Sonapah

Craft Tourism Village Sonapah
Village
Nickname:  Sonpah
Craft Tourism Village Sonapah Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Craft Tourism Village Sonapah Show map of India
Coordinates: 34°00′35″N74°36′11″E / 34.00972°N 74.60306°E / 34.00972; 74.60306
Country	India
Union territory	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Budgam
Tehsil	Beerwah
Government
• Type	Panchayat
Area
• Total	3,000 km2 (1,000 sq mi)
• Rank	5
Population  (2011)
• Total	4,900
• Rank	3
• Density	1.6/km2 (4.2/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English [1] [2]
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	193401
Vehicle registration	JK04
Sex Ratio	1700♀/2300 ♂900[children's]

Craft Tourism Village Sonapah is a village in tehsil Beerwah, district Budgam of the Jammu and Kashmir (India). ^[3]

Population

As of the 2011 census, the population of Sonapah is 4900, of which 2300are males and 1700 are females. The total number of children below 6 years is 900 as per the report.

Religions

Religions Religion percentage% Islam   100% Others   0%

Transport

Beerwah to Budgam

Beerwah to Magam

Beerwah to Arizal

Beerwah to Khanshahib

Doodhpathri road

Tosmaidan road

arizal

Craft Tourism Village Designation

In recognition of Sonapah’s deep-rooted tradition of Sozni embroidery, with over 400 practising artisans and more than 20 award-winning craftsmen, the Department of Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir initiated the process of designating the village as an official Craft Tourism Village, aiming to preserve this 150-year-old heritage and bolster rural craft tourism. The initiative is part of major infrastructure and promotional priorities under the Union Territory's artisanal support framework, which also encompasses Common Facility Centres, Craft Villages, and GI‑tagging campaigns, with Sonapah’s project proposed alongside others such as a Wool CFC at Nowshera.

Under the scheme, a proposed craft training and demonstration centre in Sonapah is expected to offer hands‑on Sozni embroidery courses for visitors and local youth, facilitate market access, and provide direct exposure to the craft’s techniques and practitioners. Officials anticipate that formal designation will enhance support mechanisms—including subsidies, exhibitions, packaging and logistics assistance, youth entrepreneurship initiatives, and digital authentication of GI-certified products—to promote sustainable livelihoods and tourism integration in Budgam district.

This government-led effort aims to transform Sonapah into a noteworthy destination for craft tourism—celebrated for its exquisite Sozni embroidery—while ensuring economic empowerment of artisans and intergenerational cultural continuity.

The village was officially declared a Craft Tourism Village at the end of June 2025. https://brighterkashmir.com/news/sonpah-craft-village-between-heritage-and-privation-76647.html

Educational institutions

• Govt. MS School Sonapah. ^[4]
• Govt. PS School Sonapah. ^[5]
• Alpine Institute of Modern Education Sonapah (AIMES).
• Roots international school (ROOTS)
• Kids care school (KIDS)

References

1. "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
2. "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
3. "Sonapah, Beerwah Village information | Soki.In". soki.in. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
4. "MS SONPAH - Sonapah, District Badgam (Jammu And Kashmir)". schools.org.in. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
5. "PS PETHPORA SONPAH - Sonapah, District Badgam (Jammu And Kashmir)". schools.org.in. Retrieved 13 August 2021.