Anantnag is a district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the districts which make up the Kashmir Valley. Anantnag District is in southern sector of Jhelum Valley. The district headquarters is Anantnag city. As of 2011, it was the third most populous district of Jammu and Kashmir, after Jammu and Srinagar. The Northern and Western sides of this district are bounded by Pulwama district while Kulgam district falls in its west. Anantnag district comprises Kokernag, Shangus, Anantnag (town), Bijbehara, Doru, Pahalgam and Qazigund tehsils.
Demography of Anantnag District
According to the 2011 census Anantnag district had a population of 1,078,692. This gives it a ranking of 425th in India. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 37.48%. Anantnag had a sex ratio of 937 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 64.32% in 2011.
Tourism in Anantnag District
The Anantnag district consists of many tourist places like Verinag, Achabal, Kokernag, Daksum, Pahalgam, Dandipora, Chatabal, Martand and Sinthan top. Of these places, Pahalgam and Kokernag are the most famous places just 50 km from Anantnag Town. Amarnath Temple, a famous shrine in Hinduism dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in Pahalgam. It is the site of an annual pilgrimage, Amarnath Yatra.
Historical Sites at Anantnag District
Anantnag, like the rest of the Kashmir Valley, has witnessed many upheavals from time to time. Historians have found here some monuments of the Mughal period in ruins. The Martand temple is one of the most ancient architectural monuments in the area which were once destroyed during the rule of Sultan Sikander. What must have once been magnificent architectural show pieces like the Martand complex of temples, or the temples of Lalitaditya, the Emperor of Kashmir, and King Avantivarman at Avantipur are now in grand ruins. There is a Shiva temple here, generally considered to be Kashmir`s oldest existing temple, dating to the 5th century.
The Martand temple is one of the important archaeological sites of the country. The temple was attacked by Sikander Butshikan. It took one year for Sikander Butshikan to fully damage and destroy this Martand temple. Even today one gets surprised over art and skill of the builders of this world famous Martand temple by looking at its ruins.
Its impressive architecture reveals the glorious past of the area.
Climate of Anantnag District
Anantnag"s climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Karakoram to its east and the Pir Panjal range to the south. It can be generally described as cool in the spring and autumn, mild in the summer and cold in the winter. Anantnag District possesses all the typical characteristics of the climate of Kashmir Valley as a whole.
Transportation of Anantnag District
Anantnag is well connected by road which is about 59 km by road to Srinagar. Some of the railway stations in district are Panjgam, Brijbehra, Bijbiara which connects most of the towns and villages in the district. Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transportation runs buses from major cities to towns and villages in this district.
