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Jammu
region changes weather every few 100 kilometers. Nestled against the
snow-capped Per Penal Mountains, it encompasses a diversity of
scrub-covered hills, forested mountain ranges and river valleys. But
that is not what tourists come here for. Though the focal point of
the region’s commerce and the winter capital of the state, it will
remain the starting point for the darshan of Vaishno Devi- the
holiest of Hindu shrines and the granter of all wishes. And the city
of Jammu- though housing much lesser known temples is world renowned
as the city of temples.
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Places to visit |
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Temples and
Shrines
As the
largest temple complex in northern India the Raghunath
Mandir occupies the pride of place. Constituting the
heart of the city, it comprises of a cluster of temples.
Enormous statues of deities and numerous ‘lingams’ stand
within its inner sanctums and. which make it a rare site to
behold.
Bawey Wali
Mata Temple
Every
Tuesday and Sunday, the faithful congregate to worship the
goddess in the temple inside the Bah Fort .
A little further
away, stands a temple dedicated to Maharaja, the
Dogra heroine
The Peer Kho cave temple, the Panchbakhtar
temple and the Ranbireshwar temple are the other
famous temples in Jammu.
Ranbireshwar Temple
Twelve Shiva
‘lingams’ of crystal measuring 12" to 18" and galleries with
thousands of ‘saligrams’ fixed on stone slabs attract
thousands at the Ranbireshwar Temple.
Other important
temples are
Lakshmi Narayan temple, Duda
Dhari temple and the
Panj Mandir
in Gandhi Nagar.
Peer Baba
Shrine at Satwari
If Bawey Wali
Mata is the presiding deity, the ‘durgah’ of Peer Budhan Ali
Shah or Peer Baba as it is known, protects from evil
spirits. On Thursdays, Hindu and Sikh devotees outnumber
Muslims, Most VIPs among them. |
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Forts and
Palaces
The majestic
Bahu Fort, the oldest in the region reminds us of the
thunder and lightning of the clashing steel as wars were
fought and invaders repelled. It gives a fair measure of the
opulence of the royal family. Today it is and oasis of
placidity with lush green terraced garden, waterfalls and
flowers of myriad colors – and a favourite picnic spot for
the entire city.
Amar Mahal
The unlikely,
European looking grand palace, with sloping roofs and tall
towers harks back to continental castles of France. Today,
it houses a museum and is known for the city’s finest
library of antique books and paintings. An entire series of
miniatures on the epic Nal-Damayanti are displayed inside. |
Unique shopping
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). Shop for the authentic
Kashmiri handicrafts, including Pashmina shawls and exquisite
hand-knotted carpets of silk and wool, from the J&K Government Arts
Emporium. |
