JAMMU AT A GLANCE

JAMMU  the city of temples ,the winter capital of the state j&k is a perfect destinations for those who are looking for the scheduled atmosphere.Here the climate is neither too hot nor too cold hence, it perfectly suits the temperament of almost all.people.The city is located in the foothills of himalayas.It is believed that the Raja Jamboolochan founded this exotic city in 14 thcentury B.C.

JAMMU is famous for its ancient temples like Mata vashino devi,Bawa wali mata,Gauri khund temple,Amarnath caves.

Adeventure and sports holds major importance in the city.The tourists are given many marvallous oppourtinites of mounteering,trekking and raftling.The sites like Patnitop,Snasar and Mansar hold vital impotance and are seen as a major adeventure sites.

Jammu is bascialy agriculture based state having major crops as wheat, maize and paddy.Here all the handicrafts are made with the great deal of prefection.Saffron the highly priced spiece is cultivated in the fields of jammu.

The major festivals include lohri,deepawali,basakhi,shivratri. These festival attracts from tourist all over the country and abroad.

Eating points in jammu are  JKTDC wazwan,KC Residency, Khana khazana,Hot billions,Premier,Moti mahal,Yo china etc.

Jammu is well connected with air and railways to other parts of the country.

shiv khori

Shiv khori one of the most famous shrine is located in Ransoo village of district Reasi.This famous shrine is visted by a large number of devotees every year specially on the festival of Shivratri .Shiv khori is situated in between the hillocks about 140 km from north of jammu.This holy cave is about a km long and houses four feet long naturaly formed shivlinga.To the left of shivlinga Mata Parvati is symbloized by the impressions of her holy feet.At nearly 2.5 feet above five headed Ganesha is also sen there.The cave roof has shades of snakes and the water trickles through the caves.
Reaching the shrine-to reach the holy cave of shiv khori one has to track a distance of 3.5 kms from  
Romsoo,the base camp.Ramsoo is connected via road with Jammu and Katra and is connected with the rest of India through rail,road and air .

MANSAR LAKE

Mansar lake is at a distance of 62 kms from Jammu. .The beautiful lake is bordered by hills covered with forestsBesides being a picnic spot the lake holds a very paramount position in religious importance.A large number of tourist visit here every year.The lake is one mile long and is half a mile broad.Towarsd the east of the lake there is a shrine of Sheshnag.Sheshnag is a mythogocial snake beleived to have six heads.Two ancient temples of Umapati Mahadev and Narsima are also located in the vicinity of Mansar lake.People take a holy dip in the water of the lake.Certian communities of hindu perform the mundan cermony of their male children here.
The flora and fauna of mansar lake also attracts the tourists at large.The lake has cemented path all around with required illumination.Here people enjoy the flickering of seasonal birds, tortise and fishes of different species.There is also a wild life sanctuary housing jungle life like spotted Deer,Neelghai besides other water birds like cranes and ducks.

GOLDEN TEMPLE

Amritsar is a home to Golden Temple .It is truly an awesome sight to visit ever.My   journey began from Jammu. It  was very sunny morning .I started my journey at 9 a.m. we were three friends.we went there by a video coach bus.As our journey begin I took my novel and I- pod  out and begin to think how it was going to be when we reach there and I started to remember my grandma words she always used to tell me that visiting a holy place of worship is a call from god himself .It is well known belief that a travel gives a  person a best experience in life. Whatever we gain through travel is a lifetime experience and is commendable. As we reached halfway my legs started paining after a journey of 4 hrs.the bus stopped and we  went to have some chips and cold drinks.After that we again started our journey.We reached Amritsar when the clock hit at 3 p.m.From the bus stand we took a rikshaw.He made us to visit the temple as we were totaly unaware of the place.As we reached near the complex there were hawkers trying to sell bandanns to cover your head.On entering the complex we washed our feet & covered out head completely.The first moment i had a sight of temple i felt that it had calmed my soul  and purified my spirit,it gaved me a sense of internal pleasure and satisfied my spritual quest.then after we visted Akal takth,Baba atal and finaly had some food from guru ka langar. our journey ended here.But the experience we got from here is very infectious and its a lifetime memory.After coming from temple we hited the local market for shopping.

CHAMLIYAL MELA

The event of annual chamliyal mela is organised by BSF(Border security force), at village chambliyal of samba district.Thousandss of devotees from both Indo Pak  border visit here every year.People visit here to pay obesience to holy shrine of  Baba Dilip Singh Manhas who is know as Baba chamylial..People collect shakkar (soil) and sharbat (sweet water) from the shrine.The shakkar and sharbat  are  said to have curative effects. It is believed that whosoever is suffering from the skin disease if visit this pious place and drinks sharbat and washes  face with sharbat and applys sakkar on face get relifed from any kind of skin disease.
The festival depicts a sea of humanity and unites two nations.People from both nations particate in the festival with great enthusisam and zeal.this festival is celedrated on the fourth thursday in the month of june.
All devotees of Pakistan are not allowed to cross the international border .the gather at the Saidwala village located at international border from where they are provided shakkar and sharbat by BSF personnals.Only the Pakistani Rangers are aallowed to cross the borders who offer chaddar and represent the whole of Pakistan in the event.

JHIRI MELA

Jhiri located about 20 kms from jammu,off jammu akhnoor highway

is famous for the centuries old jhiri mela held every year during the Karthik Purnima falling in the last week of October and early November .lacs of the devotees throng the village to commemorate the martyrdom of Baba Jittoo,a farmer who gave the oppressive demands  of the zamindar about 500 years ago.It is said that zamindars demanded a major share of crops from this farmer,hence he  considered it a real unjust and didn't wanted to share his hard earned earnings with anyone he considered it more peferable to end his life over heap of wheat.People offer there prayers at Baba jitto temple and seek his blessings and also the blessings of his daughter Bau kouri who also ended her life by jumping on the funeral pyre of her father.People also take spritual dip in Baba da talab (pond) which is considersd to have curative    powers.

Places of tourists intrest around jhiri:

Ancient temple of sui and Burj known for the unmatched beauty of metal idols and elaborate paintings.

Akhnoor fort,Pandav  gufa, Ambaran,kameshwar temple & gurudwara tapo asthan sant baba sundersingh ji alibegh at the banks of river Chenab situated just 10 kms from jhiri.