Pahalgam
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 India
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| Union Territory : | Jammu and Kashmir | ||
| District : | Anantnag | ||
| Location : | 34 ° 2 ′ N , 75 ° 19 ′ E | ||
| Height : | 2191 m | ||
| Area : | 400 km² | ||
| Residents : | 9,264 (2011) | ||
| Population density : | 23 inhabitants / km² | ||
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Pahalgam is a small town ( Municipal Committee ) with about 9500 and the capital of a sub-district ( tehsil ) with about 12,000 inhabitants in the district of Anantnag in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir .
The municipality includes several smaller villages and also the Aru valley and the Betaab valley . The place is known as the starting point for the summer pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave at an altitude of 3882 m . The landscape scenes of many Bollywood films are also often shot here.
location
Pahalgam is located on the river Lidder about 40 km (driving distance) north of the district capital Anantnag and about 87 km east of Srinagar at an altitude of about 2200 m to 2650 m .
climate
The climate is temperate and cold. The warmest month is July with 21.8 ° C, while in January the temperature is -3.3 ° C. Most of the precipitation of the year falls in March. The average annual rainfall is 1036 mmm.
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Population and economy
Today's population, made up of different ethnic groups, lived for centuries from a little agriculture and cattle breeding. In the 20th century, pilgrimage tourism, which had existed for a long time, and the newly added trekking and hiking tourism developed into important sources of income.
history
As the small Mamleshwar temple proves, a settlement in the valley of the Lidder River has probably existed for a millennium and a half. The pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave also has a long tradition. Pahalgam gained importance during the British colonial times when the British Army set up one of their hill stations here.
Attractions
- Apart from its surroundings, the site, which has been largely rebuilt in the last few decades, offers no significant attractions.
- Surroundings
- The small stone temple in the village of Mamal, about a kilometer and a half to the south-west, mostly dated around AD 400, is one of the oldest in all of India.
- The wooded Aru Valley, about 12 km north of the municipality, is one of the most popular excursion destinations in the area. Here you can find Himalayan cedars , teardrop pines , pindrow firs as well as the Indian horse chestnut . Among the bushes, Indigofera ( Indigofera heterantha ), Viburnum and Sorbaria species should be emphasized.
- A mountain hike, usually lasting several days, to the Kolahoi glacier, 35 km away , however, requires a significantly better level of fitness.
- A visit to the two 3800 m high mountain lakes Tarsar and Marsar Lake also requires 2 to 3 days.
- In the summer months of July and August, an ice column forms in the Amarnath Cave, about 30 km away and about 3900 m high, which is regarded and revered by devout Hindus as a Shiva Lingam .
- The ruins of the Sun Temple at Martand near Anantnag are of great cultural and historical importance .
- The ruins of Awantipora are located about 30 km southeast of Srinagar.
Web links
- Aru Valley - Photos and information (English)
- Aru Valley - Photo + Info (English)
- Pahalgam - Info (English)
- Mamleshwar Temple - Photo + tooltips (English)