Pahalgam: Difference between revisions

| name                           = Pahalgam

| native_name                     = Pahalgom

| settlement_type                 = Hill Station

| image_skyline                   = Pahalgam Valley.jpg

| image_alt                       =  

| image_caption                   = View of valley near Pahalgam town

| pushpin_map                     = India Jammu and Kashmir#India

| pushpin_label_position         = right

| pushpin_map_alt                 =  

| pushpin_relief                 =  

| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India

| coordinates                     = {{coord|34.01|N|75.19|E|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type               = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]

| subdivision_name               = {{flag|India}}

| subdivision_type1               = {{nowrap|[[States and union territories of India|Union Territory]]}}

| subdivision_name1               = {{flagicon image|Government of Jammu and Kashmir.svg}} [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]

| subdivision_type2               = [[List of districts of Jammu and Kashmir|District]]

| subdivision_name2               = [[Anantnag district|Anantnag]]

| established_title               =  

| established_date               =  

| founder                         =  

| named_for                       =  

| government_type                 =  

| governing_body                 = <!-- Established -->

| unit_pref                       = Metric

| area_footnotes                 =  

| area_rank                       =  

| area_total_km2                 =  

| elevation_footnotes             =  

| elevation_m                     = 2740

| population_total               = 5922

| population_as_of               = 2011

| 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                     = 192126

| registration_plate             = JK-03

| website                         = {{url|anantnag.nic.in/tourist-place/pahalgam/}}

| footnotes                       =  

| native_name_lang               = ks

'''Pahalgam''' ({{IPA-ur|pɛhɛlɡaːm}}), known as '''Pahalgom''' ({{IPA-ks|pəhəlʲɡoːm}} ; {{lit|village of shepherds}})<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Betts|first1=Vanessa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_rX8AgAAQBAJ&q=sonamarg+meaning&pg=PA158|title=Footprint Delhi & Northwest India|last2=McCulloch|first2=Victoria|publisher=Footprint Travel Guides|year=2014|isbn=9781910120866|pages=158}}</ref> in [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], is a town and a [[Nagar Panchayat (Notified Area Council)|notified area committee]] in [[Anantnag district]] of the [[India|Indian]] [[States and union territories of India|union territory]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. It is a popular tourist destination and [[hill station]]. Its lush green meadows and pristine waters attract thousands of tourists from all over the world each year.<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 June 2010|title=Pahalgam: Valley of paradise|newspaper=Bangalore Mirror|url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/Pahalgam-Valley-of-paradise/articleshow/21844962.cms?|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501062938/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/38/201006242010062418282708e6c70cbb/Pahalgam-Valley-of-paradise.html|archive-date=1 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> It is located {{Convert|45|km}} from [[Anantnag]] on the banks of [[Lidder River]] at an altitude of {{convert|7200|ft}}. Pahalgam is the headquarters of one of the five [[taluk|tehsils]] of Anantnag district.

Pahalgam is associated with the annual pilgrimage to the shrine [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath Yatra]]. Chandanwari, located {{Convert|16|km}} from Pahalgam. The town is the starting point of the [[yatra]] that takes place every year in the months of July–August, receiving hundreds of thousands of tourists. Because of its religious significance and role as a base camp, the town attracts 70% of visitors to the valley.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Bashir|first1=Subzar|last2=Goswami|first2=Subhrangsu|date=2016-01-01|title=Tourism Induced Challenges in Municipal Solid Waste Management in Hill Towns: Case of Pahalgam|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878029616301372|journal=Procedia Environmental Sciences|series=Waste Management for Resource Utilisation|language=en|volume=35|pages=77–89|doi=10.1016/j.proenv.2016.07.048|issn=1878-0296|doi-access=free}}</ref> This flood of tourists overwhelms some of the local infrastructure, especially waste management in the town.<ref name=":0" />

''Pahalgam'' was originally called '''Bail Gaon''' (बैल गाँव) meaning (village of bull ([[Nandi (mythology)|nandi]])) where Hindu God Shiva left his bull before entering [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath Cave]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hazra |first=Rajendra Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tJHXAAAAMAAJ |title=Rise of Epic and Purāṇic Rudra-Śiva Or Śiva Maheśvara |date=2003 |publisher=Sri Balaram Prakashani |page=71 |language=en}}</ref>

Pahalgam has a temperate climate with long and cold winter and short and mild summer.

|caption = Religion in Pahalgam (2011)<ref name="Pahalgam Population">{{cite web|title=Pahalgam population|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/jammu-kashmir/anantnag/pahalgam/pahalgam-mc-population.html|work=Census India 2011|accessdate=10 July 2021}}</ref>

|color2 = Orange

|label5 = Other

|value5 = 0.48

|color5 = Grey

Kolohoi Glacier, situated up the Lidder Valley, just below [[Kolhoi Peak]] is currently a hanging glacier. It is accessible from Pahalgam via [[Aru, Jammu and Kashmir|Aru]] and is known to have extended for at least {{convert|35|km}}.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.igsoc.org/journal.old/13/68/igs_journal_vol13_issue068_pg279-283.pdf|title=Glacial History of Kolahoi Glacier, Kashmir, India|author=N. Ahmed and N. H. Hashimi|journal=Journal of Glaciology|volume=13|issue=68|year=1974|access-date=16 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211170052/http://www.igsoc.org/journal.old/13/68/igs_journal_vol13_issue068_pg279-283.pdf|archive-date=11 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the mountaineers from Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering, in 2008, the glacier receded by half since 1985 and it is not safe to study because it is hollow and has {{convert|200|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} crevices.

Lord Shiva is believed to impart the secret of immortality (Amrit Vachan) to Parvati in Pahalgam. Before entering [[Amarnath cave]] Shiv left nandi in Pahalgam, moon in Chandanwari, snakes in [[Sheshnag Lake]], [[Ganesha]] on Mahaguna Parbat, five elements at [[Panchtarni]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sunita Pant Bansal. |title=Hindu pilgrimage;a journey through the holy places of hindus all over india. |date=15 November 2012 |publisher=V & S Publishers |isbn=978-93-5057-251-1 |location=[Place of publication not identified] |page=121 |oclc=935985125}}</ref>

[[File:Pahalgam Golf Course.jpg|center|thumb|261x261px|View of Pahalgam Golf Course.]]

Pahalgam Golf Course is approximately 100 km from Srinagar and situated at an altitude of 2150 metres. The course is an expanse of relatively large plain area in a relatively narrow valley. The locals would refer to this golf course simply as the 'plateau'. Portions of the plateau have been occupied by the military in the days of insurgency, leaving it out of bound of normal tourists. Mini-golf could also be played at the Pahalgam Club.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Official Website of Department of Tourism Govt of Jammu & Kashmir|url=http://www.jktourism.jk.gov.in/List/Listdetails.aspx?52734E46697354352F5A4446464543536C36796E567035464478525631365A4746444C37653263367947303D|access-date=2021-01-19|website=www.jktourism.jk.gov.in}}</ref>

The nearest airport is [[Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport]] in [[Srinagar]] located 91 kilometres from Pahalgam.

Pahalgam is not connected with railways. The nearest railway station is [[Bijbehara railway station]] located 45 kilometres from Pahalgam.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" caption="Pahalgam Gallery">