mundan The Chudakarana ( sa, चूडाकरण, ) or the Mundana ( sa, मुण्डन, ), is the eighth of the sixteen Hindu saṃskāras (sacraments), in which a child receives their first haircut. No reference is provided in any Grhya Sutras ...

ceremony (first haircut) of their male children here. Mansar Lake also has boating facilities provided by the Tourism Department. With all the religious belief and heritage behind the Mansar Lake, it is also famous among tourists with all its

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. ...

and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is '' flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. ...

. The lake is circled by an illuminated, with viewing decks to observe seasonal birds,

tortoise Tortoises () are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin: ''tortoise''). Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like oth ...

, and fishes of different species. A wildlife sanctuary houses jungle life, including spotted deer, neelgai, and water birds such as cranes and ducks. One can also witness the traditional and typical distinct lifestyle of Gujjar and Backarwals wearing ethnic costumes, living in open Kullhas in the hills around Mansar Lake. The Mansar Lake road joins to another important road that directly links

Pathankot Pathankot is a city and the district headquarters of the Pathankot district in Punjab, India. Pathankot is the 6th most populous city of Punjab, after Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Bathinda. Its local government is a municipal co ...

to Udhampur. Udhampur is a town of strategic importance, on National Highway No. 1A. The shortcut road from Mansar or Samba to Udhampur by-pass the Jammu town. Surinsar Lake, a smaller lake that is linked to Mansar, is from Jammu via the by-pass road.

Bahu Fort

Bahu Fort, which also serves as a religious temple, is situated about 5 km from Jammu city on a rock face on the left bank of the river Tawi. This is perhaps the oldest fort and edifice in Jammu city. Constructed originally by Raja Bahulochan over 3000 years ago, the fort was improved and rebuilt by Dogra rulers. Inside the fort is a temple dedicated to the Goddess

Kali Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In this tra ...

, popularly known as ''Bave Wali Mata'', the presiding deity of Jammu. Every Tuesday and Sunday pilgrims throng this temple and partake in "Tawi flowing worship". Today the fort is surrounded by a terraced garden which is a favourite

picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

spot of the city folk. ''Bagh-e-Bahu'', located on the banks of Tawi river, is a Mughal-age garden. It gives a nice view of the old city and Tawi river. There is a small canteen on one side of the garden. On the by-pass road behind Bahu Fort, the city forest surrounds the ancient Mahamaya Temple overlooking the river Tawi. A small garden surrounded by acres of woods provides a commanding view of the city. Opposite the Bahu Fort, overlooking the River Tawi is a temple dedicated to Mahamaya of Dogra descent, who lost her life fourteen centuries ago fighting foreign invaders. The present temple of Bawey Wali Mata was built shortly after the coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh, in 1822. It is also known as the temple of

and the goddess is considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of mystical power.

Raghunath Temple

Amongst the temples in Jammu, the Raghunath Temple takes pride of place being situated right in the heart of the city. This temple is situated at the city center and was built in 1857. Work on the temple was started by Maharaja

, founder of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, in 1835 CE and was completed by his son Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1860 CE. The inner walls of the main temple are covered with gold sheet on three sides. There are many galleries with hundreds of thousands of

shaligram A shaligrama shila ( deva, शालिग्राम शिला, Śāligrāma-śilā), also rendered as shaligram, is a particular variety of stone collected from riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in N ...

s. The surrounding Temples are dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses connected with the epic

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages ...

. This temple consists of seven shrines, each with a tower of its own. It is the largest temple complex in northern India. Though 130 years old, the complex is remarkable for sacred scriptures, one of the richest collections of ancient texts and manuscripts in its library. Its arches, surface, and niches are undoubtedly influenced by Mughal architecture while the interiors of the temple are plated with gold. The main sanctuary is dedicated to Lord

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

's eighth incarnation and Dogras' patron deity,

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...

. It also houses a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

Library containing rare

manuscripts.

Peer Kho Cave

Alongside the same Tawi river are the Peer Kho Cave temple, the Panchbakhtar temple and the Ranbireshwar temple dedicated to Lord

with their own legends and specific days of worship. Peer Kho cave is located on the bank of river Tawi and it is widely believed that

Ramayan The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages ...

character Jamvant (the bear god) meditated in this cave. The Ranbireshwar Temple has twelve Shiva lingams of crystal measuring to and galleries with thousands of ''shaligrams'' fixed on stone slabs. Located on the Shalimar Road near the New Secretariat, and built by Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1883 CE. It has one central lingam measuring in height and twelve Shiva lingams of crystal measuring from and galleries with thousands of Shiva lingams fixed on stone slabs.

Shivkhori

The cave shrine of Shivkhori, situated in Reasi District of Jammu and Kashmir, depicts the natural formation of shivlingum. It is one of the most venerated cave shrines of Lord Shiva in the region. The holy cave is approximately long, and contains " high Svayambhu Lingum, which constantly baths in a milky lime fluid dripping from the ceiling." The first entrance of the cave is so wide that 300 devotees can be accommodated at a time. Its cavern is spacious enough to accommodate a large number of people. The inner chamber of the cave is smaller. The cave has many natural impressions and images of various Hindu deities and full of divine feelings. That is why Shivkhori is known as "the Home of Gods". A 3-day Shiv Khori mela takes places annually on Maha Shivratri and thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the state and elsewhere visit this cave shrine to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. The Maha Shivratri festival is usually held in February or during the first week of March every year. Keeping in view the increasing rush of pilgrims to the holy cave shrine, the Shiv Khori Shrine Board has taken up a number of steps to develop this spot in a bid to provide more and more facilities to the devotees, like the construction of a Shrine Guest House at a cost of Rs. 19 lakh at village Ransoo, the base camp of yatra, a reception centre and pony shed at an estimated cost of , tile work of entire a track is nearing completion, plantation of ornamental and medicinal plants on track and development of parks etc. Other arrangements like electrification of the cave with modern techniques, provision of oxygen and electric generators, exhaust fans, construction of shelter sheds for travellers with toilet facilities near the cave site, 15 shelter sheds en route Ransoo to cave shrine, railing from the base camp to cave, additional facility of 15,000/EfnrKing water reservoir, proper sanitation, provision of 25 kV capacity electric transformer, clock room, starting of permanent bus services from Katra, Udhampur, and Jammu, police post and dispensary and an STD PCO are under active consideration of the Shiv Khori Shrine Development Board. Recently, the management and development of the Shiv Khori have been taken over by Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board who is looking after Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.

Machail Mata

Machail Mata The Chandi Maa temple is located in the village Machel, District Kishtwar, Jammu Region. The place is about from Jammu. During 'Chhadi Yatra', thousands of people visit the shrine. The pilgrimage happens in the month of August only every year. The shrine was visited in 1981 by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, Jammu region. From 1987 onwards, Thakur Kulveer Singh started 'Chhadi Yatra'that happens every year and thousands of people visit the shrine every year during 'Chhadi Yatra'. To reach the shrine, a lot of travel agents arrange buses from Jammu, Udhampur, Ramnagar, Bhaderwah. One can also hire a cab as well. It takes approximately 10 hours by road from Jammu to Gulabgarh. The Gulabgarh is the base camp. From Gulabgarh, the foot journey starts, that is 32 km. Usually, people take 2 days to reach the shrine by foot. On the way, there are many villages, where one can stay the night but the chaddi takes three days to reach Machel. Many people organise roadside 'langers' (free food points) on the way to the Gulabgarh. The government of Jammu and Kashmir also arranges basic amenities for the pilgrims. Another measn of reaching the shrine is by helicopter from Jammu and Gulabgarh. The helipad is only from the shrine.

City centres and attractions

One of the major attractions of Jammu is a revolving restaurant named Falak, located on the top of the hotel KC Residency. Ragunath Bazar is the main tourist and shopping districts of the city. The locality of Gandhi Nagar hosts the market areas of Gole Market, on Apsara Road. On any pleasant evening, one can take a stroll in Green Belt Park alongside the magnificent bungalows that adorn Green Belt Road. Rajinder Park on Canal Road is a new development. This park is situated between two canals and features a large fountain which is lit up at night. A children's area is located next to the park. The city has "Big Bazaar" at Jewel Chowk as one of the shopping centres. A shopping mall named as 'Wave - The Wave Mall' is popular. There is one more shopping mall named as Palm Island near Canal Road. Also, a complex and a new age commercial hub by the name of Bahu-Plaza in Trikuta Nagar area is a common hangout spot for youngsters and young professionals. Most of the corporate sector and most of the mobile phone companies like Airtel, BSNL,

Vodafone Vodafone Group plc () is a British multinational telecommunications company. Its registered office and global headquarters are in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It predominantly operates services in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. , Vod ...

, Aircel and

Tata Indicom Tata Tele Business Services Limited (TTBSL), formally known as Tata Tele Services Limited (TTSL), is an Indian broadband, telecommunications and cloud service provider based in Mumbai. It is a subsidiary of the Tata Group, an Indian conglome ...

are based in the Bahu Plaza complex. There are many cinema halls, the best out of those are KC Cineplex, Wave Cinema, Palm Cinema, etc. A PVR is also there near KC Cineplex.

Cuisine

Jammu is known for its chocolate barfi, sund panjeeri, patisa and its exotic local food. Rajma with rice is one of the specialty dishes of Jammu. Another is , which is a processed cheese made by adding calf rennet in the buffalo milk.

Fiddlehead Fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens are the furled fronds of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable. Left on the plant, each fiddlehead would unroll into a new frond (circinate vernation). As fiddleheads are harvested early in the sea ...

Fern also known as is a GI Tagged item from he division and is highly prized for its taste and medicinal values and is often consumed as vegetable or pickle. Kohlrabi knows as in jammu is also a speciality product and its stew is eaten with rice.

Kalari

Kalari cheese is specialty made in the Ramnagar region of Jammu is famous all over the state. Dogri food specialties include ambal, khatta meat, kulthein di dal, dal patt, maa da madra, rajma, and . Pickles typical of Jammu are made of kasrod, , mango with saunf, zimikand, , , and potatoes. Auriya is a dish made with potatoes. During weddings it is typical to make kayoor and sund.

Festivals of Jammu

Lohri

This festival heralds the culmination of cold weather and is celebrated a day before

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

. In rural areas, it is customary for young boys to go around asking for gifts from newlyweds and parents of newborns. Lohri in

households of Jammu is special because of various additional traditions associated with it like ''Chajja'' making, ''Hiran Dance, Dandaraas'' and preparing Lohri garlands. Young children prepare a replica of peacock which is known as ''Chajja'.'' They carry this ''Chajja'' and then go from one house to other house celebrating Lohri. A special dance is performed using this ''Chajja'' on the occasion of Lohri. It makes a striking picture to see boys along with their ''Chajjas'' elaborately decorated with coloured paper and flowers dance on the street in a procession. The whole atmosphere of Jammu comes alive with pulsating drumbeats. Besides, dancing boys strike sticks on rhythm of a drum as in ''Raslila''. This is known as ''Dandaraas''. In and around Jammu, special ''Hiran Dance'' is performed. Dancers disguise themselves as deer and dance on tune of ''Hirana'' songs. They visit selected houses which have auspicious ceremonies & have prepared eatables. Children wear special garlands made of groundnuts, dry fruits and candies on Lohri day. Special eatable is prepared using sesame, rice and groundnuts which is known as ''Tilcholi''. Pageant of Sassi-Punnu, two lovers of

Sindhi Sindhi may refer to: *something from, or related to Sindh, a province of Pakistan * Sindhi people, an ethnic group from the Sindh region * Sindhi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them People with the name * Sarkash Sindhi (1940–2012 ...

folk tradition are also taken out on camels during the festival. The next day, the whole region wears a festive look on

. Thousands take a dip in the holy river '' Havan Yajnas'' are performed in nearly every house and temple in Jammu.

Uttarain or Maghi Sangrand (Makar Sankranti)

In Jammu, ''Makar Sankranti'' is celebrated as ''Uttarain'' (derived from Sanskrit: Uttarayana). Alternatively, terms ''Attrain'' or ''Attrani'' have also been used to describe this festival. A day before Lohri is celebrated by Dogras to commemorate end of ''Poh'' ( Pausha) month. It is also beginning the Magha month as per Hindu Solar Calendar, hence also known as ''Maghi Sangrand'' (

Sankranti Sankranti ( sa, संक्रान्ति ''saṁkrānti or saṅkramaṇa'') means transmigration of the Sun from one zodiac to another in Indian astronomy. Each Sankranti is marked as the beginning of a month in the sidereal solar calen ...

of ''Magh'' month). Among Dogras, there is a tradition of ''Mansana'' (charity) of Khichdi of Maah Dal. ''Khichdi'' of ''Maah di Dal'' is also prepared on this day and that is why this day is also referred to as Khichdi wala Parva'''. There is also a tradition of sending ''Khichdi'' & other food items to house of married daughters. Fairs are organised on holy places and pligrimages on this day. Dhagwal in

Hiranagar Hiranagar is a town and a notified area committee in Kathua district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a tehsil headquarters. It is named after Rajput Raja Hira Singh, son of Raja Dhyan Singh and nephew of Raja Gulab Si ...

tehsil is known for Fair on ''Makar Sankranti'' and

Janamashtami Krishna Janmashtami , also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is obser ...

. People of Jammu also take holy bath in Devika river and pilgrimages like ''Uttar Behni'' and Purmandal on this occasion. This day is also celebrated as birth anniversary of Baba Ambo ji, a local deity of Jammu region. At Vasuki temple of

Bhaderwah Bhaderwah or Bhadarwah (also ''Bhaderwah Valley'') is a town, tehsil, sub-division and also additional district in the Doda district of the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is also known as Chota Kashmir (Mini Kashmir) for its sc ...

of Jammu, the idols of Vasuki Nag are covered on '' Magh Sankranti'' and they are uncovered only after three months on ''Vaisakha Sankranti''.

Bhugga (Sankashti Chaturthi)

This festival is celebrated on fourth day of Krishna Paksha of Magha month of

Hindu Calendar The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt ...

. It is celebrated in reverence to Hindu God

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...

and is also known as Sankashti Chaturthi.

women perform ''Arghya'' to

Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) an ...

ma at night. ''Bhugga'' (Til Jaggery mixture) and Radish are donated and eaten to complete the fast.

Basant Panchami

Basant Panchami festival is dedicated for worship of Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, arts and music and for welcoming

Spring Season Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

. People wear yellow or saffron or orange colored clothes on this day.

Saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma (botany), stigma and stigma (botany)#style, styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly ...

colored food items are prepared and offered as Naivedhya to Goddess Saraswati. People sing folk songs like Aayi Basant, Paala Udant'''. This day is also special for Dogras because on Basant Panchami of year 1944, Dogri Sanstha came into existence.

Kan Chauth (Gauri Chaturthi)

It is observed on fourth day of Shukla Paksha of Magha month of

in the hill districts & tehsils of Jammu Division especially

, Doda, Kishtwar and

. A day before Gauri Tritiya is also observed by some communities. This festival is observed by married woman similar to Karwa Chauth, only difference being fast is completed here after Gauri Puja in the day. Goddess Gauri is worshipped for long life and health of husbands by women. The festivity remains for three days. During these three days, ladies go in the neighborhood to offer ‘''Thel''’ (respect) to other women and get in return their blessing ‘''Suhagan Bho''’ (Live long your husband).

Holi

Holi Holi (), also known as the Festival of Colours, the Festival of Spring, and the Festival of Love,The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...". is an ancient Hindu religious festival ...

is celebrated in traditional way in Jammu. On the eve of Holi, Holika Dahan is performed. The next day people enjoy by playing with colors. Earlier people used to decorate themselves using special headgears which were prepared using colored papers and silver ribbons. These were known as ''Patangi''. A

sweet dish ''Khaste'' (similar to Gujjiya) is prepared on this day. A three-day fair is organised at Narsingh Dev temple in

Ram Naumi (Rama Navami)

Rama Navami Rama Navami () is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of Rama, the seventh avatar of the deity Vishnu. people from different parts of Jharkhand attended the world famous international Hazaribagh procession organized in the city every ...

, the birth of Shri Rama is celebrated with religious fervour & gaiety all across Jammu. The day also coincides with culmination of nine-day long Navaratra festival. Special function on Rama Navami is held in the historical Raghunath Temple in Jammu city where large number of devotees pay their obeisance to

Lord Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...

. Even during Dogra rule, the rulers would personally visit Raghunath Mandir and offer worship to Shri Rama, their patron deity. Besides, worship and offerings to the deity inside the temple, there are a number of discourses on Bhagwan Ram's life and

. On this auspicious occasion, Shobha Yatra is taken out. Images of Shri Rama, Mata Sita & Lakshman and number of tableaux depicting scenes from

are taken out in a grogeous procession. Devotees shower flower petals on the Shobha Yatra. Number of market unions and Hindu organisations, organise Bhandaras on this occasion.

Basoa (Vishuva) or Baisakhi (Mesha Sankranti)

The name Baisakhi is taken from the first month of the Hindu Vikram calendar. It is celebrated on the first day of Vaisakh month and marks the day of Mesha Sankranti. It is also known as Basoa''' in

. On this day, devotees get up early in the morning, throng the rivers, canals, and ponds and take a ritual dip every year on this occasion. In

households, a Puja is performed afterwards and part of food crop is offered to the deities. New fruit of the year is enjoyed on this day. A Ritual Bath at Tawi river during Baisakhi is common in Jammu. Baisakhi is celebrated at Udhampur on the bank of Devika river where for three days devotees enjoy the folk songs. At Sudhmahadev, this festival is celebrated with great pomp and show where folk singers come down and a competition of folk songs is held. Vendors generally install their shops and stalls of eatables. Many people go to the Nagbani temple to witness the grand New Year celebration. Baisakhi is also considered "harvest festival" and considered auspicious, especially for marriages. Celebrations of Baisakhi also include

Bhangra which is closely related to Punjabi variant, with respect to actions, costumes and songs. The occasion is marked by numerous fairs and people come by the thousands to celebrate Baisakhi. For example, Airwan in

is known for Baisakhi fair attended by 10,000 people as per Census 1961. Every year on Baisakhi festival around 15,000 pilgrims pay their obeisance at 700 tear old temple of Subar Nag Devta temple in

. Other places where Baisakhi fairs are held are Doda Bridge and

Bahu Mela (March–April and September–October)

A major festival is held at the

Temple in Bahu Fort twice a year.

Chaitre Chaudash (March–April)

Chaitre Chaudash is celebrated at Uttar Behni and Purmandal, about and from Jammu respectively. Uttar Behni gets its name from the fact that the Devak River (locally also known as Gupt Ganga) flows here in the northerly direction.

Purmandal Mela (February–March)

Purmandal is from Jammu city. On

the town wears a festive look for three days as people celebrate the marriage of Lord Shiva to the Goddess

. The people of Jammu also come out in their colourful best to celebrate Shivratri at Peer Khoh Cave Temple, the Ranbireshwar Temple, and the Panjbhaktar Temple. In fact, if one visits Jammu during

, one finds a celebration going on almost everywhere.

Dhamdeh (Dharma Dhihada - Aashada Sankranti) & Nirjala Ekadashi

Both of these festivals are celebrated similarly. ''Dhamdeh'' also known as ''Dharma'' ''Dhihada'' or ''Dharma Divas'' is celebrated on

of Aashadha month. People take a ritual bath and perform ''Mansana'' (charity) of

hand fan A handheld fan, or simply hand fan, is any broad, flat surface that is waved back-and-forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a sector of a circle and made of a thin material (su ...

s, water pitchers and seasonal fruits like

melon A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a "pepo". T ...

s. These donations are made in name of ''Pitras'' (ancestors). Major celebration is people offering sweet water drinks and food to poor and needy. Similar rituals are observed on Nirjala Ekadashi ( celebrated on

Jyestha Jyeshtha or Jyēṣṭha ( sa, ज्येष्ठ; ne, जेठ ''jēṭ''; as, জেঠ ''zeth''; or, ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ''Jyeṣṭha'') is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Jyestha is the third mon ...

Shukla

Ekadashi Ekadashi () is the eleventh lunar day (''tithi'') of each of the two lunar phases which occur in an Vedic calendar month - the '' Shukla Pakṣa'' (the period of the brightening moon also known as the waxing phase) and the ''Kṛṣṇa Pakṣ ...

) where in addition a strict

Vrata Vrata is a Sanskrit word that means "vow, resolve, devotion", and refers to pious observances such as fasting and pilgrimage ( Tirtha) found in Indian religions such as Jainism and Hinduism. It is typically accompanied with prayers seeking h ...

is observed in honour of

Lord Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

Rutt Raahde & Sakolade (Shravana Sankranti)

''Rutt Raahde'' is a festival celebrated by

women of all ages from Aashada

Shravana Shravana is the 22nd '' nakshatra'' (Devanagari नक्षत्र) or ''lunar mansion'' as used in Hindu astronomy, Hindu calendar and Hindu astrology. It belongs to the constellation Makara (Devanagari: मकर), a legendary sea creatu ...

. The last day i.e. Shravana Sankranti is referred to as ''Sakolade'' or ''Minjraan''. Young girls and women collect necks of broken earthen pitchers and insert them into ground. Seeds of

Kharif crop Kharif crops, also known as monsoon crops or autumn crops, are domesticated plants that are cultivated and harvested in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh during the Indian subcontinent's monsoon season, which lasts from June to November depending o ...

s are sown inside these pitchers. These are known as ''Raahde'' which are then decorated with rangoli patterns using natural colors. Every Sunday, women would assemble and sing folk songs and enjoy eatables like ''Rutt'', ''Gheur'' & ''Pudas'', at the site where ''Raahde'' are inserted. On the last day of festival i.e. ''Badda Rutt'', women would again assemble, sing folk songs, enjoy eatables and finally immerse the ''Raahde'' in water bodies. The final day i.e. Shravana Sankranti is also known as ''Sakolade'' (named after the ear ornaments that are worn during this day.) In parts of Himachal, ''Sakolade'' are also referred to as ''Minjraan''.

Thongren Da Vrat (Krishna Janmashtami)

Janmashtami Krishna Janmashtami , also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is observed ...

is also referred to as ''Thongren'' ''Da Vrat'', meaning

for Thakur ( Lord Krishna). A fast is observed in honour of Sri Krishna by adults, while kids & youngsters enjoy

Kite flying A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. ...

on this day. Girls and women decorate their palms by applying ''Teera,'' dye of an indigenous plant. Some families have tradition of keeping cereal grains in name of ''Kul'' ''Devtas'', ''Pitras'' (ancestors) & family members. This is known as ''Deyaa Parna''. These cereal grains are then offered to wood of a holy tree called ''Jhand.'' This is known as ''Jhand'' ''Puja''. The wood is covered in sacred cloth called ''shoaath''. Clay sculptures of a couple and their children are placed on the cloth, and are worshipped. They are offered ''

Kheer Kheer, also known as payasam, is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur wh ...

'' (without sugar) and '' Makkhan''. This is followed by offering ''Dropads'' (kind of ''chapatis)'' to cows. This practice is called ‘''dropad mansnaa''‘. Some people also enjoy swings on tree known as ''peengan.'' At night, people dress up their children like deities. Towns and cities witness several processions. At midnight, Sund Panjeeri is offered as Naivedya to Sri Krishna.

Bacch Dua (Vatsa Dwadashi) & Drubadi (Durvashtami)

Vatsa Dwadashi in Jammu region is celebrated on twelfth day of Krishna Paksha of

Bhadrapada Bhadra or Bhadrapada or Bhādo or Bhadraba ( Bengali: ভাদ্র ''bhādro''; ) (Hindi: भादों ''bhādo''; )(Sanskrit: भाद्रपद ''bhādrapada'';) ( ne, भाद्र ''Bhādra'';) ( or, ଭାଦ୍ରବ ''Bhadraba; ...

month as ''Bacch Dua'' and Durvashtami as ''Drubadi'' on eighth day of Shukla Paksha of

month. In both these festivals, women prepare small sized idols/sculptures of calves using wheat dough. These are worshipped on water bodies. Soaked Black chickpeas & Durva grass is used for Puja. Dogra dishes like ''Rutt'' and ''Dropad'' are used as Naivedya.

Singh Sankrant (Simha Sankranti)

It is celebrated on first day of solar month of

i.e.

. The festival holds special significance in

Ramban district Ramban district is a district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, located in the lap of the Pir Panjal range. It was carved out as a separate district from erstwhile Doda district in 2007. It is located in the Jammu division. T ...

of Jammu division. People visit Chandrabhaga river and offer floral offerings. It is popularly known by the name ''Singh Sankrant.'' Local tradition traces the origin of festival to

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledge ...

Tulsi Puja & Panj Bhikham (Bhishma Panchak)

Tulsi Puja is performed in

families from Kartika Shukla Ekadashi till Kartika Purnima. This five-day period is known as ''Panj Bhikham'' ( Bhishma Panchak). On the occasion of Tulsi Puja, Dogra families would decorate the Tulsi plant pot and would write ''Ram Ram'' on them. This is known as ''Tulsi Da Chauntra'' in

. They would cover the plant with Red Dupatta or

Chunni The dupattā is a Hindu shawl traditionally worn by women in Indian subcontinent to cover the head and shoulders. The dupatta is currently used most commonly as part of the women's shalwar kameez outfit, and worn over the kurta and the gharara. ...

. A fast is also observed on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi in honour of

and Tulsi Mata. Women light up

Diyas Zarina Diyas ( kk, Зари́на Ди́ас; born 18 October 1993) is a Kazakh professional tennis player. She has been ranked as high as No. 31 in the world by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Diyas has won one WTA singles title, at the ...

from

till Purnima on Tulsi plant. This ceremony is known as ''Deeve'' in Dogri. Some families may also organize

Tulsi Vivah Tulasi Vivaha (, kan, ತುಳಸಿ ಮದುವೆ, translit=Tulasi Maduve, , ), also called Tulasi Kalyanam, is a Hindu festival, in which a ceremonial wedding of the goddess Tulasi (The personification of the holy basil, a form of Lakshm ...

with

Shaligram A shaligrama shila ( deva, शालिग्राम शिला, Śāligrāma-śilā), also rendered as shaligram, is a particular variety of stone collected from riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in N ...

. It is believed that Tulsi has got affinity with ''Shaligram''.

Jhiri Mela (October–November)

An annual fair is held in the name of Baba Jitto, a simple and honest farmer who preferred to kill himself rather than submit to the unjust demands of the local landlord to part with his crop. He killed himself in the village of Jhiri, 14 km from Jammu. A legend has grown around the Baba and his followers congregate at Jhiri on the appointed day from every corner of North India; they revere him for his compassion, courage, and honesty.

Navratri Festival (September–October)

Though the

yatra ( sa, यात्रा, 'journey', 'procession'), in Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers, sacred mountains, places associated ...

to the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is a round-the-year event, a pilgrimage undertaken during the

Navratras Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is o ...

is considered the most auspicious. In order to showcase and highlight the regional culture,

heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...

and traditions of the area during this period, the State Tourism Department has instituted the Navratri Festival as an annual event to be held during September/October for the nine auspicious days of the Navratras. A large number of tourists pay their obeisance to the deity during this period. This festival showcases the religious traditions as well as the popular culture of the region among the millions of pilgrims who visit the Vaishnodeviji Shrine during this period.

Rath Kharda Mela

An eight-day fair is organised in Narsingh and Annapurna Temple in Ghagwal of Samba district of Jammu division. This fair involves taking out procession of deity on a

chariot A chariot is a type of cart driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, dated to c. 2000&n ...

. Hence named ''Rath Kharda Mela''. Thousands of devotees are drawn from neighbouring states of

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...

and Himachal Pradesh and also other parts of Jammu region. People from hilly areas of Jammu like:

Basohli Basohli (formerly Vishwasthali) is a town near Kathua in Kathua district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated on the right bank of River Ravi at an altitude of 1876 ft. It was founded by Raja Bhupat Pal so ...

, Doda, Kishtwar, Bani, Dudu Basantgarh put stalls in this fair and sell the handicrafts and woolen items like ''Pattus'', blankets & shawls''.'' During this fair, the temple is decorated with flowers and lights. Devotees visit the temple and pay obeisance to the main deity, Bhagwan Narsimha. A Bhandara is also organised for the devotees. Local farmers sow their fields in the name of Bhagwan Narsimha and while harvesting their crops offer a part of it to the temple during this fair. Besides Ghagwal, ''Rath Kharda Mela'' is also held at other places of Jammu division like: Ramgarh tehsil of Udhampur district, Parnala village in Billawar tehsil and Hatli village in

Shivratri (Herath)

Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri ( IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ...

() is a festival of great significance for Hindus all over the world, especially for those of Kashmiri origin settled in Jammu. On this day, Lord Siva and his spouse Parvati are worshipped with great devotion everywhere in the country. Esoterically, it is symbolic of the mystic union of Jiva (individual soul) with Paramatma (the Supreme Godhead) and it represents the high state of spiritual realization wherein the world of relativity fades away and perfect peace and calm prevail. Along with worshipping 'Shiva' people observe both social and cultural meets on this festival. They rejoice and exchange greetings with friends and relatives.

Education

Jammu region has many institutes offering higher education. The colleges varies from medical colleges, to

engineering college Engineering education is the activity of teaching knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering. It includes an initial education (bachelor's and/or master's degree), and any advanced education and specializations that ...

s, and many other government and private colleges. Some of the major higher educational institutes in Jammu Region are: * Indian Institute of Technology, Jammu (IIT Jammu) * Indian Institute of Management Jammu (IIM Jammu) * All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Vijaypur, Jammu (AIIMS Vijaypur) * Government College of Engineering and Technology, Jammu *

Government Medical College, Jammu The Government Medical College, Jammu also known as GMC Jammu is a medical college located in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It was established in 1973. The college and hospital are approved and recognized by the Medical Council of India ...

* University of Jammu *

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) is an agriculture university in the Jammu division of the Jammu and Kashmir. SKUAST-J came into existence on 20 September 1999 following the amendment in She ...

* Govt. MAM PG College, Jammu *

Govt. Gandhi Memorial Science College Gandhi Memorial Science College, commonly known as G.G.M. Science College, formerly Prince of Wales College, established in 1905 is an NAAC accredited "A" grade college located in the city of Jammu, in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The college's u ...

* Maharaja Harisingh Agricultural Collegiate School *

Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (MIET) is a technical institution located in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The institution was opened in 1998 and is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education and affiliated wi ...

Mahant Bachittar Singh College Of Engineering And Technology, Jammu
* Sainik School, Nagrota * Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University *

Central University of Jammu Central University of Jammu in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, has been established through an Act of Parliament: "The Central Universities Act, 2009" by Govt. of India. It started functioning from 2011. Dr. Sudhir Singh Bloeria was first Vice Chanc ...

Cluster University of Jammu The Cluster University of Jammu (CLUJ), is a collegiate public state university, located in Jammu in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is a cluster of five colleges of the Jammu city. It was established in 2016 under ''The ...

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *