A wonderful piece of artwork can be seen in Avantipur Temple, built between 855 and 883 AD. Located 29-km southeast of Srinagar, it is believed to be constructed by King Avantivarman. He was a great devotee of Lord Surya , and therefore dedicated the temple to him, but a few other deities including Goddess Ragnya Devi can also be seen in the temple. The king constructed two other temples near the main shrine. The smaller one is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is still in dail

The impressive Bahu Fort and Temple stands on the bank of river Tawi , in Jammu city. You will be overwhelmed to see this 3000 years old monument and the unique 'Tawi flowing worship'. Constructed by Raja Bahulohan, the fort was later renovated by the Dogra rulers. The fort boasts of a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali (built in 1822), which is visited by hundreds of devotees on every Tuesday and Sunday. The fort echoes with the loud voices of “Bavey Waali Mata KI Jai !!” thr

Wish to visit a temple with lakhs of “ Saligrams ” (the divine stone of Lord Vishnu)? Raghunath temple, dedicated to Lord Rama is a divine place in the heart of Jammu with seven shrines. The most important shrine belongs to the eighth incarnation of Vishnu- 'Rama' , who is considered the patron deity of the Dogra community. The cluster of temples in the nearby area (all dedicated to the Gods and Goddesses related to the epic Ramayana) makes it the largest temple complex in

One of the oldest shrines of the Sikhs in north India, the Nangli Sahib Gurudwara of Jammu welcomes devotees belonging to all faiths. The credit for the construction of this huge Gurudwara complex goes to Sant Bhai Mela Singh. When Maharaja Ranjeet Singh visited the Gurudwara in 1814, he was surprised to see the architecture, and therefore he attached an estate and four villages to the Gurudwara. To get to this Gurudwara, you will need to get to Jammu first, and then take a

Does your trip to Jammu coincide with the festival of Rakshbandhan ? If it does, make sure to visit the Buddha Amarnath temple in the north east of Poonch Town. Situated on the bank of Pulsata stream, the temple organises 'Buddha Amarnath Ji Mela' , a grand fair, during Rakshabanshan. This fair offers a wonderful view of the regional lifestyle and culture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva , this temple is located on a foot hill and is older than Amarnathji of Kashmir. The beautiful te

The small town of Chanhani , about 120 km from Jammu and 8 km from the enchanting hill station Patnitop, is a significant tourist destination because of the famous Sudh Mahadev Temple. This small temple, devoted to Lord Shiva , is a great piece of art. The secred temple of Sudh Mahadev, situated in the western part of Jammu, was constructed by Chaudhari Ramdas of Chanhani and his son Chaudhari Parag Mahajan about 80 years ago. Built at a height of about 1225 metres above sea

Maa Vaishnodevi Temple is India's second most visited religious shrine, after Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The temple is dedicated to Mata Rani or Vaishnavi , a manifestation of the Mother Goddess. It is located near the town of Katra, in Udhampur district. Pilgrims walk up the backbreaking journey to the shrine located high over the Trikuta hill at an altitude of about 5200 ft. Trikuta hill is the base camp for the journey to this shrine. The shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is

The Baboor site basically consists of the ruins of six different temples . These temples are located within a radius of about one km. and holds great archaeological importance. Surrounded by beautiful hillocks and landscapes, these temples are beautifully decorated with carved idols of Gods, Goddesses, Celestial Dancers and Musicians. These temples are situated towards the south of Udhampur, within 1 km of River Tawi, and 8 km north of Mansar lake. According to a few histori

Located in the main Jammu city, the Gurudwara of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is one of the major holy places of the Sikh community in the state. The Gurudwara has a three-feet long white marble statue of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in a separate room. The statue and in fact the whole Gurudwara was constructed by Maharaja Partap Singh. With a medieval style of construction , the Gurudwara of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is a perfect place to worship in tranquility. In the evening, divine prayers (

Surrounded by fairly steep hills, the Amarnath temple is considered to be Kashmir's oldest existing temple , dating back to the 5th century . This Shiva temple is situated in a narrow gorge on the far end of Lidder Valley at an altitude of 3888 m. The 'Yatra' to Amarnath, one of the principal Hindu Dhams, starts from Chandanwari (2,895 m), 16 kms from Pahalgam, in the month of Sawan (July to August). The temple is famous for a ' Shiva-Lingam ', ( a natural formation of ice

Shankaracharya Temple, located in the south-eastern part of Kashmir, is an excellent example to showcase the ancient Kashmiri architecture . Built on the picturesque location of Gopadari Hill , this Shiva temple stands on a solid rock and consists of an octagonal basement of 13 layers. The temple was built in 371 B.C. Since then, it has been repaired and renovated several times, yet it boasts of the architectural style of those times. The main shrine is built in a circular

Depicting the art and architecture of 1883, the Ranbireshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Offering a marvellous view of isolated forested hills, the temple is located on Shalimar Road, near the new Secretariat, opposite the Dogra Art Gallery in Jammu. Standing 75 metres high, the temple itself is a local landmark. The temple was built by Raja Ranbir Singh, a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He established a seven-and-a-half feet high crystal Lingam in the temple, which o