HANDWARA AN OLD TOWN OF KASHMIR VALLEY

Soan Wattan Posh Hue ,
Taav Hyot Yaavun Bahaaruk ,
Shaalmaruk Gosh Hue.
Navi Poshaakuk Bosh Hue ,
Pholvunay Pamposh Hue ,
Soan Wattan Posh Hue .

( Dina Nath Naadim )

Our country is like a flower
Like the fresh spring , full of vitality
Or like the scenic Shalimaar garden ,
Or like the happiness displayed in Newly worn clothes ,
Or like a fresh lotus flower opening its petals ,
Our country is like a flower only.

( Translated from original Kashmiri by a k Mota )

Some days back I had to visit Handwara town for some official assignment . In fact i visited the area thrice during 2009. This area was previously known as UTTER MACHIPORA .You can go to Handwara via Sopore or through Baramulla . It is about 24 Kms from Baramulla and in all about 88 Kms from Srinagar city . Plenty of Tata sumo Vehicles ply on this route from Srinagar and the journey is covered in just two hours. The road from sopore or Baramulla is lined with apple trees on either sides with some Walnut trees in between .Handwara is a tehsil Head quarter with a degree college , old market , two Higher secondary schools and roughly 20 private schools . The town has a functional Municipal committee catering to a rough population of 10700 persons living in 1245 households at present .From the main Chowk in the Bazaar , roads branch off to Villgaam , Kupwara , Baramulla and Bhadrakaali shrine via wadipora village . Bhadrkaali shrine situated in Raajwar forest range is about 7 Kms from the town. Gushi Sharda is about 12 kms from this town . A temple dedicated to Goddess Sharda still exists in this village . In olden days people would assemble at Gushi Sharda to perform pilgrimage to SHARDA TEMPLE ( Presently in POK ). A beautiful stream known locally as POHRU, coming from Kupwara and kunangaam , passes through the town and finally joins jhelum ( Vitasta a) at Doabgaah ( Sangam ) near Baramulla.. I could not find the name of this stream in Nilmata Purana or Rajtaringini though about 60 streams and rivers of kashmir have been mentioned in Nilmat Purana. It is certainly not Hiranya mentioned in Nilmata Purana as this river is clearly the present Erin Nallah flowing into wular lake . It is also not river Vaitarani mentioned in Nilmata as some people in Shopian area still call the RembyAra as Vaitarani. It is also not Kanakvahini as this river as per Nilmata joins Sindhu to finally merge in Vitasta . It is somewhat close to Madhuri mentioned in Nilmat Purana ( Page 33 Volume I Translation by Dr Ved kumari Ghai ) since Madhuri is mentioned to be a river flowing through Machipur Pargana though many rivers of Nilmat Purana like GOTAMI , GOTRANADI, KUMUNARI, MADAVA, MALINI, MANDAKINI, SAMULA, SATASILA, SILAMA, SANDILI, SUGHANDHA, SUKHA, TRIKOTI and VISVAMITRA remain unidentified .

Presently the town is inhabited by warm hearted people known for their hospitality .Pocket full of fresh walnut kernel were given to me when I interacted with traders in main Bazaar .

“ Stay for a night at ours ”said Mohd Ramzaan Chopaan a trader in Main Bazaar .


“ Visit Bhaderkaali Shrine since you have come all the way from srinagar . it is just 7 kms from my shop ” said Ghulam Rasool Pandith another Trader .


“ Did you meet B L Pandita Advocate from this town? . He is like my father . He is presently supervising construction of the Shiv Mandir complex in Main Market .” said Altaf Ahmed another shopkeeper

“Recently (in July 2009 ) a tragedy struck this area . A fierce high velocity windstorm damaged several houses , shops , cowsheds and injured about 40 people and killing a woman besides damaging crops . It all happened in a few minutes . Trees were uprooted and roofs were shattered by high velocity winds . ” said Gulzar Ahmed a trader of the town to me

During my visit to the Bazaar I observed that Handwara must have been a very old trade centre . Many Punjabi Khatri traders had their shops in the main market. One lala Madan lal still runs his cloth shop in the main market. So do family members of Kishori Lal have their independent shops in the main bazaar. Many Sikhs from DeedarPora , HutchiPora , Badrah and Chogul have opened their shops in the main bazaar and are engaged in selling medicines , Dry fruits and general merchandise . Jujhar Singh and Mohinder Singh are two Prominent Dry fruit traders of the town from Sikh community . A Gurdwara also has been built in the town. The town has a beautiful and spacious mosque known as Jamia Masjid or Idd Gaah .

Since apples especially Delicious variety are brought to market in October , the bazaar was busy with sale and purchase of Walnut kernel. Pavements were full of men grading the kernel or drying it and packing it for jammu Market . I could also see villagers coming with bagfuls of this kernel for sale to traders in the market. Lala Madan lal told me that Mrs sheela Dhar and Shamboo Nath Raina ( Contractor ) were his customers and they still lived in Handwara . Sh Maharaj Krishen Pandita who is General secretary of the Shiv ji temple committee Handwara (along with Sh B L Pandita as the president ) informed that Pandits lived in Razdan Mohalla , Kaw Mohalla and Ganesh Mohalla in Handwara for centuries in peace and tranquility with their Muslim brothers. "We enjoy enormous goowill of our muslim brethern overhere" added Maharaj Krishen Pandita . Mr Wani president Beopaar Mandal Handwara felt happy to receive us in his office . A Kashmiri to the core he did not allow us to leave without having tea since we had visited him after EID. EID was celebrated in Kashmir on 21st September 2009 .Enjoy some views of the town captured by me on 22nd September 2009 and some previous visits to the town .

(Avtar Mota )

PS

I may informed my readers that while taking photographs at Lal Chowk srinagar , my camera slipped from my hands and its LCD got damaged. I had to buy a New Camera . Between the period of my purchasing a New Camera and the return of the old camera from the repairs shop at Abi Guzar , i clicked some views with a borrowed Camera . The camera used at Handwara belonged to Mr M K Pandita who is based in Srinagar ( 09419064007). The camera had the year preset as 2007 instead of 2009. The date appearing in some photographs is 22.09.2007 wheras it should have been 22.09.2009 when the views were actually captured by me at Handwara . In fact we opened a branch on 22.09.2009 at Handwara and i had to visit the area in this connection only.I regret the error.

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