Pampore

Pampore (Urdu pronunciation: [pãːpuːr]), known as Pampar (Kashmiri pronunciation: [paːmpar]) or Panpar (Kashmiri pronunciation: [pãːpar]) in Kashmiri, is a historical town situated on the eastern side of the Jhelum River on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. It was known as Padmanpur in antiquity. It is famous worldwide for its saffron and known as the Saffron town of Kashmir. Pampore is one of the few places in the world where saffron, the world's most expensive spice, grows. Pampore, a beautiful town is famous for its saffron fields. This stunning city in Kashmir promotes itself as the "Saffron Capital of India". The area is about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Srinagar city centre Lal Chowk. Areas of Pampore typically have -bal as a suffix, such as the localities of Namlabal, Kadlabal, Drangbal, Frestabal, and Letrabal. Pampore has three lakes as well which have been entitled as wetlands. One of the lakes is known as Sarbal Lake. The Sarbal Lake is situated on the way from Tulbagh to Wuyan through saffron fields near Chatlam. On the basis of its location near Chatlam, it is also known as Chatlam Wetland. Pampore also hosts a famous Muslim Shrine known as Ziyarat Hazrat Hazrat Khawaja Masood Wali Pampori (R.A) urf Khoja Sahib and Hazrat Shaykh Sharif-ud-Din Wali (R.A) urf Shog Baba Sahib. There is also historic Khanqah in Pampore built in 16th century which is named after these two sufi saints which holds holy relics of Awliya kiram. Khanqah-e-Aaliya (Khanqah-e-Masoodiya) Pampore is built by Hazrat Baba Muhammad Sadiq popularly known as Saeed Bab Sahib who was great grandson of Hazrat Khawaja Masood Wali Pampori Sahib (R.A)