Anantnag district
Anantnag district | |
|---|---|
 View of Pahalgam Valley in Anantnag | |
 Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir | |
| Country |  India |
| Union Territory |  Jammu and Kashmir |
| Division | Kashmir Division |
| Headquarters | Anantnag |
| Tehsils[1] |
|
| Government | |
| • Lok Sabha Constituency | Anantnag |
| • MP | Hasnain Masoodi, JKNC[5]  |
| • Vidhan Sabha constituencies | 6 constituences |
| • District Magistrate | Dr. Piyush Singla (IAS) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3,574 km2 (1,380 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 1,078,692 |
| • Density | 300/km2 (780/sq mi) |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 62.69% |
| • Sex ratio | 927 ♀/ 1000 ♂ [2] |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Vehicle registration | JK-03[6] |
| Major highways | NH 44, NH 244, NH 501 |
| Average annual precipitation[7] | 747 mm |
| Website | anantnag |
Anantnag district, also known as Islamabad, is a district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of ten districts which make up the Kashmir Valley. The district headquarters is Anantnag city. As of 2011, it was the third most populous district of Jammu and Kashmir (out of 22), after Jammu and Srinagar.[8]
Administration[]
At the time of the 2011 census, Anantnag district comprised: Anantnag, Bijbehara, Dooru, Kokernag, Pahalgam, and Shangus tehsils.[1] The district consisted of seven blocks: Breng, Shangus, Achabal, Dachnipora, Qazigund, Khoveripora and Shahabad.[9] Each block consists of a number of panchayats such as Akingam, Dialgam, Vailoo etc. Jaipal Singh Law has been the head of the Anantnag district administration twice.
Geography[]
Anantnag district has a total area of 3,574 square kilometres (1,380 sq mi). The district is bordered by Kargil district and Kishtwar district in the east, Doda district and Ramban district to the south and Ganderbal district to the north and Kulgam, Srinagar, Pulwama and Shopian districts to the west. The district is mostly rural/agricultural.
Climate[]
Anantnag features a moderate climate (Köppen climate classification. Anantnag's climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Karakoram to its east and the Pirpanjal range to the south. It can be generally described as cool in the spring and autumn, mild in the summer, and cold in the winter. As a large city with significant differences in Geolocation among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly areas of the east as compared to the flat northern part of Anantnag.
Summer is usually mild and with a little rain, but relative humidity is generally high and the nights are cool. The precipitation occurs throughout the year but no one month is particularly dry. The hottest month is July (mean minimum temperature 6 °C, mean maximum temperature 32 °C) and the coldest are December–January (mean minimum temperature -15 °C, mean maximum temperature 0 °C).
Weather conditions are unpredictable. The record high temperature is 33 °C and the record low is -18 °C. On 5–6 January 2012, after years of relatively little snow, a wave of heavy snow and low temperatures shocked the city covering it in a thick layer of snow and ice, forcing them to officially declare a state of emergency and calling the following two days (6 and 7 January) off for the whole valley.
Anantnag has seen an increase in relative humidity and annual precipitation in the last few years. This is most likely because of the commercial afforestation projects which also includes expanding parks and green cover. The suburb parts of Anantnag are lusher than the central part. Anantnag District possesses all the typical characteristics of the climate of Kashmir Valley as a whole. "In his introduction to the Rajtarangini Kulan or Kalhána, Pandit says about the climate of Valley: 'It is a country where the sun shines mildly, being the place created by Kashayapa as if for his glory. High school-houses, the saffron, iced water and grapes, which are rare even in heaven, are common here. Kailasa is the best place in the three worlds, Himalaya the best part of Kailásá, and Kashmir the best place in Himalaya.'"[10][11]
"Sir Walter Lawrence writes in his book The Valley of Kashmir that in latitude Kashmir corresponds with Peshawar, Baghdad and Damascus in Asia: with Fez in Morocco: and South Carolina in America, but it presents none of the characteristics of those countries. People have linked the climate of Kashmir to that of Switzerland until the end of May, and of Southern France in July and August. But it is impossible to speak of Kashmir as possessing any one climate or group of characteristics. Every hundred feet of elevation brings some new phase of climate and of vegetation."[11][10]
| hideClimate data for Anantnag (1971–1986) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
8.2 (46.8) |
14.1 (57.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
24.5 (76.1) |
29.6 (85.3) |
30.1 (86.2) |
29.6 (85.3) |
27.4 (81.3) |
22.4 (72.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
19.7 (67.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −2.0 (28.4) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
3.4 (38.1) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.8 (51.4) |
14.9 (58.8) |
18.1 (64.6) |
17.5 (63.5) |
12.1 (53.8) |
5.8 (42.4) |
0.9 (33.6) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
7.3 (45.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48 (1.9) |
68 (2.7) |
121 (4.8) |
85 (3.3) |
68 (2.7) |
39 (1.5) |
62 (2.4) |
76 (3.0) |
28 (1.1) |
33 (1.3) |
28 (1.1) |
54 (2.1) |
710 (27.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.6 | 7.3 | 10.2 | 8.8 | 8.1 | 5.7 | 7.9 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 75.6 |
| Source: HKO[12] | |||||||||||||
Politics[]
Anantnag district has 6 assembly constituencies: Anantnag, Dooru, Kokernag, Shangus, Bijbehara and Pahalgam.[13] Anantnag district has one Lok Sabha constituency. The present MP of Anantnag is Hasnain Masoodi[14] of the JKNC. The DDC chairperson of the district is Yousuf Gorsi of JKNC which is part of the PAGD.
Demographics[]
According to the 2011 census Anantnag district had a population of 1,078,692,[8] roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus[17] or the US state of Rhode Island.[18] This gives it a ranking of 425th in India (out of a total of 640).[8] The district has a population density of 375 inhabitants per square kilometre (970/sq mi).[8] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 37.48%.[8] Anantnag had a sex ratio of 927 females for every 1,000 males[8] (this varies with religion) and a literacy rate of 64.32%[8] in 2011.
Anantnag city with population of 108,505 was the largest city in the district. Anantnag Urban Agglomeration had a population of 158,785.
| showAnantnag district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census.[15] |
|---|
The predominant language of the district is Kashmiri which is spoken by 85.10% of the population. The second largest language is Gujari which is 11.46%, while Pahari is third with 1.21% of the population.[16]
Tourism[]
The district consists of a number of tourist places, including Verinag, Achabal, Kokernag, Daksum, Pahalgam, Dandipora (under process), Chatabal, Martand and Sinthan top. Of these places, Pahalgam and Kokernag are just 50 km from Anantnag City.
Amarnath Temple, a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, is located in Pahalgam. It is the site of an annual pilgrimage, Amarnath Yatra.
Historic sites and remains[]
Anantnag, like the rest of the Kashmir Valley, has witnessed many vicissitudes and experienced many upheavals from time to time. Charles von Hügel found here some monuments of the Mughal period in ruins when he visited Jammu and Kashmir in 1835. Also, what must have once been magnificent architectural showpieces like the Martand complex of temples, or the temples of Lalitaditya, the Emperor of Kashmir, and King Awantivarman at Awantipora (which lie midway between Srinagar and Anantnag), are now in grand ruins.
Sandoz[]
Sandoz is a Nursery and a Forest research centre Located At Seer Hamdan which has thousands of different plant species in it.Sandoz is a up to scratch place to visit
Martand Sun Temple[]
The Martand Sun Temple is one of the important archaeological sites of the country.[19] Its architecture reveals the glorious past of the area.[citation needed] After Independence, the government invested in the district.[citation needed] This temple has the typical Hindu structure as was present in Vedic Kashmir.
The Martand temple (coordinates 33°44′44″N 75°13′13″E / 33.7456817°N 75.2203792°E) is situated at Rambirpora Kehribal, nine kilometres east-north-east of Anantnag city.
This hill station is 45 km from the Anantnag and located on the banks of river Lidder at an altitude of 7200 ft. from sea level. Pahalgam is one among the five tehsils of Anantnag district and tehsil headquarters are located in the main town of Pahalgam. Once a great tourist puller and a favourite place for shooting Bollywood films is perhaps the best health resort in the country. Pahalgam also serves as base camp for the Amarnath Ji Yatra. The Pahalgam Valley presents a glamorous look due to its pine forests, snow-clad mountains, healthy climate and vast meadows and pastures. Pahalgam skirts Lidder river and torrential flow of water in Lidder River. Besides tourist huts, several hotels in the private sector have come up here and these hotels provide modern facilities to their guests. A number of treks in this region also begin from Pahalgam, as the 35 km trail traverses through pinewoods to the spectacular Kolahoi Glacier.
The Village of a nomad is un-spoiled by the ravages of progress. This place is an angler's delight and even an amateur can catch a rainbow trout from the rushing streams. The large brown bear is a natural inhabitant of the thick Pine and Cedar forests. Pahalgam has a golf course at 2400 meters above sea level. Camping equipment, ponies and skiing equipment is available. Kolahoi is a destination via Aru.[citation needed] Around Pahalgam are many places of interest, and because the resort is set between fairly steep hills, it is worth hiring a pony rather than walking. Pony fares are posted at prominent locations.
One of these is the huge, undulating meadow of Baisaran, surrounded by thickly wooded forests of pine.[citation needed] Hajan, on the way to Chandanwadi, is a picnic spot.[citation needed] Filmgoers will recognise it as the location of several movie scenes.[original research?] Pahalgam has within it eight tiny villages, one of which is Mamal. There is a Shiva temple here, generally considered to be Kashmir's oldest existing temple, dating to the 5th century.[citation needed]
Pahalgam is also associated with the annual Amarnath Yatra. Chandanwari (2,895 m), 16 km from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the yatra that takes place every year in the month of Sawan (July to August). The road from Pahalgam to Chandanwari is on fairly flat terrain and can be undertaken by car. From Chandanwari onwards the track becomes much steeper and is accessible on foot or by pony. About 11 km from Chandanwari is the mountain lake of Sheshnag (3,574 m), after which, 13 km away is the last stop, Panchtarni. The Amarnath cave is 6 km from there. During the month of Sawan, an ice stalagmite forms a natural Shivling in the Amarnath cave, which waxes and wanes with the moon.
Pahalgam[]
This hill station is 45 km. from the District Headquarters at Anantnag and located on the banks of river Lidder at an altitude of 7200 ft. from sea level.
Pahalgam is one among the five tehsils of Anantnag district and tehsil headquarters are located in the main town of Pahalgam. Once a great tourist puller and a favourite place for shooting Bollywood films is perhaps the best health resort in the entire India. Pahalgam also serves as base camp for the Amarnath Ji Yatra. The Pahalgam Valley presents a glamorous look due to its pine forests, snow-clad mountains, healthy climate and vast meadows and pastures. Besides tourist huts, several hotels in the private sector have come up here and these hotels provide modern facilities to their guests. A number of treks in this region also begin from Pahalgam, as the 35 km trail traverses through pinewoods to the spectacular Kolahoi Glacier.
Achabal[]
Achabal is an important tourist place about 8 kilometres away from Anantnag. The place has an ancient spring surrounded by a garden terraced and developed by the Mughals. The place has got some historical background also. The upper portion of the garden is called 'Bag-e-Begum Abad' developed by Malika Noor Jehan Begum in 1620 AD and renowned as Sahib Abad in which there was a Hamam (treasure of water) getting heat from a logical lamp (Tosng).
Kokernag[]
It is known for its trout streams and the largest freshwater spring in Kashmir, Trout hatchery department has constructed pools in series wherein trout is reared. Different pools have got trout with different weights and ages. Departments sell it to the tourists who find it a delicious dish and enjoy it. Kokernag is eight miles from Achabal and known for the curative properties of its springs.[citation needed] The total area of Kokernag is 300 Kanals of which 129 kanals is for the purpose of gardens and the rest is a forest area.
Kokernag has some historical importance also. Kokernag has been mentioned in Ain Akbari, wherein it has been mentioned that the water of Kokernag satisfies both hunger and thirst and it is also a remedy for indigestion. The author of Ain Akbari notices that touchstone is found in Kokernag.
Verinag[]
Verinag spring issues deep blue water from the bottom of a high scrap of a mountain spur and here also Emperor Jehangir built a garden and pleasure house. The Verinag spring is about 26 kilometres away from Anantnag and is considered the original source of river Jehlum. The spring is situated at the bottom of a hill covered by pine trees and evergreen plants. The wonderful and charming construction of the spring, as well as its adjacent garden, compel the visitors to see it again and again. The construction of the banks of spring, as well as its surroundings, is of rare shape.
Daksum[]
Located in the dense forests, this scenic spot falls on the Anantnag-Sinthan Top–Kishtwar road. A gushing stream flows through Daksum which is rich in trout fish. It is a forest retreat girdled by mountains. The surrounding forests are rich in fauna and flora.[citation needed] This tourist sport is in the southeast of Anantnag City and is about a distance of 40 kilometres from Anantnag city.
Sinthan Top[]
Sinthen Top is a hill station, a tourist destination located in South Kashmir’s Breng Valley (Sub-District Kokernag) in Anantnag district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Transportation[]
Air[]
The nearest airport is Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar located 60 kilometres from district headquarters Anantnag. There is a nearby airbase in Awantipora which is used by the Indian Air Force.
Rail[]
Anantnag district is very well-connected with railways. The Jammu–Baramulla line passes through the district. There are numerous railway stations throughout the district.
Road[]
The district is well-connected with roads and highways. The NH 44, NH 244 and NH 501 passes through Anantnag district alongside other intra-district roads.
See also[]
- Pahalgam
- Verinag
- Kokernag
- Sinthan
- Qazigund
- Kashmir Railway
- Martand Sun Temple
- Anantnag railway station
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Tehsils in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir - Census 2011".
- ^ "Anantnag District Population, Caste, Religion Data (Jammu and Kashmir) - Census 2011".
- ^ "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "Lok Sabha Members". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Read more at: www.drivespark.com/rto-vehicle-registration-details/jammu-kashmir-jk-03/".
- ^ "Climate - Anantnag".
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ Statement showing the number of blocks in respect of 22 Districts of Jammu and Kashmir State including newly Created Districts, as on 31-03-2008 (PDF). jkrd.nic.in (Report). 13 March 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lawrence, Walter Roper (1895). The Valley of Kashmir. p. 13. ISBN 978-8120616301.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Anantnag district General information". India on a Page. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Climatological Information for Srinigar, India". Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ^ "ERO's and AERO's". Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir. Archived from the original on 22 October 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
- ^ "Lok Sabha Members". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 1 October 2011.
Cyprus 1,120,489 July 2011 est.
- ^ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
Rhode Island 1,052,567
- ^ CONVERTED KASHMIR: Memorial of Mistakes Archived 18 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Kashmir-information.com.
External links[]
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Coordinates: 33°44′N 75°09′E / 33.73°N 75.15°E
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