Verinag is a tourist place and a notified area committee with tehsil status (Shahabad Bala Verinag) in Anantnag district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is about 26 kilometers away from Anantnag and approximately 78 kilometers south-east from Srinagar which is the summer capital of the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Verinag is also the first tourist spot of Kashmir Valley when travelling by road from Jammu, the winter capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir towards Srinagar, the summer capital. It lies at the entry point of Kashmir Valley right after crossing Jawahar Tunnel and is also known as Gateway of Kashmir.