The Kashmir Valley (Urdu: وادی کشمیر; Hindi: कश्मीर घाटी) or Vale of Kashmir is a valley located between theKarakoram and the Pir Panjal Range in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. No part of the valley lies in the area currently administered by Pakistan and is currently under Indian control.[1] It is around 135 km long and 32 km wide, formed by the Jhelum River.[2] Kashmir Valley is one of the three administrative divisions in Jammu and Kashmir state other being Jammu and Ladakh and consists of Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Bandipore, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Srinagar districts.[3]
Quick facts: Kashmir Valley Vale of Kashmir, Country ...
Geography
Kashmir Valley borders Jammu region to the south, Ladakh region to the east, and the Line of Control in the north and the west.
Climate
Quick facts: Srinagar, Climate chart (explanation) ...
Kashmir Valley has a moderate climate, which is largely defined by its geographic location, with the toweringKarakoram Range in the north, Pir Panjal Range in the south and west andZanskar Range in the east.[5] It can be generally described as cool in the spring and autumn, mild in the summer and cold in the winter. As a large valley with significant differences in geo-location among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly areas compared to the flat lower part.
Summer is usually mild and with good little rain, but relative humidity is generally high and the nights are cool. The precipitation occurs throughout the year and no 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).
Compared with other plain parts of India, Kashmir valley enjoys a more moderate climate but weather conditions are unpredictable. The recorded high temperature is 33 °C and the recorded low is −18 °C. On 5 and 6 January 2012, after years of relatively little snow, a wave of heavy snow and low temperatures (winter storm) shocked the valley covering it in a thick layer of snow and ice.
Kashmir Valley has seen an increase in the relative humidity and annual precipitation in the last few years. This is most likely because of the commercial afforestation projects which also include expanding parks and green cover.
History
Main article: History of Kashmir
According to folk etymology, the name "Kashmir" means "desiccated land" (from the Sanskrit: Ka = water andshimeera = desiccate). In theRajatarangini, a history of Kashmirwritten by Kalhana in the mid-12th century, it is stated that the valley of Kashmir was formerly a lake. As perHindu mythology, the lake was drained by the great sage, Rishi Kashyapa, son of Marichi, son of Brahma, by cutting a gap in the hills at Baramulla (Varahamula). When Kashmir had been drained, Kashyapa asked Brahmans to settle there. The name of Kashyapa is by history and tradition connected with the draining of the lake, and the chief town or collection of dwellings in the valley was called Kashyapa-pura, which has been identified with Kaspapyros ofHecataeus (apud Stephanus of Byzantium) and Kaspatyros of Herodotus(3.102, 4.44).[8] Kashmir is also believed to be the country meant by Ptolemy'sKaspeiria.[9]
In the first half of the 1st millennium, the Kashmir region became an important centre of Hinduism and later ofBuddhism; later still, in the ninth century,Kashmir Shaivism arose.[10] In 1349,Shah Mir became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir, inaugurating the Salatin-i-Kashmir or Swati dynasty.[11] For the next five centuries, Muslim monarchs ruled Kashmir, including the Mughals, who ruled from 1526 until 1751, and the Afghan Durrani Empire, which ruled from 1747 until 1820.[11] That year, the Sikhs, under Ranjit Singh, annexed Kashmir.[11]In 1846, after the Sikh defeat in the First Anglo-Sikh War, and upon the purchase of the region from the British under theTreaty of Amritsar, the Raja of Jammu,Gulab Singh, became the new ruler of Kashmir. The rule of his descendants, under the paramountcy (or tutelage) of the British Crown, lasted until 1947, when the former princely state of British India became a disputed territory, now administered by three countries: India, Pakistan, and the People's Republic of China. Kashmir valley is about 15,948 Square Kilometres in area which is about 15.73% of Total area under Indian control. Jammu and Kashmir state has 48 per cent of its territory under Indian control, 35 per cent is under Pakistani control and rest 17 per cent is under control of China.
Demographics
The majority people of Kashmir Valley are ethnic Kashmiris and they speak the Kashmiri language. Kashmir Valley has a Muslim majority population. Islam is practiced by 97% of the population.[12]The valley has also small communities of Hindu Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs.[13]
Districts
Kashmir Division consists of ten districts:
More information: Name of District, Headquarters ...
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Cities
Srinagar is its main city and also the summer capital of the state. Other main cities are Anantnag, Baramulla, Sopore,Handwara and Shopian.
Gund village in Sindh valley, a sub valley of Kashmir Valley
naina village in district pulwama
and ghat mohallah in naina, a beautiful village, in Kashmir valley
Politics
The major political parties in the region are the National Conference, the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Partyand the Congress. Srinagar in the valley is the summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The capital moves out of the valley in the winter to Jammuin a grand ceremony called "Durbar Move". pro-freedom parties who advocate independence for Kashmir such as All Parties Hurriyat Conference,JKLF and other enjoy mass support and pro-independence leaders are highly popular. Pro-freedom and pro-UN charter politics is an important part of politics in Kashmir due to its disputed nature.
Tourism
Main article: Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmir valley is a popular tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Among the popular tourist places in the valley are Gulmarg that has a ski resort, Dal Lake that has popular house boats, Pahalgam and the majorHindu shrine Amarnath Temple.
Before insurgency intensified in 1989, tourism formed an important part of the Kashmiri economy. As a result, the tourism economy in the Kashmir valley was worst hit. Thousands of Hindupilgrims visit holy shrine of Amarnathevery year and this significantly benefits the state's economy.[18] But this yatra has put Kashmir on the verge of ecological disaster .[19]
Tourism in the Kashmir valley has rebounded in recent years and in 2009, the state became one of the top tourist destinations of India.[20] Gulmarg, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green golf course.[21] However with the decrease in violence in the state has boosted the states economy specifically tourism.[22] It was reported that 736,000 tourists including 23,000 foreigners visited Kashmir in 2010. Other tourist places include Sonamarg, Kokernag, Verinag, Aharbal and Semthan-Top .
Hill stations
Mughal gardens
Lakes
Mountaineering
This Himalayan valley provides a base to climb some of the challenging Himalayan peaks. These peaks were closed due to the rise in militancy, now they are opened for mountaineering.
- Mount Haramukh (16,870 ft (5,142 metres))
- Kolhoi Peak (17,799 ft (5,425 metres))
- Machoi Peak (17,907 ft (5,458 metres))
- Sirbal Peak (17,178 ft (5,236 metres))
- Amarnath Peak (17,014 ft (5,186 metres))
- Sunset Peak (15,571 ft (4,746 metres))
- Tatakooti Peak (15,502 ft (4,725 metres))
- Mahadev (13,999 ft (4,267 metres))
Culture and cuisine
Further information: Cuisine of Kashmir, Wazwan, Kashmiri literature,Kashmiri music, and Kashmiri Pandit Festivals
Kashmiri cuisine includes dum aloo(boiled potatoes hollowed and stuffed with heavy amounts of spice), tzaman (a solid cottage cheese), rogan josh (lamb cooked in heavy spices), yakhiyn (lamb cooked in curd with mild spices), hakh (a spinach-like leaf), rista-gushtaba (minced meat balls in tomato and curd curry),danival korme and the signature rice. The traditional wazwan feast involves cooking meat or vegetables, usually mutton, in several different ways.
Alcohol is not consumed by many Muslims in the valley. There are two styles of making tea in the region: Noon Chai or salt tea that is pink in colour (known as chinen posh rang or peach flower colour) and popular with locals, and kahwah, a tea for festive occasions, made with saffron and spices (cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, noon chai leaves) and black tea.
Economy
Tourism is one of the main sources of income for vast sections of the Kashmiri population. Kashmir Valley‘s economy is centred around tourism and agriculture. Traditionally the staple crop of the valley is rice, it forms the chief food of the people. In addition, Indian corn, wheat, barley and oats are also grown. Given its temperate climate, it is suited for crops like asparagus, artichoke, seakale, broad beans, scarlet runners, beetroot, cauliflower and cabbage. Fruit trees are common in the valley, and the cultivated orchards yield pears, apples, peaches, and cherries. The chief trees are deodar, firs and pines, chenar or plane, maple, birch and walnut, apple and cherry.
Historically, Kashmir became known worldwide when Cashmere wool was exported to other regions and nations (exports have ceased due to decreased abundance of the cashmere goat and increased competition from China). Kashmiris are well adept at knitting and making Pashmina shawls, silk carpets, rugs, kurtas, and pottery. Saffron, too, is grown in Kashmir. Efforts are on to export the naturally grown fruits and vegetables as organic foods mainly to the Middle East. Srinagar is known for its silver-work, papier mache, wood-carving, and the weaving of silk.
The economy was badly damaged by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake which, as of October 8, 2005, resulted around 1,500 deaths in Kashmir Valley.
Transport
Air
Srinagar is the main airport in Kashmir valley and has scheduled flights from Jammu, Leh, Mumbai, Chandigarh and New Delhi.
Railway
Kashmir valley has a 119 km (74 mi) long modern railway line that started in October 2009 and connects Baramulla in the western part of the valley to Srinagar and Qazigund. It further links the Kashmir Valley to Banihal across the Pir Panjal mountains through the new 11.215 km (7 mile) long Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel or Banihal rail tunnel from 26 June 2013. Banihal railway station will be linked to the rest of India in another few years as the construction of the railway line from Jammu to Banihal progresses steadily.
Road
Transport within the valley is predominantly by road.[25]
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