Handwara
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.) |
Handwara (हंडवारा) is a town and tahsil in Kupwara district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Location
Jat clans
- Handal (हंडल)
History
Bhadrakali temple, Handwara
An ancient idol of Mata Bhadrakali was reinstalled at a famous temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district years after it was brought back from Jammu. The ancient temple at Bhadrakali Village in Handwara wore a festive look as the original idol of the presiding deity, Maa Bhadrakali, was restored to its original abode in a simple ceremony yesterday, a temple panel member, Bhushan Lal Pandita, said. [1]
Mata Bhadrakali Temple is situated on a rich and thick coniferous deodars forest hill top in Bhadrakal about 8 KM from Handwara and 4 KM from Wadipora towards west in District Kupwara. The ancient temple is worshiped since millenniums and has been a sacred place of worship from time immemorial. Mata Bhadrakali also called Siddhidhatri is worshiped in Kashmir from the period of Nagas and Aryan Sarswat Brahmins as mentioned in Nilmat Puran. Shaivte Scholar Sh. Abhinav Gupt (933-1015 AD) was an ardent devotee of Mata Bhadrakali. Sir MA Stein who stayed in Kashmir from 1843-1888 AD visited many places and has made a mention of Mata Bhadrakali Asthapan. He recorded Bhadrakali Tirtha as a small village about 4 miles South-East of Kramhar marked by a spring and old linga’s which confirm the antiquity of Shila idol.[2]
Bhadarkal:- Mata finally comes to Bhadarkal and rests on Hilltop of Forest (presently Compartment No;- 6 of Rajwar Forest Range) under a deodar tree . The Devtas led by Vaishnu reach the spot and thanked the Goddess Bhadrakali for eliminating the Demons. It is the time the idol (Shila) of 6 ft in height , carved of rock stone ,seems to have been installed on the Hilltop adjacent to a spring , just under the shadow of deodar tree. Besides three Rock idols (Shila) of other God/Goddesses smaller in size like Ganesha also were installed in front of main Shila. As per the directions of Mata, Reshi Muneshwar settled at his original place near Ganesh Kund.[3]
Tourism
Villages in Handwara tahsil
Town 1 Handwara,
Villages 1 Adura, 2 Ahagam, 3 Amar Garh, 4 Ananwan, 5 Ash Pora, 6 Ashkan Pora, 7 Athratoo, 8 Bada Kot Machi Pora, 9 Badar Kol, 10 Bader Heer, 11 Badrah, 12 Bahadar Pora, 13 Baki Aker, 14 Bandi, 15 Banger Gund, 16 Bata Gund, 17 Bata Pora, 18 Bata Pora Magam 19 Bawan Wastar, 20 Bicherwari, 21 Budha Bug , 22 Bunagam , 23 Chaka Poran, 24 Cham Pora, 25 Checki Bakshi, 26 Cheer Kote, 27 Chera Mandi, 28 Chera Pawa , 29 Chinja Mula , 30 Choti Pora, 31 Chugal, 32 Chunti Pora, 33 Dahama, 34 Darabal Bala, 35 Darabal Pain, 36 Darel, 37 Dedar Pora, 38 Doli Pora, 39 Dowlat Pora, 40 Drungsu Shhnagri, 41 Duda Kuhl, 42 Dudi Pora, 43 Dugri Pora, 44 Gana Pora, 45 Geri Pora, 46 Glura , 47 Gund Chabutra, 48 Gund Kamal, 49 Gund Razak, 50 Gundi Lasa Shah, 51 Gundi momin, 52 Guri Aker, 53 Hafrada , 54 Haider Mari, 55 Hajan, 56 Ham Pora, 57 Hangah, 58 Hangni Kot, 59 Hanji Shat, 60 Harawat, 61 Hardunu, 62 Harel, 63 Hari Pora, 64 Harni Pora, 65 Jagar Pur, 66 Jahama , 67 Kachlu Qazi Pora, 68 Kachri, 69 Kal Mona, 70 Kali Pora , 71 Kandi Khas, 72 Kargam, 73 Kawa Wari, 74 Khai Pora, 75 Khai Pora, 76 Khan Pora, 77 Khana Gund, 78 Khawar Ware , 79 Khir Man Tilak Chand, 80 Khonu Baba Gund , 81 Khudi, 82 Kinal, 83 Krala Gund , 84 Krala Pora, 85 Krum Hoora, 86 Kuhru, 87 Kukrusa, 88 Kulan Gam Bagh, 89 Kultra, 90 Kunel, 91 Lach , 92 Lacham Pora, 93 Lachi Pora , 94 Lal Bug, 95 Langet, 96 Lara Bal, 97 Lilam , 98 Lohikot, 99 Loki Pora, 100 Magam, 101 Maidani Chugal, 102 Majeed Abad , 103 Mala Bagh, 104 Mangwal Pora, 105 Manz Gam , 106 Marat Gam , 107 Mawar, 108 Menkal , 109 Moona Bal , 110 Mundi Gam, 111 Muqam Handwan Pora, 112 Muqam Rajwar, 113 Nabad Zab , 114 Nagrad Nar, 115 Nawgam , 116 Neli Pora , 117 Nicha Hama, 118 Nihama, 119 Nut Nusa, 120 Otingru, 121 Pach Kote , 122 Padder Gund, 123 Pala Pora , 124 Pala Pora, 125 Pandit Pora, 126 Pazi Pora, 127 Pazwal Pora, 128 Pingru , 129 Poshwan, 130 Puhrupath , 131 Qalam Abad, 132 Raj Pora , 133 Rakhi Shihilhal, 134 Rasri Pora, 135 Ratten Pora , 136 Rawal Pora, 137 Renan, 138 Renga Path , 139 Reshi Pora , 140 Sadura Gund, 141 Safal Pora , 142 Sahi Pora, 143 Said Pora, 144 Sanzi Pora Kutlari, 145 Sarmarg, 146 Sat Kojan, 147 Shanu, 148 Shat Gund Bala, 149 Shatgund Pain, 150 Shati Gam , 151 Sheikh Pora, 152 Sher Kot, 153 Shihil Hal, 154 Shihil Pora , 155 Shil Thra, 156 Shog Pora, 157 Siraj Pora, 158 Sochal Yari, 159 Sodal, 160 Spahan Yaru, 161 Suna Mulloo, 162 Super Negam, 163 Tampora, 164 Tarat Pora, 165 Terina Tantri Gund, 166 Thuker Pora, 167 Treach, 168 Tuli Gund, 169 Tulwari , 170 Tulwari, 171 Tumina, 172 Turka Pora, 173 Udi Pora, 174 Ujroo, 175 Voda Pora, 176 Wadar Pain, 177 Wader Bala, 178 Wadi Pora, 179 Wagat, 180 Wahama, 181 Wahi Pora , 182 Waisu Kawnar, 183 Wajhama , 184 Wangam , 185 Wara Pora, 186 Wara Pora, 187 Wara Pora, 188 Wari Pora Guni Pora, 189 Waskura, 190 Wilgam, 191 Wowri Pora, 192 Wulrama, 193 Yamler, 194 Yaru, 195 Yunsu , 196 Zaffar Khani,
Source - https://www.census2011.co.in/data/subdistrict/2-handwara-kupwara-jammu-and-kashmir.html