Jammu Kashmir is a union territory administered by India and consists of the Jammu and Kashmir region. It has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962. The union territory is part of the larger region of Kashmir, Legislation passed in August 2019 created the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The union territory shares borders with the union territory of Ladakh, states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, Popularly known as ‘Heaven on Earth’ for its beauty, the state was officially known as the Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu, during the British colonial rule.
Once part of the Sikh empire, It became part of India in late 1948 after the Maharaja Hari Singh signed a treaty of accession with India after his state was attacked by Pakistani troops dressed as tribesmen. Sardar Patel, then home minister of India had said India will only help if the princely state, the only one left out to join the dominion of India. From west to east those zones consist of the plains, the foothills, the Pir Panjal Range, the Vale of Kashmir, and the Great Himalayas zone. The climate varies from alpine on the eastern edge to subtropical in the southwest.
Jammu the winter capital, and main city of Jammu region and Srinagar is summer capital, the main city of the Kashmir region. Baramula, Udhampur,Anantnag are other important cities of the union territory. Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, Chenab Valley, Poonch Valley, Sind Valley, and Lidder Valley. The Kashmir valley is 100 km wide and 15,520.3 km2 in area. During winter the Kashmir region gets blanketed in snow. The Himalaya divides the Kashmir valley from the Tibetan plateau while the PirPanjal range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the Punjab Plain of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Along the northeastern flank of the valley runs the main range of the Himalayas. This valley has an average height of 1,850 meters above sea level, but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 10,000 feet. The jhelum river is the major Himalayan river that flows through the Kashmir valley..The Tawi, Ravi, and Chenab are the other important rivers flowing through the region. Jammu and Kashmir are well connected by rail, road, and air, the Kashmir region is surrounded by mountains accessed through the Jawahar tunnel, one of the longest in Asia. Jammu and Kashmir’s economy is primarily tourism, handicraft based as well as agriculture-oriented.
The Kashmir Valley is known for its sericulture and fisheries. Major agricultural exports from Jammu and Kashmir include apples, pears, cherries, plums, saffron, and walnuts. Wood from Kashmir is used to make high-quality cricket bats, popularly known as Kashmir Willow. The traditional Kashmiri handicrafts industry employs a large workforce of around 340 thousand artisans and has the potential for producing export goods. Small-scale cottage industries include carpet weaving, silks, shawls, basketry, pottery, copper and silverware, papier-mâché, and walnut wood.
The horticulture sector is the next biggest source of income in the economy. The temperature of Jammu and Kashmir is also suited to floriculture and can support various species of flora The Tulip guards of Srinagar are especially famed worldwide. Srinagar is famed for numerous tourist attractions including houseboats on Dal lake that freezes completely in winter as well as numerous gardens such as NishadBagh, Shalimar Bagh, that were built during the Mughal era. The state is rich in minerals of various types as well as hydropower.
There are numerous places to visit in and around the state. Some major tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are Srinagar, the Mughal Gardens, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Patnitop, and Jammu. Every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims Jammu isa home to the holy shrines of VaishnoDevi while Amarnath, the abode of Shiva is in Kashmir. Both these shrines have a significant impact on the state’s economy. Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations in India. beside Srinagar is Gulmarg, a popular ski resort destination in India. It is also home to the world’s highest green golf course. There are numerous things to do for adventure seekers including skiibng, paragliding, biking, motorcycle trips, camping, and much more.
Among the wild mammals found in the union territory are the rare hangul (or Kashmir stag) found in Dachigam National Park, the endangered markhor (a large goat) inhabiting mainly protected areas of the Pir Panjal Range, and black and brown bears. There are many species of birds found here, including vast numbers of migratory ducks making it a birdwatchers paradise. All these make Jammu Kashmir a must-visit place once in a lifetime there are numerous hotels, resorts that provide luxuriously, mid-range, and budget accommodation to tourists. especially known for its cusine, restaurants serve a variety of delicacies, most non-vegetarian at reasonable prices.
