Sameer Ahmad wani
It is generally spoken and written that the Wullar lake is the largest freshwater lake in Asia. The lake is located between my district Bandipora and Sopore at a distance of 75 kms from Srinagar, Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is about 16kms long and 9.6 km wide with ill-defined shores. It is believed that the size of the lake varies during different seasons. District Bandipora lies
on the North side of the lake while Sopore town lies on its western side. The deepest part of the lake is near watlab village towards the hill called Baba Shukur Udin in the North-west side. The river Jhelum enters from the southern side and passes through the Wullar. Jhelum is the main feeding channel beside other tributaries like Erin, Madhumati, pobre etc. It joins Wullar at Banyari village in Bandipore just 26 kms from district headquarters and leaves Wullarat Sopore. It’s mentioned in the sources that villages and commercial towns are settled around the banks of the lake. The villages that encompass the periphery of Wullar lake are Hajin, shahgund, khusarpora, Haritar or kanyari, Gund Jahangir, Badda Gund, Soud Nour, parebal, Malik pora, Mugdamyari, Banwari, Bakshibal, Orange, Madwan, saderkoot Bala, saderkoot payeen, chandergeer, kathpora, vijpara, Ashtangoo, Kema, Kanbach, Kehnusa, Laharwalpora, Lankrishipora, Kulhama, watlab. It is also to be mentioned that the main characteristic of the lake is an Island called Zaina Lank that was built by king Zain-ul-Abidin in 15th century.
Everything that has existed or is existing has its origin in the form of sources that may be both based on legends or myths and historical proof. Unless and until you don’t know its background or historical knowledge, you can’t interpret it in the right way. Same is the case with the wular lake. You would find the lake mentioned in the texts or papers described in its present from particularly from the tourist and economic point of view, but not mostly background regarding its origin I, e how it came into existence or how it formed. The 19th century historian of Kashmir namely Pir Hassan Shah khuihami deserves special mention because he in his book called Tarikh-I-Hassan which is regarded as the first comprehensive work on information regarding the origin of the lake. He writes that the origin of the lake is based on tectonic activities or earthquakes. He records 14 earthquakes in Kashmir from the earliest times till 1885.so according to him, the first calamity of an earthquake occurred during the reign of Sundaresan of Pandu Dynasty. He states that “once upon a time, the town of Sindhmatnagar was situated in place of wukar lake. The inhabitants of this place were punished on account of their misdeeds in the form of an earthquake. During this period of sudarshan a devastating earthquake struck at night. The entire town was reduced to shambles; cracks appeared on the surface of earth and from the water gushed out and the entire town was deluged, thus in the aforesaid manner there appeared Ular Nag (Wullar lake)”. So the whole city was submerged along with its king and its inhabitants and the site of the city is now occupied by water. There is another source provided by the legend, Nilamatpurana regarding the origin of the lake. Ved Kumari, who has translated this legend in English, writes that the wular lake was known as Mahapadmasar during ancient times after the Mahapadma that was residing in the lake.
An individual, community or a nation can only survive and develop if it has a strong and well balanced source of subsistence otherwise it will face famines, shortage of food and finally default and collapse.
Wular lake has the great potential of providing livelihood to the people dwelling on its shores. This lake is rich in economic products, it comprises best fish resources and is consumed almost in all the villages of the area. The resources or the major means of survival or business ventures are water chestnuts, fishes, Nadru and even fodder. These resources are also the source of revenue for the government. So this lake is responsible for supporting a huge population on its precious resources. Almost 33 villages depend on it. According to a local, Gulzaar Ahmad pinchoo, a professional boatman of Kulhama village, whom I interviewed says that fishes are available in the wular for all 12 months but the best quality fishes are available from March to July. In this field, male population are engaging in fishing while women take them to market to make their livelihood. Only license holders or bonafide persons have the right to catch fishes. It is also written that wular lake produces 60% of total fish consumed in the valley.
Boatmen (Haenz) in the wular lake use various kinds of tools or methods in catching fishes which includes both legal and illegal techniques. This includes Nets, Hooks, Spears and even Electric current through batteries. Nets approved various kinds like cast net, bag net Gill net etc. Even grains were used in catching fishes in the past according to Moorcarft. Nadru (Nelumboo), singara(Trapa) are also extracted from the lake by boatmen who later took them to market and are also in great demand during late summers.fodder for cattle and willow for fuel are also the means of subsistence for the people living on its banks. So thousands of families are dependent on thislake. Also Sand extraction is now becoming a dominant source of living to people because on its beds lies the best quality of sand which is used in various construction works.
There are different varieties of fishes found in the wular lake like Charrai gad, Ramah gad, pikri gad, krout and mashir gad. Also according to Gulzar Ahmed Punjabi, Russian and Kashmiri fishes are also there. Now Fishery department has shown a seed called Gras gad
In the past people used to travel from one place to another place through water bodies like rivers, lakes and canals because road connectivity was not available in those times. Same was the case with the people living on the banks of wular lake. They used to travel to other areas through boats. Abdul Salam Dar, a local of Lankrishipora village, whom I also interviewed, said that they used to go Sopore, Baramulla by boats in the recent past and brought goods for market and ferrying passengers. They still travel through boats. I still remember, one of my neighbors brought a bull from Hajin village through Wular by boat for Sacrificial purpose. Thus the wular also serves for Navigational purposes. I have heard and is all written that there were also two famous ports called Aloosa that and Nusu that on the it’s banks where loading and unloading of goods took place.
Kashmir valley was originally a huge lake called sati sar so it has an ancient story of floods. As far as the wular lake is concerned, it has always acted as a reservoir of flood water or it is the largest flood basin of Kashmir. But still It has forced people living on its shores to move toward safer areas particularly during 2014 floods. It has acted as a safety valve for Kashmir valley against floods. Hassan shah Khuihami mentions that during the rule of shahabuddin aflood destroyed 20000 houses and crops swept away. The areas around the lake got submerged. It is also written that King Zain-ul-Abidin constructed bund around the lake from Sopore to Safapora by which the land of Hajin and Naidkhai appeared because of floods. During shah Jahan, wular has also suffered due to floods. Villages of Gundjahangir and shahgund where also reclaimed during Jahangir and shah jahan.
Wular lake is one of the main identities of Kashmir valley particularly of my home District Bandipora. It has been declared as the Wetland area under Ramsar Convention in 1990.with thousands of migratory birds coming from foreign countries annually. This lake is the source of employment for thousands of families living on its fringes. However the lake has shrunk to a large extent due to encroachment and in depth situations and pollution, putting the livelihoods of people at risk. Residents of Kulhama and Lankrishipora also claim reduction in fish quantity due to some illegal techniques being used in catching fish, like electric current by batteries and net method. This lake has the great tourism potential if given enough attention, recently the district government has set up a viewpoint with a small bridge erected in the Village called Bangladesh near Watlab, a large number of people are visiting there. JK govt has announced to bring boats in the lake at the pattern of Dal lake which will definitely bring a revolution in tourism point of view. Presently the lake is under the watch of Lakes Conservation and Management Authority( LCMA) formerly WUCMA.
Sources used:
1 Dr Mehraj ud Din Dar’s M.Philll Thesis on Wular Lake.
2 Hasan Shah Khuihami’s Tarikh-e-Hassan
3 Sir Walter Lawrance’s Valley of Kashmir
4 Personal interview with Abdula Salam Dar, Resident of Lankreshipora Village.
5 Personal interview with Gulzar Ahmad Pinchoo, resident of Kulhama Village.
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