Nagar Valley

Nagar (Nagar) is a former princely state and one of the ten districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The valley is along the Karakoram Highway on the way north from the city of Gilgit. The valley is home to many high mountain peaks including Rakaposhi (7788m), Diran Peak (7265m), Golden Peak and Rush Peak.

The Nagar valley is administratively divided into two Tehsils: Tehsil Nagar-I and Tehsil Nagar-II. All the villages of upper Nagar including Shayar, Askurdas, Sumayar, Nagarkhas, Hoper Valley, and Hispar come under the Tehsil Nagar-I, whereas the villages of lower Nagar including Chalt Paeen, Chalt Bala, Sonikot, Akbarabad, Rabat, Bar, Buddalas, Chaprote, Skandarabad, Jafarabad, Nilt, Thol, Ghulmet, Pisan, Minapin, Meacher, Dadhimal, Phekar, and Hakuchar are the part of Tehsil Nagar-II. Burushaski and Shina languages are spoken in the valley.

The Rush Lake, the highest Alpine lake of Pakistan and the 27^th highest lake in the world also lies in this valley.

Etymology

The term Nagar ʌɡʌris derived from a Sanskrit word "''Nagara''" which means a town, a city, an area in a city, or an area where people live that is outside the center of a city.

According to A Dictionary of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic of the Talmudic and Geonic Periods by Michael Sokoloff, the history of the term Nagar goes further back to the ancient city "''Sumerian Nagar''".
Along with ''Kish'', ''Mari'' and ''Ebla'', the ''Nagar'' was one of the important cities of the earliest known civilization Sumer in the region of Upper Mesopotamia (now northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria) during the sixth and fifth millennium BC. The ancient city is now known as Tell Brak and is located in Syria.

Moreover, Klein's etymological dictionary of Rabbinic Hebrew, traces the word Nagar from Akkadian "''Naggaru''" which means ''carpenter'' or ''the skilled carpenter''.

Geography

The entire region is hilly and mountainous topographically, but every part of the valley is easily accessible. The Karakoram mountain range covers the whole region, of which Rakaposhi is one part. Of the total area of Nagar valley, 90% is above 3,000 meters above sea level and 30% is 5,000 meters above sea level.

History

Nagar was an independent principality for more than 1,200 years. The British gained control of Nagar during a battle of the Anglo-Brusho war which is locally known as Jangir-e-Lae. Jangir-e-Lae was fought between the people of Nagar state and the troops of the British Raj at the place of Nilt, from 1 to 23 December 1891.

The British troops faced intense resistance from the people of Nagar under the leadership of the Tham (Chief) of that time Azur Khan at the Nilt Nallah (known as, Jamila Mo Har).
The people of Nagar fought bravely for more than 20 days but were defeated due to a lack of armaments. Over 100 people of Nagar lost their lives and 127 were imprisoned. On the British side, four British Officers and over 50 Dogra levies lost their lives. The British retained Nagar's status as a principality. Even after the revolt against the Maharaja of Kashmir and unconditional accession to Pakistan in 1948, Nagar's status continued to be that of a princely state.

During the 1960s, people start protesting against the despotism of the Mir, demanding the abolition of Begar and reduction in taxation. In 1970, they organized the march to Gilgit to register their demands to the high-ups, while from Gilgit scouts were sent against the people. The scouts open fire at the demonstration in Chalt and killed nine persons and wounded many more. The leaders of the protest were imprisoned. Later, on 25 September 1974, Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto dissolved the Princely States of Nagar and Hunza and set the prisoners free and gave democratic representation to the Northern Areas Council, now the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly.

Tourist attractions

Meadows and pastures

Nagar is home to many famous high altitude meadows such as:
* Kacheli
*Taghafari
*Gappa Valley
* Thayngi
*Barkot
*Bar Ter
*Barpu
*Sumayar Bar
*Silkiyang
*Hapakun
*Pissan natural Cricket Ground
*Summayar Teir

Mountain peaks

Famous peaks in the region are:
* Rakaposhi
*Diran
*Golden Peak (also known as Spantik)
* Miar Peak (Miar Chhish)
* Shiltar Peak
*Alchori Sar
*Hispar Sar
* Kunyang Chhish
* Malubiting

Lakes

Famous alpine Lakes in the region are:
* Bario Darukush lake (pakistan)
* Rush Lake (Pakistan)
* Snow Lake
*Kacheli Lake

Glaciers

Famous glaciers in the region are:
*Hopar Glacier
* Miar Glacier
*Hisper Glacier
*Biafo Glacier
*Barpu Glacier
*Minapin Glacier
*Pisan Glacier
*Silkiyang Glacier
*Summayar Glaciers

Mountain passes

Famous passes in the region are:
*Hispar Pass also known as Hispar La
* Chaprot Pass
* Chumar Bakur Pass

See also

* Hoper Valley
*Hisper Valley
*Nagarkhas
*Hunza Valley
* Naltar Valley
*Shigar valley

References

{{Wikivoyage, Northern_Areas_(Pakistan)

General

* Leitner, G. W. (1893): ''Dardistan in 1866, 1886 and 1893: Being An Account of the History, Religions, Customs, Legends, Fables and Songs of Gilgit, Chilas, Kandia (Gabrial) Yasin, Chitral, Hunza, Nagyr and other parts of the Hindukush, as also a supplement to the second edition of The Hunza and Nagyr Handbook. And An Epitome of Part III of the author’s "The Languages and Races of Dardistan".'' First Reprint 1978. Manjusri Publishing House, New Delhi.

Valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan
Populated places in Nagar District