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Gurez, or Gurais (''Guráai'' in the local
Shina language Shina ( ) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Shina people. In Pakistan, Shina is the major language in Gilgit-Baltistan spoken by an estimated 1,146,000 people living mainly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kohistan.{{Cite book , last1=Saxena , f ...
), is a valley located in the high
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
, about from Bandipore and from Srinagar, to the north of the
Kashmir valley The Kashmir Valley, also known as the ''Vale of Kashmir'', is an intermontane valley concentrated in the Kashmir Division of the Indian- union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley is bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and ...
. At about above sea level, the valley is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It has diverse fauna and wildlife including the Himalayan brown bear and the
snow leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia''), also known as the ounce, is a Felidae, felid in the genus ''Panthera'' native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia, Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable species, Vulnerable on the IUCN Red ...
. The
Kishanganga River The Neelum River, or Kishanganga River, is a river in the Kashmir region of India and Pakistan. It originates in Bandipora district of northern Jammu and Kashmir in India, flows through the Neelam District of Pakistan's Azad Kashmir and then mer ...
flows through the valley. The valley lies near the
Line of Control The Line of Control (LoC) is a military control line between the Indian and Pakistanicontrolled parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir—a line which does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary, but serve ...
, which separates it from the Astore and Neelum districts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Being situated very close to the
Burzil Pass The Burzil Pass (el. ) is an ancient mountain pass in northern Pakistan, and is part of the historic caravan route between the cities of Srinagar and Gilgit. The pass lies approximately north of the administrative line between the Pakistani- ...
, which leads into Astore, the inhabitants are ethnic
Dards The Dardic languages (also Dardu or Pisaca) or Hindu-Kush Indo-Aryan languages, are a group of several Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern Pakistan, northwestern India and parts of northeastern Afghanistan. The term "Dardic" is stated to b ...
/ Shins. They speak the
Shina Shina may refer to: * Shina language, an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan * Shina people, a Dardic ethnic group in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan People named Shina * Shina Matsudo (born 1973), Japanese freestyle swimmer * ...
language and have the same styles of dress and culture as their kinsmen in Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan. Dawar is the central township in the area. The population of the area is estimated to be about 30,000, and is scattered among fifteen villages. Tourism industry is emerging , hotels like Gurez knights, kaka Palace, woodvibes provide service to tourists. Due to heavy snowfall (around ) and closure of
Razdan Pass Razdan Pass, (sometimes Rajdhan Pass) is a high mountain pass in the Himalayas. It is in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), India. Located on the way from Bandipora to Gurez Valley at the altitude of 11,667 ft a ...
in winter, the valley remains cut off for six months of the year.


History

Historically, Gurez was part of ancient
Dardistan The Dardic languages (also Dardu or Pisaca) or Hindu-Kush Indo-Aryan languages, are a group of several Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern Pakistan, northwestern India and parts of northeastern Afghanistan. The term "Dardic" is stated to b ...
, stretching between
Sharada Peeth Sharada Peeth is a ruined Hindu temple and ancient centre of learning located in the Neelum Valley of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Between the 6th and 12th centuries CE, it was among the most prominent temple universities in the Indian ...
in the west,
Minimarg Minimarg ( ur, ) is a village in the Astore District of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It is situated on the bank of the Burzil Nala, approximately 36 km south of the Chilam Chowki checkpost. There is a road going north to Astore via the Bur ...
in the north, Drass in the east, and Bagtore in the south. The valley falls along the ancient
Silk Route The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
, which connected the Kashmir Valley with
Gilgit Gilgit (; Shina: ; ur, ) is the capital city of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit River and the Hunza River. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a h ...
, before continuing further to
Kashgar Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan ...
. Archaeological surveys in valleys north of Gurez have uncovered hundreds of carved inscriptions in
Kharoshthi The Kharoṣṭhī script, also spelled Kharoshthi (Kharosthi: ), was an ancient Indo-Iranian script used by various Aryan peoples in north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely around present-day northern Pakistan and e ...
,
Brahmi Brahmi (; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' ...
, and
Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
. In particular, the carvings provide insights into the origins of the
Kashmiri people Kashmiris are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group speaking the Kashmiri language, living mostly, but not exclusively, in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.(a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern ...
and the early history of Buddhism. The ancient capital of the
Dards The Dardic languages (also Dardu or Pisaca) or Hindu-Kush Indo-Aryan languages, are a group of several Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern Pakistan, northwestern India and parts of northeastern Afghanistan. The term "Dardic" is stated to b ...
, Dawar, is located in the
Gurez Valley Gurez, or Gurais (''Guráai'' in the local Shina language), is a valley located in the high Himalayas, about from Bandipore and from Srinagar, to the north of the Kashmir valley. At about above sea level, the valley is surrounded by snow- ...
and is an important archaeological site. Other archaeological sites of importance in the valley include Kanzalwan, where the last council of Buddhism is believed to have been held and, further downstream, the ruins of the ancient
Sharda University Sharda University is an Indian private university in Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The university has been accredited with A+ Grade by the NAAC in 2022. It is part of the Sharda Group of Institutions which was founded by ...
are preserved along the Kishenganga/Neelum River. Prior to the partition of Kashmir, Gurez had been a destination for foreign tourists, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who is known to have visited some time before he became the US president. During the colonial period, Gurez was often visited by trekkers. Nehru and Indira Gandhi, accompanied by Sheikh Abdullah, were among those who visited the area in the 1940s, fishing for trout at Naranag, one of the lakes in the mountains above the valley.


Geography

While describing the Kishenganga Valley (Gurez), Walter R. Lawrence writes in his book '' The Valley of Kashmir'',
"Perhaps
Pahalgam Pahalgam (), known as Pahalgom (; in Kashmiri) is a town and a notified area committee, near Anantnag city in the Anantnag district of the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a popular tourist destination and hill ...
, the village of the shepherds that stands at the head of the Liddar valley with its healthy forest of pines, and Gurez, which lies at a distance of thirty-five miles from Bandipora, the port of the
Wular Lake Wular Lake (), also known as Wolar () in Kashmiri, is one of the largest fresh water lakes in South Asia. It is located near Bandipora town in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The lake basin was formed as a result of te ...
, will before long rival in popularity the other margs. Gurez is a lovely valley five miles in length lying at an elevation of about 8000 feet above the sea. The Kishenganga river flows through it, and on either side are mountains. The climate is dry and mild, excellent English vegetables can be grown, and the wild raspberries and currants are delicious."
"The valley is extremely picturesque, as the river comes dashing along through a rich meadow, partly covered with lindens, walnut and willow trees, while the mountains on either side present nothing but a succession of most abrupt precipices, and Alpine lodges, covered with fir trees."


Habba Khatoon

Gurez's most formidable peak is Habba Khatoon, around which legends abound and at one time, even a film starring
Dimple Kapadia Dimple Kapadia (born 8 June 1957) is an Indian actress predominantly appearing in Hindi films. Born and raised in Mumbai by wealthy parents, she aspired to become an actress from a young age and received her first opportunity through her father ...
was planned. This pyramid shaped peak was named after the Kashmiri poet Habba Khatoon. She was a beautiful and intelligent woman from Saffron village chandhara, and originally known as "Zoon" (which means Moon in English). She was the daughter of a peasant Abuddi Rather, who married her to an illiterate peasant boy named Habba. Zoon was ill-treated by her mother-in-law and husband, because she spent most of her time in poetry and singing. Dejected by her plight, she changed her name to Habba Khatoon. The emperor of Kashmir, Yousuf Shah Chak, was enthralled by her beauty, intelligence and poetry. He arranged her divorce from Habba and married her. According to the story, Shah Chak was imprisoned by his rival King Akbar, Habba Khatoon used to wander near the peak that now bears her name to look for her lover. After her husband's death, she wandered the banks of river Jhelum in mourning. She died twenty years later by drowning into the jhelum and now her tomb is at Athwajan. Habba Khatoon Drama club was founded in 1976 by the poet Late Hajji Abdul Aziz Samoon (Retired Police Officer; SSP). The club played a pivotal role in safeguarding the cultural ethos and traditions of the Dard-Shin tribe. Hajji Abdul Aziz Samoon(KPS) was also Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Dard-Shina Development Organization (JKDSDO), a body representing Dard community in the state JKDSDO


Economy


Energy

There is no central electricity in Gurez, although, as of 2009, a
hydro-electric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...
plant was constructed by the
National Hydroelectric Power Corporation NHPC Limited (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation ) is an Indian government hydropower board under the ownership of Ministry of Power, Government of India that was incorporated in the year 1975 with an authorised capital o ...
. It is unclear if any of the generated energy will be available to the valley itself. India had initially planned to construct a 100-metre-high dam on the Kishenganga, which would have flooded the majority of the Gurez Valley and forced nearly all of its residents to relocate. But due to resistance by the Dard Shin and by Pakistan Government, which is constructing a dam downstream, the dam's height was reduced to 37 metres. Set for completion in 2016, the dam now diverts water from the Kishenganga towards Wular Lake in Bandipora district via a 20 kilometre concrete tunnel, and generates 330 Mega Watts electricity for the Indian States. Although construction of the dam has temporarily bring work and money into the area, the Dard Shin have expressed concern that around 130 families were forced to leave their homes and to relocate in the different districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and more than of land in the valley is submerged. Because of the lack of electricity, there is no significant industrial activity in the valley. The only electricity which is available comes from a few diesel generators which provide power to some parts of the area in summer for an hour at a time. The Indian government's relocation plans are unclear, and it has not yet committed to providing hydroelectricity to those who will remain in the valley.


Fishery

Kishenganga River, with a length of , supports world-class
trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...
with an average weight of . As of 2006, there were plans to develop the fishery potential of the area, making it a resource for the surrounding region. Fish in the river include: * Brown trout (''
Salmo trutta fario ''Salmo trutta fario'', sometimes called the river trout, and also known by the name of its parent species, the brown trout, is a predatory fish of the family Salmonidae and a subspecies or morph of the brown trout species, ''Salmo trutta'', whi ...
'') *
Rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...
(''Salmo gairdneri'')


Demographics

According to the
2011 census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...
, Gurez Tehsil had a population of 37,992 people with 22,978 males and 15,014 females. The number of
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
numbered 104 and 31,094 respectively. Most of the people in Gurez speak
Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to: * People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir * Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley * Kashmiri language, their language People with the name * Kashmiri Saikia Baruah ...
and
Shina Shina may refer to: * Shina language, an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan * Shina people, a Dardic ethnic group in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan People named Shina * Shina Matsudo (born 1973), Japanese freestyle swimmer * ...
.


Religion

Gurez is majority Sunni Muslim. Before the arrival of
Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani ( fa, میر سید علی همدانی; CE) was a Persian scholar, poet and a Sufi Muslim saint of the Kubrawiya order. He was born in Hamadan, Iran and preached Islam in Central Asia and Kashmir as he travelled to p ...
, the region was predominantly
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
. Hamadani visited the Kashmir valley three times, accompanied by about seven hundred preachers, known as "Sadaats". Of these seven hundred people, seven settled in Gurez and included Baba Abdur Razaq Shah and Baba Dervaish whose shrines are located near the hamlet of Fakirpora. The names of the other saints are unknown, although they also have shrines, located at Chorwan, Bagtore, Dangital Tulail across the Kishan Ganga River, and at Kamri across the border near Dood-Gagi village in Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir. Islam is the largest religion in Gurez, followed by 84% of the people. Hinduism is the second-largest religion with 14.24% adherents. Sikhism and Christianity form 1.1% and 0.3% of the population respectively.


Peer Baba

The Peer Baba came from Multan (Pakistan) in 1933 and established himself in a cave at Durmat, north of Kanzalwan. He was about 35 years old, and his religion is unknown. He is said to have fasted for months without taking any food or water. On occasion, he came down to Kanzalwan and asked for food in
Farsi Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken an ...
with an
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Transportation


Air

There is a helipad in the tehsil headquarters
Dawar Dāwaṛ ( ps, داوړ) is a Karlani Pashtun tribe mostly inhabiting North Waziristan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The Dawaris inhabit the Tochi Valley and speak the Dawari dialect of Pashto. History The Dawars originally live ...
. There is another helipad in Badoab, 43 kilometres from Dawar. The nearest airport is
Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport also known as Srinagar Airport and Budgam Airbase, is an international airport serving Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is owned by the Indian Air Force, and the Airports Author ...
in Srinagar, located 150 kilometres from Dawar. A helicopter service was started in the region by the state government in 2017. Using this service people can reach Gurez from the Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in 20 minutes cutting down the travel time by a huge margin.


Rail

There is no railway connectivity to Gurez Valley. The nearest railway station is
Sopore railway station Sopore railway station is situated in the outskirts of Sopore town. It lies on Northern Railway Network Zone of Indian Railways. It is one of the northernmost station of Indian Railways. Location The station is located at Amargrah about 2 km f ...
located 115 kilometres from Dawar.


Road

The tehsil is connected to other places in Jammu and Kashmir and India by the Bandipora–Gurez Road. Road connectivity has been a major issue for the population due to their being heavy snowfall during the winter months. In 2015 the Border Roads Organisation had submitted a proposal to the Indian Central Government for the construction of a 18-km long tunnel that would ensure year long connectivity of the Gurez to the rest of the Kashmir Valley. However the project has not moved past the DPR stage.


See also

*
Markoot Markoot is a village in Gurez tehsil in Bandipora district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It was part of ancient Dardistan and was divided in three parts; one among them is Gurez Valley, where the village Markoot lies. Mar ...
*
Dawar Dāwaṛ ( ps, داوړ) is a Karlani Pashtun tribe mostly inhabiting North Waziristan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The Dawaris inhabit the Tochi Valley and speak the Dawari dialect of Pashto. History The Dawars originally live ...
*
Tulail Valley The Tulail Valley is a Himalayan sub-valley of Gurez in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The Valley lies northeast of Bandipora and from Srinagar the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Tulail Valley lies immediate east of the Gu ...
*
Operation Eraze Operation Eraze is the codename of the assault and capture of Gurais in northern Kashmir by the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. History Gurais is an important communication centre where the route from Srinagar comes north to ...
* 2017 Gurez sector avalanche


References


External links

* {{Municipalities of Jammu and Kashmir Valleys of Jammu and Kashmir Bandipora district Kashmir