Baramulla is a town in the Baramulla District in the Kashmir valley, about 60 km from the state capital Srinagar. The name is derived from the early Sanskrit name Varahamula. The name is derived from two letters Varrah and Mul, which adds to living place of Varrah. The town is located on the banks of river Jehlum at the highest point of the river. In fact, the river forms a delta just in the outskirts of the town. The town is strikingly scenic because of open view of valley on the east and tall mountains on the west.

The city of Baramulla, founded by Raja Bhimsina held the position of a gate-way to the valley as it was located on the route to the Valley from Muzaffarabad, now in POK, and Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan. As such, a number of prominent visitors have been to Baramulla. These include the famous chinese visitor Heiun T’Sang and Moorcraft, the British historian.

Mughal Emperors has special fascination for Baramulla. Being the gate way of the valley it was a halting station for them during their visits to the Valley. In 1508 A.D.Emperor Akbar who entered the Valley via Pakhil spent a few days at Baramulla and according to “Tarikh-e-Hassan” the city during Akbar’s stay, had been decorated like a bride,Jahangir also stayed at Baramulla during his visit to Kashmir in 1620 A.D.
From the very beginning, Baramulla has enjoyed religious importance.

The construction of Hindu Teeratha and Buddist Vihars made the city scared to Hindus as well as Buddhists. In the 15th Century, the place became important to muslims also, as the famous muslim saint, Syed Janbaz Wali, who visited the valley alongwith his companions in 1421 A.D. chose Baramulla as the centre of his mission and after death, was burried there.

His shrine attracts Pilgrims from all over the Valley. In 1894 the sixth Sikh Guru Shri Hargobind Ji visited the city and Gurdawara “Chatti Padshahi” was constructed in his memory, Baramulla thus became an abode of Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Sikhs living in harmoney and contributing to a rich composite culture.