About Jammu

Jammu

Jammu  is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India and is the winter capital of the state. The region is not a state per se but a part of the state of Jammu & Kashmir. It consists of the districts of Doda, Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Kishtwar & Poonch. 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. The principal river is the Chenab.

Jammu city, officially called Jammu-Tawi, is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu City 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 Hindu city.

Home to some of India's most popular Hindu shrines, such as Vaishno Devi, Jammu is a major pilgrimage centre for Hindus. The majority of Jammu's population practices Hinduism,while Islam and Sikhism enjoy a strong cultural heritage in the region. Due to relatively better infrastructure, Jammu has emerged as the main economic center of the state.

About Jammu

History

Many historians and locals believe that Jammu was founded by Raja Jambu Lochan in the 14th century BCE. During one of his hunting campaigns, he reached the Tawi River where he saw a goat and a lion drinking water at the same place. Having satisfied their thirst, the animals went their own ways. The Raja was amazed, abandoned the idea of hunting and returned to his companions. Recounting what he had seen, he exclaimed that this place, where a lion and a lamb could drink water side by side, was a place of peace and tranquility. The Raja commanded that a palace be built at this place and a city was founded around it. This city became known as Jambu-Nagar, which then later changed into Jammu. Jambu Lochan was the brother of Raja Bahu Lochan who constructed a fort on the bank of river Tawi. Bahu Fort is a historical place in Jammu.

The city name figures in the ancient book Mahabharata. Excavation near Akhnoor, 20 miles (32 km) from Jammu city, provides evidence that Jammu was once part of the Harappan civilisation.

Remains from the Maurya, Kushan, Kushanshahs and Gupta periods have also been found in Jammu. After 480 CE the area was dominated by the Hephthalites and ruled from Kapisa and Kabul. They were succeeded by the Kushano-Hephthalite dynasty from 565 to 670 CE, then by the Shahi from 670 to the early 11th century, when the Shahi were destroyed by the Ghaznavids.

Jammu is also mentioned in accounts of the campaigns of Timur. The area witnessed changes of control following invasions by Mughals and Sikhs, before finally falling under the control of the British. Upon the Partition of India, it became part of India following the Kashmir war.

Once a seat of the Dogra Rajput dynasty, Jammu came under the control of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji in the 19th century and became a part of the Sikh Empire. Maharaja Ranjit Singh soon appointed Gulab Singh Ji the ruler of Jammu. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Punjab, The Sikh Empire was defeated by the British after Maharaja Duleep Singh was taken by the British to England under the orders of The Company. Not having the resources to occupy the hills immediately after annexing parts of Punjab, the British recognised Maharaja Gulab Singh, the strongest ruler north of the Sutlej River, as ruler of Jammu and Kashmir.  Maharaja Gulab Singh is thus credited as the founder of Jammu and Kashmir.

During the partition of India the ruler was Maharaja Hari Singh and he along with all the other princes was given the choice according to the instruments of partition of India in 1947, to freely accede to either India or Pakistan, or to remain independent. the princes were however advised to accede to the contiguous dominion, taking into consideration the geographical and ethnic issues.

Geography and Climate

Jammu borders Kashmir 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 Pakistani-Administered Jammu and Kashmir (known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan, and as 'Pakistani-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in India). Sandwiched between the Vale of Kashmir 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 beauty and diversity to the terrain of Jammu. The Pir Panjal range separates Jammu from the Kashmir valley.

The majority of people of Jammu are called Dogras and they speak the Dogri language, which is close to the Hindi and Urdu languages spoken in much of India and Pakistan.

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 winters. While Jammu City itself does not experience any snowfall, the higher hills and mountains are snow-capped at least in the winter season. People from all over India come to the Patnitop mountain resort to enjoy the winter snows. The shrine of Vaishno Devi 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.

Language

The state's official language is Urdu. However, the main languages spoken are Kashmiri in the Kashmir Valley, Ladakhi in Ladakh and Dogri in Jammu. Most people can speak Hindi as a second language.

As elsewhere in India, English is fairly widely spoken among the educated classes and those involved in the tourist industry. 

Education

Jammu region has a lot of institutes offering higher education. There are 2 medical colleges, 2 dental colleges, 3 engineering colleges, 1 veterinary college and many other government and private colleges. There is also a Central University in Jammu established in 2009.

The list of major higher educational institutes in Jammu Region are:

Mahant Bachittar Singh College of Engineering & Technology (MBSCET) Baliana, JammuAcharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences & Hospital, Sidhra, JammuGovernment Medical College and Hospital, Jammu,Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, R.S.Pura, Jammu,Government College of Engineering & Technology, Jammu,G.G.M. Science College, Jammu,I.C.E.S. College of Engineering & Technology,Maharaja Harisingh Agri Collegiate School.

Overview

Before militancy intensified in 1989, tourism formed an important part of the Kashmiri economy. The tourism economy in the Kashmir valley was worst hit. However, the holy shrines of Jammu and the Buddhist monasteries of Ladakh continue to remain popular pilgrimage and tourism destinations. Every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit holy shrines of Vaishno Devi and Amarnath which has had significant impact on the state's economy.The Vaishno Devi yatra alone contributes Rs. 475 crore to the local economy annually.

Tourism in the Kashmir valley has rebounded in recent years and in 2009, the state became one of the top tourist destinations of India.Gulmarg, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green golf course.However with the decrease in violence in the state has boosted the states economy specifically tourism.