Antiquities, History, Culture and Shrines of Jammu

History of Jammu forms an important chapter in the annals of India’s resistance to the stream of invaders ushering out fresh from the Khaiber Pass and Central Asia. As force sentinels on the borders of India, Dogras-the inhabitants of Jammu region were the first to face attack of the Arabs, Ghazanavids, Turks etc.. Earlier, Jammu region was the habitat of primitive man who left behind an evidence of his existence in the form of stone age tools and other vestiges. Besides, the height of cultural attainment of this land can be gauged from the finely artistic terracotta Buddha heads rivaling in naturalness and expression unearthed from Ambarran village in the border town of Akhnoor and world famous works of Pahari paintings. The great temples of South Mahadev belonging to 2 or 3 century A.D. and those of Krimchi, Babore, HariHara (Mahabilvakeshwara) temple of Billawar and Mahakali temple in Bahu Fort, all belonging between 8 to 12 century A.D. and are ample proof of the high attainment of the early Dogras in the sphere of spiritualism, art and architecture. Although number of books on history and culture of Jammu are available hardly a book covering antiquities, shrines, alongwith history and culture of Jammu has been written, therefore a reader always finds himself looking for such a unique book. Antiquities, history, culture and shrines of Jammu is such an unique work worth its name and a reader can find in addition detail of each shrine of Jammu region alongwith photographs.