Jammu & Kashmir Pilgrim Tourism provides an awe-inspiring range of holy sites that spans across the length and breadth of the state. From Sufism and Hinduism to Islam and Buddhism, each and every pilgrim spot of Jammu & Kashmir speaks of a distinct religious heritage.
Some of the holey sites are:
Shankarcharya Temple:
It is located at 1100 ft. above surface level of the main city on the Shankarcharya hill. The Shiva temple, as Kalhana believes, was constructed by Raja Gopadatya in 371 B.C. and, as such, is the oldest shrine in Kashmir, though it is not certain if the temple exists in the same form as it had been built more than two thousands years ago.
The temple, besides a prominent Hindu religious place, is of great archaeological importance. The temple commands a magnificent panoramic view of the Srinagar City.
Hazratbal Shrine:
The most important Muslim shrine of Kashmir, that commands the reverence of the people beyond measure, is undoubtedly the Hazratbal Shrine, which is situated on the left bank of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar This unmatched reverence is anchored in the love and respect for the Prophet. Mohammad (peace be upon him), whose Moi-e-Muqqadus, (the sacred hair) is preserves here.The shrine is known by many names including Hazratbal, Assar-e-Sharief, Madinat-us-Sani, Dargah Sharief & Dargah.
Khir Bhawani Temple:
Situated at Tullamula in the Srinagar district, it is an important Hindu Shrine. The temple is associated with the hindu godess, Ragnya Devi. An Annual festival is held here on Jesht Ashtami (May-June) when Hindus visit the place in large numbers to offer prayers to seek the blessings of the deity. Devotees also throng on every Shukla Paksh Ashtami round the year & perform HAWANS to please the Mother. The Historic Temple of Kheer Bhiwani was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 & later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
Surrounded by steams, the place abounds in Chinar tree in-and-around the compound Complex within which is a hexagonal Spring wherein deity of Godess Ragnya is decorated in a small white Marble Temple. The legend goes that Lord Rama worshipped Mother Ragnya during his exile & desired Hanuman ji to shift the seat of Mother after the expiry of exile period, who bought it to Shadipora and was latter shifted to present to present site as per the wish of devine Mother Ragnya conveyed in dream to one Pandit Rugnath Gadroo, it is believed.
Amarnath:
One of the holy Trinity, Shiva is a living God. The most sacred and the most ancient book of India, the Rigveda evokes his presence in its hymns. Vedic myths, rituals and even astronomy testify to his existence from the dawn of time. But Shiva, Destroyer, the mendicant, is indefinable: He is a great yogi. Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in a Cave in Amarnath. Unknown to them a pair of mating doves eavesdropped on this conversation and having learned the secret, are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. Many pilgrims report seeing the doves pair when they trek the arduous route to pay obeisance before the ice-lingam.
Khanqah-e-moula:
In 1480 the shrine was gutted in a devThe shrine of Shah-e-Hamdan or Khanqah e Moulla is one of the oldest Muslim shrines in Kashmir situated on the banks of river Jhelum in the old city. The shrine was originally constructed by Sultan Sikander (1389-1413 AD) in the memory of Muslim preacher Mir Syed Ali Hamdani who had visited Kashmir and stayed there for meditation and preaching .astating fire and the then ruler Sultan Hassan Shah reconstructed the shrine on old edifice at a larger area. The shrine was later demolished and reconstructed in two storied form in 1493 AD. In 1731 AD the shrine again was destroyed in fire and
was reconstructed by Abdul Barkat Khan.
Jamia Masjid:
Jama Masjid Mosque in Srinagar, India
Jama Masjid Mosque is a mosque in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. The Jama Masjid of Srinagar is situated at Nowhatta, in the middle of the old city. An important mosque in Srinagar, it was built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD. Later, the son of Sultan Sikandar, Zain-ul-Abidin got the mosque extended. The attractions of the Jama Masjid of Srinagar, Kashmir include beautiful Indo-Saracenic architecture, a magnificent courtyard and 370 wooden pillars. Another feature of the mosque is the peace and tranquility inside it, standing out against the hustle of the old bazaars around it.
Charar-i-sharief:
This historical town is famous for the tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-u-din Noorani who preached Islam through his poetry. Every year Urs is celebrated at Charar-i-Sharief. Lakhs of people from all faiths visit the shrine. This is the only town in valley which was to be developed as a Model Town.
