Beerwah, Jammu and Kashmir
Beerwah, Jammu and Kashmir
Beerwah बीरवाह | |
---|---|
city | |
Country | India |
State | Jammu and Kashmir |
District | Badgam |
Population (2001) | |
• Total | 5,515 |
Languages | |
• Official | Urdu |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
Beerwah (Template:Lang-hi) is a town and a notified area committee in Badgam district of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Beerwah is at an height of 5200 feet above sea level. It can be identified between 75° E longitude and 34° N latitude at the base of Pir Panjal Mountain range base.
The Beerwah place is placed between plains (north and eastern part - south and south-western part). the beautiful landscape comprises elevated table lands known as "Karewas" given by Godwin-Austin (The British Geologist) first time during 1859. The name Beerwah means "beautiful" in Sanskrit, derived from springs of beerwah known as "Behroop" also means "beautiful".
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[1] Beerwah had a population of 5515. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Beerwah has an average literacy rate of 43%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 61% of the males and 39% of females literate. 16% of the population is under 6 years of age. Beerwah is the largest constituency in terms of number of voters in district Badgam. Presently the member of legislative assembly (MLA) from this constituency is Dr. Mohammad Shafi Wani from Peoples democratic party (PDP) who succeeded Sarfaraz Ahmad khan also from the same party. The Beerwah is famous for grand jamia masjid established in late 1880.it is one of the biggest jamia masjid in Kashmir and its foundation stone was laid by Mawlana syed saeed shah sahib 'RA' in early 1900,he was also Mirwaiz Kashmir and IMAM of grand jamia masjid srinagar after Mirwaiz yousuf sb left Kashmir valley.After Mawlana sb ,his brother Mawlana Syed Ali Shah Bukhari who is also known as SIR SYED SANI took over as the Mirwaiz and imam/khatib of the jamia masjid.He was a great Educationist and opened a private School namely Mazhar ul Haq high school in beerwah 1934.He used to held courts to solve disputes and was a very eminent and public figure in whole of district Budgam ,beerwah and central Kashmir as whole.Sir syed Sani also stood up as a political leader and has fought for beerwah constituency twice.,with janta party and National conference.He is succeeded by two sons,Mawlana Syed Abdul Latief Bukhari who is currently MIRWAIZ CENTRAL KASHMIR and IMAM of Jamia masjid.And another son Mawlana Syed Abdul Rouf Bukhari who is the GENERAL SECRETARY for j&k Yateem trust Srinagar Kashmir and JOINT SECRETARY for j&k Board of School EDucation and is a philosopher ,Mentor ,Educationist .
Agriculture
Most of the families in Beerwah have their own fields for cultivation of crops which include rice, mustard, vegetables, apples, walnuts, pears, apricots, cherries and almonds.
Business
Beerwah is a strong center of business. People are dealing with the business at small scales like carpet designing (Kaleen in kashmiri language), designing in shawls (knit work) and embroidery. These kashmiri carpets and shawls have good national and international market but the workers involved in it are not getting sufficient wages to hold on this business. This used to be the most important source of income in the families long time ago but due to increasing prices, family pressure and low income, people shifted to other small scale businesses to meet their family needs. Nowadays, only small chunk of people are involved in this heritage business and is almost at the verge of extinction. As this region of Badgam is very rich in walnut trees large section of people are dealing with walnut export. Another source of employment in beerwah is the functioning of quarry were stones are extracted from the famous hill known as BAIRAM which has a very old 2000 year old history.This quarry was started by MAWLANA SYED ALI SHAH BUKHARI (SIR SYED SANI) in 1940,and it became a source for the poor and labour class of the town.This quarry is functioning under Anjuman Mazhar ul haq j&k. The town also has a Educational trust known as SYED ALI MEMORIAL EDUCATIONAL TRUST which was formed in 1999 by SYED ABDUL ROUF BUKHARI who is the youngest son of SIR SYED SANI.This Trust runs a higher secondary school and a B.ED college and ETT/NTT course and is affiliated with j&k board of school education and University of Kashmir.The School is famous by name SAMIE (Syed Ali Memorial institute of Education) and in 10th Standard grabbed the first position in whole Kashmir valley in 2011.
Transportation
Mostly people of Beerwah have their own means of conveyance but public transportation includes buses and cars mainly.
History: Beerwah has root word in Sanskrit meaning Beautiful. This town has a 2000 years old history.
SYED ALI SHAH BUKHARI ‘RA’ Mirwaiz (Mir-Head; Waiz-Priest) ,MUSLEH MILAT,CHIRAGI BEERWAH WA BUDGAM)., a Kashmiri Religious and Poltical leader.He was the Founder of Anjuman Mazhar-ul Haq in Beerwah Budgam in 1951.He was the khatib,Imam and Mirwaiz of Grand JAMIA MASJID Beerwah whose foundation stone was laid by his elder brother LATE SYED SYEED SHAH BUKHARI IN 1928.( SYED SYEED SHAH BUKHARI was also the Imam/mirwaiz of JAMIA MASJID SRINAGAR after Mirwaiz Yousef Sahib till he left the Kashmir valley He was associated with politics , as a means of helping his area to come up in socio-economic developmental works. His close associations with late prime minister, entailed establishment of tehsil headquater at Beerwah and associated offices like the office BDO,Educational institutions,Innovations in the area, co-operatives etc. Establisment of a primary health centre by Govt. and networking of roads etc. were achieved due to his political leadership. He contested elections for ASSEMBLY TWICE, one on behalf of NATIONAL CONFERENCE (A poltical party in Kashmir) and one on behalf of JANTA DAL (A poltical party in Capital New Delhi)
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