Nagar (Nagar[2]) is a former princely state and one of the ten districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.[3][4] The valley is along the Karakoram Highway on the way north from the city of Gilgit. The valley is home to many high mountain peaks including Rakaposhi (7788m), Diran Peak (7265m), Golden Peak and Rush Peak.
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Nagar Valley نگر | |
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![]() The 7,788 m (25,551 ft) tall Rakaposhi as seen from the Hunza Valley | |
![]() ![]() Nagar Valley نگر Location in Pakistan | |
Coordinates: 36.2652548°N 74.7135025°E / 36.2652548; 74.7135025[1] | |
Country | Pakistan |
Region | Gilgit Baltistan |
District | Nagar District |
The Nagar valley is administratively divided into two Tehsils: Tehsil Nagar-I and Tehsil Nagar-II.[5] All the villages of upper Nagar including Shayar, Askurdas, Sumayar, Nagarkhas, Hoper Valley, and Hispar come under the Tehsil Nagar-I, whereas the villages of lower Nagar including Chalt Paeen, Chalt Bala, Sonikot, Akbarabad, Rabat, Bar, Buddalas, Chaprote, Skandarabad, Jafarabad, Nilt, Thol, Ghulmet, Pisan, Minapin, Meacher, Dadhimal, Phekar, and Hakuchar are the part of Tehsil Nagar-II. Burushaski and Shina languages are spoken in the valley.[3]
The Rush Lake, the highest Alpine lake of Pakistan and the 27th highest lake in the world also lies in this valley.
The term Nagar [nʌɡʌr] is derived from a Sanskrit word "Nagara" which means a town, a city, an area in a city, or an area where people live that is outside the center of a city.[6]
According to A Dictionary of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic of the Talmudic and Geonic Periods by Michael Sokoloff, the history of the term Nagar goes further back to the ancient city "Sumerian Nagar".[7] Along with Kish, Mari and Ebla, the Nagar was one of the important cities of the earliest known civilization Sumer in the region of Upper Mesopotamia (now northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria)[8] during the sixth and fifth millennium BC.[9] The ancient city is now known as Tell Brak and is located in Syria.[10][11][12]
Moreover, Klein's etymological dictionary of Rabbinic Hebrew, traces the word Nagar from Akkadian "Naggaru" which means carpenter or the skilled carpenter.[7][13]
The entire region is hilly and mountainous topographically, but every part of the valley is easily accessible. The Karakoram mountain range covers the whole region, of which Rakaposhi is one part. Of the total area of Nagar valley, 90% is above 3,000 meters above sea level and 30% is 5,000 meters above sea level.[14]
Nagar was an independent principality for more than 1,200 years. The British gained control of Nagar during a battle of the Anglo-Brusho war which is locally known as Jangir-e-Lae. Jangir-e-Lae was fought between the people of Nagar state and the troops of the British Raj at the place of Nilt, from 1 to 23 December 1891.[15]
The British troops faced intense resistance from the people of Nagar under the leadership of the Tham (Chief) of that time Azur Khan at the Nilt Nallah (known as, Jamila Mo Har).[16] The people of Nagar fought bravely for more than 20 days but were defeated due to a lack of armaments. Over 100 people of Nagar lost their lives and 127 were imprisoned. On the British side, four British Officers and over 50 Dogra levies lost their lives.[15] The British retained Nagar's status as a principality.[17] Even after the revolt against the Maharaja of Kashmir and unconditional accession to Pakistan in 1948, Nagar's status continued to be that of a princely state.
During the 1960s, people start protesting against the despotism of the Mir, demanding the abolition of Begar and reduction in taxation. In 1970, they organized the march to Gilgit to register their demands to the high-ups, while from Gilgit scouts were sent against the people. The scouts open fire at the demonstration in Chalt and killed nine persons and wounded many more. The leaders of the protest were imprisoned.[2] Later, on 25 September 1974, Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto dissolved the Princely States of Nagar and Hunza and set the prisoners free and gave democratic representation to the Northern Areas Council, now the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly.[18]
Nagar is home to many famous high altitude meadows such as:
Famous peaks in the region are:
Famous alpine Lakes in the region are:
Famous glaciers in the region are:
Famous passes in the region are: