Jammu & Kashmir  *

 

 

    According to legend the land in this region was covered by a vast lake dominated by a terrible creature that tormented the residents in its vicinity. Finally a kind hearted sage killed the beast, draining the water of the lake much to the relief of the people. The sage was called Kashyap and has given his name to the land. Interestingly, geological research has found traces of submarine fossils in the Himalayan region.

 

    Situated at the cross roads of Asia, Jammu & Kashmir has imbibed diverse cultural influences – Persian, Central Asian and Trans-Himalayan. It has blended a unique harmonious way of life by fusing Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.

 

    Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty, delicate handicrafts, matchless saffron and luscious fruit. The Valley has a distinct cuisine and the ceremonial banquet wazvan can have as many as 51 dishes.

 

    The State has many places of tourist interest – the Dal Lake in Srinagar and the high altitude meadows of Gulmarg and Sonmarg. Laddakh has some of the most serene and beautiful monasteries in the land – Hemis, Thiksey and Lamayuru.

 

    It is the northernmost state of the Indian Union and has international borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. It is bound in the south by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. This region, ruled earlier by Hindu rulers, was part of the Mughal empire, and after a spell of Afghan domination was annexed by the Sikhs in 1819. In 1846 Maharaja Ranjit Singh handed it over to his Dogra aide Gulab Singh whose family ruled it till 1947. The ruler of Kashmir signed an instrument of accession to India in 1947, and since then it merged with the Indian Union.

 

    The province is divided into three distinct cultural zones – Laddakh which is Buddhist, Jammu where Hindus are in majority and the Valley with a Muslim majority. The famous Hindu pilgrimages - Amarnath and Vaishnodevi are in Kashmir.