The City of Magnificent Temples
Jammu is the second-largest city in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. It is
also a transit point for travelers on a trip to north to Kashmir. Jammu is
still on the plains, so in summer season it is a sweltering, uncomfortable
as compared to the cool heights of Kashmir.
The winter capital of the state, Jammu is known as the city is of temples
is also an important trade centre and a convenient stage on the road journey
to Srinagar. The number of forts, most of them now in ruins in the Jammu
region is great.
Arriving At Jammu
By Flight : The state has three major civil airports at
Srinagar, Jammu, and Ladakh connected to Delhi and other places in the
country.
By Trackways : Jammu Tawi is the main railhead of Jammu &
Kashmir. It is connected to most of the important towns and cities of the
country.
By Roadways : One can reach Jammu by the National Highway
1A that goes from Punjab and runs through this city, connecting it to the
rest of the state. There are several buses to most of the big towns and
cities in north India from Jammu and Kashmir and vice versa.
The Major Fascinating Sight At Jammu
The Raghunath Temple : This temple is situated at the city
centre. It was built in 1857. The temple consists of seven shrines, each
with tower. Its arches, surface and niches shows the Mughal influence. The
interior of the temple is decorated in gold. Its main sanctuary is dedicated
to Vishnu's eighth incarnation and Dogras' patron deity the Rama. There is a
Sanskrit Library here which has rare sanskrit manuscripts.
The Vaishno Devi Temple : This cave temple is 61kms north
of Jammu. It is dedicated to Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati, the
three mother goddesses of Hinduism. The holy cave shrine is one of the
region's most important Hindu pilgrim sites.