Anantnag has for long enjoyed the status of the second largest city of the Valley. The name of Anantnag District according to a well known archaeologist, Sir A.Stein from the great spring Ananta Naga issuing at the southern end of the town. This is also corroborated by almost all local historians including Kalhana according to whom the town 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.                                                

The district  as well as its headquarter town are also called Islamabad . Regarding this second name no mention is to be found in the old chronicles of Kashmir . It is however, said that the name of Islamabad was assigned to the town by one Islam Khan who was the Governor of Kashmir during the  Mughal rule in 1663 A.D., but the change in its nomenclature proved temporary and during the reign of Gulab Singh the town as well as district  again resumed their old name, Anantnag, but still the name Islamabad is Popular among common masses, though officially the name Anantnag is used.   
                         
Before the advent of Muslim rule in 1320 A.D., Kashmir was divided into three divisions, viz; Maraz in the south, Yamraj in the centre and Kamraj in the north of the Valley. Old chronicles reveal that the division was the culmination of the rift   Marhan and Kaman, the two brothers, over the crown of their father. The part of the valley which lies between Pir Panjal and Srinagar now called the Anantnag was given to Marhan and named after him as Maraj. While Srinagar is no longer known as Yamraj, the area to its north and south are still called Kamraz and Maraz respectively. Lawrence in his book ‘The Valley of Kashmir' states that these divisions were later on divided into thirty four sub-divisions which after 1871 were again reduced to five Zilas or districts.    

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 Kashmir in 1835. No significant ancient building or archaeological site is found in the district today except the Martand temple. 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 town 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.

Today's Anantnag
Situated 55 Kms.of the south-east of Srinagar , Anantnag district is spread over an area of 3984 Sq.Kms.with a population of approx.8.50 lakhs. It is bounded by Srinagar district in the north,Pulwama districts in the north west and Kargil district in the north east. It is flanked by Doda and Udhampur districts in the east and south east and by district of Rajouri south west. The Anantnag district is called the Granary of the Kashmir Valley . It is the third highly populous district of the Valley after Srinagar and Baramulla. About 89 percent of the population lives in the rural areas and is mostly engaged in agriculture, the principal crops being rice and maize. The district is divided into 5 tehsils, 10 community development blocks, 8 towns, 149 panchayats and 645 villages. The tehsils include Anantnag, Doru, Kulgam, Pahalgam and Bijbehara. The blocks are Sahabad, Achabal, Shangus, Kulgam, Damhal Hajipora, Qaimoh, Breng, Qazigund, Khoverpora and Dachnipora. The population density per Sq.Kms.in the district is 165. Culturally, the district is no different from any other area of the Valley. Kashmiri and Urdu are the main languages of people while rice is their staple food.

At a Glance
Area 3984 Sq. Kms.
Population 8.50 Lakhs.
Population Density 165 persons per sq. km.