Baramulla

Baramulla (Urdu pronunciation: [bɑːɾɑːmuːlɑː]), also known as Varmul (Kashmiri pronunciation: [ʋarmul]) in Kashmiri, is a city and municipality of the Baramulla district of the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Baramulla district, located on the banks of the River Jhelum downstream from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The city was earlier known as gateway of Kashmir, serving as the major distribution centre for goods arriving in Kashmir valley through the Jhelum valley cart road. It is located within the Kashmir Valley on the foothills of the Pir Panjal Range. The city was earlier known as Varāhamūla. The name is derived from two Sanskrit words, varāha (meaning wild boar) and mūla (meaning root/origin). The city was a major urban settlement and trade centre, before suffering extensive damage during the First Kashmir War. Currently, Baramulla is a major centre of business and education in northern Kashmir.