Amritsar is the spiritual center for the Sikh religion in the state of Punjab. It is home to the Harmandir Sahib, also referred to as the "Golden Temple" as the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal on week days alone. The city also houses the Sikh temporal and political authority, Akal Takht. Amritsar is situated 217 kilometres northwest of state capital Chandigarh and is very close to India's western border with Pakistan. The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, and light engineering. The city is known for its rich cuisine and culture and also for the tragic incident of Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919.
Vaishno Devi Mandir, a holy temples dedicated to Shakti is located in the hills of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess. The temple is near the town of Katra, and is one of the most revered places of worship in India. Approximately 8 million pilgrims visit the Vaishno Devi every year. It is the second most visited religious shrine in India, after Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The Sri Vaishno Devi Shrine Board maintains the shrine and a rail link from Udhampur to Katra is being built to facilitate pilgrimage. The nearest airport is Jammu Airport where all leading domestic airlines have their services.
Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Situated in the Kashmir Valley, it lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes, houseboats, dry fruits and especially for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts. Srinagar has been called the "Venice of the East". It is known for its lakes, which include Dal Lake, noted for its houseboats and Nagin Lake. Most visited tourist destinations from Srinagar are Chashma Shahi, the royal fountains, Pari Mahal (the palace of the fairies), Nishat Bagh (the garden of springs), Shalimar Bagh, Naseem Bagh and Tulip Gardens.
Gulmarg, also known as heartland of winter sports in India has been rated by CNN International as Asia's seventh best ski destination. In the winter, the diverse and extreme terrain combines with torrential snowfall to create a snow destination, the best in the world. Gulmarg attracts outdoor sports fanatics with its world class golfing, trekking, horse riding, water skiing, and fishing. Gulmerg certainlty is the heartland of winter sports in India.
Located in the Ganderbal district of Jammu & Kashmir at a distance of 84 kms from Srinagar, Sonmarg is a land of beautiful glaciers, serene lakes, beautiful meadows and picturesque sceneries. It is the last major point in the Kashmir Valley before the Zoji La pass into Ladakh. Literally meaning 'Meadow of Gold’, Sonmarg is renowned for its trekking and hiking trails and is the base camp of several treks in that region. One of the major such trek passes through several Himalayan mountain lakes including Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Gangabal. It is also the base for undertaking the yatra to the holy Amarnath cave. Some of the trekking routes passing through Sonmarg are very challenging and hence attracts a number of mountaineers and adventurers every year.
Pahalgam is a popular tourist destination in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. Pahalgam was once a tourist attraction and a favourite place for shooting of Bollywood films, and is still a health resort. The area holds a rich cover of vegetation, the dominant forest consisting of conifers. Pahalgam is also associated with the annual Amarnath Yatra as 16 km from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the yatra that takes place every year in the month of Sawan.
Jammu & Kashmir
Kashmir is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range.
