Bangus

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

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Bangus Valley

Kupwara district map

Bangus Valley (बंगस घाटी) is a sub valley located in Kashmir Valley in the Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir.

Variants

• Bangus Valley

Location

It is situated to the West of Handwara town along the Mawri River in the Kupwara District. It is about 29 km away from block Kralpora. Bungas valley is one of the best places to visit in Kashmir.

Etymology

The term Bangus comes from Sanskrit word Van (Forest) and gus (grass).

Jat clans

• Bangash

Geography

Bangus is about 150 Kilometers away from Srinagar and lies at an altitude of 10,000 ft. above sea level. The principal valley is locally known as "Boud Bangus" (Big Bangus) and has an estimated area of about 300 Square Kilometers. It consists of a linear elliptical bowl aligned along the east-west axis and is surrounded by Rajwar and Mawar in the east, Shamasbury and Dajlungun Mountains in the west and Chowkibal and Karnah Guli in the north. Kazinag Range (Up to 4732 meters from sea level) in the south. A smaller valley known as "Lokut Bangus" (Small Bangus) lies on the north-eastern side of the main valley. There are three routes to visit this place viz Chowkibal, Mawer Langate, Rajwar Handwara. This place is best suitable for trackers.

The valley is traversed by many small streams with nearly 14 tributaries, including the Roshan Kul, Tillwan Kul and Douda Kul. The water of these streams form one of the headwaters of the Kamil River which in turn joins the Lolab stream, thus forming the Pohru River.

Flora and fauna

Bangus is replete with a diverse variety of flora and fauna. The meadows and the slopes of the side plateaus are covered with a range of flowers and medicinal plants. Fresh water fishes of moderate size and their fingerlings inhabit the streams. The valley's forests and plains serve as the breeding, feeding and protection grounds for many wild animal species. The wild life of includes about 50 species of animals and about 10 species of birds. The animal species include the musk deer, antelope, snow leopard, brown bear, black bear, monkeys, and red fox. A large number of residents and migratory birds can also be found feeding and breeding in the valley. The prominent resident birds include pheasants, tragophan, monal pheasant, black partridge, bush quail, and wild fowl.

In Rajatarangini

Rajatarangini mentions that One warrior born in the village of Kānḍiletra had begun fasting (magic) at Bhangila, a lonely place ; and Bhikshu, whose men had now come over to Sussala, came with Prithvihara to over-come this man. (VIII,p.80)

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According to Rajataranginithis incidence is of the year 1121 AD, when Sussala became king of Kashmir second time.

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Rajatarangini tells....Bhaṅgileya and other Damaras meditated an attack on the town of Shankaravarmma from the Kshiptika to the Samala. Trillaka and others calculated that they would reach the banks of the great river, and that the Damaras of Nilashva would commence hostility outside the town. (VIII (ii),p.289)

बंगस घाटी

बंगस घाटी भारत के जम्मू और कश्मीर प्रान्त के कुपवाड़ा ज़िले में स्थित एक पर्वतीय घाटी है। इसे कुपवाड़ा का स्वर्ग कहा जाता है। बंगस घाटी प्रान्त की राजधानी से 150 किमी दूर है और 300 वर्ग किमी पर विस्तारित है। इसे कश्मीरी में बोड बंगस (बड़ा बंगस) भी कहा जाता है।