[1] 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 town was a major urban settlement and trade centre, before suffering extensive damage during the 1947 Pakistani tribal invasion of Kashmir.

Ancient Hindu texts relate that the lake was occupied by the demon Jalodbhava (meaning "originated from water") until Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and struck the mountain at Varahamula.

Consequently, many temples and monasteries were built in the ninth and tenth centuries, during the region of Lalitaditya Muktapida, (Queen) Sugandha, and Ksemagupta, when the worship of Vishnu flourished there.

[9] A number of visitors have travelled to Baramulla, including Xuanzang from China and a British historian named Moorcraft.

Syed Janbaz Wali, who visited the valley with his companions in 1421, chose Baramulla as the center of his mission and was later buried there.

Pashtun tribesmen from Pakistan (guided and aided by Pakistani army regulars[11] in civilian clothes) attacked Kashmir to seize the state.

The invaders stayed in Baramulla for two days looting, raping and killing, which prevented them from reaching Srinagar.

The invaders raped and killed Christian Missionary Nuns and nurses at St Joseph's Hospital in a looting spree.

[15][16][17][18][19] On the morning of 27 October, India airlifted troops from Delhi to the Srinagar airfield while the tribal forces were still at Baramulla, harassing, looting, killing and kidnapping the people.

This was certainly the case at St Joseph's College, Convent and Hospital, the site of what was to become one of the most publicised incidents of the entire Kashmir conflict.

Here nuns, priests and congregation, including patients in the hospital, were slaughtered; and at the same time a small number of Europeans, notably Lt.

[20]Charles Chevenix Trench wrote in The Frontier Scouts (1985): In October 1947... tribal lashkars hastened in lorries – undoubtedly with official logistic support – into Kashmir... at least one British Officer, Harvey-Kelly took part in the campaign.

The Mahsuds in particular stopped to loot, rape and murder; Indian troops were flown in and the lashkars pushed out of the Vale of Kashmir into the mountains.

The Mahsuds returned home in a savage mood, having muffed an easy chance, lost the loot of Srinagar and made fools of themselves.Sam Manekshaw (later a field marshal) was a colonel in the Directorate of Military Operations who went to Srinagar with V. P. Menon to assess the situation on 26 October 1947.

Tom Cooper of the Air Combat Information Group wrote, "The Pathans appeared foremost interested in looting, killing, ransacking and other crimes against the inhabitants instead of a serious military action.

"[22] According to Mohammad Akbar Khan (Colonel, Pakistan army, who was promoted as Brigadier and made in charge of sending the tribals to Kashmir and who had been a contemporary of Col. Dykes at Royal Military College, Sandhurst) in his War for Kashmir in 1947, "The uncouth raiders delayed in Baramulla for two (whole) days.

"[23] Biju Patnaik (later Chief Minister of Odisha) piloted the first plane to land at Srinagar airport that morning.

[24] It took two weeks for the Indian army to evict the raiders (who had been joined by Pakistani regulars and were well-entrenched) from Baramulla on 9 November 1947.

Sheikh Abdullah spoke to the UN Security Council on 5 February 1948: "The raiders came to our land, massacred thousands of people – mostly Sikhs, but Hindus and Muslims, too – abducted thousands of girls, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims alike, looted our property and almost reached the gates of our summer capital, Srinagar.

26]: The raid of the convent is narrated in even gory details by Father Shanks, one of the fortunate survivors and the anonymous 'witnesses' in the following report.

At the moment Colonel Dykes, who had assured us we would not be attacked, raced from his room a few yards along the terrace to get the Mother Superior out of danger, shouting at the tribesmen as he ran.

As the tribesmen raised their rifles a young Afridi Officer, who once studied in a Convent School at Peshawar, rushed in and stopped them.

Ostensibly they wanted to liberate their Kashmir Muslim brothers, but their primary objective was to riot and loot.

Beyond the old town, the river divides into two channels at Khadanyar (near police headquarters), forming an island known as Eco Park.

The north campus of the University of Kashmir is located outskirts the Baramulla town, and an engineering college has been established.

Eco Park is on the island in the middle of Jhelum river on the road from Baramulla town to Uri.

This ecological tourism park offers a view with mountains in the background, Jhelum river flowing along the island, and lush, green, well-maintained gardens with some beautifully designed wooden huts.

It is one of the best places to visit in the Baramulla and is a popular destination for locals particularly on summer evenings; it is developing into a major tourist attraction as well.

National Highway NH-1 starting from the Line of Control and passing through Uri connects the city with Srinagar and continues to Leh.