Bhaderwah is located in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir. It is notably the town in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. King Maharaja Pratap Singh gifted his brother Raja Amar Singh the Doda region. The region is called ‘Mini Kashmir’ due to its beautiful environment spread over a limited area and ‘Kerala of Jammu and Kashmir’ due to its excellent literacy rate. Bhaderwah region is an extremely beautiful part of India and the favorite destination of many tourists. Bhaderwah is also called Bhaderwah Valley; this is mainly the Chenab Valley region which covers the Bhaderwah region. Bhaderwah became part of Jammu and Kashmir in 1841.
The total population of Bhaderwah is around 75,376. The town’s official language is Urdu; other languages are Bhaderwahi and Kashmiri. There are five nearby villages of Bhaderwah, which include Dandi, Chinote, Gatha, Manwah, and Nalthi. Dandi is 2 km away from Bhaderwah, while Chinote is 3 km away, Gatha is 4 km away, Manwah is 5 km away and Nalthi is 5 km away. Dalhousie, Chamba, Kathua, and Udhampur are the well-known nearest places to Bhaderwah. Bhaderwah is a tourist attraction point because it describes the real beauty of Jammu and Kashmir. Padri top, Chinta Valley, Jail Valley, Sonbain, Gupt Ganga, Nalthi, Fish Pond, Chandi Mata Temple in Chinote, Bhaderwah Fort, Seoj Dhar, Padri Pass, Kailash Kund, Kansar Valley, Vasuki Naag temple, Tilligarh resort, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Jamia Masjid Bhaderwah and Khani Top are among the notable tourist destinations in Bhaderwah town of Jammu division in Jammu and Kashmir.Let us now filter the best tourist places in Bhaderwah:
1. Padri Top
Padri Top is also known as Padri Pass. It is located around 41km away from north Bhaderwah. It is an adventurous spot for the sports like snow-skiing in winter and paragliding in summer. Padri Top also has 99.7 km long grasslands. The place is located at the borders of Himachal, Jammu, and Kashmir. Tourists can reach Padri Top through local transport after landing by air routes from Jammu airport. Padri Top is a very adventurous and a favorite tourist destination in the Doda district of Jammu.
2. Chinta Valley
Chinta Valley is a village situated 20 km from Bhaderwah town, and it is often termed a valley. This valley is covered with forests on all sides and a stream flows through the valley which is called Chinta Nallah. The valley is divided by a village named Thuba from Bhaderwah. The Chinta Valley is 6500 feet above sea level, and its exact location is in Bhaderwah, Doda district. The people living in this village celebrate a festival called the Bhaderwah festival every year, which starts in Raksha Bandhan and ends in November. Many other villages of Bhaderwah town participate in the festival and enjoy it a lot. A primary health center is also located in the region of Chinta village, which is very beneficial for the local public.
Regarding tourism, Chinta is counted in the list of best tourist destinations of Jammu region in Jammu and Kashmir. Different valleys are connected in this place; they are considered as separate picnic or tourist places. Apart from visiting these beautiful natural creations, there are options for adventurous activities like paragliding in Jai Valley and Chinta Valley, which have a suitable climate for activities like paragliding. Paragliding is very special, attractive, and one of the most sought-after tourist activities in hilly areas; Paragliding is suitable all year round except in humid climates. Thus, tourists can enjoy paragliding in the summer as well. Tourists can view Chinta Valley and Bhaderwah town from Subar Nag Peak near the Chinta-Bhaderwah highway. People can reach Subar Nag Peak easily through the footpath and enjoy the beautiful view of the valley and Bhaderwah town. Winter season is best for visiting Subar Nag Peak.
Visitors can easily reach Chinta Valley through road networks. Bhaderwah-Chinta Road is used to pass through Jai Valley and connect or reach Chinta; Tourists often use the main road to visit Chinta Valley. Some alternate road options are under construction that will be suitable for visiting Jai Valley. Additionally, these alternate roads can also be used to visit Chinta Valley because Jai Valley and Chinta Valley are located within a distance of 10 km. The famous food item in Bhaderwah is Rajma. In Chinta Valley, Rajma is often served with maize or rice.
3. Jai Valley
Jai Valley is located around 32 km away from Bhaderwah town in Jammu. It is near Chinta Valley. The Bhaderwah-Chinta road connects Jai Valley to Chinta Valley and many other villages of Bhaderwah town. The whole valley is covered with trees and bushes; it is an extremely beautiful spot in Jammu and Kashmir. Mainly, the greenery of the valley is the attraction point for tourists. In summer, the Jai Valley usually gets full of meadows. In winter, these landscapes are often covered with snow. Thus, both the seasons are feasible for the tourists to visit here. The meadows are spread up to 9km in Jai Valley, and the valley is divided by the stream called Jai Nallah, just like Chinta Valley. The stream meets with the tributary of the Chenab River after crossing the valley. Everything is so beautiful and interesting about Jai Valley, but there are no mobile networks. Tourists face difficulties in contacting each other due to the need for networking systems. However, it is also a positive point as visitors can enjoy the beautiful creation of nature without any interference from artificial gadgets like mobile phones. Jai Valley is 6km long and 0.5km wide.
Besides tourists, locals of the nearby villages often visit the valley to feed their cattle. In the summer, thousands of tourists visit Jai Valley, the most famous and attractive tourist spot in Bhaderwah. Many interesting spots like waterfalls and amazing rock climbing and trekking activities exist here. Also, the stream called Jai Nallah is famous for fish culture. In winter, the valley provides options for interesting activities like ice skating and skiing. Also, there are Igloo huts for tourists built in valleys for the winter season. Due to similar climatic conditions, like Chinta Valley, you will get to see paragliding in Jai Valley, even in summer.
4. Sonbain
Sonbain is often referred to as Sonbain Glacier or Sonbain Ashapati in the Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir. Sonbain is the area east of Bhaderwah and situated near the border of Himachal Pradesh. Sonbain Glacier is famous for the origination of the Neeru River. The mountains are the main border between Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. These ranges are part of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas.
5. Gupt Ganga Temple
Gupt Ganga temple is one of the most important places in Jammu and Kashmir. This ancient temple has significant beliefs as per the mythology of India and this temple is special for the worship of Lord Shiva. It is located at River Neeru’s bank. The temple is entirely built with stone slabs. According to a popular legend, the river Ganga suddenly falls on the Shiva Linga and then disappears. The temple is called Gupt Ganga because tourists often get confused by the drops of river water falling on the Shiva Linga as they do not know where these drops of water are coming from. Inside the temple, there are the footprints of Bhimsen.
The temple’s nearby region is beautiful, peaceful, and enjoyable. The temple has a sort of tomb construction. The temple is very famous in Bhaderwah district of Jammu; nearby pilgrims and tourists often visit the temple. A stream flows through inside the temple designed to drop out the water from the river directly on the Shiva Lingam, as the river is the purest form of water. This culture is automatically followed because the Gupt Ganga temple is on the bank of the river. Besides, the simple design of the temple and the beauty of nearby areas are the main attraction points for tourists to visit the temple. Visitors would always want to visit the temple again because of the beautiful sight of the temple. A huge and beautiful Shiva Ling is kept inside the temple for the devotees to worship. The temple is located at the perfect destination, and every year, thousands of tourists visit the temple.
6. Nalthi
Nalthi is a village located 3km from Bhaderwah and 40km from Doda. The total population of Nalthi village is around 1310, of which males are 691 and females are 619. Bhaderwah is nearest to the village of Nalthi, so the villagers depend on the Bhaderwah for all major activities. There are two main attractions in the village for tourism, which include ‘Walnut Garden’ and ‘Himman Tourist Resort’. On rock, a Hanuman temple is also present in the village; pilgrims visit the temple frequently.
7. Fish Pond
Fish Pond is one of the highly-rated tourist spots in Bhaderwah, Jammu. It is located at a very beautiful destination and is famous for boating. It is located at Gatha Lake, and the place is full of greenery. Many resorts are located near Fish Pond in Bhaderwah, especially for tourists. This place is an ideal picnic spot for families. There is nothing so special about this place, but due to the beautiful environment and activities like boating, tourists often visit this place of Bhaderwah.
8. Chandi Mata Temple in Chinote
The Chandi Mata temple is located in the beautiful valley of Poddar. The temple is one of the most important temples of Hindus. Millions of devotees visit the temple of Chandi Mata every year. The journey to Chandi Mata Temple is not easy; it starts from Gulabgarh and is about 30 km from there. The route is very difficult as transport is available only up to Gulabgarh; the rest distance can only be determined through trekking. The path to the temple is very adventurous, and there is no entry fee. The best time to visit Chandi Mata temple is in the month of August.
9. Bhaderwah Fort
Bhaderwah Fort is the most important landmark of Bhaderwah town. This historical fort is also known as Ratangarh Fort. The fort is located at the top of a hill, which provides a view of the whole Bhaderwah valley and pine trees. Bhaderwah Fort was constructed in the year 1733 by Raja Medini Pal. Later, it was captured by many other rulers because such assaults were very common in the 18th century. In 1821, Chamba rulers got the power of the Bhaderwah region and Bhaderwah fort. Chamba ruled in Bhaderwah for three years. After that, the fort came under Maharaja Gulab Singh. Later, Bhaderwah Fort was given by Maharaja Gulab Singh to the General as a present for his excellence. Then, in 1919, the Bhaderwah Fort was used as a jail during the rule of the Britishers; the fort gave shelter to many freedom fighters. After 88 years, in 2007, the government of Jammu and Kashmir decided to present the fort as a heritage point in Jammu, and so the Bhaderwah fort became a tourist spot in Jammu.
Tourists can easily reach the fort by taking only 15 to 20 minutes’ drive from Bhaderwah town. This historical place is full of greenery and peace and due to these qualities, this fort is one of the most important and famous tourist places of Jammu region. The fort is maintained with LED lighting and a sound system on some occasions, which makes it different from other historical forts.
The fort is divided into upper and lower sections as the upper section is built slightly higher than the lower section. There are two towers adjacent to each other in the fort. These two towers were built during the construction of the fort, and the rest were built over. Both these towers are now in bad condition and unsuitable for tourists, so they have been closed to visitors. Tourists can see the towers of Bhaderwah Fort only from outside. Some beautiful stairs were constructed to connect both parts of the fort. Four main towers were also built in the lower part of the fort for security. Sadly, there are no washrooms and eating facilities in this fort. The fort is under the control of the government and has been converted into a heritage site as a tourist attraction in Bhaderwah.
10. Seoj Dhar
Seoj Dhar is a lake full of mystery and different religious beliefs. It is located at a height of 12, 887 feet from the sea level. The lake is a holy place for the people of Bhaderwah; native people of Bhaderwah town and nearby villages often come to Seoj Dhar for their religious practices. Seoj Dhar is popular for reaching Kailash Kund. There is a three-day trek to reach Kailash Kund; it starts from Vasuki Nag temple by crossing the beautiful meadows of Seoj Dhar and other beautiful villages of Bhaderwah town. The pilgrims or visitors also reach Kailash Kund. This Kailash Kund Yatra attracts many tourists and pilgrims as the whole path is just as beautiful as other places in Jammu.
Many customs are associated with this trek, hence people visit Seoj Dhar and then Kailash Kund. The best time for pilgrimage from Seoj Dhar to Kailash Kund is August to September. Tourists learn about the culture of the people of Bhaderwah town as they pass through many different villages and grasslands while trekking. Seoj Dhar’s trip is refreshing due to the beautiful environment and greenery. The grasslands of Seoj Dhar are the most attractive part of the trip; these are called hidden paradise. These grasslands extend for miles and are filled with coniferous trees. During this extremely adventurous route, there are also jungle walks.
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