City Information

A Legend
Jammu, the Duggar land where the past still has a living presence. A land of grand ancient temples, and beautiful palaces, all nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is said that, on becoming King, the Suryavanshi Jambu Lochan went on a hunt and, crossing the Tawi, found a deer and a tiger drinking water from the same tank. His ministers explained that this meant that the soil of the place was so virtuous that no living creature bore enmity against another.

Raja Jambu Lochan, who lived in the later Vedic period, decided to found his capital , Jambupura, on his soil, on the right bank of the Tawi, overlooking his brother king Bahu's fort. Today the temple of Maha Kali, better known as "Bahu" or "Bawey Wali Mata", located in the Bahu Fort, is considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of mystical power. The present temple was built shortly after the coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh, in 1822. The existing fort, as well as the Manasabdar's palace inside it, was constructed in 1820.


History
Legend has it that Jamboo Loochen founded the city about three thousand years ago. The Raja was hunting in the area, away from his capital city of Bahu when he came across a lion and a goat drinking from the same pond. The Shivadawala Shrine now stands on this spot in the city. Jammu is known as 'the city of temples' because of its many shrines, with their soaring golden spires or 'Shikhars'.

There are many other shrines and temples around the city and environs that date from earlier years but the recorded history of Jammu begins from the time of the Dogra rulers in the early 19th century. In 1846 the Dogra ruler of Jammu was created Maharaja of an ill-defined Himalayan kingdom, 'to the eastward of the river Indus and westward of the river Ravi', by the treaties of Lahore and Amritsar at the conclusion of the first Sikh war.

It was the lack of definition of this state - the forerunner of Jammu and Kashmir - that caused the continuing disputes with Russia and China over territory. The British created the state as part of a complex political buffer zone between their Indian Empire and China and Russia.

For the Maharaja Gulab Singh, the treaty confirmed for him almost 25 years of fighting and negotiation with the small hill tribes along the northern border of the Sikh Empire, centred on the Punjab. The region remained under Dogra rule until the partition of India in 1947, when Hari Singh, the then Maharaja of Kashmir, decided that it would remain as part of India and the state of Jammu & Kashmir was born

Prime Attractions:

Peer Khoh
Just 3.5 km from Jammu, Peer Khoh is a cave shrine, mainly renowned for its shivalingam. According to a popular myth, there are underground pathways in the cave leading to many other cave shrines, in and out of the country.

Ranbireshwar Temple
Built by Maharaj Rajbir Singh in 1883, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Housed inside the temple are 12 crystal shivalingams that are placed surrounding one central lingam, which is 7.5 feet high.

Raghunath Temple
Nucleus of a group of temples, this temple in situated in the city center and is dedicated to Lord Rama. Maharaja Gulab Singh who founded the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir initiated the intricate work on the temple in 1835, which was completed in 1860 by his son, Maharaja Ranbir Singh.

Bahu Fort
More than 3,000 years old, this fort is perhaps the oldest structure in Jammu. It is situated on the left bank of River Tawi, 5 km away from the city centre.

Peer Baba
A well-renowned shrine or Dargah of the famous Muslim saint, Peer Budhan Ali Shah, devotees from all the communities including Hindus and Sikhs throng to the place on Thursdays to pay their homage and ask for blessings from the venerated saint.

Mubarak Mandi Palace
A visual treat, this palace is a delightful fusion of Mughal, Rajasthani and European architecture. The highlight of the palace is the Sheesh Mahal, the Palace of Mirrors and the Dogra Art Museum, which boasts of a rich collection of Pahari School of miniature paintings (the paintings of the various hill schools).

Trekking
Trekking is an important part of the tourism industry of the Jammu region. The government and the tourism industry promote various delightful treks and the best time for trekking is in summers because the snow often blocks the routes during winter.

Skiing
People throng to Patnitop for the skiing classes, as the gently graded ski slopes of Patnitop are ideal for beginners. However, there are great slopes in the surrounding area that attracts skiers of all levels. Some other places loved by the skiing enthusiasts are Kud and Sanasar.