Handwara ( ; ) is a town in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located on Baramulla-Handwara National Highway NH-701 and is governed by a municipal committee.
History
Sikh rule During Sikh rule, Raja Zabardast Khan, chieftain of the Bomba tribe, led guerrilla warfare against the forces of the Sikh Empire, targeting their garrisons and posts in Handwara.
Geography Handwara is located at at an average elevation of 1,582 metres (5,190 feet) above sea level. The region boasts breathtaking natural beauty, with the Pohru River (locally called 'Talri river')—a tributary of the Jhelum—flowing through the town.
Famous volcanic peak, 'Soyamji' (1860 metres), locally known as 'Paput' is situated in North Machhipura (Handwara). It is known for its unique conical shape. It continued eruption of lava for about 13 months during 1934 and has been dormant since then.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Indian census, Handwara has a population of 13,600. Males constitute 54.26% of the population and females 45.74%. Handwara has an average literacy rate of 64.39%. The dominant religion in the town is Islam.
Literacy The Census of 2011 showed the literacy rate of Handwara at 64.39%, lower than the national average of 67.16%. There is a gender difference in literacy, with a male literacy rate of 75.62% and a much lower female literacy rate of 51.88%.
Educational Institutions Government Medical College, Handwara Government Degree College, Handwara Shaheen Public Secondary School, Handwara Industrial Training Institute
Politics Handwara is a region of considerable strategic significance, primarily due to its proximity to the Line of Control (LoC). This geographical positioning renders it a critical and sensitive zone in military and security discussions. Handwara was the home constituency of the late separatist leader Abdul Ghani Lone. The current MLA of Handwara is Sajjad Gani Lone of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference, who defeated Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference by over 600 votes in the 2024 assembly elections.
Municipal Committee Handwara is an Urban Local Body with 13 elected members, which administers the town.
#NameMunicipal WardReservation StatusParty1Iram Amin BandayBanday MohallaWomen OpenIndependent2Farooq Ahmad BhatHerporaOpenIndependent3Masroor Ah. BandayJamia JadeedOpenIndependent4Dilshada JanJamia QadeemWomen OpenIndependent5Gh. Mohd. GanieKhunabal MaqboolabadOpenIndependent6Bashir Ah. KhanKhunabal UmerabadOpenIndependent7Zoona BehumDurishporaWomen OpenIndependent8Mumtaza BegumBaghatporaOpenIndependent9Ateeqa BegumKachiwariOpenIndependent10Zamrooda BegumChotiporaWomen OpenIndependent11Mushtaq Ahmad HanjiTootigundOpenIndependent12Nazir Ahmed BhatZaliporaOpenIndependent13Ab. Majid PandithWani MohallaOpenIndependent
Notable people Ali Mohammad Shahbaz (Poet) Abdul Gani Lone (Politician) Sajad Lone (Politician) Engineer Rashid (Politician) Noor Mohammad (Singer)
References
External links