Poonch River | |
---|---|
![]() Poonch River | |
Location | |
Countries | India, Pakistan |
Provinces | Jammu and Kashmir, Azad Kashmir |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
• coordinates | 33°38′42″N74°26′07″E / 33.64511°N 74.43532°E |
Mouth | |
• location | Mangla Reservoir, Kotli District, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan |
• coordinates | 33°17′23″N73°44′29″E / 33.2896°N 73.7414°E |
The Poonch River (also known as Punch River, Punch Tohi, Tohi of Punch [1] [lower-alpha 1] ) is a tributary of the Jhelum River that flows through Jammu and Kashmir in India, and Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan.
According to Georg Bühler, [2] the ancient form of the word Tohi is Taushi mentioned in the Rājataraṅgiṇī and the Nīlamata Purāṇa. In the latter work, Āpagā (Aik Nala of Sialkot), Tauśī and Candrabhāgā are named together. Probably, the word is connected with the Sanskrit tuṣāra, 'cold', i.e. 'snow'.
The river originates in the south-facing foothills of Pir Panjal range, in the areas of Neel-Kanth Gali and Jamian Gali. It is called 'Siran' (Suran) in this area. It flows south and then west until it reaches the town of Poonch, after which it bends southwest, finally draining into the Mangla Reservoir near Chomukh. The towns of Poonch, Sehra, Tatta Pani, Kotli and Mirpur are situated on the banks of this river. [3]
Frederic Drew wrote of the Poonch river in 1875:
it drains a large area of mountain country, collecting a number of streams that rise in the lofty Panjäl Range; indeed it combines all those which spring from that part of the Range north or north-west of the branching off of the Ratan ridge. It drains also a considerable area occupied by the mountains of intermediate height, and no small space of the lower, outer, hills. [4]
The prominent tributaries of the river are:
The Betaar Nala, which originates in the Azad Kashmir's Haveli District and flows southwest to join the Poonch river near the Poonch town, is sometimes called the 'Punch River'. (The upstream part of Poonch river is then called the Suran river.)
The Mughal Road from Shopian circles around the origin of the Poonch River and runs along its banks.
The Parnai hydropower project, under construction near Bafliaz in India's Poonch district, is expected to generate 37.5 Mega Watt power and also irrigate vast tracts of agricultural land in the district. The project was set for completion in 2017–18 but is delayed. [5] [6] [7]
The 100 MW Gulpur Hydropower Project is located on this river in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The Jhelum River (/dʒʰeːləm/) is a river in the northern Indian subcontinent. It originates at Verinag and flows through the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir, into Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir, then the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is the westernmost of the five rivers of the Punjab region, and flows through the Kashmir Valley. It is a tributary of the Chenab River and has a total length of about 725 kilometres (450 mi).
The Kashmir Valley, also known as the Vale of Kashmir, is an intermontane valley in northern Jammu and Kashmir, a region administered by India as a union territory and part of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, and between India and China since 1962.
Rawalakot is the capital of Poonch district in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in the Pir Panjal Range.
The Pir Panjal Range is a chain of mountains in the Lower Himalayan region located in the Western Himalayas of northern Indian subcontinent. It runs southeast to northwest between the Beas and Neelam/Kishanganga rivers, in the Indian territories of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, with its northwestern end extending into Pakistan. The Himalayas show a gradual elevation towards the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges. Pir Panjal is the largest range of the Lesser Himalayas. Near the bank of the Sutlej River, it dissociates itself from the Himalayas and forms a divide between the Beas and Ravi rivers on one side and the Chenab on the other. Further west, the Pir Panjal range separates the Kashmir Valley from the hills of Jammu region.
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.
Rajouri or Rajauri is a city in the Rajouri district in the Jammu division of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located about 155 kilometres (96 mi) from Srinagar and 150 km (93 mi) from Jammu city on the Poonch Highway. The city is the location of the birthplace of Sikh Rajput General Banda Singh Bahadur. Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is also situated in this district.
Shopian or Shupiyan, known as Shupyan in Kashmiri, is an administrative division of the Shopian district, located in southern part of Kashmir Valley, of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Shopian is called the ''Apple town of Kashmir'' as majority of the population engages in apple growing practices which also provides employment to more than 60% of the population. It is 2nd richest district in Kashmir region after Srinagar.
Poonch, is a town and the administrative headquarters of the Poonch district, in the Jammu division of the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger disputed territory of Kashmir. It is located near the Line of Control – the de facto border in the disputed region. Poonch shares a de facto border with the Poonch district of the Pakistan-administered, self-governing territory of Azad Kashmir.
Jammu Lok Sabha constituency is one of the five Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir union territory of in northern India. This constituency was created in 1967.
Topa is a village in Mendhar Tehsil, Poonch district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the Battle of Topa was fought here by 5 Gorkha Rifles.
The Battle of Shopian took place on 5 July 1819 between an expeditionary force from the Sikh Empire and Jabbar Khan, the governor of the Kashmir Valley province of the Durrani Empire. It was the decisive battle during the Sikh expedition into Kashmir in 1819.
Military operations took place in Poonch district, then part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, in 1948 during the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir between the Indian Army and Pakistani and Azad Kashmir rebel forces. Poonch withstood a siege by these forces from November 1947 until relieved by an Indian offensive, Operation Easy on 20 November 1948. The besieged garrison, commanded by Brig. Pritam Singh, was maintained by air supply. Military operations ended with Poonch town and the eastern part of Poonch district in Indian hands and western part of the Poonch district in Pakistani hands.
Tatrinote is a village located on the Line of Control which separates Azad Kashmir and Indian Administered Kashmir. The word "Tatrinote" is derived from two words, "tatri" and "note", which are two neighbourhoods of Tatrinote. The neighbourhood "Tatri" is located at no-man land on Line of Control while "note" is on the Pakistani side of Kashmir.
Surankote is a town in the Surankote Tehsil of the Poonch district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It occupies the Surankote valley, located between the Pir Panjal and ranges within the Himalayas. It receives snowfall in winters. It is famous for the existence of lakes on the Pir Panjal range which are not still connected with the outside world. Although some people visit these lakes by foot for recreation and refreshment.
Abbaspur is a Tehsil located near line of control which divides Pakistan administered Kashmir and as like Indian administered Kashmir. It used to be called Gopalpur before its name was changed. It is the sub-divisional headquarters of district, Rawalakot, Poonch, Azad Kashmir.
Chowki Choura, Akhnoor, is a Sub-Division in Jammu district in Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Tosa Maidan is a tourist destination and a hill station in the Beerwah area of the Budgam district in the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The name also marks the historic Tosa Maidan route into the Kashmir Valley from the Poonch Valley. In fact, the original name of Tosa Maidan appears to have been "Tosa Marg". Mahmud of Ghazni and the Sikh monarch Ranjit Singh attempted to invade the Kashmir Valley via this route.
Dori Dager is a village located in the Jammu district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Located 75 km (47 mi) from Jammu, Dori Dager is located on the Himalayas. It is also part of proposed Jammu–Poonch line. It is famous for historic Dori Dager Mela. The Mela is a bi-annual feature organised on the eve of Jesth Purnima in summer and Katrik Purnima in winter. Thousands of devotees on these occasions visit the shrine to seek the blessings of Baba Mai Mal Ji.
Bhambla is a village panchayat in the Reasi district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is also part of proposed Jammu–Poonch line. Kaleeth is located at 33.03°N 74.59°E and is about 36 km from Akhnoor. It is a hilly region which falls under chambh sector. It lies close to the Pakistan border.
Poonch Haveli Assembly constituency is one of the 87 constituencies in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir a north state of India. Poonch Haveli is also part of Jammu constituency.