Anantnag is one of the eight districts that make up the Kashmir valley in the state of Jammu ad Kashmir. The district headquarter is Anantnag. As of the census of 2011 it is the third most populous district of Jammu and Kashmir, after Jammu and Srinagar.

Anantnag is also called  the commercial and financial capital of the Kashmir valley. It is also the largest business and trading center of the valley. Three streams namely Arapath, Brengi and Sandran converge together near Aantnag, consequently giving birth to river Veth. After some distance, another stream called Lidar also joins the flow. From this place onwards the river becomes navigable. Previously,  river Jhelum was the main source of transportation between Anantnag and other towns downstream. The distances of different towns and cities from Anantnag are Achhabal - 6 miles, Kokarnag - 14 miles, Verinag - 17 miles, Pahalgam - 24 miles and Srinagar - 33 miles. Anantnag is known for various handicrafts, Shawl weaving, Gabbah and Namdah manufacturing.

Anantnag History

Anantnag is an ancient city which was established around 5000 B.C. making it one of the oldest urban human settlements in the whole world. Before the arruval 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. Old chronicles reveal that the division was the result of the rift between Marhan and Kaman, the two brothers, over the crown of their father. The part of the valley which lies between Pir Panjal and Srinagar now called the Anantnag was given to Marhan and named after him as Maraj. While Srinagar is no longer known as Yamraj, the area to its north and south are still called Kamraz and Maraz respectively. Lawrence in his book "The Valley of Kashmir" states that these divisions were later on divided into thirty four sub-divisions which \ were again reduced to five Zilas or districts in 1871.

Anantnag Climate

Rajtarangini Kulan or Kakhana Pundit can be quoted about the climate of Valley like this: 'It is a country where the sun shines mildly, being the place created by Kashayapa as if for his glory. High school-houses, the saffron, iced water and grapes, which are rare even in heaven, are common here. Kailasa is the best place in the three worlds, Himalaya the best part of Kailasa, and Kashmir the best place in Himalaya'. Sir Walter Lawrence writes in his book The Valley of Kashmir that in latitude Kashmir corresponds with Peshawar, Baghdad and Damascus in Asia: with Fez in Morocco: and South Carolina in America, but it presents none of the characteristics of those countries. People have linked the climate of Kashmir to that of Switzerland until the end of May, and of Southern France in July and August. But Kashmir’s climate Kashmir as possesses numerous characteristics. It changes with every hundred feet of elevation.

Anantnag Tourism

The Anantnag district called the rice bowl of the valley. It has a picturesque landscape. The district has the largest number of health resorts in the state. Some of them are Verinag, Kokernag, Achabal, Daksum and world famous health resort of Pahalgam. Before the advent of armed insurrection in the state, during the summer months these places used to be filled to the brim by tourists coming from all parts of the country and a large number of foreign tourists also used to visit these places. But since the early 1990s, due to militancy strategic areas of all of these pleasure spots have been occupied by Indian army and paramilitary forces. In addition, the Government has instigated a policy of environmentally hazardous development program which mainly consist of building concrete structures in these places, thus harming their natural beauty and the ecological balance. These problems have been aggravated because of the theft of natural resources, particularly forests and water-bodies, by smugglers and anti-socials who work together with the Indian troops and government.

Tourist places in Anantnag
Mattan
Pahalgam
Achabal
Kokernag
 Daksum
Verinag
Wasaknag
Ziarat Hazrat Zain-ud-Din Wali
Ziarat Baba Hyder Reshi 
Ziarat Baba Naseeb-ud-Din Gazi
Masjid Baba Dawood Khaki
 Masjid Syed Sahib
Mattan Temple
Martand Temple
 Khir Bhawani Asthapan
Uma Devi of Uma Nagri
Nagdandi
Bumzu or Bhaumajo Caves
Chapel of John Bishop