Baramulla

Baramulla بارہ مولہ Varamulla
City
Baramulla Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Baramulla Show map of India Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Coordinates: 34°11′53″N 74°21′50″E / 34.198°N 74.364°E / 34.198; 74.364Coordinates: 34°11′53″N 74°21′50″E / 34.198°N 74.364°E / 34.198; 74.364
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Baramulla
Population (2011)
• Total	167,986
• Rank	4th.
Languages
• Official	Urdu
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	193101 (New City), 193102 (Old City), 193103 (Khawajabagh area)
Telephone code	01952
Vehicle registration	JK 05
Sex ratio	873 ♂/♀
Literacy	66.93%
Website	www.baramulla.nic.in

Baramulla (ˌbærəˈmʊlə) (Urdu; بارہ مولہ Kashmiri; وُرمول, Punjabi, Pahadi) is a city and a municipality in the Baramulla district in the Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir. It is located on the bank of the Jhelum River downstream from Srinagar, the state capital. The city was earlier known as Varahamula which is Sanskrit for "boar's molar".^[1]

Origin

The name Baramulla is derived from the Sanskrit Varahamula (वराहमूल), a combination of Varaha (boar) and Mul (root or deep) meaning "boar's molar." According to Hindu teachings, the Kashmir Valley was once a lake known as Satisaras (Parvati's Lake in Sanskrit). Ancient Hindu texts relate that the lake was occupied by the demon Jalodbhava (meaning "originated from water") until Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and struck the mountain at Varahamula. This created an opening for the water to flow out of the lake.^[2]

The modern Baramulla was called Varahamulaksetra or Varahaksetra in the ancient days. Originally, it was a suburb of Huviskapura (modern Ushkur). Associated with the Adivaraha, the boar incarnation of Visnu, it was considered very sacred. Consequently many temples and monasteries had been built in the 9th and 10th centuries, during the region of Lalitaditya Muktapida, (Queen) Sugandha, and Ksemagupta, when the cult of Visnu flourished there.

History

Ancient and medieval

The city of Baramulla was founded by Raja Bhimsina in 2306 B.C. A number of visitors have traveled to Baramulla, including Xuanzang from China, and a British historian named Moorcraft. Additionally, Mughal emperors were fascinated by Baramulla. Gateway of the Kashmir Valley, Baramulla was a way station during their visits to the valley. In 1508 A.D., Emperor Akbar, who entered the valley via Pakhil, spent several days at Baramulla. According to Tarikh-e-Hassan, the city was decorated during Akbar's stay. Emperor Jahangir stayed at Baramulla during his visit to Kashmir in 1620.

From the beginning, Baramulla has had religious importance. Hindu Teertha and Buddhist Vihars (monasteries) made the city sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. During the 15th century, the city became important to Muslims as well. Syed Janbaz Wali, who visited the valley with his companions in 1421, chose Baramulla as the center of his mission and was later buried there. His shrine attracts pilgrims from throughout the valley. In 1620, the sixth Sikh Guru, Shri Hargobind, visited the city. In Baramulla Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Sikhs always lived in harmony and contributed to its culture.^[3]

Baramulla was the oldest and most-important town in northern Kashmir and Jammu and "Gateway to the Kashmir Valley" (by the Rawalpindi-Murree-Muzaffarabad-Baramulla Road) until 27 October 1947. It was ceded to India when the Maharajah signed the instrument of accession on 26 October 1947. The city is the headquarters of the Baramulla district.

October 1947

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah addressed a public meeting at Hazuri Bagh, Srinagar, on 1 October 1947 and said, "Till the last drop of my blood, I will not believe in two-nation theory." On 2 October, the Working Committee of the National Conference met under Abdullah's presidency and decided to support accession to India. However, Maharaja Hari Singh wanted to remain independent.

Tribal forces from Pakistan attacked under the code name "Operation Gulmarg" intending to seize Kashmir. They moved along the Rawalpindi-Murree-Muzaffarabad-Baramulla Road on 22 October 1947; the Pakistani soldiers were in civilian clothes. Muzaffarabad fell on 24 October 1947, and the soldiers captured Baramulla the following day. They looted, raped, killed, burned and vandalized shrines and temples. They raped and killed European nuns and nurses.^[4] According to Tariq Ali, the local cinema became a "rape center",^[5] with the atrocities continuing for several days.^[6] On the morning of the 27th of October, airplanes were allowed to airlift Indian troops from Delhi to the Srinagar airfield since the tribal forces were still at Baramulla.

Alastair Lamb wrote in Incomplete Partition, Roxford 1997, pp. 186–187:

The (tribal) leaders completely lost control over their men, an orgy of killing was the result. This was certainly the case at St. Joseph's College, Convent and Hospital, the site of what was to become one of the most publicised incidents of the entire Kashmir conflict. Here nuns, priests and congregation, including patients in the hospital, were slaughtered; and at the same time a small number of Europeans, notably Lt. Colonel D.O. Dykes and his wife, an Englishwoman preparing to leave the hospital that day with her new-born baby, Mother Teresalina, a twenty-nine-year-old Spanish nun who had been in Baramulla only a few weeks, as well as Mother Aldertrude, the Assistant Mother Superior, and one Mr. Jose Barretto, husband of the doctor, met their deaths at tribal hands.^[7]

Sam Manekshaw (later a field marshal) was a colonel in the Directorate of Military Operations who went to Srinagar with V. P. Menon to assess the situation on 26 October 1947. He later told a journalist:

Fortunately for Kashmir, the tribals were busy raiding, raping all along. In Baramulla they killed Colonel D.O.T. Dykes. Dykes and I were of the same seniority. We did our first year's attachment with the Royal Scots in Lahore, way back in 1934-5. Tom went to the Sikh regiment. I went to the Frontier Force regiment. We'd lost contact with each other. He'd become a lieutenant colonel. I'd become a full colonel. Tom and his wife were holidaying in Baramulla when the tribesmen killed them...^[8]

Charles Chevenix Trench wrote in The Frontier Scouts (1985):

In October 1947... tribal lashkars hastened in lorries – undoubtedly with official logistic support – into Kashmir... at least one British Officer, Harvey-Kelly took part in the campaign. It seemed that nothing could stop these hordes of tribesmen taking Srinagar with its vital airfield. Indeed nothing did, but their own greed. The Mahsuds in particular stopped to loot, rape and murder; Indian troops were flown in and the lashkars pushed out of the Vale of Kashmir into the mountains. The Mahsuds returned home in a savage mood, having muffed an easy chance, lost the loot of Srinagar and made fools of themselves.

Tom Cooper of the Air Combat Information Group wrote, "...The Pathans appeared foremost interested in looting, killing, ransacking and other crimes against the inhabitants instead of a serious military action."^[9]

Biju Patnaik (later Chief Minister of Odisha) piloted the first plane to land at Srinagar airport that morning. He brought seventeen soldiers from the 1st Sikh Regiment, commanded by Lt. Col. Dewan Ranjit Rai. The pilot flew low over the airstrip twice to ensure that no raiders were around. Instructions from Prime Minister Nehru’s office were clear: If the airport was taken over by the enemy, they were not to land. Taking a full circle, the DC-3 flew at ground level. Soldiers peered from inside the aircraft and found the airstrip empty. The raiders were too busy distributing the war booty among themselves in Baramulla." According to Mohammad Akbar Khan (Brigadier-in-Charge, Pakistan) in his War for Kashmir in 1947, "The uncouth raiders delayed in Baramulla for two (whole) days for some unknown reason."^[10] It took two weeks for the Indian army to evict the raiders (who had been joined by Pakistani regulars and were well-entrenched) from Baramulla on 9 November 1947. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah spoke to the UN Security Council on 5 February 1948: "...The raiders came to our land, massacred thousands of people — mostly Hindus and Sikhs, but Muslims, too — abducted thousands of girls, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims alike, looted our property and almost reached the gates of our summer capital, Srinagar..."

Recent years

The road network has been improved in Baramulla since 1947, and better educational facilities have been created. Bridges on the Jhelum River have been built (or are planned) to connect the old town on the north bank of the river with the new town on the south bank. Urban renewal in the old town has been attempted by moving residents to the new town. Baramulla is connected by rail with Srinagar, Anantnag, Qazigund and Banihal.

Geography

Baramulla is on the Jhelum River, at its highest point. The old town is on the north bank of the river, and the new town is on the south bank. They are connected by five bridges, including a suspension bridge connecting Gulnar Park and Dewan Bagh. Five more bridges are being built or are planned. A bridge will connect the Khanpora and Drangbal areas of the city.

The old town is densely populated and smaller than the new town. Government offices, hospitals, the bus station and most other facilities are in the new town. The railway station is on the eastern end of the new town, on the river. Beyond the old town, the river divides into two channels at Khadanyar (near police headquarters), forming an island known as Eco Park.

Climate

Baramulla has cold, snowy winters and mild summers.

Demographics

Baramulla is the fourth-most populous town in Jammu and Kashmir state.^[12] Males comprised 55 percent of the population, and females 45 percent.

The city's population was slightly less than 200,000 in the 2011 census, and it was not on the list of cities with a population of two lakh (1 lakh = 100,000) or more.^[13] Baramulla's old town is known as Sher-e-Khas, and its new town as Greater Baramulla. According to the 2011 census, the city's population was 167,986, behind Srinagar, Jammu and Anantnag. Baramulla has an average 66.93 percent literacy rate (61 percent for males and 49 percent for females ) higher than the national average. Eleven percent of the population was under age six. The Baramulla district and city alike have a majority Muslim and minority Sikh and Hindu population.

Economy

Baramulla is the largest grower in the state, with apples being one of the major crops.

Education

St. Joseph's School is the oldest missionary school in the Kashmir valley. It is seen as a pioneer of education, not only for Baramulla, but for the whole of north Kashmir. Other notable schools include: Delhi Public School, Baramulla Public School, Beacon House School, Hanfia School, Noor-ul-Islam School, Guru Nanak Dev School, among others. Baramulla also has a number of government-run schools. Higher secondary schools are also known as intermediate colleges. Baramulla has a Kendriya Vidyalaya (central school, a novodaya Vidayala located in Shahkot and a Sainik (military) school, both affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education.

Baramulla has separate government degree colleges for men and women, and a nursing college associated with the district hospital. The north campus of the University of Kashmir is in Baramulla, and an engineering college has been established.

Baramulla has a Government Polytechnic College, Baramulla, otherwise Baramulla Polytechnic College, which was established in 2012. The polytechnic college is located in the Kanispora area of Baramulla city. The polytechnic teaches three-year diploma courses in electrical engineering and architecture.^[14][15][16] The government has approved the project of constructing a medical college in Baramulla which will be named by Government Medical College Baramulla.^[17]

Healthcare

Baramulla has district, civic, and veterinary hospitals, with radiology (x-ray) and ultrasonography facilities. A new building for the veterinary hospital, costing approximately INR 10 million, is 60 percent completed. Baramulla also has a privately run hospital for mothers and children called St Joseph's hospital. Its history goes back to the year 1921 when Franciscan Roman Catholic sisters of Mary came to Baramulla from Rawalpindi on a Tonga (carriage). They were invited by the Mill Hill Fathers of London who already had established St Joseph’s school Baramulla.^[18]

Eco Park

Eco Park, Khadniyar, Baramulla is located at the island in the middle of Jhelum river on the road from Baramulla town to Uri. It is approached by a wooden bridge. In has been recently developed by J&K Tourism Development Corporation with a blend of modern substructure and natural exquisiteness. This ecological tourism park offers a view with mountains in the background, Jhelum river flowing along the island, and lush, green, well-maintained gardens with some beautifully designed wooden huts. It is one of the best places to visit in the Baramulla and is a popular destination for locals particularly on summer evenings; it is developing into a major tourist attraction as well.^[19]

A cable car project and expansion of the existing Eco park have been planned.^[20]

Transport

From Srinagar

Baramulla is about 55 km (34 mi) from Srinagar, capital of Jammu and Kashmir state. National Highway NH-1A connects the city with the rest of the country, and taxi and bus service is available from Srinagar and Jammu. The nearest railway terminus is Jammu Tawi, about 360 km (220 mi) south. The road from Srinagar to Baramulla is regarded as the best motorable and best maintained road in the valley. It is a boulevard surrounded by breathtaking rice fields and meadows.

From Uri and Muzaffarabad

The 123-kilometre (76 mi) road from Muzaffarabad to Baramulla runs along Jhelum River. It crosses the Line of Control and passes through Uri, 45 km (28 mi) west of Baramulla. The first 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of the road from Uri to Baramulla does not run along the river, but the remaining 40 km (25 mi) is scenic, passing wooded mountainsides and cliffs.

Air

Srinagar Airport is the nearest airport, 50 km (31 mi) southeast; Jammu, the winter capital of the state, also has an airport.

Road

Baramulla is connected to rest of India by National Highway (NH1). Baramulla is connected to Sangrama, Wagoora, Hygam, Pattan, Zainakot to Srinagar and other towns in Kashmir by road. It is connected to Muzaffarabad across the Line of Control by a 123-kilometre (76 mi) road which was closed in October 1947. The road was reopened in 2005, but travel across the line is controlled.

Rail

Baramulla is the last station on the 119-kilometre (74 mi)-long Kashmir railway, opened in October 2009, connecting with Srinagar, Qazigund and Banihal across the Pir Panjal mountains through the 11.2-kilometre (7.0 mi)-long Banihal railway tunnel. The Kashmir railway is planned to connect with the Indian rail network.

Languages

The most-commonly-used language is Kashmiri and Urdu,followed by Gujari and Punjabi.^[21]

References