Introduction

    The state of Jammu & Kashmir is the northern most state of India. The state is broadly divided into three main regions i.e. Arctic Gold Region, Salubrious Kashmir Valley Region and Sub-Tropical Jammu Region. The state is administratively divided into 14 Districts viz. Anantnag, Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam, Kupwara, Baramullah, Ladakh, Kargil, Jammu, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua and Udhampur. Jammu & Kashmir is vested with a good mineral base, substantial water resources, and is famous world-over of its handicrafts, handloom products, tourism, horticulture produce and cottage industry. The valley offers a dust-free environment which is best suited for the development of low volume, low weight and high value industrial units. These include electronic components and equipment or items requiring precision engineering, Products using the rich mineral resources of Kashmir including limestone, gypsum and quarzite ore are suitable. The Jammu region on the other hand has potential for development of all types of industries. In the ladakh region demand based and resource based industries can de developed.

People    Jammu province is inhabited by diverse castes and sects. The Dogras inhabiting the hilly tract bounding the mountains of the Kashmir valley on the south and extending to the plains of the Punjab, are descended from Aryan stock. They speak the Dogri language - a mixture of Sanskrit, Punjabi and Persian - whose origin goes back to the Indo-Aryan branch of Sanskrit. Their staple food consists of rice, wheat, and pulses. Their dress is simple, a short coat or a flowing shirt with pyjamas at the knees and tight-fitting at the ankles. The men's turban on the head is generally complemented by a kamarband at the waist. With a shawl or dupatta thrown over the head, women put on tight-fitting bodice or jumpers over pyjamas which resemble those of the men folk. The Dogra Rajputs, who have traditionally made the Army their profession are not big build, their average height being 5'4" (160 cm). The men's complexion is light brown, the women's lighter still.

Climate

    The climate varies from tropical in Jammu plains to semi-arctic cold in Ladakh with Kashmir and Jammu mountainous tracts having temperate climatic conditions. The annual rainfall also varies from region to region with 92.6 mm in Leh, 650.5 mm in Srinagar and 1115.9 mm in Jammu. A large part of the State forms part of the Himalayan mountains. The State is geologically constituted of rocks varying from the oldest period of the earth's history to the youngest present day river and lake deposits.

Economy    Its economy is mostly dependent on farming and animal husbandry. Though small, the manufacturing and services sector is growing rapidly. In recent years, several consumer goods companies have opened manufacturing units in the region. Before insurgency intensified in 1989, tourism formed an important part of the Kashmiri economy. The tourism economy in the Kashmir Valley was worst hit. However, Jammu and Ladakh continue to remain as popular tourist destinations. Wood from Kashmir is also used to make high-quality cricket bats, popularly known as Kashmir Willow. Kashmiri saffron is also very famous and brings a handsome amount of foreign exchange.

Culture

   Kashmiri lifestyle is essentially, irrespective of the differing religious beliefs, slow paced. Comprised of generally peace-loving people, the culture has been rich enough to reflect the religious diversity as tribes celebrate festivities that divert them from their otherwise monotonous way of life. Kashmiris are known to enjoy their music in its various local forms and the dress of both sexes are quite colorful. The Dumhal is a famous dance in Kashmir, performed by men of the Wattal region. The women perform the Rouff, another folk dance. Kashmir has been noted for its fine arts for centuries, including poetry and handicrafts.

History          Ancient Kashmir is steeped in legend. It is said that the Kashmir Valley was once the great lake Satisar (the Lake of the goddess Sati, also known as Durga), home to ferocious demons. Responding to the penances of the great sage Kashyapa, the grandson of Brahma himself, the gods destroyed the demon of the lake, with a pebble divinely caste, which today stands as the hill upon which towers the fortress built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and known today as Hari Parbat. The water of Satisar was drained through a breach in the mountains at what is now the mouth of the Valley, beyond the northern town of Baramulla (or the Sanskrit name of Varaha Mukh, the visage of the boar). In the 8th century, Kashmir rose to become the centre of a great kingdom , spanning much of North India and parts of Central Asia under Lalitaditya Muktapida, who was builder of the Martand (sun) Temple, and founder of the Valley’s irrigation canal irrigation system which has survived for centuries, helping water rich harvests of the finest rice, a variety of temperate fruit and exotic crops such as saffron.

Temples

    The state of jammu & Kashmir has numerous towering temples slicing the skyline. Raghunath group of temples in Jammu city is the largest in North India. Vaishnodevi in Jammu and Amarnath in Kashmir attract pilgrims in hordes throughout the year as great religious importance is attached to these places.