Jammu is known for its landscape,
ancient temples, Hindu shrines, Amar Mahal
Palace (a castle type) now a Museum, gardens and
forts. Hindu holy shrines of Amarnath and
Vaishno Devi attracts tens of thousands of Hindu
devotees every year.
Jammu's beautiful natural landscape has made it
one of the most favoured destinations for
adventure tourism in South Asia. Jammu's
historic monuments feature a unique blend of
Islamic and Hindu architecture styles.
Raghunath Temple
Amongst the temples in Jammu, the Raghunath
Mandir takes pride of place being situated right
in the heart of the city. This temple is
situated at the city center and was built in
1857. Work on the temple was started by Maharaja
Gulab Singh, founder of the Kingdom of Jammu and
Kashmir in 1835 AD and was completed by his son
Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1860 AD.
Mansar Lake
Situated 62 km from Jammu, Mansar is a beautiful
lake fringed by forest-covered hills, over a
mile in length by half-a-mile in width. Besides
being a popular excursion destination in Jammu,
it is also a holy site, sharing the legend and
sanctity of Lake Mansarovar.
There is a wild life Sanctuary housing jungle
life like Spotted Deer, Neelgai etc. besides
other water birds such as Cranes, Ducks etc.
Bahu Fort
The Bahu fort, which also serves as a religious
temple is situated about 5 km from Jammu city on
a rock face on the left bank of the river Tawi.
This is perhaps the oldest fort and edifice in
the city. Constructed originally by Raja
Bahulochan over 3,000 years ago, the existing
Fort was more recently improved and rebuilt by
Dogra rulers. There is a temple dedicated to the
Goddess Kali inside the fort popularly known as
Bave wali Mata. The fort overlooks the river
running through Jammu city. Every Tuesday and
Sunday pilgrims throng this temple and partake
in "Tawi flowing worship". Bave Wali Mata is the
presiding deity of Jammu. Today the fort is
surrounded with a beautiful terraced garden
which is a favourite picnic spot of the city
folk.
Vaishno Devi
The holy cave shrine of Vaishno devi is situated
in a beautiful recess of the Trikuta Mountains
forming a part of the lower Himalayas at an
altitude of over 5000 feet. In the cave there
are images of three deities viz. the Mahakali,
Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. For the devotees
it is a journey to peace and solace. For nature
lovers it is an excursion amidst breathtaking
scenic beauty.
Jammu - The City of Temples
