Jammu district derives its name from the city of Jammu which besides being the winter capital of the state, is known as the city of temples. It is believed that the city was originally founded by Raja Jamboo Lochan who lived in 14th century B.C. The Raja had gone out one day for hunting when he happened to witness a tiger and a goat drinking water from the same pond. This extraordinary phenomenon set him thinking and he decided to build a city at this site so that the strong and weak could live together in peace and mutual tolerance. Eventually, he founded the city which came to be known as "Jamboo" after his own name. With the passing of time the name got slightly distorted & came to be known as 'Jammu'. Jammu is famous for its landscape, ancient temples, Hindu shrines, castles, gardens & forts making it one of the most famous destinations for adventurous tourism in South Asia. Hindu holy shrines of Amarnath & Vaishno Devi attract tens of thousands of Hindu devotees every year. Jammu's historic monuments feature a unique blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture styles. It is one of the three regions comprising the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu borders Kashmir to the north, Ladakh to the east, Himachal Pradesh to the south and PoK(Pakistan occupied Kashmir) to the west. The Languages spoken here are Hindi, Urdu & English.
Apart from being home to some of the most popular Hindu shrines & being one of the most famous pilgrimage tourism destinations in India, Jammu has a lot more to offer to its tourists. It is also best for adventure tourism such as: Trekking. A range of trekking options are available in Jammu. You can trek at Jammu, Kud & Rajouri.
Skiing: Patnitop, Kud & Sanasar.are places where one can ski.
Aero-sports: Paragliding has been introduced at at Sanasar & Jammu.
Fishing: River Tawi is famous for a variety of fish like Mahaseer, Cat fish, labio,mahi etc. Permits for fishing can be obtained from the Deputy Director, Fisheries Department, Jammu.
All foreign visitors are required to carry a passport valid at least for the next 6 months. Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals. It is advisable to check updated visa requirements prior to travel.
All foreigners entering J&K state are required to register their arrival & departure with the Foreigners’ Registration Office.
Jammu district has a pleasant and cool subtropical climate. Being in the foothills of the mountains, nights here are generally cooler than the neighboring states. Monsoon is from June - October.
The best time to visit Jammu is from October - February.
Jammu is comfortably connected by Rail, Road & Air to the rest of the country.
By Air: Jammu is well connected to the rest of India by air. Both Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operate daily flights to Jammu.
By Rail: Jammu Tawi is an important railhead of the Northern Railways serving the Jammu & Kashmir State. Jammu is connected to other parts of country on broad gauge and numerous passenger & superfast trains ply from various parts of the country to Jammu. During the peak season of summer and other holidays, the Railway introduces special trains for Jammu for the comfort of the Yatris (tourists).
By Road: Jammu falls on National Highway 1-A that passes through Jammu towards Srinagar & connects network to all parts of the country. The J&K State Road Transport Corporations & private operators connect Jammu & Katra with various places in North India providing deluxe & ordinary services. Passengers using Air or Rail as a mode of transport have to break their journey at Jammu & from thereon select an alternative mode of transport. However for passengers traveling by road, either through public or own transport, there is an option of taking a by-pass from Kunjwani, nearly 10 kms. off Jammu and heading straight for the base camp i.e Katra.
Local Transport: Luxury coaches are operated by the J&K Tourism Development Corporation and the J&K Road Transport Corporation. Mini Buses are most widely used as local transport which covers the entire city on fixed routes. Taxis for local sight-seeing or any tourist destination can be hired by contacting special tourist Taxi Association. Scooter/Rikshaws are also easily available from all points in the City.
There are lots of places of interest for tourists in Jammu. A few important places to visit are:
Peer Khoh: A cave shrine with a Shiva Lingam formed naturally, neither its antiquity nor its cause is known. Legend has it that the cave leads underground to many other cave shrines & out of the country too.
Ranbireshwar Temple: Built by Maharaj Ranbir Singh in 1883 AD, Ranbireshear Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has one central 'Lingam' measuring 7.5 ft. tall & 12 Shiva Lingams of crystal & thousands of Shiva Lingams fixed on stone slabs.
Raghunath Temple: Situated in the heart of the city and surrounded by a group of other temples, this temple dedicated to lord Rama is outstanding and unique in northern India. The inner walls of the main temple is covered with gold sheet on three sides. The surrounding temples are dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses connected with the epic Ramayana.
Ranbir Canal: This small garden provides a cool picnic spot during the summer. The Canal branches off from the River Chenab at Akhnoor. Its water remains ice cold throughout the year. Its banks serve as good viewpoints and walkways.
Bahu Fort: Situated on a rock face on the left bank of the river Tawi, this is the oldest fort in the city. Constructed over 3,000 years ago, the existing fort was improved & built further by the Dogra rulers. There is a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali inside the fort.
Mahamaya Temple & City Forest: Behind Bahu Fort, the city forest surrounds the ancient Mahamaya Temple overlooking the river Tawi providing the best view of the city.
Where To Eat:
In Jammu finding a good place to eat is very easy. A wide range of restaurants provide food ranging from the simple to the exotic. One can go in for regular north-Indian food or try some of the Kashmiri delicacies. Following are some of the popular restaurants:
J&K TDC Wazwan & Vegetarian Restaurant, Hotel Asia, Hotel Ashoka, Hari Niwas Palace Hotel, Ziyafat & Mughal Darbar. Most restaurants and fast food outlets serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
Where To Stay:
Being a very popular tourist destination, one can find accommodation to suit all pockets. Some of the Places to choose from are:
Hotel Asia, Hotel Jammu Ashok, Hotel Hari Niwas Palace, Hotel Mansar, Hotel Premier, Samrat Hotel, Hotel Moti Mahal, Mugal Darbar Hotel & Restaurant, Gulmohur Hotel, Air lines Hotel, Fort View Hotel, Vikram Hotel & Indian Pride Hotel.
In addition to the above categories of hotels, a large number of lodges offer economy accommodation for budget tourist too, throughout the city.
There are a lot of places to see in & around Jammu like Amarnath, Vaishno Devi shrine, Katra, Kud, Patnitop, Sanasar, Batote, Sukh Mahadev, Gaurikund, Mantalai Mansar Lake, Shiv Khori Dera, Krimchi , Jajjar Kotli, Akhnoor & Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary.
Jammu is highly recommended as a stand alone destination for its sheer beauty & a huge number of tourist attractions it offers.
