About Kishtwar

Kishtwar is a small place located inside Jammu & Kashmir. Not as famous as other places of Jammu & Kashmir Kishtwar is a beautifully decorated area. This article will let you know all the facts and figures about Kishtwar and will make sure you definitely pay a visit to this place once you are there in Jammu & Kashmir.

History of Kishtwar

Kishtwar was previously known as Kishaswar. In the year 1063-1089 Raja Kalsa of Kashmir was the ruler of this place. During his rule “Uttamaraja” visited the Kashmiri King along with his other subordinates to pay homage to the king. The King of Kashmir was highly impressed by them and the “Mehta family” was given the lands of Kishtwar as a token of gift. Previously this place was named as Kishaswar but later on it was known as Kishtwar. This name is known to have come from its earlier name Kishaswar and “kishat Rishi” who used to dwell in that area.

Tourism of Kishtwar

Kishtwar is a wonderful place located in Jammu. When you visit Kishtwar you will be enthralled by the surrounding beauty of this place. There are different tourist attractions in Kishtwar and some are mentioned here. The most interesting tourist spot located in Kishtwar is The Steep Brahma mountain peak. The surrounding beauty of this place will be highly enjoyed by you. When you visit this place then you can get some nice photographs.

This area has huge numbers of glaciers and peaks which offers an exciting sight for tourists. The surrounding dense forests of Deodar, Pine and Fir give this place a different shape. Apart from all these beautiful places there are high mountain ranges in Kishtwar. You can visit these mountain ranges in order to capture the breath taking scenic beauty. Some of the famous mountain ranges of Kishtwar are Num Kum, Burmah and many more. There are some sacred places in Kishtwar some of them are Chandi Mata Temple, Athara Bhuja Devi Temple and many more. Apart from temples there are some shrines located in this spot.



Some of the renowned tourist spots of Kishtwar are mentioned in this section of the article.

Chowgan

This place is located in the town of Kishtwar. The overall area of this beautiful place is about 165 acres. This place is famous mainly for the presence of different Chinar and Deodar tress. There is also a temple known as Gori Shankar Mandir that is located in this place.

Chingam

This is another beautiful place located in Kishtwar. The amazing blend of hill tops with crystal clear blue water of the river along with lush green forests makes this place an attractive hot spot for tourists. Kishtwar is connected to Jammu via Chingam and hence you will surely visit this place if you are travelling Jammu from Kishtwar. It is advisable that you halt for some time to enjoy the awesome surrounding of this place.

Paddar

The most interesting part about this place is the presence of ruby mines in this area. Apart from being famous for several mines of ruby stone, this place is also known for the production of blue diamond. The Chandi Mata Temple located in the Machail area is also a famous tourist spot.



The local people of Paddar involve them in different folk songs which are also known as Paddari folk songs.

Sinthan Top

This beautiful hill top is located in 83 km away from Kishtwar. This hill top is 12000 feet above sea level. When you reach the top you will get a 360 degree view with snow capturing your view. You can get to witness the amazing snow capped mountains when you visit the top of this hill.

Shopping in Kishtwar

When you are visiting Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir then you will be attracted by some of the local shops located there.

Kishtwar owns some special shops where local inhabitants sell some exclusive items that are available only in that area.

There are few shops in Kishtwar but once you visit there it is highly advisable that you visit these shops in order to get some beautiful items.

Some of the famous shops located in Kishtwar are Jamia Market, Tibetan Market and Waza Brother’s Shopping Complex.

Food in Kishtwar

When you are visiting Kishtwar then you must know what the food joints available in that particular area are. Since Kishtwar is a small place there are minimum number of hotels and restaurants. Some of them are mentioned in this section of the article. Hotel Shivalik is a renowned restaurant in Kishtwar. You will find Indian and Chinese food in this restaurant at a much affordable price. Other restaurants that are located in this area are Bistro Restaurant, Friends Plaza Restaurant, T series Langer and many more.

How to Reach Kishtwar

If you decide to travel by air then you must keep in mind about the nearest airports. Kishtwar can be reached from Satwari Airport of Jammu and Kashmir which is only 108km away. You can also reach Kishtwar from Srinagar Airport which is 122km away. If you decide to travel via train then the nearest railway station is Udhampur which is 72km away. Ram Nagar railway station is also near to Kishtwar. There are regular bus services from major parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Fact File of Kishtwar
Best Time to Visit: March to October
Languages Spoken: Urdu
District: Kishtwar
Total Population (As per 2011 Census): 60,000 (Native: 34,982 and From Adjoining Tehsil: 25,000)

These are some of the important points that you must keep in your mind once you visit Kishtwar. We hope our article will help you while you are visiting Kishtwar. We welcome any new suggestions.