Baramulla

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

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Jammu and Kashmir

Baramulla (बारामुला) () is a city and district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Variants of name

Baramula district map

• Barahmula
• Baramula
• Baramulla
• Hushkara
• Hushkapura
• Huskpur
• Hu.se.kia-lo (Xuanzang)
• Varahamula
• Varahamula
• Ushkar
• Ushkara
• Uskar
• Uskara
• Uskpur

Location

It is located on the banks of Jhelum river downstream of Srinagar.

Founder

According to Alexander Cunningham it was founded as Hushkapura, by the Indo-Scythian (Kushan Jat) prince Hushka, or Huvishka, the brother of Kanishka about the beginning of the Christian era.

Origin of name

Its ancient name was "Varahamula (वराहमूल) (Sanskrit for Boar's Molar).

History

The city of Baramulla is said to be founded by Raja Bhimsina in 2306 BCE. A number of prominent visitors have travelled to Baramulla. These include the famous Chinese visitor Xuanzang and the British historian, Moorcraft.

Mughal emperors had special fascination for Baramulla. Being the gateway of the Kashmir Valley, Baramulla was a halting station for them during their visits to the valley. In 1508 CE Emperor Akbar, who entered the valley via Pakhil, spent a few days at Baramulla and, according to "Tarikh-e-Hassan", the city had been decorated like a bride during Akbar's stay. Jahangir also stayed at Baramulla during his visit to Kashmir in 1620 CE.

From the very beginning, Baramulla has enjoyed religious importance. The construction of Hindu Teertha and Buddhist Vihars made the city sacred to Hindus as well as Buddhists. In the 15th century, the place became important to Muslims also, as the famous Muslim saint, Syed Janbaz Wali, who visited the valley along with his companions in 1421 CE, chose Baramulla as the centre of his mission and was buried here after death. His shrine attracts pilgrims from all over the Valley.

In 1894, the sixth Sikh Guru Shri Hargobind visited the city. Baramulla thus became an abode of Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Sikhs living in harmony and contributing to a rich composite culture.

It was the oldest and the most important town in north of princely state of Kashmir and Jammu and the 'Gateway of Kashmir Valley' by Rawalpindi-Murree-Muzaffarabad-Baramulla Road until 27 October 1947. It acceded to India when the Maharaja signed the instrument of accession on 26 October 1947 which was accepted the next day. It is now the headquarters of Baramulla district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir which is now a part of the Republic of India.

Visit by Xuanzang in 631 AD

Alexander Cunningham writes that Hwen Thsang entered the valley of Kashmir from the west in September, A.D. 631. At the entrance there was a stone gate, where he was met by the younger brother of the king's mother ; and after

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[p.91]: paying his devotions at the sacred monuments, he went to lodge for the night in the monastery of Hu-se-kia-lo, or Hushkara. This place is mentioned by Abu Rihan, who makes Ushkara the same as Baramula, which occupied both sides of the river. In the ' Raja Tarangini also Hushkapura is said to be near Varaha, or Varahamula, which is the Sanskrit form of Baramula. Hushkara or Uskar still exists as a village on the left or eastern bank of the Behat, two miles to the south-east of Baramula. The Kashmiri Brahmans say that this is the Hushkapura of the ' Raja Tarangini,' which was founded by the Turushka king Hushka, about the beginning of the Christian era.

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[p.99]: Hushkapura, which was founded by the Indo-Scythian prince Hushka, or Huvishka, the brother of Kanishka, would appear to have been the same place as the well-known Varahamula, or Barahmula, on the Behat River. Abu Rihan calls it " Ushkar, which is the

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[p.100]: town of Baramula, built on both banks of the river." It is noted under the same name by the Chinese pilgrim Hwen Thsang, who entered the valley from the west by a stone gate, and halted at the monastery of Hu.se.kia-lo, or Hushkara. The name of Barahmula has now eclipsed the more ancient appellation, which, however, still exists in the village of Uskara, 2 miles to the south-east of the present town, and immediately under the hills. The place has been visited, at my request, by the Rev. G. W. Cowie, who found there a Buddhist stupa still intact. This is probably the same monument that is recorded to have been erected by Raja Lalitaditya between A.D. 723 and 760. It is again mentioned in the native chronicle as the residence of the Queen Sugandha in A.D. 913. From all these notices, it is certain that the town still bore its original name down to the beginning of the eleventh century, when Abu Rihan mentions both names. But after this time the name of Varahamula alone is found in the native chronicles, in which it is mentioned during the reigns of Harsha and Sussala, early in the twelfth century. I think it probable that the main portion of the town of Hushkapura was on the left, or south bank of the river, and that Varahamula was originally a small suburb on the right bank. On the decline of Buddhism, when the monastic establishment at Hushkapura was abandoned, the old town also must have been partially deserted, and most probably it continued to decrease until it was supplanted by the Brahmanical suburb of Varahamula.

Jat Gotras

• Utpal

Administration

Baramulla district comprises eight tehsils: Pattan, Uri, Kreeri, Boniyar, Tangmarg, Sopore, Rafaiabad, and Baramulla.

This district consists of 12 blocks: Uri, Rohama, Rafiabad, Zaingeer, Sopore, Boniyar, Baramulla, Tangmarg, Singpora, Pattan, Wagoora and Kunzer. Pattan tehsil is the largest tehsil of the district Baramulla and was later split to from separate Kreeri tehsil.

Pattan Town is situated in the centre of the district between Srinagar and Baramulla cities and is surrounded by villages like Palhalan, Nihalpora Hanjiwera Zangam, Sherpora, Sonium and Yall.

References

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