Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir is a Union Territory of India from October 31, 2019 after abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India in August 2019 which was passed by the Parliament of India. Earlier it was a state in India. The state was split into two and Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh became two Union Territories.

When it was a state it had an area of about 2,22,236 sq km including the area of PoK. After its becoming a Union Territory, it has now an area of 42,241 sq km excluding the area of PoK. An area of 59,146 sq km was carved out to make another Union Territory named Ladakh.

It has two capital cities: Srinagar in Summer and Jammu in Winter. The Principal languages of this state are Urdu, Dogri, Kashmiri, Pahari, Punjabi, Ladakhi, Balti, Gojri and Dadri.

History and Geography

According to the most popular legend that is also recorded in Rajtarangani and Nilmat Purana, two most authoritative books, Kashmir was once a large lake and it was Kashyap Rishi who drained it off the water, making it a beautiful abode. But geologists have their own theory, which says that geographical changes made way for the outflow of water by subsidence of the mountain at Khadianayar, Baramulla and thus emerged the Valley of Kashmir, the paradise on earth. Ashoka introduced Buddhism to Kashmir in the 3rd century B.C., which was later strengthened by Kanishka. Huns got the control of the valley in the early 6th century. The Valley regained freedom in 530 AD but soon came under the rule of the Ujjain Empire. After the decline of the Vikramaditya dynasty, the valley had its own rulers. There was a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist cultures. Lalitaditya (697-738 AD) extended his rule up to Bengal in the east, Konkan in the south, Turkistan in the northwest and Tibet in the northeast. Considered as the most famous Hindu ruler, Lalitaditya was known for constructing beautiful buildings. Islam came to Kashmir during 13th and 14th century AD. Zain-ul-Abedin (1420-70) was the most famous Muslim ruler, who came to Kashmir when the Hindu king Sinha Dev fled before the Tatar invasion. Later Chaks overran Haider Shah, son of Zain-ul-Abedin. They continued to rule till 1586 when Akbar conquered Kashmir. In 1752, Kashmir passed on from the feeble control of the Mughal emperor of the time to Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan. The Valley was ruled by the Pathans for 67 years.

The name of Jammu figures in the Mahabharata. Recent findings of Harappan remains and artifacts of Mauryan, Kushan and Gupta periods at Akhnoor have added new dimensions to its ancient character. The land of Jammu was divided into 22 hill principalities. Raja Maldev, one of the Dogra rulers, conquered many territories to consolidate his kingdom. Raja Ranjit Dev ruled over Jammu from 1733 to 1782. His successors were weak, and thus Maharaja Ranjit Singh annexed the territory to Punjab. He later handed over Jammu to Raja Gulab Singh, a scion of the old Dogra ruling family, who had grown powerful among Ranjit Singh's governors and had annexed almost the whole Jammu region. The State was governed by Dogra rulers till 1947, when the Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession in favour of the Indian Union on 26 October, 1947.

Geographical coordinates of the state of Jammu and Kashmir was 32° -15' and 37° -05' north latitude and 72° -35' and 83° -20' longitude East. Geographically, the State was divided into four zones. First, the mountainous and semi mountainous plain commonly known as Kandi belt, the second, hills including Shivalik ranges, the third mountains of Kashmir Valley and Pir Panchal range and the fourth is Tibetan tract of Ladakh and Kargil. Geographically and culturally, the state had three district regions - Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Districts

Jammu and Kashmir (UT) has 20 districts.
1. Kupwara District, 2. Baramulla District, 3. Bandipora District, 4. Ganderbal District, 5. Srinagar District, 6. Budgam District, 7. Pulwama District, 8. Shopian District, 9. Kulgam District, 10. Anantnag District, 11. Kishtwar District, 12. Doda District, 13. Ramban District, 14. Reasi District, 15. Udhampur District, 16. Kathua District, 17 Samba District, 18. Jammu District, 19. Rajauri District, 20. Poonch District

Politics

There are five Lok Sabha Parliamentary Constituenecies and 90 Legislative Assmebly (Vidhan Sabha) Constituencies in this UT, out of which 43 are part of Jammu region and 47 of Kashmir region.

Lok Sabha Parliamentary Constituencies and their Extent as per delimitation order of 2022

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Jammu and Kashmir

History and Geography

Districts

Politics

Lok Sabha Parliamentary Constituencies and their Extent as per delimitation order of 2022