JAMMU, Jammu and Kashmir

Main Attraction: Maha Kali Temple

The temple is dedicated to goddess Maha Kali who is Jammu’s presiding deity was built within the premises of Bahu Fort, which overlooks the mighty Tawi River. Built using white marble on a raised platform about 3.9 feet high, this temple has an idol of goddess Maha Kali in black stone. The temple is believed to have been built during 8th century in 1822 a little after the Maharaja Gulab Singh came to power. As per local folklore, it is believed that around 300 years ago, goddess Maha Kali appeared in Pandit Jagat Ram Sharma’s dreamed spoke about her appearance in the form of a Pindi or stone buried on the hill top. Shortly after that a stone was found and a temple was built on the hill. The black stone that is symbolic of the goddess is said to have been got from .The surrounding forest area has been converted into a beautiful park known as the “Bagh-e-Bahu”. Influenced by the Mughal gardens, the park provides a fantastic view of Jammu city. A newly constructed aquarium is also an added tourist attraction.

Brief History

Jammu was one of the important principalities along with Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Bashohli, Reasi etc.well before and during the earlier phase of Mughal rule. In 12thCentuary A.D when Mohd. Gauri invaded India and over Punjab, Rajputs took refuge in the mountainous tracts of Jammu region and carved out separate eStates which they ruled as independent sovereigns. Independence could not, however, be maintained for long and certainly not after the Mughal rulers subdued the Rajas and made them tributary rulers in recognition of their dependence.

After the disintegration of the Mughal Kingdom , however, the Rajas recovered their strength and proclaimed their independence once again. With the installation of Sikh rule in Punjab, however ,Jammu and all other adjoining areas were annexed by MaharajRanjit Singh with his territories . Mian Kishore Singh who was the direct descendent of RajaDhrevDev, an earlier ruler of Jammu , held a prominent and respectable position in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Lahore.His son Gulab Singh joined the army of Ranjit Singh while in teens and in course of time distinguished himself as a gallant warrior and became an accreditedlieutenant of Ranjit Singh was eventually made the Raja of Jammu by the treaty of Amritsar dated 16-3-1846.Later on, he annexed Kashmir with Jammu as a result of the sale deed executed by the British after the fall of Sikh rule in Punjab.

The descendants of Maharaja Gulab Singh ruled over the Jammu And Kashmir up to 1948 when Maharaja Hari Singh left the State and his son Yuvraj Karan Singh was appointed Regent. With the enactment of a new constitution for the State which was adopted on 17th Nov, 1956 the monarchy came to a final end but the Jammu has continued to retain its importance as the winter capital for the State Government.

Like all other districts of the State Jammu district also derives its name from its headquarter, the city of Jammu .Historians and unanimous in the view that the city was originally founded by Raja JambooLochan who lived in fourteenth century B.C. It is said that the Raja had gone out one day for hunting when he happened to witness a tiger and a goat drinking water from one and the same pond. This extra ordinary phenomenon set him thinking and he decided to build a city at this site so that strong and weak could live together in peace and mutual tolerance. Eventually he founded the city which came to be known as ‘Jamboo’ after his own name. With the passage of time and due to its frequent use. The pronunciation of the name got slightly distorted and the city came to be known as ‘Jammu’ as it is called now.