How Jammu & Kashmir Got Its Name? Check its History, Location, and Facts

Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is a Union Territory (UT) of India, which is located in the northern part of India, and it is one of the global tourist destinations.

Jammu & Kashmir is widely known as “Heaven on Earth" or "Paradise on Earth", due to its stunning natural beauty, scenic landscapes and snow-capped mountains.

It is believed that Jammu & Kashmir was originally founded by Raja Jamboo Lochan, who lived in the fourteenth century B.C.

The history of Jammu & Kashmir is long before the Ashoka period, and lately this UT 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.

But, how did Jammu & Kashmir get its name? Can anyone have the answer? If yes, then good, if not, then let’s explore this article. 

Also Read: History of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)

Facts About Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) 

Note: Includes 78,114 sq. Kms under POK, 37,555 sq. kms under illegal occupation of China in Ladakh and 5180 sq. kms illegally handed over by Pakistan to China.

How Jammu & Kashmir Got Its Name?

In the Rajtarangani and Nilmat Purana, two of the most authoritative books of India, it is clearly mentioned that Kashmir was once a large lake, and it was Kashyap Rishi who drained it of water, which made it a beautiful adobe.

And, the word “Kashmir” is derived from the "Valley of Rishi Kashyapa", and in Sanskrit, the “Ka” means water and “shimeera” means to desiccate.

Now, this city also belongs to the Raja Jamboo Lochan, who lived here in the 14th century B.C. It was believed that once the Raja had gone out for hunting, and what he saw from a single pond, both the tiger and the goat were drinking water.

This made him think extraordinarily beyond his thinking that in this city, both the powerful and weaker sections can live together in peace and mutual tolerance.

And, eventually, he founded the city and came to be known as “Jamboo” after his name. And with the passage of time, due to its frequent use of pronunciation of its “Jamboo” name, this city came to be known as “Jammu”, as it is called now.

So, in this way, Jammu & Kashmir get names.

Other Important Facts About Jammu & Kashmir

1. It is situated on a hillock along the banks of the Tawi River. Jammu is nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas.

2. It is located at 74 degrees 24′ and 75 degrees 18′, East longitude and 32 degrees 50′ and 33 degrees 30′ North latitude.

3. Approximately, it is located 600 km away from the National Capital, New Delhi.

4. It is bordered by Udhampur to the north/northeast, Kathua to the east/southeast, Pakistan (Sialkot) to the west, and Rajouri/POK to the northwest.

5. It also experiences the extreme variation in climate from winter lows of 0.9°C to summer highs reaching 46°C.

6. Based on the 2001 Census, this UT is currently 77% literacy rate.

7.  It is also considered the “City of Temples” and the Spiritual Hub.

8. The historic Bahu Fort (built c. 1820) houses the shrine of Bahu Wali Mata, considered second only to Vaishno Devi in spiritual significance.