Situated on the banks of the Tawi river, framed against the picturesque
backdrop of the majestic Trikuta ranges, is the winter capital of the state,
Jammu. It is believed that Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in the
9th century, though no such historical records of the region exist. The
Sikhs took over from the Rajputs, following which, in 1832, Gulab Singh
merged Jammu with Kashmir to form the present state. The region is inhabited
by three large tribes - the sturdy Dogras dwelling in the plains, the Pahadis
of the hills, and the nomadic mountain - dwelling tribes of the Gaddis
and Gujjars.
Jammu houses a huge number of temples and shrines, the soaring spires
of which seem to pierce the skies above. The Raghunath group of temples,
the largest in the north; the Amar Mahal Palace; the Ranbireshwar
Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva; the Baghi Bahu temple and Fort
are some of the popular landmarks of the region. The Dogra Art Gallery
showcases the Pahadi school of art, chiefly comprising of exquisite wall
paintings that adorn the local temples. The handicrafts typical of Jammu
are wooden ornaments, intricate bamboo work, straw fans, rush baskets etc.
Festivals
In keeping with Jammu being a colourful region, the festivals celebrated
here are vibrant explosions of gaiety, the principal amongst them being,
Lohri (January), Baisakhi (April), Bahu Mela (April and October), Chaitre
Chandash (April), Purmandal Mela (February), and Jhiri Mela (October).
Access
By air: Jammu is connected by Indian Airlines with Delhi, Amritsar,
Chandigarh, and Srinagar.
By rail: Jammu Tawi is an important railhead on the Northern
Railway line. Express trains connect it with Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta
and Amritsar.
By road: Located on the National Highway 1A, Jammu is linked
by a network of roads to Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Katra, Srinagar,
and Manali.
