Kulgam is situated near the Pir Panjal Ranges, overlooking the left bank of Veshaw River, along a rough, hilly road from Larow. Nallah Veshav, which drains most of the northern face of Pir Panjal, is the main left-bank tributary of the Jhelum River and traverses through District Kulgam. The Veshev is broken into a number of channels to provide drinking water and irrigation for huge tracts of the district's land. Town Kulgam is situated about 68 km from Srinagar and about 17 km from Anantnag. Roads connect to the neighbouring districts of Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag, and Banihal.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census, Kulgam district has a population of 424,483. This gives it a ranking of 554th in India. The district has a population density of. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 7.3%. Kulgam has a sex ratio of 951 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 60.3 percent. According to officials demographics is improving at a good rate.
Administration
District Kulgam was separated from district Anantnag, along with several other new districts, and made administratively separate from 2 April 2007. Kulgam district consists of eight blocks: D.k.Marg,Quimoh, Pahloo, Damhal Hanji Pora, Devsar, Jammu and Kashmir, Kulgam, and Frisal and Behibagh. Each block consists of a number of panchayats. The district has seven administrative units : Kulgam, Damhal Hanji Pora, Devsar, Frisal, Pahloo, Yaripora, and Qaimoh. Kulgam district has seven important towns: Frisal, Yaripora, Kulgam, Devsar, Qaimoh and Damhal Hanji Pora. Five of these have received municipality status; Damhal Hanji Pora has yet to be recognized as a municipality. There are police stations at Kulgam, Yaripora, Qazigund and Damhal Hanji Pora, and police posts at Mirbazar, Frisal, Qaimoh, Behibagh and Devsar. Kulgam has two sub-divisions: Kulgam and Damhal Hanji Pora.
Tazkira Sadat-i-Simanania, compiled by 13th-century scholar and poet Swaleh Reshi, gives the name of place as "Shampora". Syed Hussain Simnani later renamed it "Kulgam". Simnani is said to have invited Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani to Kashmir, with poets including Nund Rishi and Lalleshwari. These poets and their disciples manifested the composite culture or Kashmiriyat, promoting and encouraging religious and cultural harmony even when viewed as heretics by other Asiatic countries. The form of administration from Sher Shah Suri's reign led to creation of a Tehsil during Mughal Rule, through the aegis of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom. This had jurisdiction encompassing Doru, Banihal, Gulabgarh, and Shopian. After time, constituent units including Pulwama, Shopian, and Reasi attained the status of district. The area had been a hunting place for Mughal emperors and Dogra rulers, especially for Shahanshah Shah Jehan, who laid the "Chinar Bagh" and Maharaja Hari Singh, who discovered the virgin potential of sanctuary at Kutbal. The District is the birthplace of Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani, the founder of the Rishi order, and of the forefathers of Allama Iqbal and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Militancy
There has been militancy in Kashmir since 1989. Beginning in the 1990s there was an upsurge of militants in the district, particularly the Lashkar-e-Taiba. In addition to assassination and inciting riots, the militants encourage the populace to boycott elections.
Road facility
Kulgam has following roads connecting it to various assembly segments and with NH1A :
The main source of livelihood in the district is agriculture and horticulture. The low-lying areas of Kulgam are very fertile for rice cultivation, and are considered as the 'Rice Bowl of Kashmir'. The higher elevations are known for production of apples. Livestock and sheep-rearing is a subsidiary occupation among the rural population, particularly in the higher elevations. Kulgam District is covered by the Pir Panjal mountain range on the northwest side, acting as a massive topographical protection. The area is significantly covered in forestation.
Tourism
Town Kulgam is situated about 68 km from Srinagar and about 17 km from Anantnag. Aside from places of spiritual interest, the district has tourist spots like Ahrabal water fall on Veshev Nallah which is a place of sight-seeing in the extreme south-west. High pastures and meadows are also places of tourist attraction in the area from Kund to Ladigasan. The District also has an abundance of natural water from springs such as Kounsernag, Waseknag, Khee Nag, etc
Shaikh Nur-ud-din also known as Nund Rishi, was a famous Kashmiri Sufi saint.
