Budgam district

Budgam district is a district in the Indian administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Created in 1979 with its headquarters at Budgam, it is the district with the largest population of Shias in the Kashmir valley.

Administration
Budgam district is the closest district to the union territory capital Srinagar (11 km). Budgam district came into existence in 1979, prior to which it was part of Srinagar district. In former times, Budgam was a part of Baramulla district, when Srinagar itself was a constituent of the Anantnag district. It was then known as tehsil Sri Pratap. Historical records suggests that Budgam was also referred to as Pargana Deesu. According to the well-known chronicler Khawaja Azam Demari, the area was also known as Deedmarbag. Budgam district borders the districts of Baramullah and Srinagar in the north, Pulwama in the south and Poonch in the south west.

In 2008, Budgam district consisted of eight blocks. Currently, the district consists of seventeen blocks: Beerwah, Budgam, B.K.Pora, Chadoora, Charari Sharief, Khag, Khansahib, Nagam, Narbal, Pakherpora, Parnewa, Rathsoon, Soibugh, Sukhnag, Surasyar, S.K.Pora and Waterhail. Each block consists of a number of panchayats.

The district is subdivided into the nine tehsils of Charari Sharief Tehsil, Magam tehsil, Beerwah Tehsil, Budgam Tehsil, Chadoora Tehsil,  Khansahib Tehsil, Khag Tehsil, BK Pora Tehsil and Narbal Tehsil.

Demography
According to the 2011 census Budgam district has a population of 735,753 roughly equal to the nation of Guyana or the US state of Alaska, making it 494th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 554 PD/sqkm. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 24.14%. Badgam has a sex ratio of 883 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 56.08% (males 66.30%, females $44.85), an increase from 42.20% (males 53.13%, females 30.29%) in 2001. Literacy is higher in urban areas (average 68.87%, male 79.46%, female 55.38%) than in rural areas (average 54.01%, male 64.00%, female 43.29%).

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 94.78% of the population in the district spoke Kashmiri as their first language.

Shias form 30–40% of Budgam district's population; almost 90% of the urban population of the district are Shia, whilst the majority of the rural population of the district are Sunni.

Education
There are 590 schools in Budgam, both private and public, 33 of which are Higher Secondary Schools. The Government Degree College, Budgam is located near the Paller village. It is the only degree college in district Budgam. Budgam is of one of backward districts in kashmir till date because some political issues. Budgam is district is also known to its great Muslim preachers as:Baba-Hanif-Ud-Din, locally the graveyard is known as "Baba sabin Ziyarath" which is situated at the most beautiful mountain which ends up in Rathsun, a small cute village. The people of Rathsun are very kind, as from the old times. Magam is one of the main town in budgam right now, because it is approximately at centre of the district budgam. Ompora, Charar Sharif, Kralpora, Gotapora and Soibugh are highly populated localities of Budgam district. Magam, Ichgam, Iskandarpora, Wahabpora villages of Budgam district are the biggest villages with Shia population.

Railways
Budgam district has two railway stations: Budgam and Mazhom, which are both on the Jammu–Baramulla line.

Budgam railway station is located in Ompora town nearly 2.5 km from Budgam's district headquarters and 9 km from Srinagar's city centre, Lalchowk. It is the biggest railway station in Kashmir division. This railway station has the administrative head controlling the rail service in the Kashmir valley.

Health care
Outside Budgam railway station, there is a big hospital, named Ibn-Sina Hospital, which is Budgam district's first private hospital.

Attractions
Budgam contains the only airport in Kashmir valley at Ichgam. The district's main tourist attractions are Doodhpathri, Yusmarg, Tosamaidan, Nilnag, Khag and Pehjan. District Budgam offers many stunning locales and has tremendous tourism potential that has largely remained untapped so far. The attractive places that can be visited are Doodhpathri, Yousmarg, Tosamaidan, Nilnag and Khag. Kani Shawl adomed the caesar's court and was looked upon by Mughals and later by Nawabs as mark of nobility. In 1776, Napoleon Bonaparte presented a Kani shawl to his wife Josephine and with that took off a new fashion trend in Europe. The revered shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali can also be found in the Charari Sharief Tehsil of Budgam district. Asia's oldest/largest Chinar resides at Chattergam Budgam. Aga Sahib Shrine and Tomb of Shams-ud-Din Araqi are also situated in this district.

Notable people

 * Aga Syed Yusuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi,
 * Mir Shams-ud-Din Araqi
 * Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah
 * Aga Mir Syed Mohammad Baqir Mosavi
 * Aga Syed Mustafa Al-Moosavi
 * Aga Syed Mehdi
 * Aga Syed Mohsin