Ganderbal district

Sub Districts

The district currently has six subdistricts (tehsils):^[4][8]

• Kangan
• Ganderbal
• Tullamulla
• Wakura
• Lar
• Gund

It is further divided into nine CD blocks: Ganderbal, Wakura, Lar, Kangan, Gund, Sherpathri, Phaag, Manigam and Batwina.^[8][9] Each block consists of a number of panchayats. Ganderbal District has 2 assembly constituencies: Kangan and Ganderbal.^[8][10]

Villages

The villages of Ganderbal district include:

• Baba Dariya Din
• Gogjigund
• Haripora
• Kangan
• Lar
• Naranag
• Nawabagh Ganderbal
• Paribal Shallabugh
• Shallabugh
• Sonamarg
• Wakura

Population

According to the 2011 census Ganderbal district has a population of 297,446.^[11] This gives it a ranking of 572nd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 284 inhabitants per square kilometre (740/sq mi). Ganderbal has a sex ratio of 874 females for every 1000 males (this varies with religion), and a literacy rate of 58.04% Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 0.04% and 20.53% of the population respectively. 15.81% of the population lives in urban areas.^[11]

Social groups

Kashmiris and Gujjars are two major social groups of the Ganderbal district. Kashmiris make up 69.2% and Gujjars 20.21% in district's total population. Almost Gujjar is considered to a be major ethnic group of the district.^[12] Kashmiris (included Hindu & Muslim) and Gujjars includes Bakarwal (subgroup of nomadic Gujjars).

Language

Kashmiri and Gujari are two major spoken languages in Ganderbal district. Kashmiri spoken by 68.92% and Gujari by 20.21% Gujari of district's total population. Other spoken languages include: 3.49% Pashto, 2.61% Pahari, 1.33% Shina and 1.31% Hindi as their first language. Gujari makes up 40% of the population in Kangan tehsil. Balti and Shina are also spoken by small populations in the high mountains.^[13]

Religion

Sonamarg

Sonamarg, is a hill station located 80 kilometers from Srinagar. At an altitude of 2,800 meters, it has views of snow-clad mountains, alpine meadows, and the Sindh River.^{[citation needed]} It serves as a starting point for treks to high altitude lakes like Vishansar, Krishansar, Gadsar and Gangabal.^{[citation needed]}

Manasbal Lake

Manasbal Lake, located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north west of Ganderbal, is a tourist destination known for its scenery and wildlife. Covering 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long and 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide. It is located in the Jhelum valley, north of Srinagar city. Named after Lake Manasarovar.^[16] it is surrounded by three villages: Jarokbal, Kondabal and Gratabal. The lake is known for its large growth of lotus plants.^[17]

Manasbal Lake is a good place for birdwatchers. Despite its natural beauty and ecological importance, the lake faces challenges such as environmental degradation and tourism-related pressures.^[18] Lake is accessable through Srinagar involves a 30-kilometer road journey via Shadipur, Nasim, and Ganderbal.^[16]

Prang

Prang village is 12 kilometres far from the central hub (beehama) of district Ganderbal, towards the east. This village falls under the jurisdiction of tehsil Kangan.^{[citation needed]} The Prang garden was a picnic spot in 1990's before the establishment of army base camp, but the army camp was later evacuated from the garden in the year 2008. This garden is situated on the banks of the Sindh River. The famous Environmental park (also known as "dumping park") is in the adjacent village of Prang.^{[citation needed]} The nearby areas of this village are "Lari Prang, Check Prang, Herra Prang, Pati Prang and dragtung".^{[citation needed]}

Mohand Marg

Mohand Marg is an alpine meadow in the Lar tehsil. In summer it is a tourist destination for trekking and camping. Sir Aurel Stein was the first person to explore the place, pitching his camp in the summer of 1895.^{[19][20][21][22]}

It is hidden in the mountains to the north of Srinagar at the foot of Haramukh Peaks about 25 kilometers from Srinagar via the Ganderbal road towards Leh. From the road it is accessed via 5 kilometer trek up a steep path through the hill-side settlements and fields of Lar and Chount Waliwar before the 'Marg' opens out across the mountain side giving views of the Sindh Valley far below in one direction and the Valley of Kashmir in the other.

Harmukh

Harmukh (also known as Mount Haramukh or Harmukh mountain) is a mountain with an elevation^[23] of 16,890 ft (5,148 metres), in Ganderbal district. Harmukh is part of the Himalaya Range, and is located between Sindh River to its south and Kishanganga River to its north. It rises above the Gangabal Lake in the vicinity of Kashmir Valley.^[24]

Harmukh was first climbed by the Great Trigonometrical Survey's Thomas Montgomerie in 1856 and made the first survey of the Karakoram some 210 km (130 miles) to the south, and sketched the two most prominent peaks, labelling them K1 and K2.^[25] Harmukh was later climbed by many other climbers.^[26] Therefore, Harmukh is the mountain from which the world's second highest mountain peak K2 was discovered and the Serveyer's mark K2 continues to be the name.

Gangabal Lake

Gangabal Lake, also called Gangbal, is a lake situated at the foothills of Mount Haramukh (one of the highest mountain peak in the vicinity of Kashmir valley)^[27] in Ganderbal district, north of Srinagar city in Jammu and Kashmir. It is an alpine high altitude oligotrophic lake,^[28] and is home to many types of fishes^[29] of which one is the brown trout.^[30]

The lake has a maximum length of 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) and maximum width of 1 kilometre (0.62 mi). It is fed by precipitation, glaciers and springs. The lake water outflows to a nearby small lake (Nundkol)^[31] and then via Wangath nullah^[32] to Sindh River.^[33] The trout fishes are present in the lake.^[34] Gangabal lake is approached from Srinagar 45 kilometres (28 mi) by road via Ganderbal up to Naranag^[35] and then a 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) track upslope.

Shallabugh Wetland

Shallabugh Wetland, situated in the Shallabugh village of Kashmir valley, is a good place of ecological significance. It was declared as a Ramsar Site recently. It serves as a vital habitat for numerous species of migratory birds, offering them a seasonal refuge during their journeys. The wetland's diverse flora and fauna contribute to the rich biodiversity of the region.

Religious sites

Lakes

Rivers

1. Sind River - The primary river flowing through the district, originating from the Zoji La pass and running throughout Ganderbal.

2. Kishanganga/Neelum River - This river originates in vicinity of Sonamarg and flows onward across the Line of Control and enters the Pakistan.

3. Jhelum River - The major river of Kashmir that flows through some villages in the Ganderbal district, and play an important role in the region's agriculture and water supply.

4. Wangath River or Wangath Nallah, is an important tributary of the Sind River. This river originate from Gangabal Lake and merges with Sindh River at Kichpora Kangan

5. Nilagrad River - is small important mountain river located 6 kms away from hill station Sonamarg. The river's unique reddish coloration, attributed to the presence of iron oxide deposits, is locally believed to possess healing and curative powers, especially for skin ailments.

Grape Cultivation

Lar town stands out for its grape cultivation, yielding the highest production in the entire valley. This has given Ganderbal the title of the Grape Town of Kashmir.^[41]

Cherry Production

Ganderbal district, with approximately 1,200 hectares of land under cherry cultivation, is considered the hub of the cherry crop, producing around 60 percent of the total cherry output in the Kashmir Valley. Nearly a dozen villages, including Lar, Waliwar, Chuntwaliwar, Gutlibagh, Zazna, Kangan, Dab, Batwina, Yungoora, Wakura, and other areas of the district, are known for producing various varieties of cherries.^[42]

Apple Production

Ganderbal district is one of the major apple producing districts of Kashmir Valley. Zazna, Nawabagh Badampora, Kurhama, Zarigund, Wakura, Batwina, Khanpora etcetera are major apple producing places ^[43]

There are lot of apple varieties cultuvated in Ganderbal like Delicious, American, Golden, Maharaji, Hazratbali etcetera. There is also a Farmers' Market (mandi) at Zazna were farmer can sell their apple ^[44] and giving boost to local economy.