Handwara ( ; ) is a town in
Kupwara district of
Jammu and Kashmir,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It is located on Baramulla-Handwara
National Highway NH-701 and is governed by a municipal committee. Handwara is known for its high-quality walnuts, which are a major agricultural product of the region. The area's climate and soil are ideal for walnut cultivation. Handwara is also famous for its apple orchards alongside walnut production.
History
Sikh rule
During Sikh rule,
Raja Zabardast Khan, chieftain of the
Bomba tribe, led
guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrori ...
against the forces of the
Sikh Empire, targeting their garrisons and posts in Handwara.
Geography
Handwara is located at at an average elevation of 1,582 metres (5,190 feet) above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
. The region boasts breathtaking natural beauty, with the
Pohru River—a tributary of the
Jhelum—flowing through the town.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Indian
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
, Handwara has a population of 13,600.
Males constitute 54.26% of the population and females 45.74%.
Handwara has an average literacy rate of 64.39%.
The dominant religion in the town is
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
.
Literacy
The Census of 2011 showed the literacy rate of Handwara at 64.39%, lower than the national average of 67.16%.
There is a gender difference in literacy, with a male literacy rate of 75.62% and a much lower female literacy rate of 51.88%.
Educational Institutions
*
Government Medical College, Handwara
*
Government Degree College, Handwara
*
Shaheen Public Secondary School, Handwara
*
New Millennium Public School
*
AIIMS School of Learning
*
Monarch Secondary School of Education
*
Sunrise Public School
*
Hill Grange Public School
*
GD Goenka Public School
*
Government Higher Secondary School Boys
*
Government Higher Secondary School Girls
*
Industrial Training Institute
Sheikh-ul-Alam Public School, Handwara* Webcom Industrial Training Institute, Handwara
Politics
Handwara is a region of considerable strategic significance, primarily due to its proximity to the
Line of Control (LoC). This geographical positioning renders it a critical and sensitive zone in military and security discussions. Handwara was the home constituency of the late separatist leader
Abdul Ghani Lone. The current
MLA of Handwara is
Sajjad Gani Lone of the
Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference, who defeated Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan of the
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference by over 600 votes in the 2024 assembly elections.
Municipal Committee Handwara is an
Urban Local Body with 13 elected members, which administers the town.
Transportation
Air
The nearest airport is
Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in
Srinagar
Srinagar (; ) is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary ...
located 78.8 kilometres from Handwara. There are plans to construct an airport in Panzgam near Kupwara.
Rail
Handwara is not yet connected to railways. The nearest railway station is
Baramulla railway station located 30 kilometres from Handwara.
Road
Handwara is well-connected with roads and highways. The
NH 701 passes through Handwara alongside other intra-town roads.
Tourist Spots
* Bungus Valley
* Reshwari
* Nagarwari
* Chornaar
Notable People
*
Ali Mohammad Shahbaz (Poet)
*
Abdul Gani Lone (Politician)
*
Sajad Lone (Politician)
*
Engineer Rashid (Politician)
*
Noor Mohammad (Singer)
References
External links
*
{{Kashmir Valley
Handwara
Handwara
Tehsils of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)