Kulgam

D.H.Pora Kulgam,Jammu & Kashmir
—  town  —
D.H.Pora Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Coordinates: 33.65°N 75.02°E / 33.65; 75.02
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Kulgam
Elevation	1,739 m (5,705 ft)
Population (2008)
• Total	467,397
Languages
• Official	Urdu,Kashmiri
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Vehicle registration	JK18

Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir (Kashmiri: كلگوم; Urdu: كل گام) is a town and a notified area committee in Kulgam District in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Geography

Kulgam is located at 33.65°N 75.02°E / 33.65; 75.02. It has an average elevation of 1739 metres (5705 feet). Now it has become a separate district of Jammu and Kashmir. Kulgam is known for a famous religious saint (Sayed Simnan Sahib), who gave it the name "Kulgam" ("Kul" means "clan" in Sanskrit; "gram" in Sanskrit means "village"), because he lost something in the stream. Syed Simnan came from a place called Simnan in Iran. Travelling in the Kashmir valley, he came to Kulgam and liked the spot on a cliff overlooking the river Veshaw. He made Kulgam his permanent abode and was buried at the very spot which he had found fascinating. His 'aastan' is a great draw from the population in and around Kulgam. The family of Syed Simnan is buried in a nearby village called Amun. Both the shrines have a masonry plinth and a wooden superstructure of high- quality deodars. He was known for his mystical powers and had devotees amongst Muslims as well as Hindus.

Shaikh Nur-ud-din (RA) also known as Nund Rishi, was a famous Kashmiri saint who belonged to the Rishi order and is also called Alamdar-e-Kashmir. Sheikh-ul-Alam as the patron saint of Kashmiris, highly revered by both Muslims and Hindus, was also born in a village called Kaimuh of the Kulgam distinct in 779 A.H. (AD 1377). The family of Shaikh Nur-ud-din (RA) is buried in Kaimuh. The Kulgam area is the birthplace of the ancestors of Allama Iqball (Supur village). Pandit Jawhar Lal Nehrus ancestors also are from Nadi Marag, a village in Kulgam. Ahrabal is the famous tourist spot in district Kulgam. It is a very high and scenic waterfall, which is a major source of the river Veshaw. Kulgam is known as the rice bowl of the valley and is known for its variety of fruit, especially apples.

This town is a picturesque place nestling on the bank of river Veshaw across the wide spread of which are the foothills of the great Pir Panchal mountains. Ahrabal is a scenic place to visit in Kulgam, it has meadows & a scenic waterfall. It has its origin from a spring called Kounser Naag located in the mountain range of peer panjaal.

The people of Kulgam have been traditionally tolerant and peace loving. Forced labor was a cruel practice from which this area suffered most in past.

Kulgam was in the news regarding the recent excavation of a new archaeological site in a nearby village called Kutbal which has yielded signs of having been home to a first century civilization as some rare artifacts belonging to the period of Kushana kings appeared in Kulgam district. The plateau of Kutbal was once considered a scenic city in the Kushan period. The magnificent stamped tiles, which were excavated from the site, indicated the taste and living standard of the people of first century AD. These excavations speak much of high culture, civic sense, social norms and art of the people living in first century AD. The Kutbal site and its findings, which belong to the Kushana period, are more significant in view of several religious and artistic practices that had flourished then and had travelled to far off places in the subcontinent. Further excavation has been stopped due to prevailing political unrest in valley and is believed that further findings will reveal magnificent history of Kashmir.

The old Kulgam is situated on the banks of "Kaval'. The topography of Kulgam is . The lower portion is situated on the banks of Kaval, off-shoot of river Vashiv. Almost all offices are functioning in this area. A scenic nallaha Vashiv irrigates the fertile lands of Kulgam area. Kulgam is called the granery of Kashmir Vally, but unfortunately this area is almost converted into agriculture to horticulture. Kulgam is famous being the first seat of missionaries of Islam as before Hazrat Sayeed Ali Hamdani, he sent Sayeed Mohmmad Hussain SImnani to Kashmir to preach for Islam. Sayeed Simnani chose Kulgam as a permanent seat. It is the place where Salar Sanz father of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din wali embraced Islam and was renamed Salar ud-din, Salar resides at Khee Jogipora Mohmad pora 7 kilometres (4 mi) from Kulgam and was married to Sadder, a daughter of Kota rajas of Daderkot. It was due to the efforts of sayeed simnani this marriage took place. Kulgam is an important place in south Kashmir. Kulgam connects, and its boundaries touch, all the three districts Shopyian, Pulwama, and Anantnag of south Kashmir. The topography of Kulgam is scenic, and it is surrounded on all sides by small streams 'orchards; paddy farms and a scenic Kerwaha with a big portion of plan area and fields. Kulgam assembly segment was first time represented by Ab. Kabir Wani and after him Mohammad Youqoob Bhat [advocate]. After Bhat it was represented by Kh Ab. Raziq. Mir of Jamat-i-Islami and then by a very good gentleman and pious person late Mr Gh. NabI Dar 'both Dar and Mir became the victims of the present insurgency. At present Kulgam is represented by CPIM veteran Mohammad Yousef Targami. Kulgam consists of four assembly constitutions: 1 Kulgam, 2 Humshalibugh, 3 Divsar, and 4 Nooorabad. Kulgam is a centre which connects Noorabad, Qaimoh, Devsar, Mohammad pora, Shopyian, Yaripora and other villages to the district headquarters for Kulgam. Two notable personalities of the sub-continent, Sheikh Noor-ud-din Walis (birthplace) and Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Iqbal's grandfather, were from the Kulgam area.