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State of Jammu and Kashmir nestled on the slopes of the Himalayas. It borders Pakistan to the west and China and Tibet to the north. The state includes the territories of the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh, which consist of 22 districts. In this state are located: the Kashmir Valley, the Chenab Valley, the Poonch Valley, the Tawi Valley, the Lidder and Sind Valleys. The main valley of Kashmir is a valley consecrated by the gods, a land of intellectual pursuits and spiritual wealth. As if hanging between heaven and earth, Jammu and Kashmir has long been a land that sought those who were interested in its beauty.
Landmarks of Jammu and Kashmir
4. You should be aware that in order to visit some places (like the Nubra Valley and Rupsu, Amarnath, etc.) you will need a special permit. You can easily arrange it at local travel agencies.
5. There are no particular problems with housing in this state. But it is worth noting that the owners of the rented housing may try to deceive you. Therefore, it is better to discuss and clarify all services and prices with them in advance.
6. Lovers active rest must visit ski resort Gulmarg in the Himalayas which is deservedly considered the best place for skiing in the region.
KASHMIR
a disputed area in the far north of the Indian subcontinent. India lays claim to its entire territory of 222,236 sq. km. Kashmir borders Pakistan in the west, Afghanistan in the north, China's Xinjiang Uighur and Tibet Autonomous Regions in the east, and the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in the south. Pakistan and China are contesting India's rights, with Pakistan initially claiming possession of the entire area, and now actually including the northwestern part of Kashmir with an area of 78,932 square kilometers. km. In administrative terms, it is mainly allocated in the so-called. Azad ("free") Kashmir. Under Chinese control is the northeastern part of the territory of Kashmir with an area of 42,735 square kilometers. km. The rest is occupied by the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir with an area of 100,569 sq. km.
Surface structure and climate. In Kashmir, several natural regions can be distinguished, differing primarily in relief and geological structure. In the extreme southwest stretches a narrow strip of the Punjab plain with heavily eroded lands that have largely lost their fertility. To the northeast, it is replaced by the hilly ridges of Sivalik up to 600-700 m above sea level. and then the Lesser Himalayas (Pir-Panjal range with Tatakuti peak, 4743 m). Behind the Lesser Himalayas is the famous Kashmir Valley - a vast intermountain basin 135 km long and 40 km wide. The average height of its bottom is 1600 m above sea level. This is the most densely populated part of Kashmir with the largest city of Srinagar on the banks of the Jelam river near Lake. Dal. Among the lakes of this region, the largest is Lake. Vular. In the northeast, the Great Himalayan Range hangs over the Kashmir Valley with pointed rocky ridges, where individual peaks exceed 7000 m ( highest point Mount Nunkun, 7135 m). Further to the east stretches the vast Ladakh highlands, also known as Little Tibet. It is cut by the upper Indus valley. To the north of Ladakh is the majestic Karakorum mountain system, where there are many steep peaks with heights of more than 7000 m, and some of them even exceed 8000 m. The second peak of the world, Mount Chogori (8611 m), also known as K2, Godwin Osten and Dapsang. The extreme east of Kashmir is occupied by the Aksai Chin plateau, captured by China. The northern regions of Kashmir, controlled by Pakistan, are a system of high mountain ranges that are difficult to access, between which fast rivers flow in narrow gorges. Here the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush form an arc concave to the south. The average heights of the mountains exceed 5000-6000 m above sea level. Characterized by a strong dissection of the relief with a predominance of steep and often sheer slopes. Modern glaciation is widely developed in the highlands of Kashmir. Particularly distinguished in this regard is the Karakorum, where the area of glaciers exceeds 14 thousand square meters. km. Many of the world's largest glaciers are located here: Siachen (length 76 km, area 750 sq. km), Biafo, Baltoro, Batura, Hispar, etc. These giant dendritic-type glacier systems consist of a main valley glacier with many lateral tributary glaciers. The end of the Batur Glacier is located close to the channel of the Khunza River and the Karakorum Highway passing along its bank, so there is a danger of blocking this strategically important highway. There are also a significant number of glaciers in the Greater Himalayas, but they are inferior in size to the Karakorum ones (the largest Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches a length of 32 km and has an area of approximately 300 sq. km). The climate in Kashmir varies greatly even over short distances. The average annual rainfall in Srinagar is 640 mm, in Jammu over 1000 mm and in the city of Leh in Ladakh only 80 mm. In the Kashmir Valley, 40-50% of precipitation occurs from February to April. Agriculture in the northern regions of Kashmir is highly dependent on the snow and glacier feeding of the rivers. In the south of Kashmir, the climate is much warmer than in its northern regions. The average January temperature in Srinagar is -1°C, July +21°C.
Population. The most reliable population data are available only for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The 1991 Indian census recorded 7,718.7 thousand people in this territory. The predominantly rural population is scattered over numerous villages. In recent years, urbanization has taken place at a rapid pace. The population of both capitals of Kashmir - winter Jammu (206.1 thousand inhabitants) and summer Srinagar (594.8 thousand inhabitants) has grown significantly. In the Pakistani part of Kashmir, administered from the city of Muzaffarabad, in the late 1980s, approx. 2.8 million people. Several ethnic groups are settled in Kashmir. The Dogras, concentrated in the southwest in the Jammu region, are close to the Punjabis, whose language - Punjabi - along with Dogri and Hindi, belongs to the most widely spoken in the region. By religion, the inhabitants of this area are predominantly Hindus, the confessional minority is formed by Sikhs. In the sparsely populated eastern regions of Kashmir, the peoples of Tibetan origin - the Ladakhs and the Balti - profess Buddhism; their languages are sometimes considered as dialects of the Bhotiya language, belonging to the Tibeto-Burman group. The rest of Kashmir is dominated by Muslims. In the Kashmir Valley, the ethnic substratum is Kashmiris, the main languages are Kashmiri and Urdu. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India where Muslims predominate numerically.
Attractions. There are many objects of historical and cultural value in Kashmir, including primarily religious shrines. Muslims most revere the Hazratbal Mosque in Srinagar, which houses a hair believed to be from the beard of the Prophet Muhammad. Hindu places of worship include the Amarnath cave, northeast of Srinagar, and the Vaishno Devi temple near the city of Jammu. Buddhist chapels and monasteries ("gompas") are numerous in Ladakh. For centuries, Kashmir has been used to summer holidays Indian rulers. Under the Great Mughals in the 16-17 centuries. in the Kashmir Valley, several "gardens"-parks were laid out, including the most famous Nishat and Shalimar in Srinagar. On the lake Dal is based on a flotilla of boats used as permanent dwellings. In Pahalgama, Sunamarg and Gulmarg, mountain resorts were founded under the British colonial administration, which have now become popular holiday destinations. Among the main educational institutions of the state are the University of Jammu (in the city of Jammu) and the University of Kashmir (in Srinagar).
Economy. Tourism is growing in economic importance in Kashmir, but agriculture still provides a livelihood for about 4/5 of the population. Rice, wheat, barley, chickpeas, millet crops and corn are cultivated primarily. Horticulture is also developing. Forestry remains an important source of income. Kashmir is famous for its handicrafts. Particularly famous are the products of carpet weavers, wood carvers, chasers of silver and copper, papier-mâché masters. Transport in Kashmir is underdeveloped. Dirt roads and caravan trails predominate, which become impassable during the monsoon season. The rail network terminates at the city of Jammu in the extreme southwest. The Srinagar - Jammu - Pathankot highway, which crosses the Pirpanjal range through the Banihal pass, is of great importance for the connection of the Kashmir Valley with the plains of India. Another road, Srinagar - Muzaffarabad, which provides access to Pakistan, is currently crossed by a demarcation line. In Kashmir, despite the poor condition of local roads, there is a bus service, most developed in the southwestern plain and within the Kashmir Valley. Flights to peripheral areas are also organized. For example, from Srinagar by bus you can get to Ladakh and Zanskar, bypassing the hard-to-reach Zoji-La pass in the Great Himalayan Range. In the north of Kashmir, mainly along the Indus, Gilgit and Hunza valleys, the strategically important Karakoram Highway, built during the Cold War, passes. It connects Kashgar (China) and Islamabad (Pakistan) and crosses the Karakorum through the Khunjerad Pass (4890 m). There are airports in the cities of Jammu, Srinagar and Leh.
Story. Kashmir, located at the crossroads of trade routes linking China, India and Central Asia, has long attracted the attention of neighboring powers. In the 3rd century BC. it became part of the Maurya state, under one of whose rulers - Ashoka - Buddhism spread. Over the next several centuries, feudal fragmentation reigned in Kashmir. The spread of Islam in Kashmir dates back to the middle of the 14th century, it intensified when the region was annexed to the power of the Great Moghuls under Emperor Akbar in 1587. With the collapse of this empire, Kashmir was captured by the Pathans (the years of their rule from 1752 to 1819). The lands in Jammu were divided between local nobility , and were subsequently united under the auspices of the Dogra dynasty. In 1819, the Dogra state was annexed by Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler of Punjab from 1801 to 1839. In 1846, after the defeat of the Sikhs in the first war with the British, the head of the prominent Dogra family, Gulab Singh, formerly a minister at the court of Ranjit Singh, acquired from the British crown for 7, 5 million rupees the right to govern Kashmir. Maharajas from the Hindu Dogres, who enjoyed the patronage of the British, were popular in Kashmir, where the majority of the population professes Islam. Nevertheless, they continued to rule the principality until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, despite the demands for democratic reforms put forward by the political opposition and its leader, Sheikh Abdullah. The power of the British in Kashmir ended with the adoption of the "India Administration Act" in 1947. The principality had the opportunity to enter one of the two states. Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh sought to maintain the autonomy of Kashmir, but was subjected to pressure from India and Pakistan. An agreement was reached with them that the solution of the issue was postponed. But soon Pakistan undertook a blockade of Kashmir, because then the only highway led from the Kashmir Valley to the south and had access directly to Pakistani territory. In October 1947, armed Pakistani Muslims, including Pathans, were brought by road to the border with Kashmir and invaded the western and northwestern regions of the principality. The Maharaja appealed to India for help and on October 26 agreed to the entry of Kashmir into its composition. As a result, these actions led to battles between Indian and Pakistani troops. Both countries turned to the UN, and in January 1949, through the mediation of this organization, an agreement was reached on a ceasefire. In mid-1949, India and Pakistan agreed to a temporary demarcation line. Later, a UN resolution was adopted on the withdrawal of the armed forces of both states from Kashmir and on holding a referendum on the future status of Kashmir, which was never implemented. In 1959, Indian military units discovered that the Chinese had built a road across the Aksai Chin Desert Plateau in northeastern Kashmir. India saw in this construction an attempt by the PRC to increase its influence in this region. Not limited to individual armed conflicts, the Chinese launched an invasion deep into Kashmir in 1962, but then retreated, nevertheless retaining control over the highland territory of Kashmir, located east of the Karakorum. In 1971, clashes between Pakistani and Indian troops resumed, which coincided with the time of Bangladesh's withdrawal from Pakistan. The Shimla Agreement, signed in mid-1972 after India's quick victory, consolidated the existing demarcation line between the Pakistani and Indian regions of Kashmir. In the 1980s, various Muslim public associations, including the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, campaigned for an independent Kashmir or its entry into Pakistan. The situation escalated sharply in early 1990, when the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir held mass demonstrations against the Indian authorities, and especially escalated in May, when Indian troops opened fire on a huge crowd that had gathered at the funeral of the murdered Maulvi Muhammad Farouk, a leading Muslim figure in Kashmir. As a result, a significant part of the Hindu population of the Kashmir Valley (about 150 thousand people) was forced to take refuge in specially created temporary camps. The conflict between India and Pakistan over the ownership of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir continues to this day, although it has turned into less obvious and aggressive forms.
LITERATURE
Pulyarkin V.A. Kashmir. M., 1956 Peschel M. Zaskar. M., 1985
Collier Encyclopedia. - Open society. 2000 .
Details Category: Partially recognized and unrecognized states of Asia Published on 23.04.2014 16:03 Views: 3569Azad Kashmir means "Free Kashmir" in Urdu. Full name of the state Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
It borders the modern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab. It is the southernmost administrative division within the Pakistani-administered portion of the former Principality of Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir- a native principality within British India, which existed from 1846 to 1947.
October 26, 1947 Hari Singh(the last ruler of the principality of Jammu and Kashmir) signed an agreement on the entry of the principality of Jammu and Kashmir into India, but this was not recognized by Pakistan, which believed that the accession was made against the will of the majority of the population. Thus began the ongoing Kashmir conflict.
Between 1846 and 1947 Kashmir was a large semi-independent state that the British colonial administration formally sold to the Hindu Maharajas. In 1949, as a result of a military conflict between India and Pakistan, Kashmir was divided between them approximately equally and remains in this state to this day. The conflict situation around the state led to the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 and the Kargil conflict of 1999.
Azad Kashmir recognizes one UN member state: Pakistan. All other UN member states recognize the territory of Free Kashmir as part of the state of India or as part of the state of Pakistan. In fact, Azad Jammu and Kashmir is considered part of Pakistan, despite the fact that the state is recognized by Pakistan as independent.
State symbols
Flag- a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 1: 2 of green, white and orange colors with Islamic symbols. On the right side of the flag, the orange stripe is the symbol of the Hindus. 8 white-green stripes indicate the connection between Azad Kashmir and Pakistan, as well as 8 districts into which this unrecognized state is divided.
Coat of arms- No.
State structure
Form of government is a self-governing state under the control of Pakistan.
head of state- the president.
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Administrative center- Muzaffarabad.
Official language- Urdu. Other languages: Pahari, Mirpuri, Gojri, Hindko, Punjabi, Pashto.
Territory- 11,639 km².
Population– 3,631,224 people
Administrative division– 3 regions, which are divided into 10 districts.
Economy Tourism is an important source of income.
Dal lake market
Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan is the starting point for climbers and anyone who wants to visit the Karakorum.
Kashmir is mainly an agricultural province. The main crop is rice (the staple food of the Kashmiris). They grow corn, wheat, barley and oats, as well as asparagus, artichoke, seaside katran, beans, beans, beets, cauliflower and common cabbage. Fruit trees grow in the Kashmir Valley: pears, apples, peaches and cherries.
Historically, Kashmir became world famous when cashmere began to be exported to different countries(Now exports have fallen due to the reduction of herds and competition from China).
Cashmere- fluff (undercoat) of a mountain goat that lives in the regions of India, China, Mongolia, Pakistan. The name comes from the Kashmir region - a disputed territory on the border of India and Pakistan.
cashmere goats
Cashmere products are also known as pashmina(English pashmina) - especially fine goat down from the animal's neck. These products are light, very pleasant to the touch. A human hair is about 50 microns thick, while a quality cashmere or pashmina thread is about 16 microns thick. Natural Pashmina is a very expensive and rare material. The fluff is plucked or combed out by hand in the spring, during the molting of goats.
Kashmiris are skilled weavers, making woolen shawls, silk and ordinary carpets, and jackets. Developed pottery. Export: vegetables and fruits, saffron. Srinagar is famous for its jewelers (silver), papier-mache, woodcarving and silk weavers.
Religion- Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam.
Nature
Kashmir is conditionally divided into several natural regions, each of which is characterized by its own geological and climatic features.
The extreme southwest of Kashmir occupies a small part of the Punjab plain, dominated by infertile soils, practically unsuitable for agriculture.
In the northeast, the plain is replaced by the spurs of the Pre-Himalayas (Sivalik Range) up to 600-700 m above sea level, and then the Lesser Himalayas with the highest point - Mount Tatakuti (4743 m).
- a vast intermountain basin with a length of about 200 km, a width of more than 40 km and a bottom height of about 1600 m above sea level. It is the most populous region of Kashmir. The valley is rich in lakes, the largest of which are Vular and Dal. The navigable Jelam River flows through the valley, on the banks of which Srinagar is located. In the Kashmir Valley, Himalayan cedar dominates the forests along with pine, plane tree, maple, birch, walnut, apple and cherry.
Deodar
Wular(sometimes Woollar) is a large freshwater lake. It was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jelam River. The lake occupies from 30 km² in the dry season to 260 km² in the rainy season.
Karakoram, the second highest mountain system in the world (average height is about 5500 m), has eight peaks above 7500 m. Chogori, also known as K-2 (8611 m), is second only to Everest in height.
The extreme east of Kashmir is occupied by the Aksai Chin plateau, which is in the possession of China.
Culture and Cuisine
The traditional dress of Kashmiri women is the shalwar, but men also wear them.
Women use a cashmere scarf or shawl, covering their head and upper body.
Shalwars are also part of the school uniform.
Kashmiri cuisine includes dum-aloo (boiled potatoes with a lot of spices), tzaman (hard cheese), rogan josh (spiced lamb), yakyin (lamb cooked in curd with a little spice), lakh (leaves like spinach), rista -gushtaba (meatballs with tomato and cottage cheese sprinkled with curry), daniwal-korm and, of course, rice. A traditional vazwan is prepared for the holiday. Then vegetables and meat are fried, usually lamb, the chefs can choose the recipe at their discretion.
Alcohol is prohibited in most places. Tea is prepared in two different ways: salted tea and qahwah, a festive tea with saffron, spices (cardamom, cinnamon), sugar, and several types of tea leaves.
Sights of Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir is one of the most beautiful regions in the whole world! This country is sometimes called "heaven on earth" because of its beauty.
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir
Muzaffarabad located on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. The city is located about 130 km from Islamabad. The most famous tourist places near Muzaffarabad are the Red Fort, Chinassi Pir, Patika and Subri lakes.
The colorful Nilam Valley is located in the north and northeast of Muzaffarabad, and the capital itself is a kind of "gate" of this valley.
Srinagar city
The city is the capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is called the "Venice of Kashmir" - there are a lot of gardens and lakes. The city is located in the center of the Kashmir Valley at an altitude of 1730 m above sea level, on Lake Dan. Srinagar was founded over 2 thousand years ago. The British turned the city into one of the most popular mountain resorts. It was the British who started building floating houses here - now there are about a thousand of them. They are made from the best varieties of cedar, decorated with intricate carvings, they have all the amenities for living. Many houses are rented out to tourists.
Hotel
Small wooden boats (shikars) serve as water taxis. For some local residents, they can also serve as a home.
50 km higher in the Himalayas are the hill station and the ski resort of Gulmarg.
Story
The history and culture of Azad Kashmir is closely connected with India and Pakistan. You can read about these countries on our website: India is one of the largest countries in the world in terms of population, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Free Kashmir was proclaimed in October 1947 in protest against the unpopular Maharaja Hari Singh in Kashmir. After the First Indo-Pakistani War, today's de facto borders were formed, including only the western parts of the geographical regions of Kashmir and Jammu. According to UN resolutions, the status of Kashmir must be determined by a plebiscite or referendum. India refused the referendum, explaining that the decision of the local council, which agreed to be part of India, is its replacement. In the meantime, Free Kashmir is actually a province of Pakistan. Formally, Azad Kashmir is not separated from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, and the existence of the free state of Jammu and Kashmir is characterized as temporary until the entire territory becomes part of Pakistan.
UN envoy Sir Owen Dixon proposed in 1950 that Jammu and Kashmir be divided along religious lines. But this proposal was rejected by both India and Pakistan.
In the north of India, it consists of three regions that differ greatly from each other not only in relief, but also in culture.
Kashmir is breathtaking valleys, the purest lakes and stunning landscapes. Jammu is numerous ancient temples and wild forests. Ladakh, often called "Little Tibet", is the seclusion of Buddhist monasteries and at the same time the amazing landscapes of the Himalayas, which are ideal for fans of extreme recreation.
The capital of the state is the city of Srinagar (or Srinagar) with a population of about 900 thousand people.
How to get there
By plane
Srinagar International Airport receives direct weekly flights from Dubai. Almost all local airlines operate weekly flights to Srinagar from Delhi and other major cities in the country. Srinagar Airport is located 14 km from the city.
Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operate daily scheduled flights on the Delhi - Leh route, as well as three times a week on the Delhi - Srinagar and Delhi - Jammu routes and twice a week Delhi - Chandigarh. Leh Airport is located 6 km from the city centre.
Kingfishers fly from Delhi to Jammu. In addition, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and the same Kingfishers connect Jammu, Srinagar and Leh. Jammu Airport is located 8 km from the city center.
Find flights to Delhi (closest airport to Jammu and Kashmir)
By train
Jammu Tawi is one of the most important railway junctions in northern India. The nearest station to Srinagar (Kashmir region) is located about 200 km. For the foreseeable future, it is planned to link railroad tracks regions of Jammu and Kashmir. In the meantime, tourists whose purpose of travel is Kashmir can only get there with a change in Jammu.
By car/bus
- Kashmir: The region can be accessed via the National Highway (1-A) from Jammu, which is in turn connected by freeways to many major cities in North India, including Delhi. The distance between Srinaraga and Jammu is 300 km. Alternatively, Srinagaru can be reached by bus or taxi from the Jammu railway station or from the city centre.
- Ladakh: The distance between Srinagar and Leh along the main highway is about 430 km, the highway is open from May-June to October and connects all the main cities in the region. The second option is the Manali - Leh highway (open from July to September), the distance between cities is about 470 km. In addition, there is a bus service between Srinagar and Leh.
- Jammu: The National Highway (1-A) links the region with major cities in northern India. Distance from Delhi - 586 km. Bus services to Jammu depart daily from Delhi, Amritsar, Ambala, Chandigarh, Manali, Haridwar and other major cities.
RideThePlanet: Kashmir
Cuisine and restaurants
The traditional cuisine of different regions of the state varies greatly among themselves, due to their different climatic conditions and customs. The staple food is rice, and lamb, chicken and fish are also of paramount importance. Most restaurants offer a choice of Continental, Chinese or local traditional cuisine.
Jammu and Kashmir Hotels
Srinagar offers a wide range of hotels to suit every taste and budget. The most preferred accommodation option is hotels in the Boulevard area, which offers a magnificent view of Dal Lake. It is worth noting that accommodation in rooms with a lake view is usually more expensive. A more budget-friendly option can be found in the Dalgate area, which is located in close proximity to the Tourist Reception Center and is great for shopping. Several good hotels are located in the residential areas of the city - Sonawar and Rajbagh.
There will be no problems with accommodation in Leh either. Basically, two options are offered - hotels and guest houses. Most of the hotels are family run. Local hotels are classified according to the following categories: A, B, C and D (or economy class). Guest houses also differ in terms of comfort, and are of high, medium and economy class. Accommodation in category A hotels, as a rule, includes meals with the right to choose one or two options from several cuisines - continental, Chinese, Indian. Guest houses are a simpler and budget accommodation option.
This is, as a rule, a number (room) in a residential building or in an annex. You can find different options in terms of comfort and price. This option is more suitable for those who want to get acquainted with the local way of life, so to speak from the inside.
If you are planning a trip during the peak tourist season (beginning of June - mid-September), it is better to take care of the place of residence in advance and book hotels along the entire route in advance. Despite the fact that since the end of September the flow of tourists has noticeably decreased, in the "low season" you should still not be negligent about finding and booking a hotel. It is possible that even in winter the hotel will have to be booked in advance so that comfortable conditions of stay are provided: heating, etc.
Zanskar is a lost world located in the heart of the Himalayas. Traveling to these places is a real adventure for adventurers.
Entertainment and attractions of Jammu and Kashmir
The capitals of the regions of the state - Srinagar (Kashmir), Leh (Ladakh), Jammu (Jammu) - are interesting for hiking. Here you can see numerous temples, mosques, churches and traditional local markets.
Also interesting to visit:
- Raghunath Temple, which is located in the city of Jammu. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Sri Rama and is interesting for its interior decoration: all its walls are covered with gold.
- Bahu Fort is located 5 km from the city of Jammu and is one of the oldest structures in the state.
- Mubarak Mandi Palace is interesting because it combines three different styles: Rajasthan, Great Mongols and Gothic. One of the most famous parts of the palace is Sheesh Mahal, which currently houses the Dogra Art Museum.
- Zanskar is a lost world located in the heart of the Himalayas. Traveling to these places is a real adventure for adventurers, you can get here either on foot or along the Kargil - Padum road (it is closed in winter). In addition to bewitching views and excellent opportunities for extreme hiking, Zanskar is interesting for a large number of Buddhist monasteries. Due to the fact that most of the year the area is practically not accessible for visiting, original culture and traditions have been preserved here. Hiking is possible from June to October, but the most daring tourists can visit Zanskar in winter, when they have a unique opportunity to make an amazing trip along the frozen Zanskar River.
Kashmir borders Afghanistan to the north, China's Xinjiang Uyghur and Tibet Autonomous Regions to the east, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab Indian states to the south, and Pakistan to the west.
Today, Kashmir is divided into the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (including the province of Ladakh) with a total area of 101,387 km² and a population of 10.1 million inhabitants; the self-proclaimed unrecognized state of Azad Kashmir ("free Kashmir") with an area of 13,000 km² and a population of 3.6 million inhabitants, controlled by Pakistan; "Northern Territories" with an area of 72,500 km² and a population of 1 million inhabitants, under the control of Pakistan; and a small area under Chinese jurisdiction with an area of 37,555 km² and a few thousand inhabitants. The total area of Kashmir is 222,236 km².
Kashmir is conditionally divided into several natural regions, each of which is characterized by its own geological and climatic features.
The extreme southwest of Kashmir occupies a small part of the Punjab plain, dominated by infertile soils, practically unsuitable for agriculture.
In the northeast, the plain is replaced by the spurs of the Himalayas (Sivalik Range) up to 600-700 m above sea level, and then the Lesser Himalayas, represented by the Pir-Panjal Range with the highest point - Mount Tatakuti (4743 m).
Between Pir Panjal and the Main Himalayan Range (the highest point is Mount Nunkun, 7135 m), the Kashmir Valley extends - a vast intermountain basin about 200 km long, over 40 km wide and bottom height about 1600 m above sea level. It is the most populous region of Kashmir. The valley is rich in lakes, the largest of which are Vular and Dal. The navigable Jelam River also flows there, on the banks of which Srinagar is located - the capital and The largest city Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
To the east of the Great Himalayas stretches the Ladakh highlands - a remote and little-known region (also called Little Tibet), cut through by the valley of the upper Indus. Ladakh links the Himalayas with the Karakorum.
Karakorum - the second highest mountain system in the world (average height is about 5500 m) - has eight peaks above 7500 m. Of these, the eight-thousander Chogori, also known as K-2 (8611 m), is second only to Everest in height.
The extreme east of Kashmir is occupied by the Aksai Chin plateau, which is in the possession of China.
Population
The Jammu and Kashmir state census in 1901 during the British colonization of India recorded 2,905,578 inhabitants. Of these, 2,154,695 (74.16%) were Muslims, 689,073 (23.72%) were Hindus, 25,828 were Sikhs, and 35,047 were Buddhists.
According to the 2001 India census, the population of the Indian part of Jammu and Kashmir was 10,143,700. Of these: 6,793,240 people. (66.97%) - Muslims, 3,005,349 people. (29.63%) - Hindus, 207,154 people. (2.04%) - Sikhs, and 113,787 people. (1.12%) - Buddhists.
""The origins of Kashmir come from the ancient trading city of Srinagar, located in the highlands of the front Himalayas. In its long and changeful history, the city was a crossroads of caravan routes (including the historical Silk Road) between the Far East, Central Asia, the Middle East and South Asia. The north of Kashmir was populated predominantly by adherents of Islam, the south - by Hindus, and the east - by Buddhists. However, in general, it is believed that the confessions managed to maintain the necessary balance in relations and develop a common identity.
Between 1846 and 1947, Kashmir was a large semi-independent state that the British colonial administration formally sold to the Hindu Maharajas, an ethnic Dogra. In 1949, as a result of a military conflict between India and Pakistan, Kashmir was divided between them approximately equally and remains so to this day. The conflict situation around the state led to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Kargil conflict of 1999.
