Poonch (town)

Poonch

Prunts
Punch
Poonch Prunts Punch
Town
	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	185101
Vehicle registration	JK-12
Website	poonch.nic.in

Poonch (or Punch), (called Prunts in the Kashmiri, Gojri & Pahari languages) is a town and the administrative headquarters of the Poonch district, of the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger disputed territory of Kashmir. It is located near the Line of Control – the de facto border in the disputed region. Poonch shares a de facto border with the Poonch district of the Pakistan-administered, self-governing territory of Azad Kashmir.

History

Based on the

Mahābhārata evidence,^[6] and the evidence from the seventh-century Chinese traveller Xuanzang,^[7] the districts of Poonch along with Rajauri and Abhisara were under the sway of the Republican Kambojas during epic times.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

Poonch has witnessed many historical eras. Around 326 BC when

Mahmood Ghaznvi, who invaded this area in 1020 A.D.^{[citation needed}

]

In 1596, the

Rao Jodha

and Rao Suraj Singh, the new ruler of Poonch. Siraj-Ud-Din and his descendants Raja Shahbaz Khan Rathore, Raja Abdul Razak Rathore, Raja Rustam Rathore and Raja Bahadur Rathore ruled this area up to 1798 AD.

From 1819 to 1846, Poonch was a part of the

Praja Sabha

. Two seats were allotted to the Poonch principality. In the 1940s, Maharaja Hari Singh started integrating it with Jammu and Kashmir, as a de facto district.

In 1947, after the

State Forces, who became ensconced in their garrison at the Poonch town. The town remained besieged for almost a year, until it was relieved by the Indian Army on 20 November 1948. The western part of the district remained under the control of the rebels, who joined Pakistan as the state of Azad Kashmir. The Line of Control

between the two parts of the district runs to the west of the Poonch town.

During the

2019 India-Pakistan standoff, the Pakistan Air Force conducted an airstrike in Poonch as part of a larger operation in Indian-administered Kashmir. This standoff was the first time since 1971 that the Line of Control

was violated by fighter aircraft.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1911	7,564	—
1921	7,026	−7.1%
1931	8,152	+16.0%
1941	8,608	+5.6%
1951	9,402	+9.2%
1961	10,196	+8.4%
1971	11,981	+17.5%
1981	14,171	+18.3%
2001	23,978	+69.2%
2011	26,854	+12.0%
Source: ^[3]

Geography

The town is at an elevation of 1,021 m (3,349 ft),

former district

.

Climate

Poonch has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), much cooler than what is found in much of the rest of India, due to its moderately high elevation and northerly position. Winters are cool, with daytime a January average of 2.5 °C (36.5 °F), and temperatures below freezing at night. Summers are short and usually pleasant. The summer temperature generally does not rise above 31 °C. Winters are cool and characterized by rainfall due to western disturbances. Snowfall is quite common during the months of January and February.

The

Pir Panjal range of mountains separates the Poonch Valley from the Kashmir Valley. With the completion of the Mughal Road in 2010, via the Pir Panjal Pass

, there is now a direct road link between the two areas.

Demographics

As of 2011 [update] India census, Poonch had a population of 26,854,^[3] of which 16,063 were male (60%), and 10,791 were female (40%).^[3] Poonch has an average literacy rate of 79%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 77%. In Poonch, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.^{[citation needed]}

Hinduism is the largest religion in the Poonch town, followed by over 44% of people. Islam is the second-largest religion with 33.49% adherents. Christianity and Sikhism form 1.28% and 20.79% of the population respectively.^[13]

Religion in Poonch Town (2011)^[13]

Hinduism (44.19%)

Islam (33.49%)

Sikhism (20.79%)

Christianity (1.28%)

Buddhism (0.03%)

Jainism (0.01%)

Others (0.00%)

Not Stated (0.22%)

Transportation

Road

A bus across the

Jammu Division and India beyond. The Mughal Road via the Pir Panjal Pass connects Poonch to the Kashmir Valley

.

Rail

There is no rail connectivity to Poonch yet. Jammu–Poonch Railway Line is a proposed railway line from Jammu Tawi station via the Historic City of Akhnoor to Poonch.^[14] The nearest major railway station to Poonch is Jammu Tawi railway station, located at a distance of 236 kilometres and is a 6 hr drive. The nearest railway stations are Bijbehara railway station and Anantnag railway station, both located at a distance of 152 kilometres from Poonch Town.

Air

Srinagar International Airport

located at a distance of 177 kilometres and is a 5.5 hr drive.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Punch, India", Falling Rain Software Limited, retrieved 19 January 2021
^ "Jammu and Kashmir Assembly dissolved". Economic Times. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e 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 - III Population of 20,000 and 49,999 (Report).
^ "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
^ "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
^ MBH 7.4.5; 7/91/39-40.
^ Watters, Yuan Chawang, Vol I, p 284.
^ See: Political History of Ancient India, 1996, p 133, 219/220, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury, Dr B. N. Mukerjee.
^ A History of India, p 269-71, N. R. Ray, N. K. Sinha.
^ Journal of Indian History, P 304, University of Allahabad. Department of Modern Indian History, University of Kerala - 1921; Military History of India, 1980, p 38, Hemendra Chandra Kar - History.
^ Bimbisāra to Aśoka: with an appendix on the later Saud, 1977, p 16, Sudhakar Chattopadhyaya - India - 1977.
^ Purana Index, 1992, p 79, A. B. L. Awasthi.
^ ^a ^b "Poonch Town Population". Census India. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
^ "Centre nod to Jammu-Poonch rail line after several years". Daily Excelsior. Retrieved 24 December 2018.