The name of Anantnag District according to a well-known archaeologist, Sir A.Stein from the great spring Ananta Naga issuing at the southern end of the town. This is also corroborated by almost all local historians including Kalhana according to whom the town has taken the name of this great spring of Cesha or Ananta Naga “land of countless springs”. The spring is mentioned in the Neelmat Purana as a sacred place for the Hindus and Koshur Encyclopedia testifies it. Anantnag is also called and its old name is Islamabad. It is, however, said that the name of Islamabad was assigned to the town by one Islam Khan who was the Governor of Kashmir during the Mughal rule in 1663 A.D. The name Islamabad is Popular among common masses, though the official name is Anantnag. Before the advent of Muslim rule in 1320 A.D., Kashmir was divided into three divisions, viz; Maraz in the south, Yamraj in the centre and Kamraj in the north of the Valley.
Anantnag, like the rest of the Kashmir Valley, has witnessed many vicissitudes and experienced many upheavals from time to time. The district consists of a number of tourist places including Verinag, Achabal, Kokernag, Daksum, Pahalgam, Dandipora (under process), Chatabal, Martand, and Sinthan top. Of these places, Pahalgam and Kokernag are just 50 km from Anantnag town. Amarnath Temple, a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, is located in Pahalgam. It is the site of an annual pilgrimage, Amarnath Yatra. -Arsalan nisar
Pahalgam Kashmir
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