Sopore

Coordinates: 34°18′N 74°28′E / 34.30°N 74.47°E / 34.30; 74.47
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sopore
Sopore Town
City
The Municipal Council Of Sopore
Nickname: 
Chota London (Mini London) Or Apple Town
Sopore is located in Jammu and Kashmir
Sopore
Sopore
Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Sopore is located in India
Sopore
Sopore
Sopore (India)
Coordinates: 34°18′N 74°28′E / 34.30°N 74.47°E / 34.30; 74.47
CountryIndia
Union territoryJammu and Kashmir
DistrictBaramulla
Founded880CE
Incorporated as Tehsil1883
Founded byUtpala dynasty
Named forSuyya (Sun)
Government
 • TypeDemocratic (MLA)
 • BodyThe Sopore Municipal Council
Area
[1][2]
 • Total18.90 km2 (7.30 sq mi)
 • Rank5
Population
 (2011)[1][2]
 • Total71,292
 • Rank6
 • Density3,800/km2 (9,800/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Sopruk, Sopori, Soporian, Soporewale
Languages
 • OfficialKashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English[3][4]
 • SpokenKashmiri
Demographics
[1][2]
 • Literacy rate70.8%
 • Sex ratio897.6 ♀/ 1000 ♂
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Pin Code
193201 (Sopore City And Zaingair Block), 193301 (Rohama Rafiabad Block)
Telephone code01954
Vehicle registrationJK-05
A distant view of the Jamia Masjid Sopore
Clock Tower at Iqbal Market Sopore

Sopore or Sopur, known as Suyyapura in antiquity,[5] is a city in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is 45 km (28 mi) north-west of Srinagar, and 16 km (10 mi) north-east from the city of Baramulla.

Sopore is one of the largest subdivisions of the state of Jammu and Kashmir with 7 tehsils. And it is also the oldest existing subdivision of the state. Sopore has been recognized as an urban area right from the Census of 1911[6] and is considered business hub of North Kashmir.

Sopore has Asia's second largest fruit mandi (wholesale market) with an annual turnover of more than 3000 crore [7] thus earning the name 'Apple Town of Kashmir'.[8][9] Wular Lake which is Asia’s one of the largest freshwater lake is also situated between Sopore and Bandipore district.[10]

Municipal Council Sopore is a local urban body which administrates the city of Sopore. There are 21 wards in Sopore M.Cl (Municipal Council) and two OG's (Outgrowths) as Amargarh (ward 22) and Nowpora Kalan (ward 23).

Some significant localities of Sopore Khaas (Old Sopur) are Hatishah, Jamia Qadeem, Chankhan, Untoo Hamam, Sofi Hamam, Now Hamam, Maharajpora, Takyabal, Chinkipora, Batpora, Mum Kak, Ashpeer, Khushal Matoo, Baba Yousuf, Muslim Peer, Kralteng, Sangram Pora, Arampora, Telian, Shalapora, Neharpora and many others. New Sopore mainly consists of areas like New Colony, Model Town, Noor Bagh, Sidiq Colony, Green Town, Iqbal Nagar, Badam Bagh, Shah Kirman Colony, New Light Colony, etc.

Sopore division encompasses Sopore city and Zaingeer belt. Some important areas in zaingeer belt includes Dangarpora, Wadoora, Dooru, Warpora, Watlab, Bontingoo, Hathlangoo, Bomai,Logripora, Brath, Saidpora, Seelo, Tujar Shareef, Zaloora among many others.

History[edit]

Ancient Suyyapura, founded by a reputed Kashmiri engineer Suyya during the reign of Raja Awantivarma (855-883 A.D.) and commemorating his name, is undoubtedly the town known now as Sopore.

J.P. Ferguson in his book entitled 'Kashmir' remarks "Suyya stands out as a person hundreds of years in advance of his time". It is because of the technical intelligence and real skill he possessed and applied for draining off the flood water which could find no outlet and had made the cultivation of land impossible with the result that famine like condition prevailed in the whole of the valley. That is why, in the light of the results achieved by this great engineer, he has been regarded as an incarnation of Lord of Food himself by the great historian Kalhana in his book 'Rajatarangini'. Suyya's reputation attracted many persons who also settled at the place he resided and which eventually came to be known as Suyyapura, meaning the place where Suyya settled. With the passage of time and constant use, the pronunciation of the name was distorted into Sopore by which it is known at present.

M.A. Stein, the English translator of Kalhanas 'Rajatarangini' in his book 'Memoir on maps illustrating the Ancient Geography of Kashmir' published in 1899, (p-208) while writing about Sopore town remarks: Sopore which lies a short distance below the point where the Vitasta leaves the Wular, has retained its importance to this day and still a town of over 8,000 inhabitants. It has during recent times been the official headquarter for the whole of Kamraj. From a passage of Srivara it appears that this had been the case already at an earlier period. Relating a great conflagration which destroyed Suyyapura in Zain-ul-Abidin's time, this chronicle tells us that in it perished the whole of the official archives relating to Kamarajya. The royal residence, however, escaped and the town itself was again built up by the King in great splendour. Of this, however, nothing has remained; nor does the town now show older remains of any interest." As will be clear from the history of the town narrated above, there is no trace left of any historical buildings or ancient monuments which could throw some light on the past. It is quite likely that the ancient remains might have been destroyed in the conflagration that broke out during the reign of Zain-ul-Abdin (1420-1470 A.D.). A reference about an attack and this conflagration during the reign of Zain-ul-Abdin has also been given in Kashmir Under the Sultans (p-77 and 95) written by Mohibbul Hassan in these words:-

"Adham attacked Sopur in 1459. Its governor offered resistance, but Adham defeated and killed him and destroyed the town. Hearing of this, the Sultan sent a large army to Sopur. After heavy fighting Adham was routed. And as his followers were fleeing across the Jhelum at Sopur, the bridge gave way, and three hundred of them were drowned in the river. After the Sultan himself proceeded to Sopur and consoled the inhabitants on their sufferings. During the later part of his reign the town of Sopur was destroyed by fire. The Sultan built there a palace with the materials of the one at Baramulla, which was pulled down. He also constructed in the town a swinging bridge". The swinging bridge continued to be the sole communication link across the river until 1955 when it was discarded in favour of an R.C.C. bridge constructed about half a mile down stream. Lately the old bridge has also been reconstructed and thrown open to traffic.

Sopur Bridge, photograph by Samuel Bourne in 1864

Demographics[edit]

As of 2011 India census, Sopore urban area had a population of 71,292 and an area of 18.9 km2 (7.3 sq mi).[1][2] The urban area consisted of the city which has a municipal council and some outgrowths.[2] In the 2011 census, the city had a population of 61,098 and an area of 9.90 km2 (3.82 sq mi).[2] In the urban area there were 37,570 males (53%) and 33,722 females (47%).[1] Of the population, 9,329 (13.1%) were age 0-6: 5,042 males (54%) and 4,287 females (46%).[1] The literacy rate for the people over six was 70.8% (males 78.6%, females 62.3%).[1]

Sopore Urban Area
YearPop.±%
19118,514—    
19218,524+0.1%
193110,982+28.8%
194111,770+7.2%
195115,378+30.7%
196118,987+23.5%
197127,697+45.9%
198133,584+21.3%
200159,624+77.5%
201171,292+19.6%
Source: [2]

Administration[edit]

Sopore is one of the largest subdivisions of the state with 7 tehsils. And it is also the oldest existing subdivision of the state.[11] Bashir Ahmad Bhat (KAS) who is an administrator, has served the sub-division between August 2015 to April 2017 as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.[12]

Sh. Shabir Ahmad Raina is serving as the ADC(Addl Deputy Commissioner) Sopore and Sh. Shabir Nawab as SSP(Senior Superintendent of Police) Sopore.[13]

Education[edit]

The main public educational institutions in Sopore are:

Notable people[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B (PDF). Census of India 2011 (Report). 16 June 2014. pp. 28–29. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g A-4 Towns And Urban Agglomerations Classified By Population Size Class In 2011 With Variation Since 1901. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (Report).
    Class - II Population of 50,000 and 99,999 (Report).
  3. ^ "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  5. ^ Jyoteeshwar Pathik (January 1997). Glimpses of History of Jammu & Kashmir. Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 9788174884800. Retrieved 2 December 2010. Suyya who was a great engineer is said to have drained a large chunk of wasteland during his regime. His memory is commemorated by Suyyapur or Sopore, a township in Baramulla district.
  6. ^ "Census of India 1971, A Pilot Town Study of Sopore" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Asia's 2nd largest fruit mandi at Sopore in shambles". Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  8. ^ Qadri, Azhar (10 June 2015). "Apple town Sopore sees cold war between separatists, militant cadre". The Tribune (Chandigarh). Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  9. ^ Zargar, Safwat (14 September 2019). "In Kashmir's apple town, fruit growers are caught between government and gunmen". The Scroll.
  10. ^ "Wular Lake". Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Clamour for district status to Sopore goes louder". www.greaterkashmir.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016.
  12. ^ "Revenue Department". Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Who's Who | Official website of District Baramulla | India". Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Faculty of Agriculture". Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Industrial Training Institute , welkin educational trust, nether field school,Jalalabad". Industrial Training Institute Jalalabad. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
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