Omkar Dattatray
Whole of Jammu and Kashmir is the land of shrines ,temples and other religious places and spirituality is the main attribute of this place and so pilgrim tourism has a big scope in the overall tourism of the Jammu and Kashmir .The development of pilgrim tourism along with the overall tourism is very much the need of the hour and the development and exploring the tourist potential of the two will ultimately result in the significant development of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir .Some three ,four decades ago Kashmir was infamous for militancy ,killings and violence and the people were hesitant to undertake visit to J&K .But those bad days are gone and are a history now and the winds of positive change ,normalcy ,peace and development are brewing and giving this place a good name which it deserves. .Jammu and Kashmir has moved away from those dark days and Kashmir is again becoming a paradise on earth and is attracting huge rush of Indian/domestic and foreign tourists and this adds to the economy of the UT .Government of Jammu and Kashmir should encourage and invest in the tourist sector along with in the pilgrim tourism and this will contribute to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir .Jammu and Kashmir is home to people belonging to several religions and faiths ,and as a result ,there are numerous pilgrimage sites which attract pilgrim tourists in large numbers .Many of the popular pilgrimage tourism sites in Jammu and Kashmir are not just spiritual but also possess a historical significance ,since they date back to ancient times .Another reason why the people visit the pilgrimage sites during holidays in Jammu and Kashmir is the unmatched and unparallel beauty which envelops it ,and enhances the entire spiritual experience .Jammu and Kashmir is dotted with temples ,mosques ,Gurudwars and natural shrines and visiting them gives the tourists an enriching experience.
There are no two opinions about the fact that pilgrim tourism has an important place in the tourism industry and economy of Jammu and Kashmir .There is great scope for pilgrim tourism in the development of the UT .Therefore the government of the J&K UT should pay urgent and serious attention to explore and develop pilgrim tourism in Jammu and Kashmir .The government through its information and tourism department should advertise the pilgrim tourist and scenic spots of Jammu and Kashmir and encourage the Indian as well as foreign tourists to visit pilgrim tourist sports .Government should blend the spirituality and tourism so that visitors will in huge numbers visit the beautiful places of the UT after paying obeisance at the famous religious spots and it will contribute to the overall tourism industry which will provide self employment to a big number of youths in Jammu and Kashmir .It is pertinent to mention that pilgrim tourism will develop along with the general tourism and the mixture of the two will pave way for the a development of both types of tourism and this will be a significant thing for the UT of Jammu and Kashmir .There are many pilgrimage sites in Jammu and Kashmir and the visitors and devotees visit these places and take joy and pleasure .One of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Jammu is the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ,nestled in the Trikuta Hills in Katra .Pilgrims and tourists come here to get the blessings of Mata and they also appreciate the natural beauty of this shrine and Trikuta Hills .Another popular pilgrimage sites in Jammu and Kashmir is the holy Amarnath cave situated in the south Kashmir district of Anantnag in Himalayas .A large number of devotees and tourists every year visit this natural shrine and get the blessings of Lord Shiva and get mesmerized by its natural beauty .Shankaracharya Temple built in 750 AD is also a most important tourist pilgrimage sites in Jammu and Kashmir and this temple is visited by a large number of people .Raghunath temple in Jammu city is also a site of big attraction and people visit this temple in large numbers and pay obeisance to Lord Ram and Mata Janki .The people who come to visit Jammu and Kashmir also visit Raghunath temple and see its grandeur .Besides these pilgrim tourist sites ,the important places in Kashmir are as follows-A famous pilgrimage site in Jammu and Kashmir is Jami Masjid built in 1400 AD and consists of 300 pillars .It is famous for its Indo-Saracenic style of architecture and houses a gorgeous courtyard .Another pilgrimage site which is very famous and beautiful is the shrine of Hazratbal ,located on the western banks of the lovely Dal Lake .Built of immaculate white marble .It is a magnificent structure which is highly respected by the Muslims as it preserves the sacred hair from the beard of Prophet Muhammad .Charar -e-Sharif ,located in district Budgam district is a pilgrimage site which people visit while visiting Jammu and Kashmir and it is frequently visited by the people .This shrine houses the grave of Nooru-Din-Noorani also called Nund Rish .The shrine of Dastagir Sahib and Makhdoom Sahib are the other famous pilgrimage sites which are located in down town Srinagar .All these pilgrimage sites are the pride of Jammu and Kashmir and these sites ,shrines ,temples and Masjids are frequently visited by the people and Jammu and Kashmir shines with the grace of these pilgrim places .Because of these and other pilgrim sites ,the pilgrim, tourism has got an enviable place in the tourist map of Jammu and Kashmir .The visitors who come to visit Jammu and Kashmir, also pay visit to these pilgrim spots and this adds charm to the natural beauty of this place .Pilgrim and other tourists in large numbers visit these pilgrim sites and their visit adds to the tourist economy of Jammu and Kashmir. .The government of Jammu and Kashmir should pay its attention to these and other pilgrim tourist sites and encourage people to visit these places and in this way the pilgrim tourism of Jammu and Kashmir will get a facelift and the pilgrim tourism will contribute to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir .In short there is big scope for the development of pilgrim tourism in Jammu and Kashmir and the name of the UT today shines in the world.
(The author is a columnist,
social and KP activist).
