Romantic
blend of beauty
Patnitop, situated near Vaishno Devi Temple, is a busy hill station and a
good place to enjoy the nature, which is always in its full bloom. Ladakh is
home to the minority Buddhist community in the states. About three hours
drive away from Jammu, Patnitop is a place not heavily discovered by the
tourists.
Access
By Air : The state has three major civil airports at
Srinagar, Jammu, and Ladakh connected to Delhi and other places in the
country.
By Rail : Jammu Tawi is the main railhead of Jammu &
Kashmir. It is connected to most of the important towns and cities of the
country.
By Road : One can easily reach Jammu by the National
Highway 1A that goes from Punjab and runs through this city, connecting it
to the rest of the state, including the capital Srinagar.
To reach Patnitop from Jammu - Buses and Taxis are available from
Jammu/Katra/Udhampur. By a taxi it takes about 3 and a half hours and a bus
takes about 5 hours.
Escape in the maze of beauty
Enveloped by thickly wooded forests, Patnitop offers beautiful picnic
spots, peaceful walks and breathtaking views of the mountainscape of the
Chenab river. In winter, the resort provides opportunities for various snow
games, including skiing. The lush wooded forests around offer ample
opportunity for trekking and a rich selection of scenic spots for picnics. A
walk on the kutcha (unpaved) paths between rows and rows of tall trees leads
to quiet retreats and excellent views of the pine-covered mountains. The
only sound one hears is the tinkling of bells around the necks of goats and
cows and the rustling of leaves and twigs as one walks in a dream world of
his own.
Sightseeing
The Naag (cobra) temple : The pride of Patnitop is its
600-year-old Naag (cobra) temple. Though small in size, it reflects the
faith and reverence shared by millions of Indians all over. The evenings in
Patnitop are quite cold. The mountains are covered by fog and visibility can
drop to a mere 10 feet. The peak season is during the summer, though end
July to August is beautiful and not crowded.
Most of the tourists who come to the Jammu region have the Mata Vaishno
Devi shrine as their destination, which is quite close by. However, the
spirit of holiness permeates through the entire city, so much so that Jammu
is also known as the 'City of Temples'. If Bahu Mata is the presiding deity
of Jammu, the dargah of Peer Budhan Ali Shah is the other shrine that s
believed to protect Jammuites.
Sudh Mahadev : Every year on the full moon day in the
month of Savan ( according to Hindi calendar) pilgrims come here in huge
numbers to worship the tri shul (trident) symbolizing Lord Shiva. Sudh
Mahadev is an important pilgrimage in the area. Other temples in the city
include the Gauri Kund temple, Shiva temple, Peer Khoh Cave temple,
Ranbireshwar temple and the Parmandal temple complex.
Accommodation
There are only a few hotels to stay and it is better to come back to Jammu
in the evening. For security reasons, camping is discouraged in Patnitop.
Shopping
Patnitop does not offer opportunities to shop. For really compulsive
shoppers, a few kiosks are located beside the meadow selling Kashmiri
specialties- handicrafts, namdas (embroidered wool carpets), pherans
(embroidered long shirts) and woolens.
