Anantnag District

Situated 55 Kms.of the south-east of Srinagar, Anantnag district is spread over an area of 3934 Sq.Kms.with a population of approx.8.50 lakhs. It is bounded by Srinagar district in the north,Pulwama districts in the north west and Kargil district in the north east. It is flanked by Doda and Udhampur districts in the east and south east and by district of Rajouri south west. The Anantnag district is called the Granary of the Kashmir Valley. It is the third highly populous district of the Valley after Srinagar and Baramulla. About 89 percent of the population lives in the rural areas and is mostly engaged in agriculture, the principal crops being rice and maize. The district is divided into 5 tehsils, 10 community development blocks, 8 towns, 149 panchayats and 645 villages. The tehsils include Anantnag, Doru, Kulgam, Pahalgam and Bijbehara. The blocks are Sahabad, Achabal, Shangus, Kulgam, Damhal Hajipora, Qaimoh, Breng, Qazigund, Khoverpora and Dachnipora. The population density per Sq.Kms.in the district is 165. Culturally, the district is no different from any other area of the Valley. Kashmiri and Urdu are the main languages of people while rice is their staple food.
Tourist Places
The district is not only the Bread Bowl of the Valley,it is equally rich in landscape.The nature has been bountiful enough in gifting the district with places of unparallel beauty,important among these are:
Pahalgam
The world famous hill station 45 Kms. from Anantnag town,situated at an altitude of 7200 ft.was once a great tourist puller.It is perphaps the best health resort in the country,located by the banks of the river Lidder. The Pahalgam Valley presents a glamorous look due to its pine forests,snow clad mountains,heelthy climate and vast spread meadows and pastures.Torrential flow of water in Lidder Nallah enriches the winsome beauty of the valley.Pahalgam also serves as the base camp for the famous Amarnath Yatra.Besides tourist huts,several hotels in private sector have come up here, providing modern facilities to tourists.
Acchabal
An important tourist spot about eight Km.away from Anantnag.The place is famous and attractive due to an ancient spring surrounded by a garden terraced and developed by the Mughal Emperor.The upper portion of the garden is called "Bagh-e-Begum Abad" developed by Malk-e-Noor-Jahan Begum in 1620 AD and renowned as Sahib Abad in which there was a "HAMAM" (Treasure of water) getting heat from a logical lamp(tosng).The lamp which was magically kindledwas put out during repairs.

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