Sopore

Old Sopore is home to a historic marketplace that has been a central hub for trade and commerce for over a century.{{Cite web |title=Census of India 1971, A Pilot Town Study of Sopore {{!}} Chapter 3, Page 38 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/28117/download/31299/24249_1971_SOP.pdf}} This marketplace is locally known as Bada Bazar, which serves as the main market of Sopore.{{Cite web |title=4 policemen killed in IED blast in Sopore {{!}} Paragraph 2 mentions Bada Bazar |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/4-policemen-killed-in-ied-blast-in-sopore/cid/1331592}} Running parallel to Bada Bazar is its counterpart, the narrower Chota Bazar.{{Cite web |last=Mohammed |first=Ghulam |date=2024-07-21 |title=Burglars loot several shops in Sopore {{!}} Paragraph 1 mentions Chota Bazar |url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/kashmir/burglars-loot-several-shops-in-sopore/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Greater Kashmir |language=en-US}} Together, these markets host a diverse range of retail and wholesale establishments, including general stores, grocery shops, cloth merchants, readymade garment shops, copper shops, goldsmiths, and various other shops.{{Cite web |title=Census of India 1971, A Pilot Town Study of Sopore {{!}} Chapter 1, Page 9-10 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/28117/download/31299/24249_1971_SOP.pdf}} Chota Bazar is also renowned for its prominent fish market, often referred to as Gaade Bazar.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKKiXl8Cp4A |title=FAMOUS FISH MARKET CHOTA LONDON SOPORE (SUBSCRIBE MY YOUTUBE CHANNAL) |date=2021-01-05 |last=Aap Interview channel Aap News |access-date=2024-07-27 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |title=Capturing the Essence of Sopore's Unassuming Yet Renowned Fish Market |url=https://rehanatech.blogspot.com/2024/06/photo-essay-by-rehana-maqbool-and.html |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=PHOTO ESSAY BY REHANA MAQBOOL AND MEHNAZA AKHTER}}

Main Chowk Sopore, often referred to as Samad Talkies Chowk due to the historic Samad Talkies Cinema that once stood there, serves as the central hub of the town.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-06 |title=Memories of 1993 massacre still fresh in Sopore town {{!}} Paragraph 4,5 mentions Samad Talkies and Main Chowk |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/1158518/memories-of-1993-massacre-still-fresh-in-sopore-town/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Daily Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Census of India 1971, A Pilot Town Study of Sopore {{!}} Chapter 1, Samad Talkies Image between page 10 and 11. {{!}} Chapter 4, Page 51 mentions Samad Talkies established date. |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/28117/download/31299/24249_1971_SOP.pdf}} This bustling intersection links four key markets: Bada Bazar and Chota Bazar on one side, Iqbal Market on the opposite side, and Super Bazar and Tehsil Road on the remaining sides. This bustling intersection is truly the heart of Sopore, linking its vibrant commercial centers.

Since 1947, the town's market has expanded at least fivefold.{{Cite web |title=Census of India 1971, A Pilot Town Study of Sopore {{!}} chapter 1, page 8 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/28117/download/31299/24249_1971_SOP.pdf}} A major development in this expansion was the emergence of Iqbal Market, which quickly became the heart of commercial activities. Iqbal Market is renowned for its bustling Sunday Market, where vendors gather to sell their goods.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-20 |title=Huge rush of people is seen at Iqbal Market Sopore amid COVID-19... |url=https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/news-photo/huge-rush-of-people-is-seen-at-iqbal-market-sopore-amid-news-photo/1234073462 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Getty Images |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |last=MUHAMMAD |first=GHULAM |date=2021-12-08 |title=Street vendors stage protest in Sopore |url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/kashmir-todays-paper/street-vendors-stage-protest-in-sopore/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Greater Kashmir |language=en-US}} Additionally, Iqbal Market connects seamlessly with Shah Faisal Market and the General Bus Stand Market, creating a vibrant and well-integrated commercial area.{{Cite web |last=MUHAMMAD |first=GHULAM |date=2023-12-21 |title=Authorities remove roadside encroachments in Sopore {{!}} Mentions of Shah Faisal Market and Gen bus stand |url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/governance/authorities-remove-roadside-encroachments-in-sopore/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Greater Kashmir |language=en-US}}

Other significant markets in Sopore include Chankhan Market, Downtown, and Tehsil Road, which is commonly referred to as Bugu. The New Colony area, located near the General Bus Stand, has grown from Sopore's first planned colony into a major commercial hub. Additionally, Amargarh and the Sopore Bypass are rapidly developing into prominent commercial zones, further enhancing the city's economic landscape.{{Cite web |last=Sopore |first=Master Plan 2032 |date=2013 |title=Sopore Master Plan 2032 {{!}} Mentions about Tehsil road, Bugu, Chankhan, New Colony, Amargarh, Sopore Bypass |url=https://jkhudd.gov.in/pdfs/Sopore_Report_May%202013.pdf}}

Sopore was earlier known as "Suyyapura" in Antiquity. 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.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-24 |title=Sopore: A story of resilience |url=https://kashmirreader.com/2020/11/24/sopore-a-story-of-resilience/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Kashmir Reader |language=en-US}}

J.P. Ferguson, in his book entitled 'Kashmir', remarks, "Suyya stands out as a person hundreds of years in advance of his time".{{Cite book |last=J.P |first=Ferguson |url=https://agris.fao.org/search/en/providers/122621/records/6473b98d13d110e4e7ac2dbe |title=Kashmir: An Historical Introduction |publisher=Centaur Press |year=1961 |language=English}} 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 conditions 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 the 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 is still a town of over 8,000 inhabitants. It has, during recent times, been the official headquarters for the whole of Kamraj. 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 King in great 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 that 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.).

In 1459, Sopur was attacked by Adam Khan, son of the sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, during a rebellion against his father. The town's governor resisted, but he was defeated and killed, and Adam had the town destroyed. Zain-ul-Abidin responded by sending an army to Sopur, and they routed Adam's forces in a pitched battle. While Adam and his followers were fleeing across the Jhelum at Sopur, the bridge collapsed and 300 of his followers drowned in the river.{{cite book |last1=Hasan |first1=Mohibbul |author1-link=Mohibbul Hasan |title=Kashmīr under the Sulṭāns |date=1959 |publisher=Aakar Books |location=Delhi |isbn=978-81-87879-49-7 |edition=2005 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EUlwmXjE9DQC |access-date=3 June 2024}}{{rp|83}}

At some point late in Zain-ul-Abidin's reign, the town of Sopur was destroyed by fire (this might be a duplicate reference to Adam Khan's destruction of Sopur; the source isn't clear about this). Sometime after this happened, Zain-ul-Abidin built a new palace at Sopur; another palace at Baramula was demolished at this point, and its materials were used to build the new palace at Sopur. Zain-ul-Abidin also had a swinging bridge constructed at Sopur during his reign.{{rp|98}}

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 downstream. Lately the old bridge has also been reconstructed and thrown open to traffic.

File:Sopur 1864.jpg

As of the 2011 India census, Sopore urban area had a population of 71,292 and an area of {{convert|18.9|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. The urban area consisted of the city, which had a municipal council and some outgrowths. In the 2011 census, the city had a population of 61,098 and an area of {{convert|9.90|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. 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 people over six was 70.8% (males 78.6%, females 62.3%).

{{Historical populations|1911|8,514|1921|8,524|1931|10,982|1941|11,770|1951|15,378|1961|18,987|1971|27,697|1981|33,584|19=2001|20=59,624|cols=1|percentages=on|source=|title=Historical Population|21=2011|22=71,292|direction=horizontal}}

Sh. Shabir Ahmad Raina is serving as the ADC(Additional Deputy Commissioner) Sopore, and Ms. Divya D-IPS as SP(Superintendent of Police) Sopore.{{Cite web |title=Who's Who {{!}} Official website of District Baramulla {{!}} India |url=https://baramulla.nic.in/about-district/whos-who/ |access-date=2023-11-02 |language=en-US}}

The main public educational institutions in Sopore are:

• Government Degree College, Sopore
• Government Degree College for Women, Sopore
• Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Wadoora, Sopore.{{cite web|title=Faculty of Agriculture|url=http://www.skuastkashmir.ac.in/frmFacultyAgriculture.aspx|work=Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir|access-date=22 June 2019}}
• Sopore Law College

{{Cleanup list|section|date=November 2023}}

• Ahmad Memorial Highfield Scientific School, Dangerpora, Sopore
• Apex Public School, Sopore
• Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Sopore
• Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Sopore
• Industrial Training Institute Jalalabad{{cite web |title=Industrial Training Institute , welkin educational trust, nether field school,Jalalabad |url=http://itisopore.com |access-date=22 June 2019 |work=Industrial Training Institute Jalalabad}}
• Model Public School, Sopore
• Muslim Education Trust, Sopore
• Nether Field School, Sopore
• Prime Public School, Zaingeer
• Sanctorum Public School, Sopore
• SRM Welkin Higher Secondary School, Sopore

• Atiqa Bano, educationist
• Syed Ali Shah Geelani, politician
• Ghulam Rasool Kar, politician
• Saifi Sopori, poet and teacher
• Abdul Ahad Vakil, politician

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Sopore

Category:Kashmir

Category:Tehsils of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)