Rajouri, historically known as Rajapuri (meaning, 'royal town'), is the administrative headquarters of
Rajouri District, in
Jammu and Kashmir. Situated at the foothills of the
Pir Panjal Range, it is about 157 km south of
Jammu and 89 km north of
Poonch.
The tour to Rajouri provides tourists an opportunity to appreciate the ancient culture and heritage of Kashmir. During the Mahabharata period, this area was identified as Panchal Desha and the name of the town was "Drava-Abisar Prasta."
With its tropical climate and hilly terrain, the land is fertile and is ideal for cultivation. Majority of the population belong to the
Paharies tribe, but Kashmiris, Gujjars, Punjabis and Dogras are also living in the town.
Places of tourist interest are Dhanidhar Fort, Ziarat Sain Ganji Sahib, Balidan Bhavan, Rama Temple, Jama Masjid, Panch Pir Shrine and Shiv Mandir. Excursion to Andarkot Mohalla,
Dehra Ki Gali, Kotranka,
Muradpur (7 km), Ziarat Shahdara Sharief (35 km) will be an enchanting experience.
Regular bus service connects Rajouri with
Nowshera, Sunderbani,
Kalakote,
Thannamandi,
Kheora and Veer Vadweshavar.
