Banihal local pronunciation [banhal] is a town and a notified area committee, near Ramban town in Ramban district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a rural and hilly area with Kamirwah being one of the most prominent hills. It is located about 35 km (22 mi) away from Qazigund of Anantnag district on NH 44. However, the distance between Banihal and Qazigund is only 18 km by train on the new railway line which is much shorter than the road. The most common language spoken in the region is Kashmiri; Urdu, Hindi, Gujjari, Pahari and English being other familiar languages. Banihal forms the main gateway to the valley of Kashmir. Some famous visiting places in banihal are Neel top and Mahu valley.