 Jammu is the second largest city of the northern Indian state of Jammu
and Kashmir and is also its winter capital. Divided into two separate
cities, the old town of Jammu is located on a hilltop overlooking
the river Tawi while the new town is situated across the river,
several kilometers away.
The city of Jammu is named after Jambu Lochan, thwe brother
of Bahu, a powerful local chieftain who ruled during the ninth century.
It is said that on becoming king, 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, decided to build his capital,
Jambupura, on this soil, on the right bank of the Tawi overlooking
his brother king Bahu's fort. Jambupura later came to be known as
Jammu.
Through the middle ages, Jammu prospered. Changes of rule at Delhi
or Lahore passed over without disturbing the affluence of the town.
The fertile cultivable land around the town constantly generated
wealth and unlike many medieval towns, Jammu was never depopulated.
The town was also a major stopover for caravans on the trade routes
to Kashmir, Asia Minor and beyond and was a base for the fabled
Silk Route.
The state of Jammu & Kashmir, which was earlier under the rule
of Hindus and Muslims, came under the rule of Mughals under emperor
Akbar. After the period of Afghan rule from 1756, it was annexed
to the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab in 1819. In 1846, Ranjit Singh
made over the territory of Jammu to Maharaja Gulab Singh and Jammu
and Kashmir came into being as a single political and geographical
entity following the Treaty of Amritsar between the British Government
and Gulab Singh signed on March 16, 1846.
Since then, the state remained under the Dogra rule till the time
India gained independence. At the time of independence, like all
the state, Jammu and Kashmir was also given the option of either
joining India or Pakistan. However, the then ruler, Maharaja Hari
Singh decided not to exercise the option immediately but had to
sign the instrument of accession when Pakistan attacked the territory
later the same year.
Most of the tourists who come to the Jammu region have the Mata
Vaishno Devi shrine as their destination, which is quite close
by. However, the spirit of holiness permeates through the entire
city, so much so that Jammu is also known as the 'City of Temples'.
If Bahu Mata is the presiding deity of Jammu, the dargah of Peer
Budhan Ali Shah is the other shrine that s believed to protect Jammuites.
The other major tourist attraction is the Ragunath Temple Complex,
which is the largest temple in North India devoted to Lord Ram.
The construction of this temple was begun by Maharaja Gulab Singh
in 1851 and completed by his son Ranbir Singh six years later.
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,
were constructed in 1820 and are major tourist attractions of the
city.
Other temples in the city include the Gauri Kund temple, Shudh Mahadev
temple, Shiva temple, Peer Khoh Cave temple, Ranbireshwar temple
and the Parmandal temple complex.
The most stunning site in Jammu is the Sheesh Mahal. The
Pink Hall of the palace now houses the Dogra Art Museum, which has
miniature paintings of the various hill schools. The museum also
has the hand written Persian manuscripts of the Shahnama and Sikandernama.
The palace was once the royal residence of the Dogra kings. Built
as a group of buildings around a courtyard, the palace has a commanding
view of river Tawi on one side and the city on the other.
The Amar Mahal Palace Museum is a beautiful palace of red
sandstone, which stands amidst the most picturesque environs of
Jammu. There is beautiful view of the Shivaliks in the north and
river Tawi flows to the south adding to the grandeur. This was once
the residential palace of Raja Amar Singh but now has been converted
into a museum and is looked after by Hari-Tara Charitable trust.
The museum has a golden throne made of 120 kg of pure gold.
A treat for those interested in history is the town of Akhnoor,
32 km southwest of Jammu. Standing on the banks of the mighty river
Chenab, the town tells the tragic tale of the lovers Sohni and Mahiwal.
Also along the riverbank are the majestic ruins of the Indus-Valley
Civilization that are of great historical importance and command
a beautiful view of the area around.
The Jujjar Kotli Tourist Complex, built on the banks of Jujjar
rivulet, is at a distance of 35 km from Jammu. The crystal clear,
cool water of Jujjar attracts picnickers in large numbers during
the summer.
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