Best Places Visiting in Bandipora for Nature, Lakes & Adventure

1.Gurez Valley

Deep in the Himalayas lies a remote & picturesque valley of Gurez Valley (also known as Gurais) located in Bandipore district of Jammu and Kashmir. Around 86 kilometers from Bandipore and 123 kilometers from Srinagar, at an altitude of 2900 meters (7500 ft) above the mean sea level, laid along the banks of Kishanganga River and surrounded by snow-bound mountains with deep valleys Gurez Valley is situated.

Historical Significance

People and Language: The dwellers of Gurez are Dards belonging to an ancient ethnic community with a proven foretaste link to the Gilgit valley which is now part of the Republic of Pakistan. They talk the Sheena tongue and like their features and traits, costume and traditions to that of the mountain individuals, Kashmiris, especially considering the locale.

Historical Significance: Valley holds an important place in history as the valley was the entry point of Emperor Yusuf Shah Chak, who, as per a folklore, entered Kashmir via Gurez. As famous Kashmiri poetess Habba Khatoon’s peak, named after her, upon the valley, it cast faith on the mystic of the valley.

Legend of Habba Khatoon : It is said that after her beloved Yusuf Shah Chak was deposed to the Mughal Emperor Akbar and was thrown in prison, he wandered near the peak mourning for his lost love. The Pyramid shaped peak has become an icon of her never fading love and agony.

Best Time to Visit

The ideal period to visit the Gurez Valley is from the month of May to September when the weather is pleasant and the valley is lush green. Visitors have the opportunity to hike, raft and fish during that time, and they can also soak in the peaceful surroundings latterly.

Winter brings the valley under cover of heavy snow, often turning it into a snowy haven, but access may be restricted by the road.

2.Wullar Lake

In the Bandipore district of Jammu and Kashmir state within India stands Wular Lake (also known as Wullar). The Jhelum River supplies water to the lake that formed from tectonic forces in this region. Wular Lake extends from 30 to 260 square kilometers or 12 to 100 square miles based on seasonal conditions while being rated as a Ramsar site among six Indian wetlands. Several environmental threats pose risks to Wular Lake and its surrounding area through intensified land-use conversion and fertilizer and animal waste pollution and waterfowl and bird hunting and weed expansion. The Tulbul Project serves as a “navigation lock-cum-control structure” at the lake entrance.

Best Time to Visit

The best period to experience Wular Lake belongs to summer (April through September) due to its picturesque appearance and availability of water-based recreation together with birdwatching activities and peaceful setting.

3.Nishat Park

Bandipora’s main market provides a setting for the peaceful Nishat Park which is positioned close to the market boundary. Prime Minister Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad under his supervision built the park in 1954 after the design of Nishat Garden in Srinagar which remains the biggest Mughal garden of Kashmir.

Historical Significance

The building of Nishat Park represented a regional initiative to develop public areas alongside tourism promotion objectives. The participation of Jammu and Kashmir’s political figure Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad as the supervisor strengthens the historical significance of the park.

4.Chota Amarnath

Danishwar Temple exists in the deep forests of Arin inside Bandipora district of Kashmir where it is believed as Chota Amarnath by local people. During Shravan (July-August) the sacred cave shrine draws numerous devoted believers because it maintains great religious value.

Significance

Religious significance is attributed to this cave because it possesses natural features together with engravings that signify Lord Shiva. During Sharvan Purnima Hindu followers just as they do during Amarnath Yatra make their journey to Danishwar.

The spiritual site Danishwar (Chota Amarnath) allows people to achieve a transformative spiritual experience by combining their devotion with nature and religious faith. People who make the challenging pilgrimage to this holy cave demonstrate both dedication and eternal devotion to Lord Shiva while they discover the divine shrine.