Verinag: Difference between revisions

| name                   = Verinag Shahabadbala

| native_name             = Shahabad Bala Verinag

| native_name_lang       =  

| other_name             = Verinag<ref name="ARK">Koul, Pandit Anand: Archaeological Remains in Kashmir page 98. Mercantile press, 1935.</ref>

| nickname               =  

| settlement_type         = Town

| image_skyline           = Rice fields in Verinag.jpg

| image_alt               = View of Verinag town

| image_caption           = View of Verinag town

| pushpin_map             = India Jammu and Kashmir#India

| pushpin_label_position =  

| pushpin_map_alt         =  

| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India

| coordinates             = {{coord|33.55|N|75.25|E|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type       = Country

| subdivision_name       = {{flag|India}}

| subdivision_type1       = [[States and territories of India|Union territory]]

| subdivision_name1       = [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]

| subdivision_type2       = [[List of districts of India|District]]

| subdivision_name2       = [[Anantnag district|Anantnag]]

| established_title       = <!-- Established -->

| established_date       =  

| founder                 =  

| named_for               = Verinag Spring

| government_type         =  

| governing_body         =  

| unit_pref               = Metric

| area_footnotes         =  

| area_rank               =  

| area_total_km2         =  

| elevation_footnotes     =  

| elevation_m             = 1851

| population_total       = 16727

| population_as_of       = 2001

| population_rank         =  

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_demonym     =  

| population_footnotes   =  

| demographics_type1     = Languages

| demographics1_title1   = Official

| demographics1_info1             = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[English language|English]]<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>

| timezone1               = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]

| utc_offset1             = +5:30

| postal_code_type       = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]

| postal_code             = 192212<ref name="pincode">{{cite web|url=https://pin-code.net/in-loc/verinag-pin-code/58464/|title=Verinag Pin code|publisher=pin-code.net|accessdate=4 August 2021}}</ref>

| No.of Wards            = 06

registration_plate     = JK03

| blank1_name_sec1       = [[Human sex ratio|Sex ratio]]

| blank1_info_sec1       = 1000/1000 [[male|♂]]/[[female|♀]]

| website                 = {{URL|verinag.com}}

| footnotes               =

'''Verinag''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|v|eɪ|r|iː|n|ɑː|ɡ}}; or '''Vitastatra'''<ref>{{Citation |title=Kashmir |date=1953 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mZXB964fKnwC&q=vitastatra+verinag&dq=vitastatra+verinag |language=en |access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> is a tourist place and a notified area committee with tehsil status (Shahabad Bala Verinag) in [[Anantnag district]] in the union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]. It is about 26 kilometers away from [[Anantnag]] and approximately 78 kilometres south-east from [[Srinagar]] which is the summer capital of the union territory  of  [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]].  Verinag is also the first tourist spot of [[Kashmir Valley]] when travelling by road from [[Jammu]], the winter capital of the union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] towards [[Srinagar]], the summer capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies at the entry point of [[Kashmir Valley]] right after crossing [[Jawahar Tunnel]] and is also known as Gateway of Kashmir.

 

Verinag spring is the main source of River Jehlum, (veth in local Kashmiri language)  which flows throughout the valley of Kashmir and finally enters into Territory of Pakistan.

 

|name = Verinag Garden

|photo = Verinag Mughal Garden in Autumn.JPG

|image_alt     = Verinag Garden in Autumn

|photo_caption = Verinag Garden in Autumn

|type = [[Mughal garden]]

|location = [[Anantnag]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]

|area = {{convert|50600|m2|acre}}

|plants =

|species =

|collections =

|opened = {{Start date|1620 A.D.}}

|owner = Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department

|operator = Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department

|budget =

|visitors =

|founder = [[Jahangir]]

|status =

|website = {{URL|www.jktourism.org}}

Verinag spring which is in Verinag town, issues from a high scarp of a mountain spur, and is considered the source of the [[Jhelum river]]. It is situated at the bottom of a hill covered by pine trees and evergreen plants. Verinag spring was originally an irregular and shapeless pond, and water, oozing out from different places in it and spread about and formed a little marsh. Emperor [[Jahangir]], whose artistic taste for polishing the beauty of nature is well known, saw this and at once determined to improve it. He built the octagonal tank of sculptured stones round it, so that all water was collected therein, for which carvers were brought from Iran. A garden was also built by Jahangir next to this natural [[Spring (hydrosphere)|spring]] which is of pre-Islamic religious significance. The construction date of the octagonal tank and the garden is 1029 [[Hijri]] or 1620 A.D, during the 15th year of the Jahangir's reign, which is duly inscribed on a stone slab built into the southern wall of the spring. Seven years later, Jahangir's son [[Shah Jahan]], who was no less a lover of natural beauty, constructed cascades and aqueducts in straight lines through and around the fine garden which he, in order to enhance further the beauty of the place laid out in front of the spring. He also built hot and cold baths to the east of this garden, just outside it, of which little trace is now left. The water contained in an octagonal spring has crystal blue water in which a variety of big fishes live. History and the carvings on stones in [[Persian language|Persian]] on the walls surrounding the spring tell about how this great source of underwater spring is contained without revealing its architecture. The water is collected in a [[pond|pool]] surrounded by arched recesses, and then flows down a 300-yard [[canal]] to the [[Bihat]] river.  Jahangir wished to be buried at Verinag gardens, but his wife, [[Nur Jahan]], disobeyed his wishes.  Today nothing remains of the [[pavilions]] which once decorated the area.<ref name="ARK"/><ref>Plumptre, George: The Water Garden, page 39.  Thames & Hudson Limited, London, 1993.</ref>

According to a legend, goddess Vitasta([[Jhelum]]) wanted to take rise from this spring, but it happened that when she came, [[Shiva]] was staying here, whereupon she had to go back and then she took her rise from Vithavatur(Vitastatra), a spring about a mile to the north-west of this place. ''Virah'' in [[Sanskrit]] means to 'go back' and 'nag' means a water spring and, as Vitasta had to go back from this place, it came to be called ''Virahnag'' or "Vernag".<ref name="ARK" /> This spring is also considered to be the residing place of Nilanaga, who is placed by ancient tradition, at the head of all Nagas or spring-deities of Kashmir. Thus this spring is also known as "Nilakunda" or spring of Nila.<ref name="KaRaj">Kalhana's Rajatarangini Vol. I by M.A. Stein, Motilal Banarasidass Publishers Pvt. Limited, 2009</ref> According to Nilamata Purana, the valley of Kashmir was once a lake called "Satisara" or lake of [[Parvati]]. Near this spring, Lord [[Vishnu]] is said to have first placed the point of the plough with which Satisara was drained and here goddess Parvati was brought to light from the netherworld in the form of the river [[Vitasta]] by stroke of Lord Shiva's trident.<ref>The Nilamata Purana English Translation by Dr. Ved Kumari verses 247-261</ref>

The spring is at the exact centre almost 50 feet (as the locals tell about the depth) underwater from where the water continuously comes up and flows into the gardens facing the spring. It is also a sacred place for Hindus as there is a Lord [[Shiva]] [[Shivalingam|shivling]] in one of the arcs (the very first on the left of the entry of the spring). The historical garden also has a temple inside it with some idols of Hindu goddesses.<br/> Some 2&nbsp;km away is Vithavatur(Vitastatra), supposed to be the source of river [[Jhelum]]. The waters of the many nearby springs, called collectively, Sapta Rishi, have their confluence at Sangam, where people bathe on festival days. The birth of the river is celebrated annually with a fair on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of the month [[Bhadrapada]] of the [[Hindu Calendar]].<ref>http://www.verinag.com/</ref>

There are two stone slabs built into the western and southern walls of '''Verinag''' spring, on which prose in [[Persian language]], in praise of the spring, and the dates of construction of the tank and aqueduct, are inscribed. The translation of prose in [[Persian language]] written on stone slab built into the southern wall of spring is as follows:-  

'May the mansion last for ever together with the spring Vernag!' (1029 [[Hijri]])<ref name="ARK" /><br/>

The translation of prose in [[Persian language]] written on stone slab built into the western wall of spring is as follows:-  

spring' (1037 [[Hijri]].)

<ref name="ARK" />

*'''[[Ain-i-Akbari]]''': [[Ain-i-Akbari]], is a 16th-century, detailed document recording the administration of emperor [[Akbar]]'s empire, written by his [[vizier]], [[Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak]]. The account of [[Verinag Spring]] in this text is as follows:

{{quote|text=In the Vér tract of country is the source of the Bihat. It is a pool measuring a ''[[Jerib|jarib]]'' which tosses in foam with an astonishing roar, and its depth is unfathomable. It goes by the name of Vernág and is surrounded by a stone embankment and to its east are temples of stone.<ref name=AAb>Aín-i-Akbari by Abul Fazal Allámi translated by Colonel H.S. Jarrett, page 361, Vol. II, published by Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1891</ref>

*'''[[Tuzk-e-Jahangiri]]''': '''''Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri''''' or '''''Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri''''' is the autobiography of [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Jahangir|Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir]] (1569-1627). It is also referred to as ''Jahangirnama''. The account of [[Verinag Spring]] in this text is as follows:

{{quote|text=

*'''[[Rajatarangini]]''': '''''Rājatarangiṇī''''' is a metrical historical chronicle of north-western Indian subcontinent, particularly the kings of [[Kashmir]], written in [[Sanskrit]] by Kashmiri Brahman [[Kalhaṇa]] in 12th century CE. [[Verinag Spring]] in this text is known by the name of '''Nilakunda'''. The account of [[Verinag Spring]] in this text is as follows:

{{quote|text=

The "land" referred to in above-quoted text is [[Kashmir]]. Vitastā is another name for river [[Jhelum River|Jhelum]].

From the entrances, a walkway takes the visitor towards the octagonal pool, which is approached through a colonnade. This colonnade, composed of 24 arches, surrounds the pool, whose water comes from the spring deep below. The pool's water is clear and filled with carp. The water exits from the pool into the main axial water canal, which measures 305 meters long by 3.65 meters wide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id%3D14981 |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223012322/http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=14981 |archive-date=23 December 2012 }} Vermag gardens retrieved 29 October 2013</ref>

Verinag is located at {{Coord|33.55|N|75.25|E|}}.<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/12/Vernag.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc -Verinag]</ref> It has an average elevation of 1,851&nbsp;metres (6,076&nbsp;feet). This town is located in the vicinity of [[Banihal]] pass of [[Pir Panjal Range|Pir Panjal]] mountain range. Major towns located near this place are [[Anantnag]], [[Kokernag]], [[Achabal]] and [[Qazigund]].

It Also has a Link to Kokernag Through Batagund Village

Verinag is divided in to 6 wards

Bonagund

Patikhas

Bagwanpora

Chontipora

Kokagund

 

{{commons category|Vernag}}

[[Category:Mughal terraced gardens in India]]