Ganderbal district

Ganderbal district
District [1]
Views of peaks around Sonamarg, Ganderbal district, J&K, India Ganderbal district (district of Jammu and Kashmir, India) Clock Tower Ganderbal , located at gousia chowk dudherhama ganderbal
Interactive map of Ganderbal district
Ganderbal district is in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region [1] It is in the Kashmir division (bordered in neon blue).
Coordinates(Ganderbal): 34°14′N74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78
Administering country	India
Union territory	Jammu and Kashmir
Headquarters	Ganderbal
Area
• Total	1,059 km2 (409 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	297,446
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Shahruk, Ganderbaluk, Ganderbali, Ganderbalia, Ganderbalian
Languages
• Official	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English language [2] [3]
• Other	Pahari, Gujari, Shina, Balti, Pashto
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Pincode	191201
Area code	194
ISO 3166 code	0194
Vehicle registration	JK-16
Website	ganderbal.nic.in

The Ganderbal district, or more formally District Ganderbal, is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. ^[1] Ganderbal town is the administrative headquarters of the district. It was formed in 2007 and has 6 subdistricts (tehsils): Kangan, Ganderbal, Tullamulla, Wakura, Lar, and Gund. ^[4]

Lakes

There are many lakes within the Ganderbal district, both plain and alpine varieties. Some of the plain lakes in Ganderbal are: ^[5]

• Ahansar Lake
• Khanpursar Lake
• Manasbal Lake
• Narayanbagh Lake
• Shallabugh Wetland Lake
• Waskura Lake

In addition to the plain lakes, Ganderbal is home to over 100 alpine lakes, which include: ^[6]

• Gadsar Lake
• Gangabal Lake
• Krishansar Lake
• Nundkol Lake
• Satsar Lake
• Vishansar Lake

Grape Cultivation

Lar town, stands out for its grape cultivation, yielding the highest production in the entire valley. This has given Ganderbal the title of the "Grape Town of Kashmir". ^[7]

Wicker Work

The Ganderbal district, particularly the Sherpathri belt, is renowned as the Wicker Hub of Kashmir due to its distinctive wicker artisans. Spanning nearly 25 small hamlets, most of the population in this area is associated with the craft of wickerwork. These skilled craftsmen create a variety of items, including chairs, sofas, baskets, flower vases, and kitchen essentials, using locally sourced willow reeds, highlighting their unmatched skill and craftsmanship. ^[8]

Historic sites and remains

Kheer Bhawani

Kheer Bhawani is a temple dedicated to the goddess Bhavani, constructed over a sacred spring in Tulmul village. The term kheer refers to rice pudding that is offered in the spring to propitiate the Goddess, which became part of the name of the temple. As is the custom with several Hindu deities.

Naranag Temple

The Naranag Temple ^[9] is one of the important archaeological sites of the country. The ancient pilgrimage site is a group of several temples and is situated in the Naranag village near Harmukh Mountain about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Srinagar city. The ancient name for the place is Sodarteertha; Bhuteshwara (now But Sher, midway on the trek to Gangbal lake) and Nandikshetra (Nundkol lake area) are two other holy sites associated with it. The site consists of a cluster of temples facing each other at a distance of about 100 metres (330 ft). Historians say that the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva by the eighth-century ruler Lalithdatiya Muktapid. It is believed that the King Awantivarman paid a visit and donated a pedestal for bathing at Bhutsher. Even today one gets surprised over art and skill of the builders of this temple. Its impressive architecture reveals the glorious past, the magnificent art of the eighth century. The government has only recently constructed walls to protect it from encroachments and nothing else has been done. It is now left in ruins of which only faint traces have survived.

Geography

Ganderbal district, has its district headquarters located at 33°44′N75°09′E / 33.73°N 75.15°E / 33.73; 75.15 in the town of Ganderbal, ^[10] is at an average elevation of 1,950 metres (6,400 ft) above mean sea level. The town is at a distance of 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Srinagar city. The total geographical area of Ganderbal district is 1,059 km2 (409 sq mi). ^[11]

The mountainous Ganderbal district is spread across the Sind River. It is the only river in Jammu and Kashmir on which three hydroelectric power stations are functional; besides that the river provides water for irrigation, 80% population ^[12] of the district is engaged with farming. The sand (bajri) of this river has a great value for money for its quality.

Harmukh is the highest peak in the region and Gangbal the largest alpine lake.

The district currently has six subdistricts (tehsils): ^{[4] [13]}

• Kangan
• Ganderbal
• Tullamulla
• Wakura
• Lar
• Gund

It is further divided into nine CD blocks: Ganderbal, Wakura, Lar, Kangan, Gund, Sherpathri, Phaag, Manigam and Batwina. ^{[13] [14]} Each block consists of a number of panchayats. Ganderbal District has 2 assembly constituencies: Kangan and Ganderbal. ^{[13] [15]}

Demographics

Religion in Ganderbal district (2011) [16]
Religion			Percent
Islam			97.69%
Hinduism			1.88%
Other or not stated			0.43%

Sex Ratio in Ganderbal District in 2011 Census. [17] (no. females per 1,000 males)
Religion (and population)			Sex Ratio
Muslim (pop 290,581)			905
Hindu (pop 5,592)			79
Other (pop 1,273)			316
Total (pop 297,446)			874

Languages of Ganderbal district (2011) ^[18]

   Kashmiri (68.92%)

   Gojri (20.21%)

   Pashto (3.49%)

   Pahari (2.61%)

   Hindi (1.31%)

  Others (3.46%)

Ganderbal district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census. [17]
	Hindu	Muslim	Christian	Sikh	Buddhist	Jain	Other	Not stated	Total
Total	5,592	290,581	406	486	25	8	4	344	297,446
	1.88%	97.69%	0.14%	0.16%	0.01%	0.00%	0.00%	0.12%	100.00%
Male	5,182	152,571	255	458	19	1	3	231	158,720
Female	410	138,010	151	28	6	7	1	113	138,726
Gender ratio (% female)	7.3%	47.5%	37.2%	5.8%	24.0%	87.5%	25.0%	32.8%	46.6%
Sex ratio (no. of females per 1,000 males)	79	905	–	–	–	–	–	–	874
Urban	389	46,498	53	38	3	0	1	57	47,039
Rural	5,203	244,083	353	448	22	8	3	287	250,407
% Urban	7.0%	16.0%	13.1%	7.8%	12.0%	0.0%	25.0%	16.6%	15.8%

At the time of the 2011 census, 68.92% of the population spoke Kashmiri, 20.21% Gojri, 3.49% Pashto, 2.61% Pahari and 1.31% Hindi as their first language. Balti and Shina are also spoken by small populations in the high mountains. ^[18]

Tourism

The Ganderbal district is located in valley of the Sindh River, also known as Nallah Sindh. It is rich in landscape and is often called the District of Lakes, as it possesses the highest number of lakes in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sonamarg

Main article: Sonamarg

This famous hill station is situated 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Srinagar and located on the banks of Sindh River at an altitude of 2,800 meters. Sonamarg also hosts the International Championships of Rafting on Sindh River. It presents a glamorous look due to its alpine meadows, snow-clad mountains, and healthy climate. Sonamarg skirts Sindh River and torrential flow of water in this river enriches its awesome beauty. Besides several hotels in private sector have come up here and these hotels provide modern facilities to their guests. A number of treks in this region also begin from Sonamarg to high altitude lakes of Vishansar, Krishansar, Gadsar and Gangabal stocked with snow trout and brown trout.

Manasbal Lake

Main article: Manasbal Lake

Manasbal Lake is the main attraction for tourists in Ganderbal district, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north west of district headquarters of Ganderbal. It is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long and 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide. It is located in the Jhelum valley, north of Srinagar city in Jammu and Kashmir. The name Manasbal is said to be a derivative of the Lake Manasarovar. ^[19] Lake is encircled by three villages: Jarokbal, Kondabal (also called Kiln place; is situated on the north-eastern side of the lake) and Ganderbal and is stated to be the deepest lake (at 13 m or 43 ft depth) in the Kashmir valley. The large growth of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) at the periphery of the lake (blooms during July and August) adds to the beauty of the clear waters of the lake. The Mughal garden, called the Garoka, (meaning bay window) built by Nur Jahan overlooks the lake. ^[20]

The lake is a good place for birdwatching as it is one of the largest natural stamping grounds of aquatic birds in Kashmir and has the sobriquet of "supreme gem of all Kashmir Lakes". ^{[21] [22]} The rootstocks of lotus plant which grows extensively in the lake are harvested and marketed, and also eaten by the local people. ^[19]

The lake is approached from Srinagar by a 30-kilometre (19 mi) road via Shadipur, Nasim and Gandarbal. Road to Wular Lake, the largest lake in Kashmir, passes through this lake, via Safapur. ^[19]

Prang

Sindh River

Ganderbal (constituency of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly)

Prang village is 12 kilometres far from the central hub (beehama) of district Ganderbal, towards the east. Srinagar-Leh National Highway (NH 1D) passes right through the middle of this village. This village falls under the jurisdiction of tehsil Kangan.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Prang garden used to be the picnic spot in 1990's before army came and established the base camp there. However, the army camp was later evacuated from the garden in the year 2008. This garden is situated on the banks of the famous Sindh River, and forested slopes are on the other side of the garden adding more charm to its beauty. The famous Environmental park (usually known as the "dumping park") is in the adjacent village of Prang.^{[ citation needed ]}

This village is considered as the main hub for its adjacent areas. The adjacent areas of this village are "Lari Prang, Check Prang, Herra Prang, Pati Prang and dragtung".^{[ citation needed ]}

Mohand Marg

Mohand Marg is an alpine meadow in the Lar tehsil. In summer it is a tourist destination for trekking and camping. Sir Aurel Stein was the first person to explore the place, pitching his camp in the summer of 1895. ^{[23] [24] [25] [26]}

It is hidden in the mountains to the north of Srinagar at the foot of Haramukh Peaks about 25 kilometers from Srinagar via the Ganderbal road towards Leh. From the road it is accessed via 5 kilometer trek up a steep path through the hill-side settlements and fields of Lar and Chount Waliwar before the 'Marg' opens out across the mountain side giving views of the Sindh Valley far below in one direction and the Valley of Kashmir in the other.

Harmukh

Main article: Harmukh

Gangabal Lake at foothills of Harmukh

Harmukh (also known as Mount Haramukh or Harmukh mountain) is a mountain with a peak elevation ^[27] of 16,890 ft (5,148 metres), in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. Harmukh is part of the Himalaya Range, and is located between Sindh River to its south and Kishanganga River to its north. It rises above the Gangabal Lake in the vicinity of Kashmir Valley. ^[28] It is more hazardous to reach Mount Haramukh from the east and south side of Ganderbal and has never been climbed from these sides; thus, it is mostly climbed in the north-west from the Arin Bandipore side.

Harmukh was first climbed by the Great Trigonometric Survey's Thomas Montgomerie in 1856 and made the first survey of the Karakoram some 210 km (130 miles) to the south, and sketched the two most prominent peaks, labelling them K1 and K2. ^[29] Harmukh was later climbed by many other climbers. ^[30] Therefore, Harmukh is the mountain from which the world's second highest mountain peak K2 was discovered and the Serveyer's mark K2 continues to be the name.

Gangabal Lake

Main article: Gangabal Lake

Gangabal Lake, also called Gangbal Lake, is a lake situated at the foothills of Mount Haramukh (one of the highest mountain peak in the vicinity of Kashmir valley) ^[31] in Ganderbal district, north of Srinagar city in Jammu and Kashmir in India. It is an alpine high altitude oligotrophic lake, ^[32] and is home to many types of fishes ^[33] of which one is the brown trout. ^[34]

The lake has a maximum length of 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) and maximum width of 1 kilometre (0.62 mi). It is fed by precipitation, glaciers and springs. The lake water outflows to a nearby small lake (Nundkol) ^[35] and then via Wangath nullah ^[36] to Sindh River. ^[37] The trout fishes are present in the lake. ^[38] Gangabal lake is approached from Srinagar 45 kilometres (28 mi) by road via Ganderbal up to Naranag ^[39] and then a 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) track upslope.

Shallabugh Wetland

Main article: Shallabugh Wetland

Shallabugh Wetland, situated in the Shallabugh village of Kashmir valley, is a haven of natural beauty and ecological significance. It was declared as a Ramsar Site recently. Spanning across acres of marshy terrain, this wetland plays a crucial role in maintaining environmental equilibrium. It serves as a vital habitat for numerous species of migratory birds, offering them a seasonal refuge during their journeys. The wetland's diverse flora and fauna contribute to the rich biodiversity of the region.

Villages

The villages of Ganderbal district include:

• Baba Dariya Din
• Gogjigund
• Haripora
• Kangan
• Naranag
• Nawabagh Ganderbal
• Shallabugh
• Sonamarg
• Wakura

Universities and Colleges

The colleges and universities located in the District of Ganderbal include:

• Central University of Kashmir, Tullamulla
• Government Degree College, Ganderbal
• Three faculties of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir:-
  • Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Shuhama
  • Faculty of Forestry, Benhama
  • Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil

References

1. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary sources (a) through (d), reflecting due weight in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (f) through (h) below, "held" is also considered politicized usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (i) below).
   (a) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 15 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories.";
   (b) Pletcher, Kenneth, Aksai Chin, Plateau Region, Asia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 16 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state.";
   (c) "Kashmir", Encyclopedia Americana, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2006, p. 328, ISBN   978-0-7172-0139-6 C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";
   (d) Osmańczyk, Edmund Jan (2003), Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M, Taylor & Francis, pp. 1191–, ISBN   978-0-415-93922-5 Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute betw een India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."
   (e) Talbot, Ian (2016), A History of Modern South Asia: Politics, States, Diasporas, Yale University Press, pp. 28–29, ISBN   978-0-300-19694-8 Quote: "We move from a disputed international border to a dotted line on the map that represents a military border not recognized in international law. The line of control separates the Indian and Pakistani administered areas of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.";
   (f) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 15 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "... China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962.";
   (g) Bose, Sumantra (2009), Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace, Harvard University Press, pp. 294, 291, 293, ISBN   978-0-674-02855-5 Quote: "J&K: Jammu and Kashmir. The former princely state that is the subject of the Kashmir dispute. Besides IJK (Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly over 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.) and AJK ('Azad" (Free) Jammu and Kashmir. The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. AJK has six districts: Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bagh, Kodi, Rawalakot, and Poonch. Its capital is the town of Muzaffarabad. AJK has its own institutions, but its political life is heavily controlled by Pakistani authorities, especially the military), it includes the sparsely populated "Northern Areas" of Gilgit and Baltistan, remote mountainous regions which are directly administered, unlike AJK, by the Pakistani central authorities, and some high-altitude uninhabitable tracts under Chinese control."
   (h) Fisher, Michael H. (2018), An Environmental History of India: From Earliest Times to the Twenty-First Century, Cambridge University Press, p. 166, ISBN   978-1-107-11162-2 Quote: "Kashmir’s identity remains hotly disputed with a UN-supervised “Line of Control” still separating Pakistani-held Azad (“Free”) Kashmir from Indian-held Kashmir.";
   (i) Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. 10, ISBN   978-1-84904-621-3 Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'."
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External links

• Official website