Kupwara

Kupwara is a district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India. This is a backward frontier District of Kashmir Valley, which derives its name from the Kupwara town which is also its headquarter. It is located between 34.17 to 34.21 East latitude and 73.10 to 73.16 north longitude. The District is situated at an average altitude of 5300 feet from the sea level. The geographical area of the District is 2379 sq.km. The north west part of the District is bound by line of actual control (L.O.C) while the southern portion is bound by the District Baramulla.

There are three bad pocket areas, namely, Machil, Keran and Karnah located near L.O.C which remain land locked for more than six months in a year. There are some other areas located at barbed distances and remain cut off from District Headquarter for a considerable time, like Kumkadi, Lashdat, Jumgund, Kethanwali and Budnambal.

There are 2 subdivisions - Karnah Kupwara and Lolab Kupwara; 16 tehsils - Kupwara, Handwara, Drugmullah ,Trehgam, Kralpora, Sogam, Lalpora, Machil, Keran, Langate, Kralgund, Ramhal, Zachaldara, Karnah,Villgam, andKalamabad; 24 blocks; 356 gram panchayats; 363 villages; and 2 municipal committees in this district.

History

District Kupwara was carved out form erstwhile District Baramulla in the year 1979 in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Kupwara became a district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 when the state was abolished, and split in two Union Territories - Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

How the place derived its name has several stories. It is said there was a hut, constructed by somebody in the nearby jungle. It was known as Kopar ( hut in shambles) because accidents often took place there .Some times the animals rolled down and sometimes these were killed by the wild beasts. The habitations was named after the same Kopar.

Some elders say that the famous saint, Zaiti Shah Wali called the habitation Ko-pore (people of bad reputation) because the children of this habitation used to throw stones on him when he passed through it

Others say the famous Saint Syed Mohammad Gabi, whose tomb is in the heart of Kupwara, called it Kuferwari (the place of non-believers ). Later on he converted the people to Islam by his preachings, thus Kupwara is the modified and changed name of Ko-por or Kuferwari.

However , it is mostly believed that there was a hut on the hill, in front of presently existing Higher Secondary School Kupwara known as koh-nar or the hut constructed in the jungle. The same hut has given it the name Kopore.

Politics

Assembly constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2022

1 Karnah Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Karnah Tehsil and KralporaTehsil (Part) - Gundzonareshi, Panzgam and Shuloora PCs.

2 Trehgam Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Trehgam and Keran Tehsils, Kralpora Tehsil (Part) - KralporaTehsil excluding Gundzonareshi, Panzgam and Shuloora PCs and Kupwara Tehsil (Part)- Gushi, Dedkoot and Nagri Malpora PCs.

3 Kupwara Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Kupwara Tehsil (Part) - Kupwara Tehsil excluding Gushi, Dedkoot and Nagri Malpora PCs and Dragmulla Tehsil (Part) Bumhama PC.

4 Lolab Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Sogam (Lolab), Lalpora and Machil Tehsils.

5 Handwara Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Vilganr, Zachaldara and Tarathpora (Ramhal) Tehsils and Dragmulla Tehsil (Part) - Dragmulla Tehsil excluding Bumhama PC and Handwara Tehsil (Part) - Bakaiaker, Handwara, Shoghpora, Wadipora, Sirajpora, Badkoot Machipora and Jagerpora PCs.

6 Langate Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Qaziabad (Kralgund), Langatc and Qalarrabad Tehsils and Handwara Tehsil (Part) Handwara Tehsil excluding Bakaiaker, Handwara, Shoghpora, Wadipora, Sirajpora, Badkoot Machipora and Jagerpora PCs.

Assembly constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2008

The above Order for the State of Jammu and Kashmir is as per the details given in Order No. 1 of the Delimitation Commission, Jammu and Kashmir notified in the Central and the State Gazettes on 27th April, 1995.

1 Karnah Vidhan Sabha Constituency - All PCs of Tehsil Karnah; PC Keran of tehsil Kupwara

2 Kupwara Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 18-Sulakot, 20-Radabug, 22-Bumhama, 23-Drugmulla, 25-Gushi, 26-Batergam, 27-Dadikoot. 30-Gulgam, 31-Harrai, 32,Hayan, 33-Trehgam, 34-Guglose, 35-Kralpora, 36-Guzeryal, 37-Gundizona-Reshi, 38-Panzgam, 39-Meelyal, 40-Shooloora, 41 Dardihairi-Kharagund, 42-Kupwara, 43-Awoora, 44-Zirhama of tehsil Kupwara and P.C. 55-Manzgam in tehsil Handwara.

3 Lolab Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 1-Harduring, 2-Chontiwari, 3-Machil, 4-Kalaroch, 5-Khumrayal, 6-Kanthpora, 7-Wawoora, 8-Maidanpora, 9-Khurhama, 10-Warnow, 11-Krusan, 12-Sogam, 13- Darapora, 14-Lalpora, 15-Chandigam, 16-Tekipora, 17-Dewar Inderbug, 19-Manigah, 29-Haihama, 45-Dardapora in Kupwara tehsil

4 Handwara Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 8-Maidan Chogal, 28-Taratpora, 29-Wilgam, 30-Lilam, 31-Dulipora, 32-Opzawani, 33-Shogapora, 34-Neelipora, 35-Magam, 36-Jagarpora, 39-Behnipora, 40-Rajpora, 41-Zachaldara, 42-Wadder, 43-Turkapora, 44-Chanjimulla, 45-Wadipora, 46- Bhakiakhar, 47-Batakoot, 48-Braripora, 49-Waripora Gonipora, 50-Nutanoosa, 51- Kandikhas, 52-Handwara, 53-Dhama, 54-Panchakoot in tehsil Handwara and 21-Kegam, 28-Nagrimalpora, 24-Najatpora in tehsil Kupwara.

5 Langate Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 1-Langate, 2-Unusu, 3-Pohrupeth, 4-Glura, 5-Martgam, 6-Hanga, 7-Shanoo, 9-Nowgam, 10-Mawar, 11-Qalamchakla, 12-Adura, 13-Haril, 14-Drangsoo-Shah-Nagri, 15-Udipora, 16-Kralagund, 17-Lokipora, 18-Kichlo Qazipora, 19-Khaipora, 20- Panditpora, 21-Super-Nagam, 22-Ashapora, 23-Safalpora, 24-Kralpora, 25-Deedarpora, 26-Shathgund-Balla, 27-Rawalpora, 37-Waisakawnar, 38-Lachmapora in tehsil Handwara.

Places of interest
Bhadrakali, Bangus, Drangyari, Jabdi, Keran Valley, Lolab Valley, Machil, Muqam Shah Wali, Redi, Reshwari