Anantnag - The Valley of Springs and Lakes

Anantnag district has derived its name from the popular folklore according to which Lord Shiva discarded all the valuables while on his way to the Amarnath Cave. The place where he dropped numerous snakes has been named as Anantnag.Presently Anantnag is connected to three tehsil, namely Gool Gulab Garh, Doda and Budhal. Anantnag is the big hub of the economy of the Kashmir Valley,and it has remained a tourist destination for centuries. The valley has attracted travellers from around theworld for a long time and they travelled to the valley and Anantnag to take view of its breath taking beauty.

In 2010 Anantnag was declared as major City of Export excellence with a total GDP of 3.7 billion $. The high GDPof Anantnag is due to the centralised position and presence of high concentration of foreign labours and troops in it. anantnag has a strategic position lying on the main North South Corridor Road and with highest number of tourist destinations it an economic hub of Kashmir Valley. the city suffered heavily during war times of 1990's most roads, bridges, government institutions were reduced to ash . but in recent times it has made a very fast recovery. It has been listed among 100 fastest economically developing cities.The presence of a cheap large foreign labour force has helped it to recover rapidly in post war times

The main area of Anantnag is among the most populous part of the Kashmir valley,and crops like wheat and rice are cultivated for local consumption. Orchards produce a number of fruits, particularly apples. Another significant segment of the economy include handicrafts, weaving of woolen shawls and dress materials, and woodcarving . Anantnag and the surrounding areas serve as collecting points from where fruits and handicraft products are taken to several parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Anantnag is popular among tourists for its numerous shrines, which are of religious importance to both Hindus and Muslims. Hazrat Baba Reshi, Goswami Gund Ashram, Shilagram Temple, Nila Nag are some of the prominent shrines in the district of Anantnag. Seven temple complexes in this region include the Hanuman Temple, Shiva Temple, Sita Temple and Ganesh Temple. Apart from temples and shrines tourist can sight beautiful springs like Salag Nag, Malik Nag and Nag Bal, to name a few.

Tourist places In and Around Anantag

While on a trip to Anantnag, tourists can visit the Martand Sun Temple that is located at a distance of 9 km from the destination. This temple was constructed by King Lalitaditya in honour of Lord Sun. The architecture of the temple depicts the artistic excellence of the Kashmiri Hindus. At present, the Martand Sun temple is in ruined state nevertheless, tourist can sight the remains of the temple standing amidst the snow capped mountains.

In addition to the Martand Sun temple, visitors can see the 15th century Aishmuqam Shrine of Shiekh Zain-ud-din. It is believed that Shiekh Zain-ud-din devoted his entire life to Allah. He restricted himself to the cave and preached locals about Allah. If time permits, then tourists are recommended to explore other renowned religious sites, namely Masjid Syed Shab, Naghbal, Kherbawani Asthapan, and Aishmuqam.

The small chapel constructed inside the grounds of John Bishop's Memorial Hospital is considered to be one of the most sacred places. In1982, this chapel was constructed to support the needs of the Protestant Christians and Christian officials, who wanted a separate praying ground for themselves. This chapel works towards the betterment of the Christian employees residing in and around the region.

How to reach Anantag

Tourists looking forward to visit Anantnag can reach the destination via major means of transportation. Srinagar Airport is the nearest air base that is located at a distance of 62 km from Anantnag. This airport, otherwise known as Shaikh ul Alam Airport, is well connected to cities like New Delhi and Jammu.

Foreigners reaching the capital city of India can take a connecting flight to Srinagar. Taxis or cabs for Anantnag city centre is easily available from the Srinagar Airport.The district of Anantnag can be reached via railways as its railway junction is connected to important places in Jammu & Kashmir.

It is suggested, that tourists from other major cities in India should take trains till JammuTawi railway station that is situated 247 km from Anantnag. To reach Anantnag via road tourists can either take their own cars or can rent private taxis. State operated bus is another option for tourists planning to visit the district via roadways.

Best time to visit Anantnag

Tourists are suggested to visit this place between spring and summer season.