If you have never visited the winter capital Jammu, especially in winter breaks, then you’ve missed out on a lot of things. As we all know that Jammu is known as the hub of temples, but let us tell you that there is so much more to do in this city, which includes snow-capped mountains too! Curly Tales is here to take you on a virtual tour of this beautiful city where we will make the best out of it.
Our journey started with a direct flight from Delhi to Jammu which takes about 1.5 hours. We visited there in the month of December when weather conditions were a bit rough but that didn’t stop us from exploring this enchanting city.
Raghunath Temple
Let’s start off with Jammu’s one of the famous Raghunath Temple. But first let’s assure you that we won’t stick to temples only. Raghunath temple lies in the heart of Jammu where number of devotees visit on regular basis. It’s devoted to Lord Rama who has been worshipped the most by the people of Dogra community. Besides that, the divine figures of other Gods and Goddesses are also worshipped here. Other than the facade and overall look of the temples, the paintings inside them catch the attention as they depict chapters of Mahabharat, Bhagavad Geeta, and Ramayana. This temple is considered to be the largest temple complex in North India which took 25 years to built. Also, Did You Know The Prambanan Temple Is The Largest Hindu Temple Site In Indonesia With 240 Temples?
Peer Kho Cave Temple
Now our second stop is Peer Kho Cave Temple, which indeed is mentioned as a highlight in Jammu Kashmir tourist places list. The temple is among the oldest in the city. It’s dedicated to Lord Shiva and this is also popular as ‘Jamvant cave temple’ among locals. They say that one of Ramayana’s characters named Jamvant used to meditate in this cave centuries ago. And therefore, this temple is worshipped by hundreds of devotees everyday. The massive courtyard of the temple is also what grabs the attention, especially when it is lit during the celebration of Hindu festivals such as Diwali.
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Mubarak Mandi Palace
It’s time to explore a palace of Dogra kings. Mubarak Mandi Palace was once a royal residence of Dogra kings. Built on the banks of Tawi river, this palace is one of the major highlights of the Jammu city. There are several attractions inside this palace, such as the Pink Palace, Gol Ghar Complex, Rani Charak Palace and Nawa Mahal. One major part is dedicated to Dogra Art museum which has several ornaments and classic paintings of that time. Its elegant architecture and history are something that attracts the tourists here.
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Ranbireshwar Temple
Along with the above two temples, there’s one more temple that many locals suggested us to visit i.e. Ranbireshwar Temple. This temple is the most visited temple in Jammu, by locals and tourists both. It has many highlights including 12 shiva linga which are purely made of only crystal and are remarkably tall. Another prominent feature of the temple is that, three of its walls are gold clad. Many people believe that if you whisper your wishes in the ears of Nandi bull along with Shiva linga, the wish gets fulfilled. Sounds interesting, right?
Bagh-e-Bahu Garden & Bahu Fort
A lot of people, including us believe that when you’re in another city or country, one should always take out time to enjoy the sunset. We don’t know about you, but we are a sucker for sunsets. Therefore, it’s time that we go to a place where we can simply relax and watch the sun going down peacefully. Let’s go to the Bagh-e-Bahu garden of the iconic Bahu Fort of Jammu.
Bahu fort is a 3000-year old fort which is one of the most attractive sites of Jammu. Its architecture is something to look out for. But besides that, there’s a garden which is the highlight of this place and it’s called Bagh-e-Bahu garden. This garden is a sight to behold, combining the peaceful aura with sprawling lawns, grand fountains, charming stone sculptures, a beautiful lake and a large aquarium. Many tourists and even locals come here to have a peaceful and relaxing evening. On that note, when you’re in Srinagar, Choose Srinagar’s Floating Market Over Bangkok’s
Day 2 Starts With Skyview Patnitop
New day comes with a lot of excitement because today, we are going to Jammu’s very own hill station Patnitop which is almost 3 hours away from Jammu.
Let’s start the day with some adventure at Skyview Patnitop. Skyview Patnitop is not only known for its gorgeous view but also unique sports. It’s a perfect place for an adventure junkie. It offers many thrilling activities including – the longest zig-zag Ziplining, an all-season fun activity Tubing Sledge and India’s very first Magic Carpet designed on a sloppy hill.
All these activities are filled with so much fun which you can enjoy with your friends and family, anyone of any age. And, what makes these activities more enthralling is the view at this place which will take your breath away.
Now comes the most exciting part of the journey where we’re going to Patnitop and not by road, but ropeway. Yes, we rode on India’s highest ropeway which is also called Gondola ride. One can go to Patnitop by road as well, but ropeway saves your time and also, it’s very exciting to ride on it especially if snowfall’s happening, which did in our case.
This ropeway just takes 10-12 minutes to reach Patnitop. And through this cable car, all we could see was the snow-capped trees which just looked like a dream. When we visited Patnitop, it was at the start of December and so we witnessed season’s first snowfall where we had our own fun and memorable time.
Naag Mandir
After a fun and tiring day, there are still two places that we would not want you to miss. So let’s go to our next stop i.e. the famous Naag Mandir. Snow-delegated mountains, rich greenery, fresh breeze and a dreamlike landscape welcomes you at the 600 years old Naag Mandir. During the Naag Panchami Festival, it sees hundreds of Shiva devotees, who throng to this temple to pay respects and worship the snake King Cobra, who this temple is devoted to. This temple is not only a significant religious center for the area, but also a site which leaves its visitors spellbound with the sceneries around.
Also read: Surinsar Lake In Jammu Has Been Revived And Is Now Open For Boating After 30 Years!
Sanasar Lake
At last, there comes the last leg of our journey and we want to spend it in the lap of nature. Therefore, it’s time to go to the beautiful Sanasar lake which is just one hour away from Patnitop. Sanasar is a place where people go for trekking, para sailing, horse riding and for hiking activities. In the centre of all this (including pine trees and beautiful landscape), there lies Sanasar lake where you can simply do fishing, or just sit and experience the best of nature this whole place offers. Definitely, there’s no better way to end the trip!
Well, our trip to Jammu and Patnitop was magical in every way. This is one such places in our country where you feel like going again and again. Also, if you plan on going in winters (which you should), don’t forget to take loads of warm clothes with you, it’ll help you to beat the cold!
At last, we hope you enjoyed this virtual tour with us as much as we did. For more such exciting tours, keep watching out this space!