Bhaderwah | |
|---|---|
.jpg) from top, left to right: view of Bhadarwah town with Kailash Kund range in the background | |
  Bhaderwah Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Bhaderwah Bhaderwah (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:32°58′48″N75°42′49″E / 32.980033°N 75.713706°E /32.980033; 75.713706 | |
| Country |  India |
| Union Territory |  Jammu & Kashmir |
| Division | Jammu |
| District | Doda |
| Area | |
• Total | 112.17 km2 (43.31 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,613 m (5,292 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 75,376 |
| • Density | 671.98/km2 (1,740.4/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Bhaderwahi |
| Languages | |
| • Spoken languages | Bhaderwahi,Kashmiri,Dogri,Gaddi,Hindi,Gojri, Khașāli[2] |
| Time zone | UTC +05:30 (Indian Standard Time) |
| Postal code | 182222 |
| Additional District Commissioner Bhaderwah | Sunil Kumar |
| BDC Chairperson[3] | Omi Chand[4] |
| Website | bhaderwah |
Bhaderwah orBhadarwah (alsoBhaderwah Valley) is a town,tehsil, and sub-district in theDoda district ofJammu Division ofJammu and Kashmir, India.[5][6] Bhaderwah Valley is famous for its beauty.
The name Bhaderwah derives from theSanskrit wordBhadarwasa meaning "a place of living of supreme and intellect mankind".[7]
The area is calledBhadar Avkash (lit. 'a good resting place') andBhadriavkasha in the 1148 CE Sanskrit chronicleRajatarangini of Kalhana Pandita, with the former likely a name given to the region by Kashmiri rulers.[8][9] The area is sometimes referred to as 'Mini Kerala' of J and K because of its historic high literacy rate.
Bhaderwah was ruled by its native rulers up until 8th century AD.[9] During the 10th-11th centuries AD, it came under the rule ofAnanta and Kalsha of neighbouring Kashmir.[9] The region finds mentions in the 12th century chronicle, Rajatarangini. Local hill chieftains orRanas of the Pal clan (originally Chanderbansi Baloria Rajputs from Billawar princely state) ruled the area during the 8th-16th centuries AD. The lineage of Pal rulers started from Raja Radhik Pal, (son of Raja Bhogpal of Balor and brother of sadhkpal who was given principality of Basohli) followed by his son Bhadra Pal (named after Bhaderkali temple constructed by Raja Radhik Pal), Prithvi Pal, Ajay Pal, and many more. According to folk history, a local ruler named Nag Pal impressed Mughal emperorAkbar in the 16th century with his spiritual prowess, compelling the emperor to make several offerings to him.[10] The event is since commemorated annually during a celebration known asMela Patt, onNaga Panchami.[11][12]
By the end of the 16th century, it was annexed by the rulers ofChamba, who exercised influence over the PalRajas. In 1820, the cousin of last ruler of Pal dynasty, Raja Pahadchand, ascended the throne and fought against Chamba forces who were led by Wazir Nathu. Raja Pahadchand won the battle but Wazir Nathu attacked again on Bhaderwah with the help of the Sikhs and captured Bhaderwah. The Raja of Chamba gave the throne of Bhaderwah to his younger brother Parakram Singh. After the death of Parakram Singh, RajaZorawar Singh was made Governor of Bhaderwah. Many Kashmiri shawl weavers settled in the town during this time. The region became part of theDogra Kingdom ofJammu and Kashmir following theTreaty of Amritsar in 1846, according to which the possessions of Chamba state to the west ofRavi river, including the Bhaderwah principality, were given toGulab Singh.[13]
In 1886, Bhaderwah was bestowed as ajagir to Amar Singh, prime minister of the Dogra Kingdom, by MaharajaPratap Singh. In 1890, the first census was conducted in Bhaderwah. Amar Singh exercised control over thejagir until his death in 1912, following which it passed onto his sonHari Singh, who would later become the Maharaja of the princely state. Bhaderwah's status as ajagir ended in 1930, and it was fully absorbed into the princely state, becoming a tehsil of district Udhampur in 1931.[14] The Jagir comprised Bhadarwah,Bhalessa and the vast area left of river Chenab fromThathri up to Marmat (Doda).
Two wholly different cultures coexist side by side in the valley. The Muslims are ethnic Kashmiris and the Hindus are Paharis sharing similarities with the Himachal Hindus.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 2,563 | — |
| 1921 | 2,603 | +0.15% |
| 1931 | 2,895 | +1.07% |
| 1941 | 2,989 | +0.32% |
| 1951 | 3,559 | +1.76% |
| 1961 | 4,129 | +1.50% |
| 1971 | 5,211 | +2.35% |
| 1981 | 6,075 | +1.55% |
| 2001 | 10,516 | +2.78% |
| 2011 | 11,084 | +0.53% |
| Source:[1] | ||
According to the2011 census of India, the Bhaderwah tehsil had a population of 75,376 while the population of the Bhaderwah town was 11,084. This gave the tehsil a population density of 670 persons per km2 (1,700 per square mile). Out of the total population of the tehsil, 39,051 individuals were male and 36,325 were female, giving it a sex ratio of 930 females for every 1000 males. The tehsil had a literacy rate of 75.51%. Scheduled castes formed 19.3% of the population, while scheduled tribes were 6.2%.[15]
Per the 2011 census,Hindus formed a majority of Bhaderwah tehsil's population, constituting 58.02% of the total.[15][16] The remaining population is mainlyMuslim (41.71%) with small numbers ofChristians (0.13%) andSikhs (0.11%). Hindus have historically formed a majority in the region, with the former Bhaderwah Jagir recording a 61.13% Hindu majority in the 1911 census.[17]
A majority of the population of Bhaderwah tehsil are speakers of theBhadarwahi language, with around 53% of the total population speaking the language as a mother tongue, according to the 2011 census.[18] The tehsil also had a largeKashmiri-speaking minority (33.6% of the total), and significant numbers of speakers ofDogri (4.7%),Gaddi (3.35%),Hindi (1.6%) andGojri (1.5%) languages.[18]
| Climate data for Bhaderwah (1991–2020, extremes 1977–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.8 (71.2) | 24.8 (76.6) | 29.7 (85.5) | 32.6 (90.7) | 38.4 (101.1) | 39.3 (102.7) | 39.4 (102.9) | 37.2 (99.0) | 35.1 (95.2) | 32.4 (90.3) | 28.7 (83.7) | 22.9 (73.2) | 39.4 (102.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) | 13.4 (56.1) | 18.8 (65.8) | 23.4 (74.1) | 27.2 (81.0) | 29.9 (85.8) | 30.4 (86.7) | 29.3 (84.7) | 27.8 (82.0) | 24.4 (75.9) | 19.3 (66.7) | 14.6 (58.3) | 22.7 (72.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.4 (31.3) | 1.2 (34.2) | 4.4 (39.9) | 7.9 (46.2) | 10.9 (51.6) | 14.6 (58.3) | 17.9 (64.2) | 17.4 (63.3) | 13.5 (56.3) | 7.6 (45.7) | 3.8 (38.8) | 0.9 (33.6) | 8.4 (47.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10.8 (12.6) | −9.2 (15.4) | −6.5 (20.3) | −2.5 (27.5) | 0.2 (32.4) | 5.2 (41.4) | 7.0 (44.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 2.5 (36.5) | −3.0 (26.6) | −2.5 (27.5) | −10.3 (13.5) | −10.8 (12.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 133.6 (5.26) | 177.3 (6.98) | 151.1 (5.95) | 116.5 (4.59) | 83.8 (3.30) | 83.4 (3.28) | 129.6 (5.10) | 136.4 (5.37) | 94.0 (3.70) | 28.5 (1.12) | 36.7 (1.44) | 55.0 (2.17) | 1,227.9 (48.34) |
| Average rainy days | 7.0 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 77.8 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 63 | 63 | 55 | 52 | 52 | 54 | 64 | 68 | 62 | 52 | 55 | 57 | 58 |
| Source:India Meteorological Department[19][20] | |||||||||||||
Bhaderwah is an emerging tourist destination. Local administration is working to set Bhaderwah on the world tourism spot. The administration is emphasising on creating Shopping Malls, luxury hotels, gaming facilities, food courts, and other amenities to attract international and domestic tourists along with promotion of religious and historical destinations.[21] The Vibrant Bhaderwah Festival, a 5-day program, including performances by Singers, fireworks, cultural performances, Film Screenings and many more. The festival is organised in collaboration by Directorate of Tourism Jammu, the District Administration Doda, the Academy of Art, Culture and Language, and the Bhaderwah Development Authority (BDA). The last festival was organised from 27 December 2023 to 31 December 2023. It concluded on New Year 2024. It was attended by more than one lakh people. Bhaderwah is also emerging as a destination for Wedding tourism andMICE tourism.[22]
Bhaderwah can be reached from Udhampur Batote, with 55 km Udhampur-Batote via NH-1A, Batote to Pul Doda 50 km section by NH-1B, and then Pul Doda to Bhaderwah 30 km section.
Bhaderwah has exciting activities for adventure enthusiasts. Khani Top and Thuba are ideal for paragliding offering exhilarating descents into the Bhaderwah valley. The mountains overlooking the valley offer abundant camping and trekking opportunities. Jantroon Top in Chiralla, Subar Dhar, Hanga Noori to Seoj, Khellani to Seoj, Hanga- Devchatar- Chilli- Khellani. Chinta, Thanala and Padri meadows have wonderful slopes for snowboarding and skiing.
Bhaderwah-Seojhdar ropeway, 8.80 km long planned ropeway from Bhaderwah to Seojhdar in Doda district], tenders for preparation of DPR have been invited in March 2025.[23]