Khoi Ratta
Encyclopedia
Khui Ratta is a town in Kotli District
, Azad Kashmir
, Pakistan
.
lies 29 km southeast of Kotli
and 165 km from Islamabad
, to the east. Khoiratta is approximately 7 kilometres from the Line Of Control (LOC). It is the second largest town after Kotli City and has an elevation of 2570 meters above sea-level. Khuiratta is situated on the western side of Rajouri (IHK), with Tehsile Charhoi to the west, Rajouri to the east, Noshehra (IHK) to the south, Tehsile Nakyal to the north east and Kotli to the north west.
Its population is over 100,000 which is mostly educated. The Gujjar, Rajput, Jaat, and Mughal tribes form the majority . List of registered voters 89000 at estimation of 2004 of this constituency i.e, 22000 Gujjars, 18000 Rajput, 16000 Jatt, 330000 other tribes, Khuiratta is in the Azad Kashmir Assembly constituency, LA 12 Kotli 5. Name of constituency main areas are following Patwar Circles of Kotli Tehsil/ Tehsil Khuiratta:
1. Khor .2.Sarhotta. 3. Seri Majwar. 4. Khui- Ratta. 5. Bihal. 6. Dhanna. 7. Andarla Katerra.8 Samlar. 9. Majwal. 10. Sarhuta.11.Nidi Sohana
.
Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan, who belongs to the Muslim Conference is the sitting MLA from Khuiratta. He was elected MLA in the Kashmir Assembly General Election held in 2006 for five years, Ch.Muhammad Rafiq Nayyer Ex.minister of Health & Transport & Ch.Matloob Inqalabi Ex member of Kashmir Council & participant of the 2006 election.
Khuiratta is famous for the annual Baisakhi (festival). Thousands of people from the Kotli and other adjoining districts attend the festival in spring to watch sports, animal parades and horticultural displays. The nearby Banah is a beautiful area, full of natural springs and waterfalls. Several springs emerge from the mountains at Bahees Naraha. In ancient times this was an important Hindu
place of worship. Close to Khui Ratta are the Bagh Fatehpur Dehadi and Bagh Sain Hazuri which are known for their natural beauty. Thousands of people flock to the Mai-ka-Makam Shrine (Mai Toti Sahiba), some 4 km from Khui Ratta city, to pay homage to Mai Toti Sahiba.
The Indian army occasionally shells the area from the LOC. Before the cease-fire agreement between Pakistan and India, there were military and civilian casualties.
Khuiratta lies 29 kilometres from Kotli, Khoiratta and its surrounding areas are popular with tourists due to the historic remains of mountains and natural beauty. Four kilometres away from Khuiratta is the famous shrine of "Mai Toti Sahiba" which is visited by hundreds of people daily. Khuiratta is also well known for its vasakhi mela
. For the last 50 years this mela has been held in Dehari Bagh. Thousands of people gather from as far away as Rawalpindi
, Lahore
, Gujranwala
. The mela lasts for 3 days, activities include bull racing, wrestling, football and fairground rides. Other small towns surrounding Khuiratta are Serri, Bhroat Gala, Bandli, Anderla Kotehra, Doongi, Karjai, Dhara, Katasery and Needi Sohana. Needi Sohana is the union council of Khuiratta and the highest point of the Kotli district.
Khuiratta has good educational facilities, it has degree colleges for both boys and girls and dozens of government High Schools. A large number of private English medium schools also exist such as Holy Public School and College, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Ali Garden Public School, Pasban Academy etc. Khuiratta is also renowned for pir
s and faqirs and the most revered - "Mai Toti Sahiba".
Khuiratta has its own history. Before the independence of Pakistan and India in 1947, it was used as a trade corridor between Rajouri and Mirpur.
Kotli District
Kotli is one of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Kotli the chief town of the district, was originally a minor town between Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, but has recently seen major growth.- Administration :...
, Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Location
KhuirattaKhuiratta
Khuiratta, also known as Wadi e Bnah, is a city of Kotli District, Azad Kashmir. In 2010 it became the headquarters of the district subdivision.-Tourism:...
lies 29 km southeast of Kotli
Kotli
Kotli is the chief town of Kotli District, in the Pakistani-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Kotli is linked with Mirpur by two metalled roads, one via Rajdhani, and the other via Charhoi...
and 165 km from Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, to the east. Khoiratta is approximately 7 kilometres from the Line Of Control (LOC). It is the second largest town after Kotli City and has an elevation of 2570 meters above sea-level. Khuiratta is situated on the western side of Rajouri (IHK), with Tehsile Charhoi to the west, Rajouri to the east, Noshehra (IHK) to the south, Tehsile Nakyal to the north east and Kotli to the north west.
Its population is over 100,000 which is mostly educated. The Gujjar, Rajput, Jaat, and Mughal tribes form the majority . List of registered voters 89000 at estimation of 2004 of this constituency i.e, 22000 Gujjars, 18000 Rajput, 16000 Jatt, 330000 other tribes, Khuiratta is in the Azad Kashmir Assembly constituency, LA 12 Kotli 5. Name of constituency main areas are following Patwar Circles of Kotli Tehsil/ Tehsil Khuiratta:
1. Khor .2.Sarhotta. 3. Seri Majwar. 4. Khui- Ratta. 5. Bihal. 6. Dhanna. 7. Andarla Katerra.8 Samlar. 9. Majwal. 10. Sarhuta.11.Nidi Sohana
Nidi Sohana
Nidi Sohana is a union council in district Kotli Azad kashmir Pakistan. It lies 19 km from Khoiratta, and is a union council of Kotli Tehsil LA Kotli 5 situated at LOC and the end of Tehsil Kotli Nidi Sohana in the part of District Rajori. The highest point of Kotli district, "Muthrani...
.
Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan, who belongs to the Muslim Conference is the sitting MLA from Khuiratta. He was elected MLA in the Kashmir Assembly General Election held in 2006 for five years, Ch.Muhammad Rafiq Nayyer Ex.minister of Health & Transport & Ch.Matloob Inqalabi Ex member of Kashmir Council & participant of the 2006 election.
Khuiratta is famous for the annual Baisakhi (festival). Thousands of people from the Kotli and other adjoining districts attend the festival in spring to watch sports, animal parades and horticultural displays. The nearby Banah is a beautiful area, full of natural springs and waterfalls. Several springs emerge from the mountains at Bahees Naraha. In ancient times this was an important Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
place of worship. Close to Khui Ratta are the Bagh Fatehpur Dehadi and Bagh Sain Hazuri which are known for their natural beauty. Thousands of people flock to the Mai-ka-Makam Shrine (Mai Toti Sahiba), some 4 km from Khui Ratta city, to pay homage to Mai Toti Sahiba.
The Indian army occasionally shells the area from the LOC. Before the cease-fire agreement between Pakistan and India, there were military and civilian casualties.
Khuiratta lies 29 kilometres from Kotli, Khoiratta and its surrounding areas are popular with tourists due to the historic remains of mountains and natural beauty. Four kilometres away from Khuiratta is the famous shrine of "Mai Toti Sahiba" which is visited by hundreds of people daily. Khuiratta is also well known for its vasakhi mela
Mela
Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a Fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sports. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were of great importance...
. For the last 50 years this mela has been held in Dehari Bagh. Thousands of people gather from as far away as Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Gujranwala
Gujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
. The mela lasts for 3 days, activities include bull racing, wrestling, football and fairground rides. Other small towns surrounding Khuiratta are Serri, Bhroat Gala, Bandli, Anderla Kotehra, Doongi, Karjai, Dhara, Katasery and Needi Sohana. Needi Sohana is the union council of Khuiratta and the highest point of the Kotli district.
Khuiratta has good educational facilities, it has degree colleges for both boys and girls and dozens of government High Schools. A large number of private English medium schools also exist such as Holy Public School and College, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Ali Garden Public School, Pasban Academy etc. Khuiratta is also renowned for pir
Pir (Sufism)
Pir or Peer is a title for a Sufi master equally used in the nath tradition. They are also referred to as a Hazrat or Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint" and could be interpreted as "Elder". In Sufism a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his...
s and faqirs and the most revered - "Mai Toti Sahiba".
Khuiratta has its own history. Before the independence of Pakistan and India in 1947, it was used as a trade corridor between Rajouri and Mirpur.