Saturday, January 5, 2013

History of Birote

Circle Bakote
Birote is a far east and southern Union Council in the proposed Tehsil Circle Bakote or Sarkal Bakkot[1] area of Abbottabad District in Pakistan, between the borders of Punjab and Kashmir. It has two higher secondary schools for boys, five religious schools, 75 mosques, with the highest 100% literacy rate and twelve Doctor of Philosophy (PhD),[2] a bank, a post office, a telephone exchange, four telephone towers, three Chairlifts,[3] Islamabad Srinagar Kashmir Highway, Upper Dewal Kohala Road and New Kohala Bridge.[4] It is part of Hazara Division with third highest peack Mukeshpuri[5]and the lowest place Manwan ni hell in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Ex NWFP) Province.

There are several theories about the origin of the word Birote, all of which are based on combinations of words in the Dhondi language.[6] The Dhondi language is a derivation of the language that was spoken in Birote and Circle Bakote before the dawn of Islam by the Kethwal, Satties, and Karhals tribes.[7] One theory holds that it is derived from beer (wrestler) and wet (place); in the past, Birote was famous for wrestling and related sports. These eventually evolved to become Bi+rote or bee+rote. Another explanation is that Birote is a combination of bee (twenty) and rote(bread).

The total population of Birote is 23,000 (1998 census).[8] The main ethnic tribe of the area is Dhond Abbasi, Lahrals sub-tribes, Khanals in Termuthin and Lahoor, Nakodrals in Kau and Bhan, Chingsal in Birote, Basian, Julial, Sulial, Huteri and Hotrool, Mojwals in Morha and Nakar Mojwal. The Dhond Abbasi tribe has been a feudal and ruling tribe in the area for five centuries. The founder of the Dhond tribe of Birote was Lahr Khan, who died in 1233 and is buried in Sunblanean, Termuthean. Other tribal groups in the area include Alvi Awan,[9] SyedsMughals, and Bhati Rajpoot.


Birote is surrounded by the areas of Bakote, Nathia Gali, Ayube Reala, and the Union Council of Dewal Sharif inMurree Tehsil. It is located on the banks of the Jhelum River. The highest place in Birote is the peak, calledSamannat, of Mukeshpuri mountain,[10] located approximately 90 kilometres north of Islamabad. Mukeshpuri is 2800m / 9100 feet high and covered with pine trees. It is an attractive hiking place for tourists but, in winter, is extremely inhospitable due to constant snow cover. Manwan ni hell is the lowest place in Birote. It is located on the right bank of the Jhelum River, just next to Basian, at the provincial borders of the Khyber PakhtunkhwaPunjab, and Azad Kashmir.

There are full four seasons in Birote and Circle Bakote, spring starts in April with flowering on trees, summer in the end of June, autumn in October and finaly winter starts her chill in December with rain and snowfall till end of February. Rainfall as same as Murree or Islamabad, the capital of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir. Heavy rainfall accure every year in July/August, which causes landslides and flood in River Jhelum and other adjoining nullas. Drought come in a year in Union Council Birote if raining season or sawan leave dry. There were a agriculture producing region in Circle Bakote but these agri traditions vanished after 1970 with new means of services and sources of incom. Professionals, skilled and non skilled labour went to Middle East as well as Gulf countries caused barraned of agri and pady feild. All 16 Jander water flour mills at Jandran Ni Dhairi (7 Janders), Lohwer (three Janders), Kels Basian (4 janders) and Hotrol/Bhan Kass (two Janders) were in Birote Khurd running 24 hours, seven days a week all the year, now converted in to dilapdated places. All grains including wheat, corn, cane, rice as well as vegetables and fruits were producing in Birote while people of Birote depend on import of food items from Punjab especially Rawalpindi now.

Weather's and agriculture based economy in Birote




There are full four seasons in Birote and Circle Bakote, spring starts in April with flowering on trees, summer in the end of June, autumn in October and finaly winter starts her chill in December with rain and snowfall till end of February. Rainfall as same as Murree or Islamabad, the capital of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir. Heavy rainfall accure every year in July/August, which causes landslides and flood in River Jhelum and other adjoining nullas. Drought come in a year in Union Council Birote if raining season or sawan leave dry. There were a agriculture producing region in Circle Bakote but these agri traditions vanished after 1970 with new means of services and sources of incom. Professionals, skilled and non skilled labour went to Middle East as well as Gulf countries caused barraned of agri and pady feild. All 16 Jander water flour mills at Jandran Ni Dhairi (7 Janders), Lohwer (three Janders), Kels Basian (4 janders) and Hotrol/Bhan Kass (two Janders) were in Birote Khurd running 24 hours, seven days a week all the year, now converted in to dilapdated places. All grains including wheat, corn, cane, rice as well as vegetables and fruits were producing in Birote while people of Birote depend on import of food items from Punjab especially Rawalpindi now.