Naranag is a hilly hamlet in Jammu and Kashmir. The beauty of this area is throbbing to all the adventure and nature lovers of the world. This village is also an eco tourism site in Jammu and Kashmir, where one can find a large number of tourists visiting every year in the month of autumn.
Location of Naranag
Naranag or Nara Nag is a tourist hamlet of Ganderbal district in Jammu and Kashmir. It is located around 8 km from Kangan region of Jammu and Kashmir. It has 6 km upstream from the Sind River.
Nature Tourism in Naranag
Naranag or Nara Nag is noted for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains. It is a base camp for trekking to the Mount Haramukh 16,870 ft (5,142 metres) and Gangabal Lake, which are the prominent attraction sites in Jammu and Kashmir. There are also many other peaks and alpine meadows around the Naranag Valley. In the winters, Naranag receives heavy snowfall, during which skiing is practiced.
Adventure Tourism in Naranag
The village of Naranag lies at the left bank of the Wangath River, which is a tributary of the Sind River. The village is a base camp for trekkers to the Mount Haramukh, the Gangabal Lake and Satsar (the seven lakes). It is also a base for the trekkers to Gadsar Lake, the Vishansar Lake and the Krishansar Lake, though it takes 5 to 7 days of trekking.
Pilgrimage Tourism in Naranag
Naranag temple in Naranag is the main attraction for the tourists who are from Hindu community. It is one of the important archaeological sites of the country. The site consists of a cluster of temples facing each other at a distance of about 200 meters. The historians say that Naranag Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva or Mahadeva by the 8th century ruler Lalithdatiya Muktadiya. It is believed that the king Awantivarman paid a visit and donated a pedestal for bathing at Bhutsher. The architecture of Naranag Temple reveals the art of the 8th century. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has only constructed walls to protect it from encroachments and nothing else has been done. It is now left in ruins of which only faint traces have survived. This temple has the typical Aryan architectural structure as was present in Aryan Kashmir.