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Jammu. the Duggar land where
the past still has a living presence. A
land of grand ancient temples, and beatiful
palaces. All nestling in the foothills of
the Himalayas. It is said that, on becoming
King, the Suryavanshi Jambu Lochan went
on a hunt and, crossing the Tawi, found
a deer and a tiger drinking water from the
same tank. His ministers explained that
this meant that the soil of the place was
so virtuous that no living creature bore
enmity against another. Raja Jambu Lochan,
who lived in the later vedic period, decided
to found his capital , Jambupura, on his
soil, on the right bank of the Tawi, overlooking
his brother king Bahu's fort. Today the
temple of Maha Kali ( better known as Bahu
or Bawey Wali Mata), located in the Bahufort,
is considered second only to Mata Vaishno
Devi in terms of mystical power. The present
temple was built shortly after the coronation
of Maharaja Gulab singh, in 1822. The existing
fort, as well as the Manasabdar's palace
inside it, was constructed in 1820.
Jammu is justly famous for
its temples. Infact it is known as the city
of temples and the every fame of its tends
to overshadow its palaces, forts, forests
and powerful ziarats. If Bahu Mata is the
presiding deity of Jammu, the dargah of
Peer Budhan Ali Shah is the other shrine
that protects Jammuites. The other major
tourist attraction is the Ragunath Temple
Complex. Maharaja Gulab Singh began the
construction of the Raghunath Mandir Complex
in the crowded downtown Bazaar named after
it, in 1851. It was left to his son, Ranbir
Singh, to inagurate it six years later perhaps
the most popular temple north of Benares,
it contains representations of almost entire
Hindu pantheon, though the emphassis falls
on the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
The complex houses a rich collection of
ancient texts and manuscripts.
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