Kishtwar District
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Kishtwar is a town and District in Jammu and Kashmir. Its ancient name was Kashtavata (काष्टवात).
Variants
- Kashtavata (काष्टवात)
Location
Administrative division
Kishtwar district consists of 9 blocks: Marwah, Warwan, Dachan, Kishtwar, Nagsani, Drabshalla, Inderwal, Chatroo, and Paddar.
Block Kishtwar is the 1st block of Kishtwar District and Beron Town 1st Kishtwar is the 1st panchayat of Block Kishtwar, beron town panchayat consists of Panditgam, Zewar, Nagdera, Bucherwal Mohalla, Semmna and Wazgwari
Kishwar Sub-District: Tehsils - 1.Kishtwar 2. Paddar 3. Marwah 4. Chatroo
Marwah Sub-District:Tehsils - 1. Warwan 2. Dachan
Padder Sub-District: Padder tehsil is the most remote town of the district bordered by Zanskar to the east and towered by the Sickle Moon Peak.
Jat clans
Mention by Panini
Kashtha (काष्ठ), is name of a place mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi under Nadadi (नडादि) (4.2.91) group. [1]
Kashtha-sabha (काष्ठ-सभा) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [2]
Kashthadhyapaka (काष्ठाध्यापक) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [3]
History
Kishtwar is first referred to in the Rajatarangini by the ancient name Kashthavata during the reign of [[Raja Kalsa of Kashmir (1063–1089), when "Uttamaraja", the ruler of Kashthavata visited the court of the Kashmir King in company with several other hill chiefs to pay their respects to the Raja. This place, as said by people, is also mentioned in the epic Mahabharata.[4]
Kishtwar was part of the Jammu state during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Dev.
Kishtwar became part of the Jammu Dogra state of Raja Gulab Singh, when he annexed it in 1821. The local ruler of this place, Mohammed Tegh Singh, was sent to prison in Lahore jail, where he killed himself.[5] The Dogra state eventually became the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. With the passage of time, Kishtwar became a Tehsil of the Udhampur district and remained so until 1948, when it became part of the newly created District Doda in the wake of first re-organization of the state during the post-independence period. In 2008 it became a newly district as a part of Jammu Division . Now District Kishtwar has became the largest district in term of area in union territory of Jammu & Kashmir with least population .
Alexander Cunningham[6] writes that Chamba is a large district, which includes the valleys of all the sources of the Ravi, and a portion of the upper valley of the Chenab, between Lahul and Kashtwar. It is not mentioned by Hwen Thsang, and therefore, probably included by him within the limits of Kashmir
The Mehta Family was given the lands of Kishtwar by the King of Kashmir. Their family temple "Hatta Wali Mata" and their heritage can still be tracked back to Kishtwar. The founder of this family was the Commander-in-Chief of the Kashmir Army "Sip-E-Salar Sri Jiya Lal Mehta". Known for his bravery and valour he fought the Mughals and northern raiders who invaded the land. Kishtwar merged with the State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1821, A.D. With the passage of time Kishtwar became a Tehsil of District Udhampur and remained so until 1948, when it became part of the newly created Doda District in the wake of first re-organization of the state during the post-independence period.
In Rajatarangini
Rajatarangini[7] tells us....Sussala reached Kashtavata (काष्टवात), and Gargachandra on behalf of Sahlana came out and arrived at Hushkapura. (VIII, p.34)
Rajatarangini[8] tells us....As the day expired, the army thus stood panic struck, but Sussala, out of pity for them, burnt down the strong position occupied by the enemy. Sanjapala entered the palace by moonlight through the straight gate facing the village, and opened the gate and fought with the soldiers who were in, the court-yard. Tilaka apprehended that Sanjapala's death was inevitable amidst the enemy's soldiers within the palace and therefore followed him. Keshava also who was brought from Darad by Sanjapala fought equally well with Sanjapala at the dreadful fight that took place at Kashtavata. (VIII, p.34)
External links
Notable persons
References
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.504
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.404
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.292
- ↑ District Census 2011 Handbook of Kishtwar (PDF). 16 June 2014. p. 26.
- ↑ District Census 2011 Handbook of Kishtwar (PDF). 16 June 2014. p. 26.
- ↑ The Ancient Geography of India/Singhapura,p.141
- ↑ Kings of Kashmira Vol 2 (Rajatarangini of Kalhana)/Book VIII,p.34
- ↑ Kings of Kashmira Vol 2 (Rajatarangini of Kalhana)/Book VIII,p.40