Nagar (Stadt)
Nagar(Urdu.نگر) is a town near to the Gilgit and Hunza valleys in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The town is located in Gilgit District and was the capital of the former State of Nagar.
Today, the famous Karakoram Highway crosses Nagar, connecting Pakistan to China via the Khunjerab Pass. The road follows the Hunza river for some distance through Nagar and into the Hunza region.
Location
The Nagar valley is situated at an elevation of 2,438m (7,999 feet). Nagar Khas is the main town and the capital of the former state of Nagar. The Spantik peak (Golden peak) can easily be seen from here. Ghulmet, Minapin, Chaprote and Hopper Valleys are popular tourist attraction spots in the Nagar because of the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains like Rakaposhi at 7,788m (25,561), and Diran, and Golden Peak.
History
Early history
Nagar and Hunza were originally one principality known as Buroshall, the capital was Capal Dongs Vorlage:Fact, the Nagar area was the dominant part of this principality. The people of Nagar and Hunza were ruled by a local Mir, and had been practically independent for more than 1200 years, which came to an end in 1974.
After the reign of Miyor Khan, his sons divided Buroshall into Nagar and Hunza and declared the river as the border: Muglot became the king of Nagar and Kirkis became the king of Hunza.
Anglo-Brusho war
The British gained control of Nagar during a battle at Nilt (Jangir-e-Laye) between 1889 and 1892. The Nagarkutch fought bravely but were defeated due to lack of weapons. The Tham (Chief) of that time Azur Khan was sent in exile to Kashmir.
The Hunza-Naga Campaign of 1891, the war between the British army and the people of Nagar, is known locally as the Anglo-Brusho war, had been fought for months. At last the British army had succeeded in gaining control over Nagar, and as a result Nagar had become a vassal of the Kashmir Durbar, but was ruled by the same royal family. The British army fought with a relatively small army over several months - there were three Victorian crosses awarded for this war as well as a campaign medal with a mule was also reward with the medal loading a gun on its back[1] [2].
The British retained Nagar's status as a principality until 1947. Although never ruled directly by neighbouring Kashmir or the British, Nagar and Hunza were a vassal of Kashmir from the time of Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir. The Mirs of both sent an annual tribute to the Kashmir Durbar until 1947, and along with the ruler of Hunza, was considered to be among the most loyal vassals of the Maharaja of Kashmir.
==After independenceNagar was formerly a princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, which existed until 1974. Administratively there are two tehsils in Nagar namely Nagar-1 and Nagar-2 of Gilgit District.
In 1968 a revolutionary movement for democracy and freedom started under the leadership of Syed Yahya Shah the first educated politician of Nagar. Nine people were killed. The revolutionary leaders including Syed Yahya Shah[1] were imprisoned for life calling them Nagar State rebels. After the change in Pakistani Central Government to a democracy on 25 September 1974 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto dissolved the Princely States of Nagar as well as Hunza and set the prisoners free and gave democratic representation into Northern Areas Council,now Northern Areas Legislative Council
List of Nagar kings
- Muglot
- Azur
- Shamsheer
- Sultan Khan
- Fazal Khan
- Duad Khan
- Ali Dad
- Khamal Khan
- Rahim Khan
- Barbarullah Khan
- sultan Khan
- Azur Khan
- Habi Khan
- Alif Khan
- Zafar Zahid Khan
- Mohammad Khan
- Azur Khan
- Sikandar Khan
- Soukat Ali Khan
Geography
The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south West, the China in the North-Eastern and to the north and Afghanistan to the northwest. The state capital was the town of Nagar Khas (also known as Uyum Nagar, means the Mighty Nagar Empire). The First valley of Nagar is Chalt Valley near Guroo, Janglote from Gilgit and Last valley of Nagar is Hisper valley, Biafo Range that links Baltistan in Eastern range
Population
According to the 1998 census the population of the Nagar Valley was eighty five thousand.
Religion
The population are almost entirely Shia Muslims of the Isna Asharai sect.
Famous Peaks and Valleys
Rakaposhi and Diran Peaks are situated in Nagar-2, while Rush Lake (High altitude Wetland), Spantik, Hopper Glacier, Hisper Glacier, Bowalter Glacier and Barpu white glaciers are in Nagar-1.
Climate
The climate of Nagar remains pleasant from the mid April to the end of September. The maximum temperature in summer during the day is 25C. The weather becomes very cold during the winter, mainly from the October to end of March. The minimum temperature can be -8C.
Polo
Polo is the one of oldest game and expensive also the Nagar was famous its polo team it is the only team of northern areas who played the polo match in New Delhi on the arrival of the George VI of the England and they had won the trophy there. Till 1972 it was the unbeatable team of the northern areas.
Modern Nagar
The people of modern Nagar are doctors, engineers, politicians, businessmen they are in every field of life in Pakistan the people of Nagar valley are very loving and hospitable to the visitors.
Rakaposhi Community Park
The whole area of Nagar is declare as the community park by the people of Nagar themselves to preserve the hunting of many endangered animals such as Marco polo sheep, brown bears, show tigers etc. NGOs who are working on the preservation of endangered animals are invited to come to this area because these animals are surviving for their existence.
References
- Leitner, G. W. (1893): Dardistan in 1866, 1886 and 1893: Being An Account of the History, Religions, Customs, Legends, Fables and Songs of Gilgit, Chilas, Kandia (Gabrial) Yasin, Chitral, Hunza, Nagyr and other parts of the Hindukush, as also a supplement to the second edition of The Hunza and Nagyr Handbook. And An Epitome of Part III of the author’s “The Languages and Races of Dardistan.” First Reprint 1978. Manjusri Publishing House, New Delhi.
- Where three Empires meet by E.F.Night.
- Buroshall Say Nagar Tak ka Safar by Mohammad Ismail Taseen.
Brushaal Ke Qabail by Syed Yahya Shah