Visit Pulwama: Anand of Kashmir (2024)
Pulwama is a small town in Pulwama district in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. This town is situated at a distance of 25 km from Srinagar. Pulwama is the 6th largest city in Jammu and Kashmir state and popularly known as the “Anand of Kashmir” loosely translated to the delight of Kashmir. Pulwama is famous for the apple orchards, waterfalls, natural springs, and scenic valleys.
People visit Pulwama from all over the country and outside to enjoy the beauty of nature. The beautiful forests are covered with pine and fir trees. There are beautiful meadows that will steal your heart. The lakes that you would not have seen before. Pulwama has all the beauty of the world and is supposed to be visited once in a lifetime by everyone. You are missing something if you have not visited this beautiful place in the beautiful state of Jammu and Kashmir. The city of Pulwama is otherwise famous for the numerous opportunities for adventure junkies, like mountaineering and trekking in summers and skiing and snowboarding in winters. The lakes in the area are frozen during the winters and people enjoy skiing on the frozen lakes.
The Pulwama district is famous for Rice production and quality Saffron production which are exported all over the world. You can find and buy the best saffron in the entire world. The District is also famous for the production of milk which is the largest in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. An interesting fact about the place is that despite the disturbance in the valley and especially in this district, the literacy rate of the District is 65.00% with Male and Female literacy rates 75.41% and 53.81% respectively.
Places To See and Things To Do In Pulwama
Make sure you enjoy the beauty this place has to offer during your visit to heaven on earth.
1. Aharbal Waterfall
Aharbal Waterfall is called the Niagara falls of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a famous tourist destination. Thousands of tourists visit this place every year. This waterfall is located on the Vishav River that is a tributary of the famous Jehlum river. The best thing about this waterfall is that it is located in an alpine valley covered in pine and fir trees that makes it even more beautiful and attractive to common people. Aharbal is a place famous for waterfall and the name of the waterfall. The place is named after the waterfall as well.
Aharbal is easily accessible from Srinagar. It takes about two hours by car or bus via Shopian to reach this place. There is an alternate route that will take you to Aharbal via Kulgam. The most interesting thing about the waterfall is that it tumbles down straight 25 meters in height. The height may not seem much looking at other famous waterfalls but the volume of water falling is what makes it most attractive. The roar of the water falling on the rocks makes sure you hear the sound from a distance. It is a one-of-a-kind place where you can find your calm and peace amidst the sound of water falling. It is a meditative experience to be here. it is also a nice spot to enjoy a picnic with your friends and family. You will see many locals visiting the waterfall on their free days too. Make sure you visit the waterfall when you are around Pulwama to enjoy this beauty is real.
2. Tarsar and Marsar Lake
The Tarsar and Marsar lakes are the two most significant lakes of Pulwama District. The Tarsar and Marsar lakes are situated 3km and 5km away, respectively, from the village of Nagberan. These two lakes are also closely associated with the folklore of Kashmir. These lakes are together called the twin lakes. The 16th-century Kashmiri ruler Yusuf Shah Chak mentioned the twin lakes in his poetry. He wrote: “When I remember the two tresses of the comely beloved, Tears begin to flow from my eyes like streams from Tarsar and Marsar.”
The Tarsar Lake is also known as Tar Sar Lake. It is an almond-shaped, oligotrophic alpine lake situated in the Kashmir Valley, in the Anantnag district, Jammu, and Kashmir, India. Tarsar Lake is surrounded by the peaks of the Kolahoi mountain to the east. The lake is separated by a mountain with a minimum peak elevation of 4,000 meters from its sister lake, called The Marsar Lake. Marsar Lake is located in the vicinity of Dachigam National Park. This is a famous tourist destination. It is also a heaven for adventure seekers. There is a famous trek in the area famously known as Tarsar Marsar Trek. There is a stream that emerges from this lake. This stream travels through the Dachigam valley and enters Srinagar near Harwan garden where it fills the Sarband reservoir. This stream is also known as Dagwan Nallah. It is then joined by another stream that flows from Mount Mahadev near the Telbal village. This stream then becomes the primary source of Dal Lake.
3. Kungwattan
Kungwattan is situated at a distance of 8 km from the Aharbal waterfalls. Kungwattan is an isolated and untouched place. This is a very nice place to visit for people who want to feel peace and calm away from the hustle-bustle of the cities and want to get away from the busy chaotic life for a while. This place is safe from human intervention so far. You can experience the raw and natural beauty in this place. Kungwattan is a meadow located at a height of 8,400km. One can enjoy a walk-through thick forest that leads to Mahinag at 9,800 feet. This is a beautiful spot to walk in nature and relieve the stress. It is also a famous day spot during the famous Aharbal Kounsarnag Trek expedition. The trekkers generally spend a night in the meadows where they set up the camps and enjoy the meadows. From here, the trek leads to the beautiful Mahinag Lake. Another interesting fact about the place is that this site is a beautiful place to walk and that there are no motorable roads here yet. This makes it even more interesting for the loners and people who want to spend their time in isolation from the crowd.
4. Jamia Masjid Shopian
Jamia Masjid Shopian is one of the most popular mosques around the area. This mosque is an architectural marvel in the classic Islamic style. It is located in the main chowk in Shopian. The mosque was built by Ustab Habib Ullah who was a woodworker from Srinagar, during the 1930s. He was asked to look after the construction of the mosque. The stones for the construction of this mosque were collected from the vicinity of the Rambi Ara River with the help of camels to the shuttle. Some women donated their jewels in large numbers donated for the building of the great historic mosque. Even people who belonged from marginal backgrounds contributed to the construction of the mosque by contributing the way they could. This mosque is built with the blood and sweat of everyone in the area be it rich or poor. So, this mosque holds an important place in the heart of the people in the city and around. This mosque used to be an important stopover on way to Mughal road across Pir Panjal. It was built during the Mughal era and was considered as the waypoint for all Mughals on way to Kashmir and back. It continues to be an important landmark and a tourist attraction. However, the mosque has more or less has lost its sheen now as the maintenance of the mosque is not being done properly by the authorities. It continues to be an important destination for people visiting the area. Make sure you pay a visit to the mosque if you happen to be in Pulwama and around.
5. Kounsarang Lake
Kounsarang Lake also known as Kausar Nag or Kausarnag and sometimes spelled as Konsarnag, is a high-altitude oligotrophic lake located at an elevation of 3,962.4 meters above sea level. Kausar Nag is located in the Pir Panjal Range in district Kulgam of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake remains frozen from November to June but is still visited by tourists. The frozen lake is also a major tourist attraction. The River Vaishau. This river is a major attraction in the area and is visited by thousands of tourists. This is fed by the Kaunsarnag lake which is about 3 km long. It joins the Jhelum below Bijbehara. Aharbal falls Kounsarnag lake trek is a very famous trek taken by adventure seekers in the area. Many activities can be enjoyed in this area. You can do a variety of adventurous activities like skiing during winter, horse riding and photography too. This place in Pulwama is a heaven for all sorts of tourists with their unique hobbies and also a nice place to spend some quality time with your friends and family.
6. Avantishwar Temple
Avantiswami Temple was a Hindu temple located in Awantipora in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. It is in remains now, but it is still a major tourist site in the Pulwama area. There were two temples, one each for Shiva and Vishnu. The temples were built by king Avantivarman of the Utpala dynasty in the 9th century A.D. on the banks of river Jhelum. The temples were really beautiful and were built in the year 853-855 CE. This place was originally known as Viswasara, the ancient town, which was then a capital as well, was founded by King Avantivarman. King Avantivarman was also the founder of the Utpala Dynasty in the 9th century CE. As per the historic literature, the king had been famous for building many grand Hindu temples in this region during his reign. Most of the temples built by him were vandalized by Islamic invaders. During the reign of King Avantivarman, the region prospered. The remains of these temples give a glimpse of the impressive stone temple architecture of Kashmir in that era. The temples of Kashmir do look very different from many ancient temples in Kashmir and elsewhere in India. The temples were destroyed by earthquakes. But the site of the temples is being maintained by the Archeological Survey of India.
7. Shopping in Pulwama
You can get your hands on the best quality saffron in the world here in Pulwama. Pulwama is world-famous for its saffron cultivation and the traders export saffron produced here around the world. You can take home some exquisite saffron from Pulwama back home for your use and as a souvenir for your friends and family.
Best Time to Visit Pulwama
Pulwama has classic alpine weather, and it makes it more suitable to visit during summers. April to October are the best months to visit as during the summer when the snow starts to melt, you will start seeing the greenery and flowers all around which makes the place look like heaven. The weather is pleasant in summers and is considered the ideal time to spend in the beautiful valley. Winters in Sri Nagar are freezing summers are brazenly hot. Pulwama is best visited during the Autumn months from September to November however, monsoons are also a great time that transforms this beautiful place into a magnificent landscape. Every season presents a different landscape in the valley. All seasons are worth spending your time at in this beautiful valley and not to be missed.
Winters start in October and last up to February. During December, the temperature drops sparingly low, and you start seeing the snow. At the end of February or at the beginning of March the snow starts melting. It depends on you when you want to get away from the hustle-bustle of the city and want to stay and rejuvenate your cluttered mind in this heaven on earth.
How to Reach Pulwama?
Pulwama is well connected to the plains and all the nearby major cities. There are several means of transport available to travel to Pulwama. You can choose from air travel, trains, buses, or taxis to reach this heavenly town in this beautiful valley.
Air Travel to Pulwama: The nearest airport is Sri Nagar airport that is around 30 km from Pulwama. Sri Nagar airport is well connected to most of the major cities in India. The local airlines and carriers like Air India, Jet Airways, Indigo, Spice Jet, and others have direct flights from Delhi. You can take connecting flights from other local airports in India. You can hire a taxi from the airport to go to your destination in Pulwama or the nearby cities if you are planning to go anywhere else. You can easily find good accommodation to stay in Pulwama near the airport or the city for all budgets.
Rail Travel to Pulwama: The Nearest railway station is Pulwama is the Jammu railway station. The railway station is which is around 280 km away. Although not the best way to reach Pulwama but the Jammu railway station is well connected with Kashmir Railway that runs from Baramulla to Qazigund. You can take a taxi to reach Pulwama from Jammu Railway station. The station is directly connected to prime cities of the country, including Delhi, Bhatinda, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Jodhpur via several superfast, express, and mail trains. You can take a taxi or take a shared cab from outside the railway station to reach Pulwama.
Road Travel to Pulwama: This is the best way to reach Pulwama as you will be able to enjoy the views on your way to the city while traveling by road. This might take a longer time than by air or train, but it is worth it. Pulwama is not directly connected to major cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, etc. You will need to take a bus from the major city like from Delhi to Sri Nagar and change a bus from Sri Nagar to Pulwama. You can also choose to hire a taxi to take you from Sri Nagar bus station to Pulwama.
Places to Stay in Pulwama
There are several places to stay in Pulwama for every budget. There are both luxurious and budget hotels you can choose based on your pocket size. Pulwama has some of the best hotels and resorts in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Best resorts in Pulwama are located amidst the scented forests of maple and apple orchards or the ones offering a view of the scenic and serene Jhelum river which increases the beauty and sophistication of the place. Vising Pulwama is the best way to unwind and relax in the lap of nature away from the city crowds. There are many warm and cozy places to stay in Pulwama for all budgets. There are luxurious 5-star hotels, mid-range hotels, homestays, bed and breakfast, and other budget hotels in Pulwama and nearby places. Make sure you book your accommodation before visiting the place as the possibility of finding a good or any accommodation gets difficult during the peak season if you just drop by. You can also find many homestays which are quite famous among families as well as young people and adventure seekers as you can have the entire area to yourself and enjoy there as per your comfort. And if you are staying with a landlord at your homestay, you get to enjoy the local and homecooked state food in addition to getting to know the local folk stories and hidden spots for you to see. Some of the famous places in the area are Dove Cottage, Lighthouse group of Houseboats (If you want to enjoy living on a boat), there are numerous options of houseboats in the area that you can explore while you are there in case you want to enjoy the luxury of houseboats.
Things to Eat in Pulwama
Pulwama has many restaurants you can eat to satisfy your senses and the foodie in you. But the best food that you can get is the home-cooked Kashmiri food with an authentic taste. The most commonly served and preferred food in Pulwama is Kashmiri cuisine. However, you can enjoy other cuisines at some of the restaurants in Pulwama. There are many restaurants, luxury properties serving local to multicuisine food for you to relish. Make sure you visit these places and enjoy your time eating the best food while you are here and discover more cafes and restaurants to enjoy good food and time.
The cuisine of Pulwama is greatly influenced by Mughals. The authentic Mughal dishes tempered and spiked with spices like fennel, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are quite common here. If you are a vegetarian, the cuisine does have a few unique varieties to try. However, meat and fish are the main ingredients in any signature dish, and you can enjoy them at many restaurants. The most famous dishes in the area are Rogan Josh, Modar Pulao, Matschgand, Shab Daig, Haakh, Yakhni, Nader ki Gaad, Kashmiri Naan are among the few. Get ready for your senses to be activated in all possible ways when in Pulwama.
