Ajay Bhagat
Kishtwar is first referred to in the Rajatarangini by the ancient name Kashthavata during the reign of Raja Kalsa of Kashmir (1063-1089), when “Uttamaraja”, the ruler of Kashthavata visited the court of the Kashmir King in company with several other hill chiefs to pay their respects to the Raja. This place, as said by people, is also mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Kishtwar was part of the Jammu state during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Dev. Kishtwar became part of the Jammu Dogra state of Raja Gulab Singh, when he annexed it in 1821.
The local ruler of this place, Mohammed Tegh Singh, was sent to prison in Lahore jail, where he killed himself. With the passage of time, Kishtwar became a Tehsil of the Udhampur district and remained so until 1948, when it became part of the newly created District Doda in the wake of first re-organization of the state during the post-independence period. District Kishtwar was carved out from the erstwhile District Doda during the year 2007-08 when the Chief Minister of state G.N.Azad had taken a historic decision in July 2006 for creation of the new district. Kishtwar is almost mountainous like that of Himachal or Ladakh region. District Kishtwar has its boundaries touching the valleys of Himachal in the south east and Doda on South-West. The entire district is full of mountains, forest and hills. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs all reside here with amity and brotherhood. An almost entire district receives snowfall during a good winter. Kishtwar is full of hidden charm, wonderful sites and spots, health resorts, tourist’s locations famous historical and religious places, sacred shrines and monuments. Kishtwar is also known as Power hub of the North India due to numerous power projects there.
Summer season is ideal time to visit Kishtwar to beat sweltering heat in plains. This is place to beat stress and get relaxed.
Places of Attractions
The Chenab River flows through the district and is joined by tributaries such as the Marvisudar river of Marwah, Fambar Nallah, Chingam Nallah which meet at the confluence near Bhandarkoot. The rivers have cut steep gorges and wide plains on the way. Warwan and Marwah valleys are unique in being located in the way of river Marusudar. The area is also known for its high mountain passes which have been the mountaineer’s delight since the British era.
Saffron Safari : A place of attraction for the tourists are the saffron fields of Kishtwar located mainly in Pochhal, Hatta, Bera-Bhatta, Matta and Berwar villages nearby Kishtwar town. Saffron (GI Tag) flowers are in full blossom in the months of October and November every year, so this time is the best for visit to Saffron Safari. The view of purple colored Saffron flowers, spreads like a blanket over the fields, early in the morning is, really, enthralling and mesmerizing. The fragrance scattered by this blossom in the atmosphere gives a heavenly touch to the environment. Early in the morning women folk, men and children in their colorful attires go to the saffron fields for plucking flowers, preferably, before sun-rise otherwise its red carpels get separated from the petals after sun rise, causing inconvenience in handling these later on.
Chowgan : In the center of the Kishtwar there is a big play ground/ grazing field known as Chowgan. Its area is about 520 Kanals or 165 Acres. It is surrounded by Chinar, Deodar and different kinds of trees. It is the main attractive place in the Kishtwar district. On its North there is a big temple called Gori Shanker Mandir and in its south there is a Shrine (Ziyarat) namely Asrar-Ud-Din- Bagdadi. Its ancient name is Goverdhansar which was a beautiful lake in olden days, but with natural crisis all of its water flowed down after which it is used for playing and grazing field. This ground is now developed in a modern ground with electric lights and different types of flowers all around it. There is also a small helipad / airport on its North. A numbers of villages surround to this playground and they adds to its beauty.
Bhandarkoot : The place is situated at a distance of about 12 Kms from Kishtwar town on Kishtwar-Synthen-Anantnag road. A big mela is held here on Baisakhi every year. After a dip in the ‘Sangam’, the visitors pay their obeisance to the two most revered religious places, the Astaan of ‘Shah Zain-ud-Din’ on the left side of Chanderbhaga, and the ancient ‘Neelgangeshwar’ pond and the temples of other gods and goddesses on the right bank of the river.
Mughal Maidan : Eight kilometers ahead of Bhandaroot comes Mughal-Maidan a scenic spot on the bank of Chatroo River. The market place and some govt. buildings add to the beauty of this place. The place is being developed as tourist spot. Chatroo River is known for rearing ‘Trout’ fish.
Sinthan Top : From Chingam onwards, we find an ascending road amidst Zigzag road and forest cover; we reach Sinthan Maidan, 60 kilometers away from Kishtwar. The alpine pastures of this place have matchless natural beauty. The cool and salubrious climate of the place has a refreshing effect on the tourists. Here we find unending slopes and plain meadows on the foot of the Sinthan-top. The place is ideal for games like Para-gliding, horse riding, rock climbing and winter games like skiing, skating, ice -hockey etc. 24 kilometers ahead of Sinthan Maidan is the Sinthan Top at an altitude of 3784 meters from sea level. On reaching the top, one feels at the top of the world, quite light and detached from the worldly worries. View of the surrounding area is very charming. A potato (Aloo) farm established here by the Agriculture Department yields a good potato-crop which is superior in quality and tasty to eat.
Valley of Paddar : The valley is known for its Sapphire mines. Albeit Sapphires are located in the valley of Paddar in Jammu division, they are known as Kashmiri sapphires which is a misnomer. It lies along the Chandrabhaga River (Chenab) in the Great Himalayas. Paddar is one of the most remotest regions of Jammu and Kashmir. The mines are located at a height of about 4,267 meters or 14,000 feet above sea level on mountain top above Sunchan village some 40 kilometers from Atholi.
Kishtwar National Park : situated in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India, is a pristine wilderness area known for its stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and unique ecological significance. Established in 1981, the park covers an area of approximately 425 square kilometers and encompasses a diverse range of habitats, including alpine meadows, coniferous forests, and high-altitude glaciers. The park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered species such as the Kashmir stag (Hangul), Himalayan brown bear, snow leopard, and Markhor. It also serves as an important habitat for numerous bird species, making it a paradise for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Visitors to Kishtwar National Park can explore the park’s pristine wilderness through guided treks and nature walks, allowing them to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the Himalayan region. The park offers breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks, sparkling streams, and lush valleys, providing a serene and rejuvenating experience for visitors seeking solace amidst nature.
Machail Chandi Mata Temple: popularly known as Machail Mata, is a shrine of the Hindu goddess Durga in the village Machail of Sub Division Paddar, in Kishtwar. It is near tributaries of the Chenab River. The area is home to a Buddhist community and the Thakur community who is serpent worshipers, and was merged with Kishtwar tehsil, by Maharaja Singh.
Sarthal Mata: considered as re-incarnation of Goddess Durga, is the chief deity of Hindus in Kishtwar and adjoining areas. Originally made from the stones by locals under patronage of Raja Agar Dev of Kishtwar, this holy temple was renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1936 from the wood of Dayalwan and Deviyun-van forest.
Shrine of Shah Asrar: is situated in the southeast of Chowgan. It is a highly revered shrine and is one of the prime tourist attractions in Kishtwar. The shrine is also popularly known as Darbar-e Asrariya and Astan-e-Payeen. Shah Asrar, on whose memory the shrine is dedicated, performed great miracles and became quite popular amongst the people. The legend has it that Shah Asrar, who was born to Hazrat Farid-ud-din, was a born saint. It is believed that at a very young age, Shah Asrar started to show signs of his incredible talent. His Urs, which is celebrated every year on 25th day of Kartik is considered as one of the major attractions in Kishtwar as on this day a large number of devotees of all religions throng his shrine seeking to get blessings and their wishes fulfilled.
(The author is Assistant Engineer JKPDD)
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