Kishtwar: The land of Sapphire, Shrines and Saffron

Kishtwar was an independent hilly state during the mediaeval period. Maharaja Gulab Singh, the Dogra ruler who annexed it in 1821 AD, Kishtwar was carved out of the erstwhile district of Doda during the years 2007-08 when the chief minister of J&K, G.N. Azad, took a historic decision in July 2006 for the creation of this new mountainous district. It has the unique distinction of being the biggest district of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in area. The area of Kishtwar district is 7737 sq.km.

Location

The plateau of Kishtwar is 5300 feet above sea level. It is located between 75° and 25° East longitude and between 34° and 10° North latitude.

• The distance from Jammu is 234 km.

• The distance from Kashmir is 280 kilometres.

The entire district is full of mountains, forest and hills. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists all reside here with amity and brotherhood. So Kishtwar represents a true picture of the secularism of India. Kishtwar District has its boundaries touching the valleys of Himachal in the south-east and Doda in the south-west. It also shares the boundaries with Anantnag district. The population of Kishtwar as per the 2011 census is 230,696. Of those, 120,165 males and 110,531 females, making it one of the least populous districts in J&K UT. The people of Kishtwar are so nice, humble, and helpful. Kishtwar is home to people of diverse ethnic origins, ranging from Kashmiris, Paharis, Gujjars, Gaddis, and Buddhists. People speak the languages of Kashmiri or Kashur, Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi, Batli, Paddri, Phari, and Gojjri.

Exploring the hidden beauty of Kishtwar

Kishtwar is full of hidden charm, wonderful sites and spots, health resorts, tourist locations, famous historical and religious places, shrines and monuments. Some major valleys and tourist spots in Kishtwar are Sinthan Top, Mughalmaidan, Saffron Valley, Padder (Sapphire Mines), Machail, Kishtwar National Park, Dachhan, Marwah, and Warwan valley. These are very beautiful places to visit. One can easily fall in love with the natural beauty of Kishtwar. Some of the beautiful spots and shrines are  given below:

Chowgan

In the center of the Kishtwar. There is a big play ground/ grazing field known as Chowgan. Its area is about 520 Kanals or 165 Acres. It is surrounded by Chinard, Deodar and different kinds of trees. It is the main attractive place in the Kishtwar district. On its North there is a big temple called Gori Shanker Mandir and in its south their is a Shrine (Ziyarat) namely Asrar-Ud-Din- Bagdadi. Its ancient name is Goverdhansar which was a beautiful lake in the olden days, but with natural crisis all of its water flow down after which it was used for playing and grazing field. This ground is now developed in a modern ground with electric lights and different types of flowers all around it. All live stock ( goat, cow etc.) of Kishtwar area depends much on this ground. Its herbs and grass is very nutritious and useful for animals. Maximum numbers of people are used to walk on this ground in the morning and evening. There is also a small helipad / airport on its North. Numbers of villages are surrounded to this playground that adds its beauty. It is about 1500 meters far from the main bus stand of Kishtwar. There are all type of facilities available to reach this place. It touches Dak Bungalow, Kuleed from its right side and Bun Astan, Matta and Sarkoot from its left side. This ground acts as intermediate between these places.   

Qila Top

1.5km from the main bus stand, near the Shrine of Shah Farid ud Din (RA), is Qila Top, a hillock where a fort and palace were abandoned during the rule of the Rajas of Kishtwar. As the Sikhs took possession of Kishtwar, it was razed to the ground. With the passage of time, the palace and fort became non-existent, except for the Throne made of stone.

Bharnoin

The picnic spot of Bharnoin, is located in Pochhal village, 3 kilometres away from Kishtwar town, and is known for its eye-captivating beauty. The place is situated in a forest area dense with conifers like deodar and kale trees. People visit there and enjoy the natural beauty. The place near Kishtwar town is cool, calm and pollution free. The whole area is, indeed, full of mesmerizing beauty. 

Saffron fields (Pochall)

A place of attraction for tourists are the saffron fields of Kishtwar, located mainly in Pochhal, Hatta, Bera-Bhatta, Matta, and Berwar villages nearby Kishtwar town. Saffron flowers are in full blossom in the months of October and November every year, so this time is the best for visiting Saffron fields. The view of the purple-coloured Saffron flowers spreads like a blanket over the fields. The fragrance scattered by this blossom in the atmosphere gives a heavenly touch to the environment. Early In the morning, before the sun rises, women folk, men, and children in their colorful attire go to the saffron fields to pluck flowers.

Bandarkoot

The place is situated at a distance of about 12 Kms from kishtwar town. A big mela is held here on Baisakhi every year. After a dip in the ‘Sangam’, the visitors pay their obeisance to the two most revered religious places, the Astaan of ‘Shah Zain-ud-Din‘ on the left side of Chanderbhaga, an the ancient ‘Neelgangeshwar’ pond and the temples of other gods and goddesses on the right bank of the river. These two places of religious importance attract thousands of pilgrims not only on Baisakhi but for the whole year round. Cocks and Sheep are offered at the Astaan by both the main communities for taking the blessings of the great saint.

Mughalmaidan

About 24 km from Kishtwar is Mughalmaidan, a beautiful scenic spot on the bank of the Chatroo river. The place is being developed as a tourist spot. The Chatroo River is known for rearing ‘trout’ fish. Therefore, the fisheries department of Jammu and Kashmir has established a ‘Fish-Hatchery’ here and constructed some buildings. The fish trade, if promoted, will raise the economic standard of the people. During summer, people visit there to enjoy the mesmerising beauty and take baths in the river as a counter to the extreme hot weather.

Sinthan Top

From Chingam onwards, we find an ascending road amidst zigzag roads and forest-covered areas. After that, we find a beautiful spot which is known as Sinthan Maidan, 60 km away from Kishtwar. The alpine pastures of this place have matchless natural beauty. The cool and salubrious climate of the place has a refreshing effect on the tourists. 24 kilometres ahead of Sinthan Maidan is the Sinthan Top. Here we find unending slopes and plain meadows on the foot of the Sinthan-top. The place is ideal for games like Para-gliding, horse riding, rock climbing, and winter games like skating, ice-hockey, etc.

Kishtwar High Altitude National Park

Kishtwar National Park is a beautiful place, located in the Kishtwar district of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. It was mainly founded to protect the Snow Leopards that are now slowly vanishing from nature. This park is situated at a distance of 40 kms from the town of Kishtwar.

Shrine of Shah Asrar ud Din (RA)

The scarred and famous Shrine of Shah Asrar ud Din (RA) is located on the south eastern corner of Chowgan, 2 kilometres from the main bus stand. He is said to have been a born Saint (Wali) who began to speak soon after birth.He performed miracles to the astonishment of all. He began by foretelling the future, building the Walls for people to walk on, and resurrecting the dead. On the 25th of Kartik (Bikrimi), the annual Urs is celebrated, and thousands of devotees visit the shrine to seek the blessings of the great Saint.

Shrine of Shah Farid ud Din Bagdadi (RA):

The “Shrine of Shah Farid ud Din Bagdadi (RA),” a major pilgrimage attraction, is only 1.5 kilometres from the main bus stop. Shah sb. came from Bagdad (IRAQ) and, along with his four disciples, came to Kishtwar during the rule of Raja Jai Singh. The high spiritual status of Shah sb. and the miracles done by him impressed everyone, including Raja Jai Singh. Every year, the 7th of Harr (Bikrimi) is celebrated as the Urs of Shah Farid ud Din Bagdadi (RA), in which thousands of pilgrims come from all over the State and adjoining States participate. Besides religious discourses and other rituals, scarred relics are also displayed during Urs on the 7th of Harr, i.e., the month of June every year.

Jamia Masjid Kishtwar

The Jamia Masjid is the biggest and towering mosjid in Kishtwar, and it is in the heart of the town. It is located just near the bus stand. Its foundation was laid by Shah Akhyar ud Din (RA) about 110 years ago. This is the biggest masjid in Kishtwar and can accommodate about 5000 nimazis at a time.

Gori Shankar Mandir

An old and historic temple of Shiva and Parvati, situated on the corner of Chowgan, is famous among Hindus. It was originally a heritage site of the great saint Shri Paul, in whose honour it was named “shrikut” and is now known as “sarkoot.” The mandir is the starting point of all prominent pilgrimages and festivals like Janmashtami, Ramnavami, Machail Yatra, and Sarthal Yatra.

Neel Khanth Mahadev Mandir:

The temple is situated in the heart of Kishtwar town. In 1629 AD, it was built by Jagat Singh. A rare Lingam was placed in this temple, which is said to be the family idol of the Kings of Kishtwar. Its colour resembled sapphire, and later on, it was taken to Basohli by the orders of the Kings of Basholi.

There are several other picnic spots like Har Gaddi, Tel Mochay, Godresh Naag, Gali Gaad, on Sarthal road, Dool Dam, Kalamsater, Vimal Naag, Singpora, and various other fascinating and eye-catchy places in Kishtwar. You can enjoy the real charm of natural beauty here.

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Asiya Wani

M. Ed student of Cluster University Jammu

Email : asiyawani3041987@gmail.com