Sopore

Sopore or Sopur, known as Suyyapura in antiquity, is a city in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is  north-west of Srinagar, and  north-east from the city of Baramulla. 

Sopore is one of the largest subdivisions of the state of Jammu and Kashmir with 7 tehsils. And it is also the oldest existing subdivision of the state. Sopore has been recognized an urban area right from the Census of 1911 and is the business hub of North Kashmir. 

Sopore has Asia's second largest fruit mandi (wholesale market) with an annual turnover of more than 3000 crore  thus earning the name 'Apple Town of Kashmir'. Wular Lake which is Asia’s one of the largest freshwater lake is also situated between Sopore and Bandipora.   

Some significant localities of Sopore Khaas (Old Sopore) are Hatishah, Jamia Qadeem, Chankhan, Untoo Hamam, Maharajpora, Takyabal, Chinkipora, Batpora, Khawaja Gilgit, Muslim Peer, Arampora, Ashpeer, Sangram Pora, Khushal Matoo and etc and some other areas in Sopore town are Shalapora, Neharpora, Model Town, Noor Bagh, Sidiq Colony, New Colony, Iqbal Nagar, Badam Bagh, New Light Colony etc.  

Sopore is surrounded by Zaingir belt, partly Rafiabad and some other villages. Some of these villages are Dooru, Dangarpora, Warpora, Watlab, Bontingoo, Brath, Tarzoo, Adipora, Wagub, Seelu, Seer Jagir, Achabal, Ladura, Hadipora, Bohripora, Behrampora, Tujar Shareef etc.

History
Ancient Suyyapura, founded by a reputed Kashmiri engineer Suyya during the reign of Raja Awantivarma (855-883 A.D.) and commemorating his name, is undoubtedly the town known now as Sopore.

J.P. Ferguson in his book entitled 'Kashmir' remarks "Suyya stands out as a person hundreds of years in advance of his time". It is because of the technical intelligence and real skill he possessed and applied for draining off the flood water which could find no outlet and had made the cultivation of land impossible with the result that famine like condition prevailed in the whole of the valley. That is why, in the light of the results achieved by this great engineer, he has been regarded as an incarnation of Lord of Food himself by the great historian Kalhana in his book 'Rajatarangini'. Suyya's reputation attracted many persons who also settled at the place he resided and which eventually came to be known as Suyyapura, meaning the place where Suyya settled. With the passage of time and constant use, the pronunciation of the name was distorted into Sopore by which it is known at present.

M.A. Stein, the English translator of Kalhanas 'Rajatarangini' in his book 'Memoir on maps illustrating the Ancient Geography of Kashmir' published in 1899, (p-208) while writing about Sopore town remarks: Sopore which lies a short distance below the point where the Vitasta leaves the Wular, has retained its importance to this day and still a town of over 8,000 inhabitants. It has during recent times been the official headquarter for the whole of Kumraz. From a passage of Srivara it appears that this had been the case already at an earlier period. Relating a great conflagration which destroyed Suyyapura in Zain-ul-Abidin's time, this chronicle tells us that in it perished the whole of the official archives relating to Kamarajya. The royal residence, however, escaped and the town itself was again built up by the Kingin greate splendour. Of this, however, nothing has remained; nor does the town now show older remains of any interest." As will be clear from the history of the town narrated above, there is no trace left of any historical buildings or ancient monuments which could throw some light on the past. It is quite likely that the ancient remains might have been destroyed in the conflagration that broke out during the reign of Zain-ul-Abdin (1420-1470 A.D.). A reference about an attack and this conflagration during the reign of Zain-ul-Abdin has also been given in Kashmir Under the Sultans (p-77 and 95) written by Mohibbul Hassan in these words:-

"Adham attacked Sopur in 1459. Its governor offered resistance, but Adham defeated and killed him and destroyed the town. Hearing of this, the Sultan sent a large army to Sopur. After heavy fighting Adham was routed. And as his followers were fleeing across the Jhelum at Sopur, the bridge gave way, and three hundred of them were drowned in the river. After the Sultan himself proceeded to Sopur and consoled the inhabitants on their sufferings. During the later part of his reign the town of Sopur was destroyed by fire. The Sultan built there a palace with the materials of the one at Baramulla, which was pulled down. He also constructed in the town a swinging bridge". The swinging bridge continued to be the sole communication link across the river until 1955 when it was discarded in favour of an R.C.C. bridge constructed about half a mile down stream. Lately the old bridge has also been reconstructed and thrown open to traffic.

Demographics 
 India census, Sopore urban area had a population of 71,292 and an area of . The urban area consisted of the city which has a municipal committee and some outgrowths. In the 2011 census, the city had a population of 61,098 and an area of . In the urban area there were 37,570 males (53%) and 33,722 females (47%). Of the population, 9,329 (13.1%) were age 0-6: 5,042 males (54%) and 4,287 females (46%). The literacy rate for the people over six was 70.8% (males 78.6%, females 62.3%).

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. Bashir Ahmad Bhat (KAS) who is an administrator, has served the sub-division between August 2015 to April 2017 as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

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 and Prime Public School Zaingeer. The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology is located in Wadoora, Sopore. and Ahmad Memorial Highfield Scientific School Dangerpora Sopore.

References

 
Sopore
Kashmir