The third largest city of Jammu & Kashmir, Baramullah has incredibly magnificent views of open valleys in the east and an enormous chain of mountains on the west. This city is one of the most popular destinations for adventurous as well as religious tourists. Remaining snow clad and facing extremely chilling below freezing temperatures, Baramulla has spectacular views and out-of-the-world picturesque beauty during winters as well.

Baramullah was founded by Raja Bhimsina in 2306 B.C. This city has enjoyed its importance not only from the times of pre-partition era but also during the times of Emperor Akbar. It is believed that it was a gateway to enter India from Kashmir and Akbar halted here for two days before invading India. The city was immensely decorated for his stay, after that Jahangir also stayed here for a while. The name has been formed by adjoining two Sanskrit words, Barah (varah) meaning a Boar and Mula meaning originating. It is believed that Kashmir valley was a lake and it was drained by Nind Resh that became a boar by breaking with a molar near sheeri. Baramullah has yet another interesting story linked to its name which says that it was also named as danakhan moud. This version says that Nind Resh loved a fairy who promised to marry him if he would drain out all the water from the valley.

Located on the highest point of Jhelum River, Baramullah city lies on the banks of the river and forms a delta near the outskirts of the city. The Ecopark, Khadniyar has been developed in the middle of Jhelum River on way to Baramullah. This park is an initiative of J&K tourism. It is meant to encourage locals and tourists to take pleasure in the beauty of this place. Gulmarg, Tangmarg and Khilanmarg are all liberally blessed with beauty and breathtaking view. Gulmarg is also a popular destination for snow and water sports in winters and summers respectively.

Baramullah city has eventually been developing into a hub for tourists with many new attractions along with renovation work done on the older ones. The authorities, with help from the government, are working on the beautification of lost heritage of this city. They are trying to restore its valuable shrines, temples and architectural structures. Most of the shrines are situated in the old town of Baramullah such as the Ziyarat sharief jalal sahib, Mir sahib, Bohro mandir, Veervah mandir, Ziyarat Dastagir Sahib, Ziyarat nabi Sahib and many more.

While the city is a cold place, the people here are warm at heart, friendly and inviting. The unforgettable experience with green meadows, hilly terrains, snow clad peaks and water ripples of Jhelum River stay etched in one’s heart forever.

About the District

The fifth most highly populated city of J&K, Baramullah covers an area of 4190 km and incorporates 652 villages. The two main parts of this city are old city and a newly formed one. The old city is also known as Sher-e khas and the new developing town is known as Greater Baramullah. While Sher-e khas is to the north of the river, Greater Baramullah is to the south. These two towns are well connected with five bridges and five more are being constructed. There is a suspension bridge connecting Dewan Bagh and Gulnar Park. The development of Greater Baramullah has been undertaken by Asian Development Bank. The city is only a 55 km distance from the capital city of Srinagar.

Geography

Baramullah is spread over a vast area of 4190 sq km and positions at an elevation of 1593 meters above sea level. The city is bounded by Kupwara in the North and West, Budgam and Poonch in the south, Bandipore in the north east and Neelum district in Pakistan. Baramullah has a vivid variety of cultural and dialectic differences. The city falls under a sub tropical area and has severe winters and pleasant weather during summers. Baramullah usually gets a good amount of snowfall and becomes a hub for winter sports at Gulmarg which attracts not only Indian but also international tourists.

Average rainfall recorded at Baramullah is around 1270 mm. The climate is favourable for some of the most exotic apples in the world. There are numerous apple orchards in the district. Baramullah is also one of the biggest producers of horticulture products in the state.

The Eco Park situated in the middle of Jhelum River is a natural yet modern structure built for recreation and leisure. The place has been developed by restoring its natural beauty to invite locals for spending leisure time in the back drop of mountains and well maintained green gardens.

Sight Seeing

Baramullah is a must visit place for most of the travellers due to its close proximity to the city of Srinagar. The city has a wide variety of archaeological, monumental preservations which are older than the era of Emperor Akbar and not to miss the scenic beauty of the place with which it has been blessed in ample.

The best way for sightseeing Baramullah is to opt for a taxi or private cab. Apart from the sightseeing available in this city, Baramullah also has open access to Gulmarg, Tangmarg and Khilanmarg.

Gulmarg

Gulmarg can be reached by road from Baramullah and is famous for winter sports and ice skiing. There is also a golf ground here, which is located at a height of 2650 meters. Other than winter sports, one can undertake horse riding, hiking and trekking adventure activities here. Khilanmarg region is also called ‘valley of flowers’ for its wide variety of blooms seen in the spring season. The cable car called ‘Gondola’ is a major attraction amongst tourists visiting this place.

Other Attractions

Parihaspora

During the rule of Shankervarman, Parihaspora was the capital of Kashmir. This town has an ancient and historical significance. Situated at a distance of 26 km from Baramullah, this monument was created in 8th century by Laltyaaditya Muktapid, the then king of Kashmir. The antique monuments are featured at Parihaspora Pattan and Pattan Bazzar archaeological museums.

Religious Attractions

Baramullah has numerous shrines which have been till date preserved and they hold a lot of significance in the lives of residents. Ziarat Baba Reshi is a monument of saint Baba payam- Din. The place is 13 km away from Gulmarg. Built in 1480, it is a shrine of Baba Reshi. The grave is typically covered with flowers and cloth. Both Hindus and Muslims are welcome here. The other sacred shrines near and in Baramullah are Zeyarat Baba Shakoor-ud-din near Watlab, Zeyarat Ahim Sharief near Bandipora, Zeyarat Tujjar Sharief near Sopore, Zeyarat Janbaz Wali and Ziyarat dastigeer sahib in Baramulla and Imambara Goom near Ahmadpora.

Wular Lake

Wular Lake in Baramullah was formed by internal tectonic plate activity of earth. The waters of this lake are fed by Jhelum River. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes of Asian continent. This lake covers an area of 30-260 sq kilometres. The lake is also a home for few migratory birds and is excellent for bird watching.

Manasbal Lake

Situated at a distance of 60 km from Srinagar, Manasbal Lake is a bird watchers’ paradise. There are a number of exotic species of birds which inhabit here and during summers it also invites a lot of migratory birds.

Shiva Temple

Shiva temple is located in Gulmarg and is also known as Mohineshwar Shivalaya or Maharani Temple. The temple was built by Mohini Bai Sisodhi, wife of Maharaja Hari Singh in 1915. This temple belongs to the Dogra Kings of Jammu & Kashmir.

Imambara Goom

This place holds tremendous religious attraction and is sacred to the Muslim religion. It lies at Ahmadpora near Baramullah.

Cultural Background

Baramullah has constantly remained under religious influence and has been host to various intruders, each of whom have left their mark on the city. There are Buddhist Viharas here that are sacred to both Hindu and Buddhist communities. There are memorials and shrines of great Muslim saints who preached here and gained enormous popularity. After the visit of Sikh Guru Shri Hargobind Singh Ji, Chatti Padshahi was constructed.

Thus, Baramullah has become a city of communal harmony that shows love towards all religions. All festivals are celebrated with equal respect and faith here along with birth anniversaries of various saints.

Mostly Kashmiri Hindi is the chosen language of communication, but there are dialectic changes made in accordance with the area.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Baramullah is the summer months. Summers are generally hot during day time with direct sun. Temperatures go up to 40o C during the day. Evenings are pleasant with temperatures around 15oC. Monsoons exhibit heavy rainfall during two months i.e. August and September.

Winters are extremely cold and extend from November to February. Temperature may fall below 0oC and morning temperature is not above 20oC.

How to Reach

The closest railway station is at Jammu, which is 360 km away. The nearest airport is at Srinagar at a distance of 55 km from Baramullah. There are trains connecting Baramullah to all parts of the country. Important destinations such as Amritsar, Delhi, Jalandhar, Kanpur and Bhopal are well connected. Baramullah is also well connected to cities like Kargil, Srinagar and Jammu by a good network of roads. Buses and taxis are available at reasonable rates.

Related Image

Also Browse Following Under This Section

Related Topics

Cities and Destinations

Jammu and Kashmir stand as an famous tourist destination based in the northern part of India. People are passionate....

Cuisines

The Indian state Jammu and Kashmir is not only considered as a paradise for its travelers but also for its food lovers....

Gulmarg Trekking

Trekking is one of the most famous and...

Sonamarg Trekking

In Jammu and Kashmir, Trekking is the...