Description of Jammu & Kashmir

This is the largest city and the summer capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchor lakes. The city is famous for its gardens, waterfronts, and houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dried fruits. Known as the "Venice of Orient", it is the northernmost million plus city of India.

History of Jammu & Kashmir

The Burzahom archaeological site 10 km from Srinagar has revealed the presence of Neolithic and megalithic cultures. According to Kalhana's 12th-century text Rajatarangini, a king named Pravarasena II established a new capital namedPravarapura (also known as Pravarasena-pura). 
Based on topographical details, Pravarapura appears to be the same as the modern city of Srinagar.
Aurel Stein dates the king to the 6th century. Kalhana mentions that a king named Ashoka had earlier established a town called Srinagar. Kalhana describes this town in hyperbolic terms, stating that it had "9,600,000 houses resplendent with wealth".According to Kalhana, this Ashoka reigned before 1182 BCE and was a member of the dynasty founded by Godhara. Kalhana states that this king adopted the doctrine of Jina, constructed stupas and Shiva temples, and appeased Bhutesha (Shiva) to obtain his son Jalauka.

Multiple scholars identify Kalhana's Ashoka with the 3rd century  Buddhist Mauryan emperor Ashoka despite these discrepancies. Although "Jina" is a term generally associated with Jainism, some ancient sources use it to refer to the Buddha. RomilaThapar equates Jalauka to Kunala, stating that "Jalauka" is an erroneous spelling caused by a typographical error in Brahmi script. Ashoka's Srinagar is generally identified with Pandrethan (near present-day Srinagar), although there is an alternative identification with a place on the banks of the Lidder River. According to Kalhana, Pravarasena II resided at Puranadhishthana ("old town") before the establishment of Pravarapura; the name Pandrethan is believed to be derived from that word.

Geography of Jammu & Kashmir

The city is located on both the sides of the Jhelum River, which is called Vyath in Kashmir. The river passes through the city and meanders through the valley, moving onward and deepening in the Dal Lake. The city is famous for its nine old bridges, connecting the two parts of the city. There are a number of lakes and swamps in and around the city. These include the Dal, the Nigeen, the Anchar, Khushal Sar, Gil Sar, and Hokersar.

Hokersar is a wetland situated near Srinagar. Thousands of migratory birds come to Hokersar from Siberia and other regions in the winter season. Migratory birds from Siberia and Central Asia use wetlands in Kashmir as their transitory camps between September and October and again around spring. These wetlands play a vital role in sustaining a large population of wintering, staging and breeding birds. Hokersar is 14 km (8.7 mi) north of Srinagar and is a world class wetland spread over 13.75 km2 (5.31 sq mi) including lake and marshy area. It is the most accessible and well-known of Kashmir's wetlands which include Hygam, Shalibug, and Mirgund. A record number of migratory birds have visited Hokersar in recent years. Birds found in Hokersar—Migratory ducks and geese which include brahminy duck, tufted duck, gadwall, garganey, greylag goose, mallard, common merganser, northern pintail, common pochard, ferruginous pochard, red-crested pochard, ruddy shelduck, northern shoveler, common teal, and Eurasian Wigeon

Weather of Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar has a humid subtropical climate). The valley is surrounded by the Himalayas on all sides. Winters are cool, with daytime temperature averaging to 2.5 °C (36.5 °F), and drops below freezing point at night. Moderate to heavy snowfall occurs in winter and the highway connecting Srinagar with the rest of India faces frequent blockades due to icy roads and avalanches. Summers are warm with a July daytime average of 24.1 °C (75.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is around 720 millimeters (28 in). Spring is the wettest season while autumn is the driest. The highest temperature reliably recorded is 38.3 °C (100.9 °F) and the lowest is −20.0 °C (−4.0 °F)

Best Time to Visit Jammu & Kashmir

The best time to visit Kashmir is during the months of March to August.

During this period two seasons are covered in Kashmir. Spring (March-early May) and Summer (early May-late August). The blossoms of spring and the cool weather of summer creates the perfect season to visit Kashmir during this time.

How to reach Jammu & Kashmir

Road

The city is served by many highways, including National Highway 1A and National Highway 1

Air

Srinagar Airport has regular domestic flights to Leh, Jammu, Chandigarh, Delhi and Mumbai, and occasional international flights. An expanded terminal capable of handling both domestic and international flights was inaugurated on 14 February 2009 with Air India Express flights to Dubai. Hajj flights also operate from this airport to Saudi Arabia

Rail

Srinagar is a station on the 119 km (74 mi) long Banihal-Baramulla line that started in October 2009 and connects Baramulla to Srinagar, Anantnag, and Qazigund. The railway track also connects to Banihal across the Pir Panjal mountains through a newly constructed 11 km long Banihal tunnel, and subsequently to the Indian railway network after a few years. It takes approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds for the train to cross the tunnel. It is the longest rail tunnel in India. This railway system, proposed in 2001, is not expected to connect the Indian railway network until 2017 at the earliest, with a cost overrun of 55 billion INR. The train also runs during heavy snow.