Charar-i-Sharief (variously spelled Chrar-e-Sharif, Charari Shareef, etc.) (Urdu pronunciation: [t͡ʃəɾɑːɾeː ʃəɾɪf], known as Tsrar-i-Sharif (Kashmiri pronunciation: [t͡sraːri ʃəriːf]) in Kashmiri (or colloquially as Tsrar) is a town and a notified area committee in the Budgam district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Charar-i-sharief Assembly constituency is one of the 90 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

Charari Sharief
Tsrar-i-Sharif
Town
The Famous shrine of Charar-i-sharief and Khanqa-e-Faiz Panah opposite to it
Nickname: 
Chaar
Charari Sharief is located in Jammu and Kashmir
Charari Sharief
Charari Sharief
Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Charari Sharief is located in India
Charari Sharief
Charari Sharief
Charari Sharief (India)
Coordinates: 33°51′43″N 74°45′58″E / 33.862°N 74.766°E / 33.862; 74.766
Country India
Union territoryJammu & Kashmir
DistrictBudgam
Elevation
1,933 m (6,342 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
11,533
Languages
 • OfficialKashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English[1][2]
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationJK04

The town was given the status of block in January 2014. The town is divided into 10 wards. Each ward has a municipal councillor.

The famous mohallas of Charar-i-Sharief are: Talab-e-Kalan or Bada Talab, Trajibal, Court Road, Gulshan Abad, Nowhar, Baghi Noor U Din Nowhar, Jabl-e-Noor, Wazabagh, Alamdar colony, Zaloosa and Kumar Mohalla.

Charar-i-Sharief is considered[by whom?] one of the most sacrosanct Muslim shrines in Kashmir. It is situated approximately 28 km (17 mi) from Srinagar, en route to Yusmarg. The Shrine of Charar-i-Sharief is approximately 600 years old. It is popularly known as the resting place of "Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali".

Geography

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Charari Sharief has an average elevation of 1,933 metres (6,342 ft) above mean sea level.[3]

Demographics

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As of 2011 India census, total number of households in Charar-i-sharief town is 2098. Charar-i-Sharief has an average literacy rate of 59%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 58% and female literacy of 38%.[4]

Demographics (2011 Census)[4]
Total Male Female
Population 11,533 5,904 5,629
Children 1,638 880 758
Workers (all) 2,826 2,574 254
Non working 8,707 3,332 5,375
Literacy 6497 3783 2714

Municipal committee

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Municipal Committee Charar-i-Sharief (MCC) is an Urban Local Body which administers the town of Charar-i-Sharief in Budgam district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It has 13 elected members. Its last elections took place on 10 October 2018.

Keys:   INC (11)   Vacant (2)

# Name Municipal Ward Reservation Status Party
1 Maheen Munir Karim Abad Women Open INC
2 Zahid Jan Baba Sheer Abad Open INC
3 Vacant Shah Abad Open N/A
4 Vacant Reshi Abad Women Open INC
5 Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar Wazabagh Open INC
6 Vacant Noor Abad Open INC
7 Vacant Sharief Abad Women Open INC
8 Hamid Hussain Gulshan Abad A Open INC
9 Anjil Zahid Gulshan Abad B Open INC
10 Jawhara Nudreshi Colony Women Open INC
11 Vacant Almadar Basti 1 Open N/A
12 Bilal Ahmad Teli Almadar Basti 2 Open INC
13 Tariq Ahmad Dar Rozabal Open INC

Chrar Kanger

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A fancy Kanger usually used for decorative purposes

Charar-i-Sharief is the most famous for a its variety of kangri known as "charar kanger".[5] Writing in 1895, Sir Walter Lawrence, in his passage about Kanger in The Valley of Kashmir, exclaims: “Among the most prized of the Charari Sharif fairings is the pretty painted Kanger.”[6] Chrar Kanger is specifically used to inaugurate wedding ceremonies. During this ritual, aromatic seeds called 'isband' are burned because the practice is believed to ward off evil spirits.[7]

See also

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Charar-e-Sharief Shrine

Charari Sharief Assembly constituency

Yusmarg

Kanger

References

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  1. ^ "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Wikimapia - Let's describe the whole world!". wikimapia.org.
  4. ^ a b "Census of India 2011" (PDF). Censusindia.gov.in.
  5. ^ Handoo, Bilal (4 March 2013). "The Making of Chrar Kanger". Kashmir Life. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  6. ^ Lawrence, Walter R. (Walter Roper) (1895). The valley of Kashmir. Robarts - University of Toronto. London: London H. Frowde. p. 250.
  7. ^ Naqash, Rayan (30 November 2016). "The warm heart of Kashmir: The history and beauty of the kanger". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
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