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About Kashmir |
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Kashmir region starts near Banihal, 17 Kilometers (11 miles) before the Jawahar Tunnel, where the dominant language changes from Dogri to Kashmiri and more of the houses and costumes are in the Kashmiri style. The landscape blossoms north of the pass where the lush fields of the vale of Kashmir stretch away to the north.
General Information about J&K
Area : 2,22,236Sq Km(Total)
Latitude : Between 32.17°
36.58°N
Longitude : Between 37.26°
80.30°E
Population: 10,143,700(10.1 million)as per 20001 census
Kashmir : 5,476,970 |
This is certainly one of the most beautiful regions in India, and since the time of the Mughal emperors it has provided a popular escape from the summers of the North Indian plains. The image of houseboats reflected in the waters of Dal Lake against a backdrop of snowcapped Zabarwan Mountains is a reality, but this is only part of what Kashmir has to offer. The valley, or vale, is a large oval plain 136 kilometers (85 miles0 long and up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide, with Srinagars, at 1,593 meters (5,225 feet), at the approximate centre. Although Srinagar is the focal point of any visit to the area, the nearby villages of Gulmarg and Pahalgam have developed into major destinations in their own right. The area has become a national centre for a range of sports of which Walking, Trekking, Climbing, Golf, Skiing and Fishing are only a few.
Summer is no longer the only season to visit Kashmir. The autumn colors and the saffron harvest near Pampore and a wonderful backdrop to a low altitude trek from mid-December to early March there is some excellent skiing in the early summer the trout begin to bite and the snow-fed streams come to life. From June onwards the oppressive heat of the plains makes the cooler days in and around Srinagar even more attractive.
Since the partition of India divided the state and cut the old road via Rawalpindi and Barmulla, the longer road via Jammu is the only practicable land link with the rest of World. (There is also a road linking Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh). An ever-increasing numbers of visitors now arrive by air, but for those with time, the longer route by rail and road is certainly more exhilarating.
Originally a vast lake enclose by the Pir Panchal range of the Himalaya, the valley is now drained by the Jhelum River, which flows northwest out of the valley and then south into the Indus. The fertile soil produces a rich variety of produce, from rice and wheat to saffron, apples and, more recently, hops. Some 2,000 years ago King Ashoka supposedly visited the valley on a pilgrimage. In the 16th century the great Mughal Akbar came and was followed by Jehangir and Shan Jahan, all of whom left their mark in the form of buildings and gardens.
In the late 19th century the area assumed its present appearance. Since then tourism has had a major, but not always positive, influence. What Jawaharlal Nehru, whose family was from Kashmir, recalled in 1940 is still true.
In Kashmir over 50 percent of the total population dependent on the tourism and Handicraft Industries |
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