Jammu & Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir, India’s fascinating northernmost state consists of three regions differing in topography and culture. Jammu was the stronghold of Hindu Dogra kings and abounds with popular temples and secluded forest retreats. Jammu the whole city of is sprinkled with temples, so much so it is often called the city of temples. Kashmir is an emerald valley, cradled in the Himalayas, under crystalline blue skies, and against the backdrop of snow capped mountains. Kashmir’s capital city, Srinagar offers delightful holidays on the lakes with their shikaras and houseboats.

Ladakh is the northern most province of the state, with a highland desert lying between the Karakoram and the Himalayan ranges. It is now organized in to two districts: Leh and Kargil. Hilltop monasteries and a colorful way of life, completely at one with the surroundings, make Ladakh one of the best living traditions of Tibetan Buddhism in the world today.

Briefly about the Place: The State is rich in flora and fauna. In Jammu, the flora ranges from the thorn bush type of the arid plain to the temperate and alpine flora of the higher altitudes. Of the broad leaf trees there are maple, horse chest nuts, silver fir etc. At the higher altitudes there are birch, rhododendron, Berbers and a large number of herbal plants. Summer (May-October) - Srinagar Winters (Novemenber-April)- Jammu LANGUAGES : Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi, Dogri, Pahari, Ladakhi. HANDICRAFT; A Carpet is a life long investment-it may well be the single most expensive purchase during your trip to Kashmir. Kashmiri carpets are world renowned for two things- they are hand made and they are always knotted, never tufted. It is extremely instructive to watch a carpet being made- your dealer can probably arrange it for you. Stretched tightly on a frame is the warp of Carpet. There are pure wool shawls called raffal which have different counts of wool - 40, 60, 80 etc., and the shawl are progressively more expensive as the count increases. Shawls mixed with other fibers like cotton and cotton derivatives are far cheaper. On the other and, woolen shawls mixed with pashmina will be far more expensive. Then too, there are shawls that look and feel like pashmina and which are priced between wool and pashmina.

Religious Places: (Vaishno Devi) The holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi is situated in a beautiful racess of the Trikuta Mountains forming a part of the lower Himalayas as in the state of Jammu & Kashmir at an altitude of over 5000 feet. In the cave there are images of three deities viz. the Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. For the devotees it is a journey to peace and solace. For nature lovers it is an excursion amidst breathtaking scenic beauty. The shrine can be visited throughout the year, but during the winter season the route is often blocked by snowfall.

Other temples around the place:

Bhumika Temple, Darshani Darwaza, Ban Ganga Temple, Charan Paduka, Adhkunwari Temple, Kalika Temple, Ram Mandir, Shiva Goompha.

By Air: Jammu- 62 kms is the nearest airport.
By Rail: Jammu Tawi is the nearest railhead.
By Road: Jammu-Katra- 48 kms and Katra-Vaishno Devi-14 kms Route from Katra to Vaishno Devi: Katra - Ban Ganga Ban Ganga - Charan Paduka ,Charan Paduka - Adhkunwari, Adhkunwari - Bhavan- 8 kms.