This article is about the Jammu Division, which is under Indian control. For the Indian-controlled part of the entire Kashmir region, see Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. For the Pakistani-controlled part, see Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. This is not an endorsement of claims by either side in the dispute.

The Jammu Division is an administrative division of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Cities

• 1 Jammu — the largest city of the Jammu Division and the winter capital of the union territory

• 2 Katra (Katra Vaishno Devi) — a small town in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains famous for the Vaishno Devi Temple

• 3 Patnitop — a small hill-station town

• 4 Poonch (Punch) — a town at India-Pakistan border

• 5 Udhampur — the second-largest city in the Udhampur District

Other destinations

• 1 Kishtwar National Park — this park has rugged and steep terrain, with narrow valleys leading to glaciers. This park provides habitat for the Himalayan Snowcock and the brown bear.
• 2 Chenab Valley — the river valley that includes Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts

Understand

Jammu Division has a Hindu majority, unlike Jammu and Kashmir as a whole, which has a Muslim majority. The native language of Jammu is Dogri. The people in Jammu have cultural similarities with their Punjabi neighbours to the south and were historically ruled by Punjabi Maharajas, but the hilly terrain of the land in contrast with the plains of Punjab has also made the people distinct in many ways.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Jammu Airport (IXJ ^IATA), Raipur Satwari, Jammu. It has flights from Delhi and Leh. SpiceJet, Air India and GoAir have flights from Delhi.  

There are other airports in Jammu Division, but none of them are open for civilian flights.

By road

From Srinagar there are several J&K SRTC buses taking 12 hours and costing ₹150. Sumo four-wheel-drive jeep taxis also do this trip in approximately eight hours and cost ₹200 per person (or more for a non-shared ride). Minibuses also stop outside Jammu bus stand and are more comfortable and sometimes cheaper than Sumos. Innovas are more comfortable as well as more expensive.

By train

Jammu Division is well connected by train to points south and east. Jammu Tawi railway station is an important railhead of the Northern Railways serving the Jammu and Kashmir union territory. It is the second to last major rail stop heading north, the last being Udhampur, and most people only see it long enough to get from the train station to the bus stand to continue toward Srinagar. Jammu Tawi is connected to Delhi (Jammu Rajdhani), Kolkata (Himgir Exp), Mumbai (Swaraj Exp), Chennai (Andaman Exp) and even to the southern most Trivandrum Railway station (Himsagar Exp).

Get around

The widely used minibuses cover the region on fixed routes. Auto rickshaws are available throughout the region at negotiable rates.

See

• Amarnath. One of the holy trinity, Shiva is a living god. Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in a cave in Amarnath. Unknown to them, a pair of doves eavesdropped on this conversation and having learnt the secret, are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. Yajur veda refers lord Shiva as an ascetic warrior Whose robe is of Deer Skin and carries Damru and Trishul. As referred by the verse "Satyam - Shivam - Sundaram, one life must have three facets Satyam - Truth, Shivam - Good and Sundram - Beautiful. 
• Bahu Fort. Bahu fort was modified and improved by Dogra Rulers of Jammu but first built it was built by the Raja Bahulochan. This fort is located at a distance of around 5km from the main city and perhaps is the oldest edifice in the Jammu. This fort is facing the Tawi River. There is a temple of the goddess Kali in the fort. 
• Mata Vaishno Devi. A pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji is considered to be one of the holiest pilgrimages of our times. Popular the world over as Moonh Maangi Muradein Poori Karne Wali Mata, which means, the Mother who fulfills whatever Her children wish for, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji resides in a Holy Cave located in the folds of the three peaked mountain named Trikuta (pronounced as Trikoot). The Holy Cave attracts millions of devotees every year. In fact, the number of Yatris visiting the Holy Shrine annually now exceeds one crore. This is due to the unflinching faith of the devotees who throng the Shrine from all parts of India and abroad. The Holy Cave of the Mother is situated at an altitude of 1,560 m. The Yatris have to undertake a trek of nearly 12 km from the base camp at Katra. At the culmination of their pilgrimage, the yatries are blessed with the Darshans of the Mother Goddess inside the Sanctum Sanctorum- the Holy Cave. These Darshans are in the shape of three natural rock formations called the Pindies. There are no statues or idols inside the Cave. 
• Raghunath Temple. Raghunath Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Shri Rama. All the inner walls of this temple are covered with gold, on three sides. Galleries of this temple are covered with ‘ Saligrams. The other surrounding temples are related to other gods from the Ramayana. This temple is located in the centre, the heart, of Jammu. 
• Sri Amarnath Ji Temple (Holy Amarnath Cave). Temple is situated 144 km east to Srinagar. Lord Amarnath is in the form of an ice Silva-lingam. On the full moon day the lingam is approx 1.8 mhigh. In Rigveda it is said "Ekam Sat" means "There is one Being, whom sages calls by many names. The Supreme Power (Parmeshwar) has three deities who carry on the world called - The Trinity . Lord Brahma - creator of World, Lord Vishnu - Perpetuator of life and Lord Shiva (Mahesh) - the purifier and perpetuator of good and destroyer of evil. Lord Shiva is known as Rudra in Rig Veda as in its following verse. "We Worship Tryambaka (Rudra), Who spread Fragrance and Increases Nourishment, May He release me, like the cucumber from its stem , From Mortal Life , But not From Immorality." 

Stay safe

Due to militant and insurgent activities, the situation in the administrative division is far from stable. Outbursts of politically motivated violence and civil disobedience are possible. Demonstrations and rallies can rapidly turn violent. It is vital for visitors to maintain good situational awareness.

Clashes across the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan are also not uncommon, and hostilities between India and China are also possible. Check on current conditions before you go.

Go next

Article Geo different to Wikidata
Wikivoyage: Latitude 33.31, Longitude 74.83 (Map, Geohack)
Wikidata: Latitude 34.2484306, Longitude 74.6676194 (Map, Geohack)
Difference: 105.4km