Introduction

Anantnag is a district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the districts which make up the Kashmir Valley. Anantnag District is in southern sector of Jhelum Valley. The district headquarters is Anantnag city. As of 2011, it was the third most populous district of Jammu and Kashmir, after Jammu and Srinagar. The Northern and Western sides of this district are bounded by Pulwama district while Kulgam district falls in its west. Anantnag district comprises Kokernag, Shangus, Anantnag (town), Bijbehara, Doru, Pahalgam and Qazigund tehsils.

Naming of Anantnag

The name Anantnag is derived from the Sanskrit term Ananta meaning Infinite and Nag means Snake. Ananta Nag is another name of Shesha Nag which is the Divine Serpent of Lord Vishnu. Nag also means water spring in the Kashmiri language.

Location of Anantnag District

Anantnag is located at 33.73 degree North to 75.15 degree East at an elevation of 5,300 feet (1,600 m) above sea level, at a distance of 53 kilometres (33 mi) from Srinagar District of Jammu and Kashmir.

History of Anantnag

Anantnag is believed to mean "numerous springs", because there are many springs in the town, such as Nag Bal, Salak Nag and Malik Nag. According to Marc Aurel Stein, the name of the city comes from the great spring Ananta Nag issuing at the centre of the city. This is also corroborated by almost all local historians including Kalhana, according to whom the city has taken the name of this great spring of Cesha Nag or Ananta Nag. Anantnag is an ancient city that came into existence as a market town around 5000 BCE making it one of the oldest urban human settlements in the world. Before the advent of Muslim rule in 1320 CE, Kashmir was divided into three divisions, viz., Maraz in the south, Yamraj in the centre and Kamraj in the north of the Valley.

Demography of Anantnag District

According to the 2011 census Anantnag district had a population of 1,078,692. This gives it a ranking of 425th in India. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 37.48%. Anantnag had a sex ratio of 937 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 64.32% in 2011.

Geography of Anantnag

Anantnag has three new streams. Near Anantnag, there exists the confluence of three streams, Arapath, Brengi and Sandran, and the resulting river is named Vyeth or Jhelum. There are several larger streams such as Brengi. Another stream Lidder joins the river a little downstream and from that point the river becomes navigable.

Temples in Anantnag

Anantnag is one of the six districts that make up the Kashmir Valley, in Jammu & Kashmir. The city finds a pride place in Bhagavad-Gita that says, "I am Ananta Naga". Perfectly located to suit any production, be it industrial, agricultural, natural resource or handicrafts, Anantnag is home to highly honored shrines from any faith, practicing it with utmost belief. Varied temples lace the place while increasing the piousness and serenity of Anantnag.

Cave Temple, Lidder Valley, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Gifted with extraordinary architectural rock carvings, the Cave Temple of Lidder Valley is dedicated to the primal God Kaladeva.

Cave Temple of Bumazuv, Lidder Valley, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Bearing likeness to the other temple architectures of Kashmir, the Cave Temple of Bumazuv have been cut out from a limestone cliff, with the massive cave serving as an ideal background.

Chota Amarnath Temple, Thajiwara, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Chota Amarnath Temple, though is in a derelict state, hones considerable magnitude for the Hindu devotees.

Harischandir Temple, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Harischandir Temple has the touch of two memorable emperors, with the present temple rising out of the dust of the previously-built construction.

Kartiyayini Mandir, Karkan, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Kartiyayini Mandir, dedicated to Goddess Durga, was ruthlessly shattered in terrorist acts.

Kother Temple, Kother, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: With the lower portion of the temple entirely buried underground, Kother Temple possesses singular architectural wonder, with a large doorway.

Nagbal Temple, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Nagbal Temple encompasses other pilgrim sites, with the temple itself bounded by incredible beauty.

Uma Devi Temple, Uma Nagari, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Considered as the place of unification of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati, Uma Devi temple has ethereal associations with Omkara.

Gurudwara Mattan Sahib, Mattan, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Gurudwara Mattan Sahib memorializes the visit of Guru Nanak Dev to Mattan, the place of worship built in the latter half of the 19th century.

Ramakrishnan Mahasammelan Ashram, Nagdandi-Acchabal, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Ramakrishnan Mahasammelan Ashram and its adjoining productive works, are the successful end product of the uphill struggle of Swami Ashokananda, faithful to Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa.

Shillagram Temple, Shillagram, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir: Shillagram Temple enshrines the `lingam` form of Lord Shiva, which was absolutely ruined in 1998.

Tourism in Anantnag District

The Anantnag district consists of many tourist places like Verinag, Achabal, Kokernag, Daksum, Pahalgam, Dandipora, Chatabal, Martand and Sinthan top. Of these places, Pahalgam and Kokernag are the most famous places just 50 km from Anantnag Town. Amarnath Temple, a famous shrine in Hinduism dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in Pahalgam. It is the site of an annual pilgrimage, Amarnath Yatra.

Historical Sites at Anantnag District

Anantnag, like the rest of the Kashmir Valley, has witnessed many upheavals from time to time. Historians have found here some monuments of the Mughal period in ruins. The Martand temple is one of the most ancient architectural monuments in the area which were once destroyed during the rule of Sultan Sikander. What must have once been magnificent architectural show pieces like the Martand complex of temples, or the temples of Lalitaditya, the Emperor of Kashmir, and King Avantivarman at Avantipur are now in grand ruins. There is a Shiva temple here, generally considered to be Kashmir`s oldest existing temple, dating to the 5th century.

The Martand temple is one of the important archaeological sites of the country. The temple was attacked by Sikander Butshikan. It took one year for Sikander Butshikan to fully damage and destroy this Martand temple. Even today one gets surprised over art and skill of the builders of this world famous Martand temple by looking at its ruins. Its impressive architecture reveals the glorious past of the area.

Climate of Anantnag District

Anantnag"s climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Karakoram to its east and the Pir Panjal range to the south. It can be generally described as cool in the spring and autumn, mild in the summer and cold in the winter. Anantnag District possesses all the typical characteristics of the climate of Kashmir Valley as a whole.

Visiting Information

Anantnag is accessible from both roadways and airways. Srinagar is 53 km from Anantnag. The distances of some other towns from Anantnag are Achabal 10 km, Kokarnag 23 km, Verinag27 km and Pahalgam 39 km.