Anantnag is situated at 33.44 latitude and 75.12 longitude, at an elevation of 5400 feet above sea level, at a distance of 33 miles from the main state-headquarters Srinagar. Anantnag is located at 33.73° N 75.15° E. It has an average elevation of 1601 metres (5252 feet). The city is constituted by three main boroughs or towns Viz Anantnag, Khanabal, Martand and half a dozen small townships. Most of the population of city resides in the Anantnag borough.

The old city of Anantnag comprises Nagbal, Maliknag, Kadipora, Cheeni Chowk, Doni Pawa, Sarnal Bala, Janglatmandi, Old Port Khanabal, Downtown martand, & Dangarpora areas. The new city consists civil lines areas like New Colony, Iqbalabad, Fasilabad, Moomin-Abad, Harnag, Sultan Bah-i-Rum Shah and mid town areas like Ashshjipora, Naibasti, Batpora and Mir Bazaar. Anantnag has quite a population inhabiting several satellite areas like Wanpoh, Dialgam, Fatehpora, Nowgam, Seer, Anchidora, Fateh Garh University town and NH 1 A north and east.

Anantnag has for long enjoyed the status of the second largest city of Jammu and Kashmir, India, but in last few years has become largest city with respect to the area. The name of Anantnag District is according to a well known archaeologist, Sir A. Stein from the great spring Ananta Naga issuing at the center of the city. This is also corroborated by almost all local historians including Kalhana according to whom the city has taken the name of this great spring of Cesha or Ananta Naga land of countless springs. The spring is mentioned in the Neelmat Purana as a sacred place for the Hindus and Koshur Encyclopedia testifies it.

Anantnag, like the rest of the Kashmir Valley, has witnessed many vicissitudes and experienced many upheavals from time to time. Hugel found here some monuments of the Mughal period in ruins when he visited Jammu and Kashmir in 1835. No significant ancient building or archaeological site is found in the district today except the Martand temple as most of the ancient architectural monuments in area were destroyed during rule of Sikander Hyat Khan.

What must have once been magnificent architectural show pieces like the Martand complex of temples situated at a distance of nine kilometers from the district headquarters or the palaces of Laltaditya and Awantivarman at Awantipora lying midway between Srinagar and Anantnag are now in grand ruins. The majestic Martand temple is one of the important archaeological sites of the country. Its impressive architecture reveals the glorious past of the area.

Martand temple is the clear expression of Kashmir’s pristine glory. The Mughal Emperors especially Jehangir developed many beauty spots of the district, but of their noble and magnificent edifices only fainted traces survive. All the same, even in their present ruinous conditions, these monuments do not fail to feast the eye or excite the imagination of admirers at large.