Billawar
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Billawar
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nicknames =
| settlement_type = Town
| image_skyline = Billawar Town.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Jammu and Kashmir#India
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
| coordinates = {{coord|32.62|N|75.62|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Jammu and Kashmir
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Kathua
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
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| governing_body =
| leader_title = MLA
| leader_name = Dr. Nirmal singh
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
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| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 844
| population_total = 11,916
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| timezone1 = IST
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = PIN
| postal_code = 184204
| registration_plate = JK08
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Billawar is a town and a notified area committee in Kathua district of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Billawar was founded by Raja Bhog Pal in the 7th century A.D.,{{cite book |title=Paintings and Lifestyles of Jammu Region: From 17th to 19th Century A.D|first1=Raj |last1=Kumar |publisher=Kalpaz Publications |page=57 |orig-year=2006 |location=New Delhi |year=2006 |isbn=9788178355771 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-1XyQ2eIG8C |edition=Reprint}} it was a kingdom and its capital was Basohli until the 11th century.{{Cite book|title=Paintings and lifestyles of Jammu Region : from 17th to 19th century A.D.|last=Kumar, Raj, 1960-|date=2006|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|isbn=8178354411|location=Delhi|oclc=74991379}}
Geography
Billawar is located at {{coord|32.62|N|75.62|E|}}.[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/12/Bilaur.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Billawar] It has an average elevation of {{Convert|844|m|abbr=on}}. Billawar town is situated in the lap of the Shivalik mountains between the banks of the Naz and Bheeni rivulets, approximately 70 km from Dayala Chak on Delhi-Jammu NH-1A.
Billawar tehsil
The Billawar tehsil (1 of 8 tehsils) of Kathua district has 46 panchayat villages.{{Cite web|title=Reports of National Panchayat Directory: Village Panchayat Names of Billawar, Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir|publisher=Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India|url=http://panchayatdirectory.gov.in/adminreps/viewpansumSQL.asp?selstate=77&parenttype=B&ptype=V|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616142147/http://panchayatdirectory.gov.in/adminreps/viewpansumSQL.asp?selstate=77&parenttype=B&ptype=V|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-06-16}}
History
Raja Bhog Pal, a son of the king of Kullu Valley, founded Basohli and established Billawar as the capital in 765 A.D. after subduing Rana Billo, a feudal chief who once ruled the area. The ruling house was subsequently known as Balouria, deriving from Balor.{{Cite book|title=Paintings and lifestyles of Jammu Region : from 17th to 19th century A.D.|last=Kumar, Raj, 1960-|date=2006|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|isbn=8178354411|location=Delhi|oclc=74991379}} The old name of Billawar was "Vallapura" as mentioned in Rajtarangni of Kalhana Pandita written in 1148 CE.{{Pie chart|thumb=right|caption=Religion in Billawar (2011){{cite web|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/jammu-kashmir/kathua/billawar/billawar-mc-population.html|title=Billawar City Population|work=Census India|accessdate=28 December 2021}}|label1=Hinduism|value1=88.21|color1=Orange|label2=Islam|value2=9.68|color2=Green|label3=Other / Not stated|value3=2.11|color3=Black}}
Demographics
As of the 2011 India census,{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}} Billawar had a population of 11,916. Billawar has two boroughs - old Billawar town and Phinter area. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Billawar has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy rate of 78% and female literacy rate of 58%. 12% of the population is under six years of age. The major religions in Billawar are Hinduism (88.2%) and Islam (9.7%).
Places of interest
Billawar is known for Sukrala Devi, and Sukrala Mata Mandir is a major attraction of this region. Several devotees throng the shrine during Navaratri.{{Cite web |title=Sukrala Mata {{!}} District Kathua, Government of Jammu & Kashmir {{!}} India |url=https://kathua.nic.in/tourist-place/sukrala-mata/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |language=en-US |quote=The Most famous shrine dedicated to mother goddess is Sukrala Devi Shrine at a distance of 9.60 Kms from Billawar and about 75 Kms from Kathua.}}
Assembly constituency
{{main|Billawar Assembly constituency}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Jammu and Kashmir}}
{{Kathua district}}
{{Municipalities of Jammu and Kashmir}}