Ganderbal

Ganderbal
city
Ganderbal Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Ganderbal Ganderbal (India) Show map of India
Coordinates: 34°14′N 74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78Coordinates: 34°14′N 74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Ganderbal
Elevation	1,619 m (5,312 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	297,446
Languages
• Official	Urdu
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	JK16
Website	www.ganderbal.nic.in

Ganderbal is a District and a municipality committee in Ganderbal district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It has an average elevation of 1,619 metres (5,312 feet). It is bordered by district Srinagar in the south, Bandipore to the north, Kargil in the north east, Anantnag to the south east and Baramulla in the south west. It is divided into four blocks viz, Ganderbal, Kangan, Lar and wakoora. Nallah Sindh, a major tributary to the Jehlum river flows through this district. The water of the river is mainly used for irrigation, and generation of Hydroelectricity. There are three Hydroelectric Power Stations, Lower Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project Ganderbal, Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 1st Kangan and Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 2nd Sumbal generating electricity on the river Nallah Sindh. Besides, the water of the river is used for drinking by the whole Srinagar city through Rangil Water Treatment Plant. Water rafting tournaments are being organised at the world-famous tourist destination Sonamarg every year, to boost the tourism industry of Kashmir valley. Besides Manasbal lake, Gangabal Lake at the foot of Mount Haramukh is one of the famous destination of foreign tourists visiting the valley. The lakes of Vaishnosar and Gadsar Lake, situated north of Sonamarg are the beautiful mountain lakes of the world. Administrative Units:- District Ganderbal has 2 Assembly Constituencies:- 16-Kangan 17-Ganderbal District Ganderbal has 1 Sub-division:- Kangan District Ganderbal has 6 Tehsils:- Ganderbal Kangan Lar Tullamulla Gund Wakura District Ganderbal has 9 CD Blocks:- Ganderbal Kangan Lar Wakoora Gund Shearpathri Phaag Manigam Batwina

Ganderbal also consists of the majority population of Pashtuns/Pakhtoons (Pathans) of the state mainly residing in Gutlibagh village nearly 10 Kilometres from the district headquarters. The majority people of the village speak Pashto or Afghani and are the descendants of Afghans or Pashtuns.

Gutlibagh is a Village in Ganderbal Block in Ganderbal District of Jammu & Kashmir State, India. It is located 10 km towards East from District headquarters Ganderbal. 17 km from State capital Srinagar.

Gutlibagh Pin code is 191201 and postal head office is Ganderbal .

Gutlibagh is surrounded by Lar Block towards west, Wakura Block towards west, Kangan Block towards East, Narbal Block towards South.

The Pakhtoons of Gutlibagh are actually the migrants of Pakistan's Khayber Pakhtunkhwa Province (formerly Soba Sarhad) who had migrated here around 1940s and now they possess Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs). The PRCs were allotted to them because of the then PM and later CM of the state Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad by the request of his spiritual master (Shaikh/Murshid), the renoved Sufi saint Hazrat Alhaj Mir Muhammad Alam Naqshbandi of Swat Pakistan now Gutlibagh Ganderbal. Later Alhaj Mir Muhammad Alam Naqshabndi was raised to the position of MLC from Ganderbal Constituency.

Pathans in Kashmir (also called Kashmiri Pathans) include Pashtun people (Pathans)who still follow Pashtunwali and speak Pashto as their mother-tongue who have settled in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir region of South Asia. While there are also a large number of Muslims throughout Kashmir who claim Pashtun ancestry through forefathers who migrated to the region under the Afghan rule in Kashmir. While exact numbers are hard to determine, cursory estimates put the number of these Pathans or Pashtuns above 100,000. Many of these Pathans have over time absorbed Kashmiriyat and use Kashmiri language as their first language, although some people following Pashtunwali customs and aspects of Pashtun culture and Pashto are still notably practiced among the community, but are largely few in number and reside in certain areas only in which Gutlibagh Ganderbal is popular throughout the state.

Geography

Ganderbal (गांदरबल گاندربل) is located at 34°14′N 74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78.^[1] It has an average elevation of 1,619 metres (5,312 feet) above sea level. It is bordered by the Srinagar district in the south, Bandipore to the north, Kargil in the northeast, Anantnag to the southeast and Baramulla in the southwest. It is divided into four blocks viz, Ganderbal, Kangan, Lar and Wakoora.

Power project

The Sind River, a major tributary to the Jehlum River flows through this district. The water of the river is mainly used for irrigation, and generation of hydroelectricity. There are three hydroelectric power stations, Lower Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project Ganderbal, Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 1st Kangan and Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 2nd Sumbal generating electricity on the Sind River. Besides, the water of the river is used for drinking by Srinagar city through Rangil Water Treatment Plant.^[2]

Tourism

Water rafting tournaments are being organised at the tourist destination of Sonamarg every year, to boost the tourism industry of Kashmir valley. Besides Manasbal lake, Gangabal Lake^[3] at the foot of Mount Haramukh is one of the destinations of foreign tourists visiting the valley. Vaishnosar Lake and Gadsar Lake are situated north of Sonamarg.

Development

Despite the fact that in the past Ganderbal has remained CM‘s^[4] constituency,^[5] it is quite behind in development as compared to other districts. Now Ganderbal constituency is represented by Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar who defeated qazi afzal by a little margin of 461 votes in recently held state assembly elections 2014. The State government has not shown seriousness towards the development of the district. The only Central University^[6] of Kashmir Valley is being constructed in district Ganderbal. One Faculty, the Faculty of Forestry of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir is under construction at Benhama, with the objective to boost the economy and education of the district, which is well behind at present. besides there is a stadium which holds record of playing a day night matches Physical education college the only one in state is situated at {Gadoora Ganderbal} some 3.5 km away from district headquarters.

Demographics

As of 2011 India census,^[7] Ganderbal had a population of 297446.^[8] Males constitute 53.36% of the population and females 46.64%. Ganderbal has an average literacy rate of 58.04%, lower than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 68.85%, and female literacy is 45.71%. In Ganderbal, 17.01% of the population is under 6 years of age.^[9]

Education

There is a Physical Education College, a Sainik School^[10] Mansbal, Industrial Training Institute, a Degree college and many higher secondary schools. In addition a polytechnic college has been recently constructed in the lands of hoakersar and its current status is active. Government has also proposed to construct Central University of Kashmir in Ganderbal. Since 1 April 2007 Ganderbal is now a district carved out from Srinagar. there is a newly created engineering college namely GCET govt college of engineering and technology Safapora Ganderbal(under construction).

See also

• Wakura

References