HOW TO GET THERE
By Air
Indian Airlines operate regular daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi, Mumbai and Jammu. They leave from Delhi directly, from Delhi via Jammu, and from Bombay via New Delhi and Jammu. Jet Airways also operate daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi as well as Jammu. Indian Airlines has its city office in the Tourist Reception Centre, while the Jet Airways office is close by.
Srinagar airport is 14 kms from the city. The taxi ride to the Tourist Reception Centre costs about Rs.250/-. Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates special coach services between the airport and the city.
Indian Airlines: Airport Office Tel. : 2430334, 2430163 City Office Tel. : 2450256, 2450247
Jet Airways: Airport Office Tel. : 0194-2433035, 2433007 City Office : Dhanji-Bhoy Building, Sherwani Road, Srinagar-190001, Kashmir, India. Tel. : 0194-2480801-06.
Note: All foreigners are required to register themselves at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, at its Airport counter.
By Rail
The nearest railhead for Srinagar is Jammu Tawi (305 kms) where trains arrive from Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Ahmedabad, etc. As with flights, train bookings have to be made well in advance. During the holiday season, additional trains operate to and from various parts of the country.
Mustard fields in Kashmir Valley
By Road
National Highway 1-A, connecting Srinagar with Jammu, is a good, all-weather road with several sharp inclines and hairpin bends. It is maintained by the Border Roads Organization (BRO), which clears the road of any obstructions resulting from natural causes like landslides and heavy snowfall. The famous Jawahar Tunnel that connects Jammu with the Kashmir Valley across the
Super deluxe, A-class, B-class busses are operated by J&K SRTC as well as other transport agencies. These take approx. 11 hours to cover the journey and the cost per seat in J&K SRTC bus is Rs 150/- for super deluxe, Rs.110/- for A-class and Rs.100/- for B-class coaches
From Delhi an express coach service is available, which takes 26 hours to reach Srinagar at the cost per seat of Rs.750/-. For booking contact J&K SRTC Office, Kanishka Shopping Plaza, Ashok Road, New Delhi.
It is also possible to travel by taxi from Jammu to Srinagar in about 8 hours. The cost is Rs.2100/-(Tata Sumo) & Rs.2400/- car taxi. If you are travelling alone, it is worth enquiring at the taxi stand in the Tourist Reception Centre, Jammu (Tel 2546266) about the availability of taking a shared taxi at an approximate cost of Rs.460/- per head in car taxi Rs. 300/- per head in Tata Sumo.
For those wishing to travel to Srinagar by a private car from Jammu, there are several places en route which have been developed for the convenience of the motorist. Among them Jajjar Kotli, Kud, Pantnitop, Batote, Ramban, Banihal and Qazi Gund, all having tourist bungalows and provisions for meals, snacks, petrol pumps and repairs.
Local Transport
Coaches
The J&K Tourism Development Corporation (J&K TDC) and the J&K Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) operate luxury coaches for tourists. For reservation and bookings contact:
J&K TDC Booking Office, TRC, Tel. Nos. 2457930, 2472644, Fax: 2457927/2476107. J&K SRTC Booking Office, TRC, Tel. No. 2455107
Flower seller on the Dal Lake
Tourist Taxis
Taxis for local sightseeing as well as long journeys out of Srinagar can be hired from the following Tourist Taxi Stands mentioned below:
Tourist Reception Centre Tel. No. 2452527, Nehru Park Tel. No. 2453657, Dalgate Tel. No. 2472146 and Lal Chowk Tel No. 2474898
Other Transport
The most widely used local transport is the Mini Bus, which operates, all over the city as well as the suburban areas on fixed routes. Auto rickshaws are also easily available from all points in the city on negotiable rates.
SITE SEEING
The Lakes
Srinagar's distinctive feature is the great body of water, the Dal Lake, which forms its focal point. The Dal has, within its area, two enormous sheet-like expanses of water-Lokut-dal and Bod-dal, the rest of its surface being broken up alternatively by man-made strips of land inhabited by whole colonies of people and vegetation. Thus the lake is not a flat, unbroken mass of water, but a labyrinth of waterways, awash with a lifestyle not found elsewhere in the world.
Leading from the Dal is the smaller Nagin Lake. Here too, the waters are edged by trees of willow and poplar whose reflection is mirrored in the lake. 'Bathing boats' here, as well as on the Dal, hire out water-skis and motor launches. The waters of the lakes are pleasantly cool from mid-May to mid-September. Shikaras can be hired from any of the steps called 'ghats' (jetties)leading to the lake. Some rides are fixed and their rates are posted at each ghat as well as opposite the Tourist Reception Centre. Shikaras are a refreshingly novel way of seeing Srinagar by day and at twilight, the gentle soothing motion of the boat, as it glides along the water, is unbelievably romantic.
Nagin lake liesto the east of the city at the foot of the Zabarwan Mountain. The Shankaracharya hill (Takht-i-Sulaiman) is to the south and Hari Parbat on its west. The lake is 6x3 km and is divided by causeways into four parts. Gagribal, Lakut-dal, Bod-dal and Nagin. Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre, called Rup Lank or Char Chinari and Sona Lank, respectively.
THE MUGHAL GARDENS
With terraced lawns, cascading fountains, paint-box-bright flowerbeds with the panorama of the Dal in front of them - the three Mughal Gardens of Chesmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar are the Mughal Emperors' concept of paradise and are today very popular places for picnics and excursions.
Shalimar Bagh Nishat Bagh Chashma Shahi Pari Mahal Harwan
SHRINES & MONUMENTS
Hazratbal Mosque
Hazratbal Mosque is located in a village of the same name on the banks of the Dal. Its pristine white marble elegance is reflected in the waters of the lake.
Hazratbal's special significance is derived from the fact that it houses a hair of the prophet Muhammad. This is displayed to the public on religious occasions, usually accompanied by fairs. Apart from these occasions, Friday prayers are offered at Hazratbal and attended by throngs of people. Hazratbal is remarkable for being the only domed mosque in Srinagar; the others having distinct pagoda like roofs. The shrine – mosque complex is situated on the western shore of the Dal Lake opposite Nishat Bagh and commands a grand view of the lake and the mountain beyond.
Jama Masjid
The Jama Masjid at Nowhatta, in the heart of the old city, is the other important mosque in Srinagar at which thousands of people congregate for the Friday prayers. Of imposing proportions, the mosque is built around a courtyard and is supported by 370 wooden pillars.
The hushed quiet of the mosque counterpoints the bustle of the old bazaars surrounding it. Originally built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD, and enlarged by his son, Zain-ul- Abidin, it is a typical example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Destroyed thrice by fire and rebuilt each time, the mosque, as it now stands, was repaired during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh.
Shankaracharya Temple
The sacred temple of Shankaracharya occupies the top of the hills known as Takht-I-Sulaiman in 
the south-east of Srinagar. The site dates back to 250BC. The philosopher Shankaracharya stayed at this place when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive Sanatan Dharma.
Before this date, the temple was known as Gopadri, as an earlier edifice on the same site was built by king Lalitaditya in the 6th century AD. In fact, the road below the hill, with residences of high- ranking State Government officials, is still known as Gupkar road. Built on a high octagonal plinth and approached by a flight of steps with side walls that once bore inscriptions, the main surviving shrine consists of a circular cell. It overlooks the Valley and can be approached by a motorable road. A modern ceiling covers the inner sanctum and an inscription in Persian traces its origin to the reign of Emperor Shah Jehan. The original ceiling was dome- shaped and the brick roof, it appears, is not more than a century old.
Kashmiri Food
Rich and redolent with the flavour of the spices used –cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, saffron, etc. -- Kashmiri food can be the simple meal of a family, or a 36-course wedding banquet called Wazawan. The staple diet of every Kashmiri is rice, the most preferred being the dense, slightly sticky grained Kashmir variety, which is prized in the Valley.
Mutton, chicken or fish are of prime importance in Kashmiri meal and everyday cooking often combines vegetable and meat in the same dish. Mutton and turnips, chicken and spinach, fish and lotus root are also very popular combinations. Pure vegetarian dishes include dum-aloo - roasted potatoes in curd-based gravy, and chaman- fried paneer (cottage cheese), in a thick sauce. Non-vegetarian dishes are considered in Kashmir to be a sign of lavish hospitality and at a Wazwan or banquet, not more than one or two vegetarian dishes are served. Sweets do not play an important role in Kashmiri cuisine. Instead Kahva or green tea is used to wash down a meal.
Wazawan is usually served at weddings and parties. The most commonly served items are rista (meat balls) made of finely pounded mutton and cooked in a gravy; seekh kababs, tabak maz, or flat pieces of meat cut from the ribs and fried till they acquire a crisp crackling texture, roganjosh, which owes its rich red colour to the generous use of Kashmiri chillies. Yakhni, a cream coloured preparation of delicate flavour, is made with curd as a base. Gushtaba, which is the last item to be served in a traditional wazawan, are meatballs moulded from pounded mutton like large-sized Rista but cooked in thick gravy of fresh curd base. Dam-Aaloo and chaman are the commonly served vegetarian dishes - to serve more than this would indicate an unseemly tendency on the part of the host to economize!
Restaurants
All the better hotels in Srinagar have attached restaurants, generally serving Indian, Continental and Kashmiri cuisine. Other restaurants are mainly located on the Boulevard, Shervani (Residency) Road, Lambert Lane and Lal Chowk.
Mughal Durbar and Ahdoos on Shervani Road, Ruby in Lambert Lane and Juniper in Lal Chowk are well known for their Kashmiri cuisine. Solace and Tao Cafe on Shervani Road and Shamyana on the Boulevard are three known garden cafes. There are also several restaurants offering Chinese cuisines such as J&K TDC’s Nun-Kun Restaurant near Nehru Park, Alka Salka on Shervani Road and Lhasa on the Boulevard. Some restaurants, both attached to hotels and independent, cater to the large number of vegetarians who holiday in Kashmir. These are mainly located in the Dalgate Kohna Khan area and on the Boulevard. Amira Kadal and Dalgate have inexpensive eateries where you can get simple, well cooked meals.
There are a number of bakeries at Dalgate and Shervani Road. Some of them, in addition to patties and pastries, serve Kashmiri breads like 'sheermal' and 'baqerkhani', without which no Kashmiri breakfast is complete. Kashmiris use a variety of breads seldom seen elsewhere.
Tsot and tsochvoru are small roundbreads, topped with poppy and sesame seeds and traditionally washed down with salt tea. Lavas is a cream coloured unleavened bread; baqerkhani is the Kashmiri equivalent of rough puff pastry and kulcha is a melt-in-the mouth variety of short-bread, sweet or savoury, topped with poppy seeds.
JAMMU { The Ancient City Of Temples }
Nestled against the backdrop of the snow-capped Pir Panjal Mountains, the region of Jammu constitutes the southernmost unit of the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
Mountain range surrounding Jammu
It forms part of the transition between the Himalayan range in the north and the dusty plains of Punjab in the south. Between these two extremities lie a series of scrub-covered hills, forested mountain ranges and river valleys, encompassing several microclimatic regions that extend from Kishtawar in the north-east to Akhnoor in the south-west, and the historic town of Poonch in the north-west to the borders of Kangra (H P) in the south-east. The Shivalik hills cut across the area from the east to the west while the rivers Ravi, Tawi and Chenab cut their way through the region.
Physically, the region of Jammu is not homogenous. It is broadly divisible into three discernible zones determined by the terrain condition and the geo-climatic environment. The southern-most of these is the ‘Outer Plains’ zone comprising the skirt of level lands in Jammu and Kathua districts which merge into the plains of Punjab. Toward its north and north-east rises the ‘Outer Hills’ zone attaining heights of 2000 to 4000 ft above mean sea level. Basohli, Reasi and better parts of Rajouri district fall in this zone. The landscape here shows open scrubs that gradually thicken from low scrub to taller trees of acacias, rhododendrons, cacti, etc. Above this zone, the terrain becomes acute in incline, the vegetal cover rich and the climatic conditions increasingly salubrious.
This is the region of the Middle Himalayas comprising several upland valleys of great natural beauty such as Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Poonch and higher parts of Rajouri district. The average altitude of this zone ranges from 8000 to 10,000 ft. The mountains here are covered with thick forests of oak and chestnut, and higher up with deodar and pine. The majestic Chenab drains this beautiful landscape, carving spectacular gorges in its long and serpentine course.
Beyond and above the middle Himalayas lies the Pir Panjal Range which separates Jammu province from the Kashmir Valley. And in the extreme north-east rises the Great Himalayan Range itself, which forms a natural barrier between the Kishtwar region of Jammu and the Suru-Zanskar area of the Ladakh region. In its south-east to north-west sweeping arc, the Great Himalayan Wall soars to a maximum height of 7,135 m in the Nun-Kun massif, while dipping to 3,505 m at Zoji-la. Between these two extremities, this mighty range rises into dozens of perpetually snow-capped peaks and depresses into several passes connecting the two contrasting environments on its north and south.
Ruins of a fort in Jammu
Portrait of a Dogra Ruler of J&K
Jammu region is home to several ethnic communities which follow traditional life-styles with distinctive cultures of their own. Among these communities, the Dogras constitute the dominant group. They are mainly concentrated in the outer hill and outer plain zones covering Kathua, Udhampur and Jammu districts and the lower parts of Rajouri district. A martial community by tradition, their folklore centres on eulogies for war heroes, both legendary and historical. Even the region’s architectural heritage, comprising elaborate castles and hilltop fortifications that are visible everywhere, bespeak the community' s long-drawn preoccupation with battles and ruling of distant lands. Yet the region’s history is not completely bereft of traditions of art and culture. Thus, while the troops fought battles in distant areas, the royalty and the nobility nurtured art and culture. The Pahari miniature paintings that have justly become famous throughout India, are the finest examples of their artistic achievements.
The second largest ethnic group of the region is formed by the Gujjars, a semi-nomadic people living along the hill slopes of Doda and Rajouri districts while in Poonch they also dominate the main valleys. Some of them have settled down to agriculture, but the majority are primarily herdsmen. They cultivate maize along the slopes of the mountains, but only as a secondary occupation.
The Bhalessa tract enveloping the adjoining hills of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh, is inhabited by the Gaddis, another semi-nomadic community, who graze immense flocks of goats and sheep along the Himalayan slopes. As summer draws on, the Gaddis move up the mountain pastures with their flocks, and return to the lower area with the first snowfall. Gaddis are generally associated with emotive music played on the flute.
The most interesting ethnic community, however, is that of the Bakkarwals, a wholly nomadic pastoral people who move all along the Himalayan slopes from the south to the north, always in search of pastures for their huge flocks of goat and sheep. Every summer, they move en-block across the various mountain ranges as far as the Suru Valley in the Ladakh region. They are an ancient people, the majority following the lifestyle that their ancestors have been leading throughout the ages. The Bakkarwals tend to sacrifice all personal comforts for the welfare of their goats and sheep, their economic mainstay.
The city of Jammu, the winter capital of the state, is the epicentre of all socio-economic activities in the Jammu region. It is also the base for visiting various centres of tourist and pilgrimage interest in which the region abounds. The most important pilgrimage centre is the shrine of Mata Vaishnodeviji situated in the Trikuta hills at a distance of 60 kms from Jammu. Over 4.5 million pilgrims trek to this holy cave shrine to pay obeisance to this most revered of Hindu deities every year.
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