History of Sonmarg

Sonamarg is a hill town surrounded by the peaks of Amarnath, Sirbal, and Kolhoi. This destination is a famous tourist spot in Jammu and Kashmir today. However, it did not start as a tourism destination in the past, but a famous trade route site. Find below about the history of Sonmarg:

Origin of Sonmarg

The name Sonamarg is derived from the Hindi language. Sona means gold, and marg means meadow. The destination is famous for its valleys, which are carpeting with lush yellow flowers, which bloom during the spring season. The entire valley and the regions around it would be carpeted with yellow flowers, which resemble a gold valley, and thus the name.

History of kings’ reigns

Sonamarg and regions around it were under the control of King Pravarasena II, 2000 years ago. Srinagar, Sonamarg, and the surrounding regions then came under the control of Mauryan Reign. Under this period, Buddhism thrived. Later, Kushanas took control over the region in 1 st century AD. Later, it came under the control of Ujjain’s Vikramaditya, and during the 6 th century, Huns controlled it for a short period. Later, it fell under the reigns of numerous small kings.

In the 14 th century, Sonamarg and major parts of Kashmir and the surrounding regions went under the Mughal rule. According to history, Emperor Akbar tricked King Yusuf Shah Chak into handing over Kashmir and surrounding regions to Mughal Empire. After the fall of the Mughal Era in the 18 th century, the region was ruled by smaller reigns and then came under the Sikh’s rule in the 19 th century, and then under British, within a few decades. Sonamarg did not fall under British rule for long as it was given to Gulab Singh along with the other valleys of Kashmir. Under a treaty between Gulab Singh and British, Kashmir along with Sonamarg, became a princely state and remained under the rule of Gulab Singh until independence. In 1947, Sonamarg was annexed to India.

History of the trade route

According to the ancient literature describing this region, Sonamarg and the surrounding regions came under the famous silk route that connected India with Tibet. The Zojila Pass was one of the major routes between Srinagar and Leh, and it lies very closer to Sonamarg. Thus, this region had been a major destination among traders in the ancient times.

Recent times

After Independence, Sonamarg came under the boundary of Kashmir. Due to its altitude and strategic location, Sonamarg is now a military defense post. It is also a famous tourist destination and base camp for trekkers and campers. Sonamarg was once a hidden beauty in Kashmir and today; it is becoming a famous tourist destination, especially among adventure lovers.