Verinag

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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For city of same name in Uttarakhand see Berinag

Anantnag district map

Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir

Verinag (वेरीनाग) is a tourist place and a tehsil (Shahabad Bala Verinag) in Anantnag district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Variants

• Verinaga (वेरीनाग) AS, p.876)
• Veri Nag (वेरीनाग)
• Vernag
• Nilakunda/Neela Kunda (नील कुण्ड)

Location

Verinag is about 26 km away from Anantnag and approximately 78 km south-east from Srinagar which is the summer capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Origin

• Verinag gets name after Veranaga (वेरनाग). There are several towns in Kashmir having their names after some Naga, such as Veri Nag, Anant Nag, Shesh Nag etc.

Jat clans

Vaire Jat clan people have descended from Nagavanshi mahapurusha Veranaga (वेरनाग) or Vairanaga (वैरनाग) (or Varsaenaga).

History

Verinag or Vitastatra is a tourist place in Anantnag district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is about 26 kilometers away from Anantnag and approximately 78 kilometres south-east from Srinagar which is the summer capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Verinag is also the first tourist spot of Kashmir Valley when travelling by road from Jammu, the winter capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir towards Srinagar, the summer capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies at the entry point of Kashmir Valley right after crossing Jawahar Tunnel and is also known as Gateway of Kashmir.

A major tourist attraction of this place is Verinag Spring, for which this place is named. There is an octagonal stone basin at Verinag Spring and an arcade surrounding it which were built by Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1620 A.D. Later, a beautiful garden next to this spring, was laid out by his son Shah Jahan. This spring is known to never dry up or overflow. Verinag Spring is also the major source of river Jhelum. Verinag Spring and Mughal Arcade surrounding it is officially recognized by Archaeological Survey of India as a Monument of National Importance.

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Dr Naval Viyogi writes....Basuki Nag, who is regarded as the presiding deit of the village, has temples in the little town of Bhadarvaha and in two villages, Bheja-uprala (ie upper Bheja, the lower village being called Bheja Jaklā) and Nālti. More details of snake worship in Kashmir has already been given in chapter-I on Pages 5 and 6.

There are several towns in Kashmir having,their name after some Naga, such as Veri Nag, Anant Nag, Shesh Nag etc.

Neela, the lord paramount of the Nagas or serpents of Kashmir, was believed from early times, to dwell in the main source of the Vitasta (River). Hence this fine spring was known as Neela-Naga or Neela-kunda, "The deep blue colour of the water", as Sir A. Stein observes, "which collects in the spring-basin, may possibly account for the location of the Neel Naga in this particular fountain". It goes by the

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[p.20] name of Ver Naga and is surrounded by a stone embankment and to its east are temples of stone. Neelanaga is still worshipped in Kashmir and fairs related to him are also held even today.

In the district of Nāgām (Ancient Nāgrām) which is watered by the Dudhganga (Milkganga) a small stream which joins the Vitasta at Srinagar, there is a small lake, likewise, known by the name of Neelanaga.

Verinag Spring in historical texts

This spring has been mentioned in various historical texts. Various accounts of this spring are as follows:

Ain-i-Akbari: Ain-i-Akbari, is a 16th-century, detailed document recording the administration of emperor Akbar's empire, written by his vizier, Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak. The account of Verinag Spring in this text is as follows: "In the Vér tract of country is the source of the Bihat. It is a pool measuring a jarib which tosses in foam with an astonishing roar, and its depth is unfathomable. It goes by the name of Vernág and is surrounded by a stone embankment and to its east are temples of stone.

Bihat, as mentioned in the above-quoted text, is the name of a river in Verinag.

Tuzk-e-Jahangiri: Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri or Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri is the autobiography of Mughal Emperor Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir (1569-1627). It is also referred to as Jahangirnama. The account of Verinag Spring in this text is as follows: "The source of the Bihaṭ is a spring in Kashmir called the Vīr-nāg; in the language of India a snake is vīr-nāg. Clearly, there had been a large snake at that place. I went twice to the spring in my father's lifetime; it is 20 kos from the city of Kashmir. It is an octagonal reservoir about 20 yards by 20. Near it are the remains of a place of worship for recluses; cells cut out of the rock and numerous caves. The water is exceedingly pure. Although I could not guess its depth, a grain of poppy-seed is visible until it touches the bottom. There were many fish to be seen in it. As I had heard that it was unfathomable, I ordered them to throw in a cord with a stone attached, and when this cord was measured in gaz it became evident that the depth was not more than once and a half the height of a man. After my accession I ordered them to build the sides of the spring round with stone, and they made a garden round it with a canal; and built halls and houses about it, and made a place such that travellers over the world can point out few like it.

Rajatarangini: Rājatarangiṇī is a metrical historical chronicle of north-western Indian subcontinent, particularly the kings of Kashmir, written in Sanskrit by Kalhana Pandit in 12th century CE. Verinag Spring in this text is known by the name of Nilakunda. The account of Verinag Spring in this text is as follows: "That (land) is protected by Nīla, the lord of all Nāgas, whose regal parasol is formed by the circular pond (of the Nīlakunda) with the Vitastā's newly rising stream as its stick. There Gauri, though she has assumed the form of the Vitastā, still keeps her wonted inclination.

वेरीनाग

वेरीनाग

वेरीनाग AS, p.876): वेरीनाग का अर्थ विशाल नाग अथवा स्रोत है। झेलम नदी का उद्गम [p.877]: यही स्रोत कहा जाता है. प्राचीन समय में स्रोत के निकट शिव और गणेश के मंदिर स्थित थे। मुग़ल बादशाह जहाँगीर ने इन मंदिरों का न छेड़ते हुए स्रोत के निकट ही एक सुंदर इमारत बनवाई थी। इसकी नींव 1620 ई. में पड़ी थी, किंतु यह 1627 ई. में बनकर तैयार हुई। वेरीनाग नूरजहाँ को बहुत प्रिय था और अपने कश्मीर प्रवास में वह प्रायः यहां ठहरती थी। वेरीनाग का स्रोत 52 फुट गहरा था और इसकी तलहटी के ऊपर दो वेदिकाएं बनी हुई हैं। सन्निकट उद्यान के बाहर एक छोटा-सा प्रासाद बना है।

वेरीनाग परिचय

वेरीनाग : जम्मू और कश्मीर राज्य के अनंतनाग जिले में स्थित प्रसिद्ध पर्यटन स्थल है, जो कश्मीर घाटी के मुग़ल उद्यानों का सबसे पुराना स्थान है। वेरीनाग अनंतनाग से लगभग 26 कि.मी. की दूरी पर है। यहाँ पर एक झरना है, जिसे झेलम नदी का स्रोत माना जाता है। इस सरोवर की महत्ता एवं सुंदरता इसके गहरे नीले पानी के कारण है। कल्हण पंडित द्वारा लिखी गई कश्मीर के इतिहास पर पुस्तक राजतरंगिनी में इसको नीलकुंड नाम दिया गया है। नीलकुंड नाम नागवंशी राजा नील नाग के नाम पर पड़ा है जो कश्मीर में बहुत पूजनीय हैं। यह स्थान कश्मीर के शानदार पर्यटन स्थलों में गिना जाता है। पर्वतों के मध्य स्थित यह स्थान देवदार के वृक्ष और सदाबहार पौधों से घिरा हुआ है। अपने बेहतरीन और आकर्षक निर्माण के कारण पयर्टक इसे देखने के लिए बार-बार यहाँ आते हैं।

वेरीनाग नामकरण - वेरीनाग का नामकरण नागवंशी राजा वेरीनाग के नाम पर पड़ा है। कश्मीर में लंबे समय तक नागवंशी राजाओं का राज्य रहा है जैसे वेरीनाग , अनंतनाग, शेषनाग आदि। उनके नाम पर कई गाँव और और शहर मिलते हैं। वेरीनाग के वंशज वर्तमान में जाट गोत्र वैरे के रूप में विद्यमान है जो हरयाणा के झज्जर जिले और उत्तर प्रदेश के बुलंदशहर जिलों में मिलते हैं।