Srinagar, Jan. 11 : Buying the famous Pashmina shawl of Kashmir has been one of the major charms for anyone visiting the scenic valley or the State. But with a growing availability of cheap imitations of Pashmina shawls in the local markets, original Pashmina shawls'' future is at stake. 

For centuries the Pashmina shawls have been woven on handlooms from wool handspun from the shaggy coat of a goat, which lives in the heights of the Himalayas in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir state. 

Thousands of Kashmiris are associated with the ancient trade. Women mostly spin and men weave the delicate yarn into warm, soft scarves and shawls, which are often embroidered. 

Thanna Mandi (Jammu and Kashmir), Jan. 10 : A large number of devotees thronged the Shahdara Sharif Dargah (Mausoleum) here on Friday to offer prayers for better relations between India and Pakistan.

Situated approximately 117 kilometers from Jammu, and located atop a beautiful hillock in the Thanna Mandi area of the northern state, the shrine is dedicated to Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah.

People from all walks of life visit the shrine to have their wishes fulfilled. In fact, Thanna Mandi has become quite famous because of this shrine.

Jammu, Jan. 9 : Jammu and Kashmir's new chief minister Omar Abdullah, while taking charge of his office on Friday for the first time said that he wished India and Pakistan to have good relations between them.

Omar Abdullah sworn in as the youngest chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday (Jan. 5).

Relations between India and Pakistan strained after the recent terror attacks in Mumbai that left 179 people dead and over 300 wounded in Maharashtra.

Mendhar, Jan 9: The security forces have called off their operation against terrorism late on Thursday night in Bhati Dhar forest area of Mendhar in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch District.

According to army sources, the possibility of militants having escaped cannot be ruled out.

Security forces in co-operation with police personnel launched a major combing operation targeting militant hideouts with rockets and mortars as the raging gun battle entered the eighth day on Thursday.

Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir), Jan. 8 :Tourists are thronging Gulmarg to revel in its famous snow clad slopes.

Trees, buildings, roads, are all covered in white with snow flakes occasionally falling adding to the joyous atmosphere around.

Tourists from the hot Indian plains are thrilled to see the snowfall, some of them experiencing it for the first time, of course a life time experience for them.

"It seems like heaven everywhere here. I would like to request all the tourists that they should come and see the paradise on earth here," said Manoj Sharma, a tourist.

Srinagar, Jan 8 : The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was closed due to incessant snowfall, was re-opened today for one-way traffic.

According to transport authorities, the highway was closed due to incessant snowfall at Jawahar tunnel.

The strategic 300-kilometre-long National Highway is the Kashmir valley, only connection with rest of the country.

A large number of vehicles, truck and lorries carrying essential supplies and fruit in and out of the valley were allowed to move to their respective destinations.