SrinagarWeb.com from Jammu And Kashmir

Srinagar is located in the heart of the Kashmir valley at an altitude of 1,730 m above sea level, spread on both sides of the river Jhelum. The Dal and Nagin lakes enhance its picturesque setting, while the changing play of the seasons and the salubrious climate ensures that the city is equally attractive to visitors around the year.

Kalhana, the author of 'Rajtarangini�, states that Srinagri was founded by Emperor Ashoka (3^rd Century BC). The present city of Srinagar was founded by Pravarasena-II, and Hiuen Tsang, who visited Kashmir in 631 AD, found it at the same site as it is today. Laltaditya Muktapida was the most illustrious ruler of Kashmir in the Hindu period, which ended in 1339 AD. King Zain-ul-Abidin (1420-70 AD), popularly known as �Budshah�, was a great patron of Sanskrit. Akbar captured Kashmir valley for the Mughals, who endowed Srinagar with beautiful mosques and gardens. The Sikhs overthrew the last Muslim ruler in the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1819. In 1846 the Dogras secured the sovereignty of Kashmir from the British under the Treaty of Amrjtsar, and in 1947 the state of Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar as its capital, became part of the Indian Union.

Today Srinagar is a resort for the tourist who can experience, at first hand, the peculiar beauty of the valley that has attracted the Chinese, the Mughals and the British to it.

Its waterways with their own quaint lifestyle, the unique Houseboat, the blossoming gardens, water

sports activities, shopping for lovingly hand-crafted souvenirs and the nearby resorts make it a cherished spot among those looking for a memorable holiday.

Area	105 sq kms
Altitude	1,730 m.
Temperature	Max	Min
Summer	29.5 C	10.6 C
Winter	7.3 C	-1.9 C
Rainfall	52.9 cms
Population	6, 06, 002 (1981 Census), now about 10 lakhs.
Best Season	Throughout the year, though the winter months can be quite cold.
Clothing Spring and autumn	Light woollens.
Summer	Cotton/tropical
Winter	Heavy woollens
Languages	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, English.

State Bank of India, Residency Road. Jammu & Kashmir Bank Ltd., Residency Road. ANZ Grindlays Bank, Residency Road. Canara Bank, The Bund. Bank of Baroda, Residency Road

Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Tel. 422593. SMHS Hospital, Karan Nagar, Tel. No.459017, 452578 Children's Hospital, Hospital Road, Tel. No. No.476554 Lal Ded Hospital, Srinagar, Tele No.477527/471458 Jhelum Valley Medical College ,Srinagar Tele.No.452025 Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital, Rainawari. Bone & Joints Hospital, Barzulla Srinagar Tele.No. 432135

General Post Office, The Bund. Central Telegraph Office, M.A. Road (Open 24 hours). Post Office at New Airport, Govt. Central Market; Hazratbal, Lal Chowk, Nehru Park and Tourist Reception Centre.

A special police force called Tourist Police is posted at all important places frequented by tourists for providing assistance to tourists to prevent them from being cheated, harassed, etc. This force is headed by a Superintendent of Police, designated as Deputy Director Tourism (Enforcement) and is stationed in the Tourist Reception Centre.

For safeguarding the interests of tourists visiting the State, the J&K Government has enacted a special legislation called "J&K Registration of Tourist Trade Act" under which some officers of the Tourism Department have been vested with magisterial powers, including the power of compounding, in case of cheating, overcharging, harassment, pestering, touting, etc. faced by tourists. Tourists are urged to contact the nearest tourism officer or the Deputy Director Tourism (Enforcement), with complaints, if any, or for solving problems faced by them.

Tourist Police Station, Tourist Reception Centre, (Open 24 hrs).

phone: 452690/91 extn.26

Foreigners' Regional Registration Office: Senior Superintendent of Police (CID), Special Branch, Residency (Shervani) Road. Open: 10 AM to 4 PM.

Srinagar has a large number of registered Travel Agencies and Tour Operators for providing the best possible holiday packages to the visitors to Kashmir and other parts of the State, but the more prominent ones are membes of the Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), the local association that strives to enforce professional ethics among its members. For a detailed listing of the members of TASK go to Travel Agencies and Tour Operators.

The Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), Srinagar is a unique, all-inclusive service, providing various tourist facilities within one complex. Besides housing the offices of the State Department of Tourism and those of the J&K Tourism Development Corporation (J&K TDC), it has information counters on almost every activity connected with tourism. These include hotel and houseboat booking counters, Indian Airlines City booking office, booking of J&K TDC accommodation, transport, etc. Also located within the complex are the offices of the Fisheries Department from where fishing permits can be obtained. Next-door are the J&K Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) booking offices from where bus tickets

can be purchased, both for long distance travel and sightseeing trips. The State Bank of India and J&K Bank has a branch each within the TRC where foreign exchange transactions are also made. A post office and a Telecom Centre also function within the TRC for the benefit of the tourists.