Anantnag

Anantnag, often called the “capital of South Kashmir,” has a history closely tied to its springs and waterways. The name itself comes from “Anantanag” – usually interpreted as “abode of Ananta (Vishnu)” or “land of countless springs.” Since ancient times, this area was a cluster of villages around powerful freshwater springs, worshipped as seats of serpent deities (Nag) and linked to early Shaivite and Vaishnavite traditions in Kashmir. Its fertile land and location on routes connecting the Kashmir Valley to Jammu, Kishtwar and the plains made it an important stopping and trading point.

During the medieval period, Anantnag grew as a market and administrative centre under various Kashmiri dynasties. With the arrival of the Sultans of Kashmir, and later the Mughals, it became a key town on the southern approach to Srinagar. Caravan routes, orchards and gardens flourished around it. Under Afghan and later Sikh rule in the 18th–early 19th centuries, the town continued as a regional headquarters. When the Dogra dynasty established the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, Anantnag remained the main town of south Kashmir, with official offices, military posts and bazaars. In modern times it has developed into a busy urban centre—administrative, commercial and transport hub—while still known for its springs, rice fields and role as the gateway to Pahalgam, Kokernag and Verinag.