Jammu Region

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Jammu is the winter capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The old Jammu town is situated on a hilltop just next to the Tawi river. The Trikuta range forms the picturesque backdrop.

The new Jammu town is situated several kilometers from the old town.

Jammu was under Dogra rule till the British took over. In the ancient times Jammu was a stop over for trading caravans. Jammu has a rich cultural heritage and is an interesting tourist destination, especially for those interested in natural beauty and history. Legend has it that Raja Jambu Lochan discovered this place while on a hunting trip.

Tours and travel to the Jammu region includes a visit to several tourist attractions in and around Jammu. Jammu has a dominant Hindu population. There are several temples and shrines in Jammu. The most important of these are Mata Vaishno Devi, the Jujjar Kotli tourist complex, the historical region of Akhnoor, the Ranbireshwar temple, Gauri Kund temple, Shudh Mahadev temple, the Peer Khoh Cave temple and the Raghunath temple. The Amar Mahal Palace is also an important tourist attraction. Jammu serves as a base camp for those visiting the Vaishno Devi Shrine. Jammu is rightly known as the city of temples. Krimchi is an important tourist destination.

The commonly spoken languages in the area include Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi, Ladakhi and Tibetan. Over the years Jammu became an important center of arts and culture. Jammu is very popular for its handicrafts, silk saris, carpets, wickerwork, basket making, miniature paintings, classical dance and choral painting.

The Himalayan range lies in the north of Jammu and the dusty plains of Punjab flank the region in the south. The Jammu area can be divided into three physical zones. These are the outer plains that include the level lands that merge with the Punjab plains. The outer hill zone and the area beyond that is the one that merges with the Kashmir valley.

Jammu serves as a base for those who trek to Kargil and for pilgrims to Vaishno Devi. Tours and travel packages to the Jammu region offer various travel options to the shrines and monasteries. There are several monasteries around the Jammu region. Jammu is popular among tourists for its water sports, especially rafting and canoeing. Other adventure sports that tourist can enjoy in Jammu are mountaineering and trekking. Most of the native population in Kashmir is Hindu. Those living around the Jammu area are mostly Buddhists and Tibetan.