Sopore

Sopore, known as Suyyapur 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
Sopore Town
Town of North Jehlum Valley.
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: 34.30°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)Sopori, Soporian، (سۄپرؠکؠ )
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

Sopore Town has Asia's second largest fruit mandi (wholesale market).[6] It is also known as the Apple Town of Kashmir.[7][8] Apart from fruit mandi, Sopore is home to one of the Asia's largest freshwater lakes, Wular Lake (which lies inbetween Sopore and Bandipore district.[9] Sopore city spreads to the four areas of Zaingeer, partly Rafiabad and Sopore Khaas. Some significant localities of Sopore city are Sopore Khaas, Wadoora, Arampora, Mahrajpora, Chinkipora, Aadipora, Neharpora, Shalpora, Ashpeer, Krankshivan, Sangrama, Warpora, Dooru, Botingoo, Brath, Bomai, Dangerpora, Tujjer Sharief and Batpora.

History

Sopore was founded by Utpala engineer and irrigation minister Suyya during the reign of king Avantivarman in 880 CE. As such the name of the city is Suyya-pur, which has been shortened to Sopore. When the engineer Suyya was working in Sopore no people were coming forth to plunge themselves in gushing water. The king, Avantiverman, thereupon ordered that a part of treasury may be thrown into the water; consequently, a large number of people plunged into the river to get as many coins as they could.[10] It was engineer Suyya's idea to throw coins into flooded land not the king.

Pashtun tribesmen such as Mehsud and Afridi from mountainous region of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of the newly formed state of Pakistan invaded Sopore on 22 October 1947.[11] In 1989, Sopore became a focus of the separatist activities and violence with frequent protests and strikes.

Demographics

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 committee 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]

Administration

Sopore is one of the largest subdivisions of the state with 7 tehsils. And it is also the oldest existing subdivision of the state.[12] Bashir Ahmad Bhat (KAS) who is an administrator, has served the sub-division between August 2015 to April 2017 as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.[13]

Education

The main public educational institutions in Sopore are Government Boys Higher Secondary School Sopore, Government Girls Higher Secondary School Sopore, Nether Field Secondary School, Apex Public School, Sanctorum Public School,Welkin Higher Secondary School, Muslim Education Trust, Government Degree College Sopore, Model Public School Sopore Government Degree College for Women Sopore, Sopore Law College, Industrial Training Institute Jalalabad[14] and Prime Public School Zaingeer. The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology is located in Wadoora, Sopore.[15][16] and Ahmad Memorial Highfield Scientific School Dangerpora Sopore.


Sopore urban area
YearPop.±% p.a.
1911 8,514—    
1921 8,524+0.01%
1931 10,982+2.57%
1941 11,770+0.70%
1951 15,378+2.71%
1961 18,987+2.13%
1971 27,697+3.85%
1981 33,584+1.95%
2001 59,624+2.91%
2011 71,292+1.80%
Source: [2]

References
  1. District Census Handbook Baramulla, Part B (PDF). Census of India 2011 (Report). 16 June 2014. pp. 28–29. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  2. 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. "Asia's 2nd largest fruit mandi at Sopore in shambles". Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  7. 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.
  8. Zargar, Safwat (14 September 2019). "In Kashmir's apple town, fruit growers are caught between government and gunmen". The Scroll.
  9. "Wular Lake". Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  10. Raina, Mohini Qasba (2013). Kashur The Kashmiri Speaking People: Analytical Perspective. Partridge Publishing Singapore. p. 9. ISBN 978-1482-899-47-4.
  11. "The Story of Kashmir Affairs – A Peep into the Past". Archived from the original on 18 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  12. "Clamour for district status to Sopore goes louder". www.greaterkashmir.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016.
  13. "Revenue Department". Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  14. "Industrial Training Institute , welkin educational trust, nether field school,Jalalabad". Industrial Training Institute Jalalabad. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  15. "Faculty of Agriculture". Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  16. baramulla.nic.in
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