Jammu

Jammu is the Duggar land where the past still has a living presence. It is the land of grand ancient temples, and beautiful palaces all nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is said that, on becoming King, the Suryavanshi Jammu Lochan went on a hunt and, crossing the Tawi, found a deer and a tiger drinking water from the same tank. His ministers explained that this meant that the soil of the place was so virtuous that no living creature bore enmity against another. Raja Jambu Lochan, who lived in the later Vedic period, decided to found his capital, Jambupura, on his soil, on the right bank of the Tawi, overlooking his brother king Bahu's fort. Today the temple of Maha Kali (better known as Bahu or Bawey Wali Mata), located in the Bahufort, is considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of mystical power. The present temple was built shortly after the coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh, in 1822. The existing fort, as well as the Manasabdar's palace inside it, was constructed in 1820.

Jammu is justly famous for its temples. In fact it is known as the city of temples and the every fame of its, tends to overshadow its palaces, forts, forests and powerful ziarats. If Bahu Mata is the presiding deity of Jammu, the Dargah of Peer Budhan Ali Shah is the other shrine that protects Jammuites. The other major tourist attraction is the Raghunath Temple Complex. Maharaja Gulab Singh began the construction of the Raghunath Mandir Complex in the crowded downtown Bazaar named after it, in 1851. It was left to his son, Ranbir Singh, to inaugurate it six years later perhaps the most popular temple north of Benares, it contains representations of almost entire Hindu pantheon, though the emphasis falls on the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The complex houses a rich collection of ancient texts and manuscripts.

Bestowed with innumerable temples, this "City of Temples" has people of several races and mixed culture spreading from Chenab to Ravi. Situated at an altitude of 305 meters, surrounded by Pirpanjal and Sivalik mountains, Jammu, the capital of J&K, has climate similar to northern India. Popular as Dogras, Jammuites are friendly in nature and born warriors. For decades, they have paved the way for the tourists traveling into the state

Maharaja Ranjit Singh entrusted Gulab Singh with administration of large territories and transferred the lease of Gujarat in AD 1830, which yielded huge revenue. After Maharaja Ranjit Singhs death, Gulab Singh succeeded in getting control,of Sialkot and appointed a governor in Peshawar He purchased Kashmir from the British against a sum of money, same cattle, gifts and a yearly tribute under the treaty of Amritsar in AD 1846. His forces joined the British troops and he got the title of Maharaja of Jammu, Kashmir. Thereafter Jammu.Kashmir and Ladakh became the empire of Dogras whose rule lasted upto 1947.