The capital of Kashmir, which is governed by India, is home to numerous historical structures that have withstood the test of time. The city interiors still have certain ancient architectural gems that had relevance to the climate, topography, and inhabitants of the area. Jammu’s architecture is a unique fusion of mosques, parks, museums, and sacred sites. In Jammu, there is an odd blending of Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu architecture. The architectural splendor of the kings that governed the valley is visible in Jammu. In Jammu, there has been a mingling of cultures that one can see in its architecture. The intricate details of Hindu architecture and the Mughals’ architectural prowess both contributed to Jammu’s awe-inspiring architecture. So here is the list of places to visit in Jammu for travelling architect:
Bahu fort | Places to Visit in Jammu
This fort is a historic site in Jammu located near the Tawi river and believed to be constructed by bahu lochan, brother of the traditional founder of Jammu, jambu lochan. The fort building is situated across from Jammu’s ancient town at a height of 325 meters (1,066 feet). The fortified building has substantial sandstone walls that were constructed using lime and brick mortar. It has eight thickly walled, octagonal towers or turrets. There are guard enclosures in the towers. On the left entrance of the fort, there is a water tank with a bathing area for pilgrims. An illustrious Shakti temple from the eighth century was constructed inside the fort. It was constructed out of white marble on a 1.2-meter (3.9-foot) high raised platform.
Raghunath Temple
It is made up of seven Hindu sanctuaries in a complex. The first Dogra king, Maharaja Gulab Singh, built the Raghunath Temple in 1835. The spires on each of the spiral-shaped towers are gold-plated. 300 expertly wrought icons of gods and goddesses, including those of Surya and Shiva, are adorning the niches in the walls of the temples, but the majority are especially connected to the biographies of Rama and Krishna. The themes of the paintings on the main shrine’s 15 panels are drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad Gita. On the grounds of the temple are a school and library that hold more than 6,000 manuscripts in various Indian languages.
Amar Mahal palace | Places to Visit in Jammu
The palace was constructed in the nineteenth century by a French architect on the order of Maharaja Amar Singh, a Dogra king, in the style of a French Chateau. A museum has recently been established inside the palace. A large collection of royal family portraits can be found in the palace museum. Other exhibits include a 120kg golden throne, Pahari miniatures, Kangra miniature paintings, a library of 25,000 old books, and many rare art collections. The palace served as the final official seat of both Maharaja Hari Singh, the final ruler of the state, and the Dogra dynasty. The red sandstone and red brick palace are situated in a magnificent setting atop a hill overlooking the Tawi river valley. The palace, which was constructed in the form of a European castle, includes tall towers and sloping roofs with turrets. The palace building’s first level contains French windows and an attached balcony. The bay window is on the top floor. Additionally, the windows include triangular projections in the manner of traditional Greek architecture, fitting over elaborate fake columns.
Mubarak Mandi palace
The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, a member of the Dogra dynasty, lived in the palace as his royal abode. The palace has a view of the Tawi river and is situated in the center of Jammu’s historic walled city. The building’s design blends Mughal, European baroque, and Rajasthani architectural elements. The Darbar Hall Complex, the Pink Palace, the Royal Courts buildings, the Gol Ghar Complex, the Nawa Mahal, the Rani Charak Palace, the Hawa Mahal, the Toshakhana palace, and the Sheesh Mahal are just a few of the structures that make up the complex, which is organized around a number of courtyards. Official gatherings and celebrations took place in the palace’s rooms and galleries.
Shree Rabireshwar temple | Places to Visit in Jammu
Ranbireshwar Temple, the largest north Indian temple devoted to Lord Shiva, is a must-visit place for traveling architects. This historic temple, which can be found near the Secretariat along a bustling roadway, was constructed in 1883 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh. The temple is separated into two separate halls, each of which is embellished with pictures of Ganesha and Kartikeya. The 8-foot-tall Shiva lingam, which is made of black marble, stands tall in the center of the temple and is its main attraction. Additionally, the Ranbireshwar Temple includes 12 additional crystal-carved lingams that range in height from 15 to 38 cm.
Dogra art museum
Jammu’s Dogra Art Museum, a museum of Dogra cultural history is housed in the Pink Hall of the Mubarak Mandi complex and was formerly known as the Dogra Art Gallery. The structure was constructed as a tribute to the British Monarch Edward VII’s 1875 visit to Jammu as the Prince of Wales. Both the Public Library and the Museum were housed in this structure. The museum’s collection includes 7216 items with significant historical and cultural value. The renowned Rasmanjari series of Basohli miniature paintings are among the collections, as also a few rare Persian manuscripts including the exquisitely painted Shahnama and Sikandernama.
Vaishno Devi temple
The Vaishno Devi Temple, also known as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and the Vaishno Devi Bhavan, is a well-known and highly esteemed Hindu temple devoted to the goddess Vaishno Devi. It is situated on the Trikuta Hills’ slopes in Katra, Reasi. Architects can visit the cave temple at an elevation of 1584.96m which consists of 4 temples within.
Bhim Garh fort | Places to Visit in Jammu
The Reasi Fort, also known as Bhimgarh Fort, is located close to Reasi, a town that is located 64 kilometers northwest of Jammu. The fort is perched atop a 150-meter-high hill. Rajput king Bhimdev Rasyal Of Reasi first built it out of clay. Later, one of Raja Rishipal Rana’s heirs used stone to rebuild it. Stones from Baluka with intricate carvings are used to construct the main entrance gate. There are gaps in the front wall. Both the God Hanuman and the Goddess Mahakali are depicted in this statue. The fort includes a temple, a pond, various-sized rooms, an armory, and a treasure room.
Akhnoor fort
On the right bank of the Chenab River is a fort called Akhnoor Fort. Raja Tegh Singh began building the fort in 1762 CE, and his successor Raja Alam Singh finished it in 1802, giving it its towering fortress walls, regular bastions, and battlements on top. At each corner are two-story watchtowers with battlements and merlons at their tops. The fort is divided into two halves by a wall, and the wall’s southern side contains a gate leading to the palace. The two-story palace has ornamented arches on the walls facing the courtyard, some of which have mural paintings. Both the northern and riverside sides provide access to Akhnoor Fort. The fort used to be largely in ruins, but preservation work is currently being done.
Poonch fort | Places to Visit in Jammu
The Qila, which was initially constructed during the time of Muslim control, has seen various eras of changing architectural trends. The entire fort complex occupies a 7,535 square meter space and is situated on a slight rise in the middle of Poonch town. Before the 2005 earthquake, a number of rooms within its quadrilateral ramparts were being used as government offices. The fort’s boundaries contain a number of structures arranged around open courtyards that combine Mughal, Dogra, and Colonial architectural styles. The destruction brought on by the earthquake and previous practices of rehabilitation and maintenance resulted in the loss of a significant portion of the fort complex’s historic structure. Despite the apathy that surrounds the fort and the structures inside, it nevertheless has a historic charm that harkens back to its former splendor. There are six noteworthy structures in the fort, with the Durbar Hall possibly being the most significant and well-preserved. The Durbar hall’s main facade is ornamented with decorative elements including semi-circular arched openings, pediments, huge arcaded colonnades, a series of windows, niches, corbelled moldings, etc. It towers magnificently over the main road that leads to the Qilla.
Balidaan stambh- War Memorial
It was built as a monument to the courageous actions of the military and police officers who gave their lives defending the integrity of the borders and during the still-raging Jammu and Kashmir Insurgency. The Indian Army constructed the nation’s first structure of its kind in 2009 at a cost of 130 million. It is 60 meters high and shaped like a soldier’s gun, and 52 pillars throughout the nation bear the names of 4877 martyrs who lost their lives defending the motherland in five wars with Pakistan and China. 543 servicemen who lost their lives in the Kargil War are honored on a few of the pillars. 71 of these martyrs came from various Jammu and Kashmir districts. The bayoneted rifle-shaped pillar represents courageous men who fought in combat. The focal point of this scene is the rifle raised to the sky. The pillar rises to a height of around 60 meters from the ground, with the sun’s rays passing through its baffles.
Rani charak mahal
One of the magnificent structures from the Dogra period is the Rani Charak Mahal, which can be found inside the Mubarak Mandi Complex. About 150 years ago, red bricks and mortar were used to build this mansion. Before 1925, when Maharaja Hari Singh moved the seat to Hari Niwas Palace on Manda Hills, on the outskirts of Jammu city, the royal ladies of the Dogra family lived there. The stunning building is a piece of the Mubarak Mandi Complex, a collection of monuments. Among the remarkable items on show at the Mahal are precious antiquities, palanquins, kitchenware, and a throne made of gold. The palace, which is close to the Tawi River, provides stunning views of the sunrise and sunset.
Mahamaya Temple | Places to Visit in Jammu
The temple, which honors the Goddess Mahamaya, was constructed in the 12th or 13th century. It was constructed under the rule of the Ratnapura Kalachuris. According to legend, it is situated where king Ratnadeva saw a vision of the goddess Kali. The earliest structure in the complex is the temple of Kantideval, which was reportedly constructed in 1039 by an ascetic by the name of Santosh Giri. Kalchuri King Prithivideva II later expanded the temple in the 15th century. There are four gates as well as lovely sculptures on them. The Archaeological Survey of India has also renovated it. A fascinating courtyard that was constructed in the late 18th century during the Maratha rule fortifies the sanctuary and the mandapa.
Bagh-E-Bahu
With a length of almost 220 meters, the Bagh-e-Bahu Aquarium, a recent addition to the Bagh-e-Bahu Garden that encircles the Bahu Fort, has been dubbed the largest underground aquarium in the nation. The fish-shaped aquarium includes 24 aquarium caves total, 13 of which are smaller and host freshwater species instead of marine fish. There are 400 distinct fish species living in the aquarium. In addition to viewing the fish, visitors can also visit the facility’s museum, multimedia center, public gallery, and laboratory for developing aquatic awareness.
Mahakali Temple | Places to Visit in Jammu
In the eighth century, the fort contained a Shakti temple. It was constructed out of white marble on a 1.2-meter (3.9-foot) high raised platform. Despite being said to have been constructed in the 8th or 9th century, the temple as it now appears to be contemporary. A modest temple, the Mandapa outside of the sanctum sanctorum may only hold a few pilgrims at once. Today, a priest releases the animal (often a sheep or a goat) after performing a few rituals, saying a few religious incantations, and applying holy water to it. After their prayers are stated even before deities are granted, devotees also offer a delicious dish termed Kadah (pudding) as food.
References
http://nmma.nic.in/nmma/builtDetail.do?refId=2281&dynasty=47
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahu_Fort
https://wikimapia.org/1502674/Bagh-e-Bahu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahamaya_Temple
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mubarak_Mandi_Palace
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balidan_Stambh
https://www.tourmyindia.com/states/jammu-kashmir/raghunath-temple-jammu.html
http://raghunathtemple.com/history.html
