Birote

Birote is a town in the Circle Bakote area of Abbottabad District in Pakistan, between the borders of Punjab and Kashmir [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PK/3/Birot.html Location map from fallingrain.com] ] . With two boys and higher secondary schools, five religious schools, 75 mosques, Bank, Post office, Upper Dewal Kohala Road and New Kohala Bridge, it is a very beautiful area Of Hazara Division.

Etymology

There are several theories for the origin of the word "Birote", all of which are based on combinations of words in the Dhondi language. [ 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.] 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).

* On one part of Birote territory, the people are know as Bermang. This word is also a combination of two words, one is Bahr means edge of field (khaitur) and mang means demand. The full meaning shows that in ancient time people of Birote walked in other areas on the edge of fields openly and with dignity and did not used Klea (inside shadow stone wall of field). The ancient name of Birote is historically was Barmang prior to the arrival of the Dhonds. The site of Birote was previously called Bermang, meaning "very beautiful place". It was also known as Danna, which means "high place".lohar is also one of village u/c Birote

Population

The total population of Birote is 23,000 as of the 1998 census. 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, Syeds, Mughals, and Bhati Rajpoot. The Alvi Awan of Birote are Naik Mohammedal family of Birote and Taj Mohammedal, Seyeds, and Qureshies tribes are the religious and leading intellectual class. The Bati Rajputs, Mughals, Kathwals are working-class tribes.

Geography

Birote is surrounded by the areas of Bakote, Nathia Gali, Ayube Reala, and the Union Council of Dewal Sharif in Murree Tehsil. It is located on the banks of the Jhelum River. The highest place in Birote is the peak, called "Samannat", of the Mukeshpuri mountain, ["Mosh" is derived from the word "Mohyo", the original "Moj Khan", forefather of Birote Khurd of the Mojwal family] 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, at the provincial borders of the North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, and Azad Kashmir.

Infrastructure

Birote has forty-three mosques, eight medaris, forty primary schools, and two higher secondary schools (one for boys and the other for girls). It also has a bank, post office, and a telephone exchange of 30,000 lines.

There are two roads that link to Birote: the Kashmir Highway and the Upper Dewal Kohala Road, also known as "Khaqan Abbasi Road". Other roads linked with Birote are Swar Gali Bakote Road, Basia Malkote and Bakote Road, Choorean Lower Dewal Road, Termuthean Malkote Road, and the newly-built Termuthean Lower Dewal Road.

Bus service on the Rawalpindi-Srinagar Road started in the first decade of the 20th century. The first transporter was Mohammad Amin Khan, who later founded Allied Chiraghddin Transport Company. Srinagar Rawalpindi Transport Company was also pioneered on this route.

Government

In 1961 the Ayub Khan administration as part its local government reforms replaced the lamberdari system with local bodies namely: Union Councils, Tehsil Councils, and district councils. As a result, the Union Council of Bakote was formed and included Bakote, Birote and Birote Khurd as its wards. According to the 1961 census the population of Bakote Union Council was 18,000 and Birote's was 10,000. In 1981, General Zia implemented a new regime and in 2000, President General Pervez Musharraf enforced a new local bodies system. The current nazim of Birote is Mohammed Afaq Abbasi.

Union Council Heads

*Sardar Mohammed Irfan was the first Union council Bakote Chairman from 1961 to 1965. He Was an influential person with a large crowd of bradrimen. He formed a committee for construction of Govt Middle School building in Merra Kahoo Sharqi. All Union Council said YES and the collect money for this noble cause from Peshawar to Karachi. Land for school gifted by Ayub Khan (Father of Mohammed Nawaz Khan Shopkeeper near School and building of school was completed within two month. District Agriculture Department sprayed and cooperated with local Apple growers and they produced world class GOLDEN AND KING AMRI APPLE on his demand Said department also constructed dams on nullas. He died in 1983 in Rawalpindi.
*Sardar Azad Khan was second chairman of Union Council Bakote/Birote. He elected in 1966 election and got vote of confidence from UC councillors. He also gained educational upgradation of Government Middle School Birote as High School in 1969. New classes were started in 1970. A shed was constructed in premise of school for technical education on his recommendations, that flew in 1972 by heavy wounds. He was a contractor and he started second bus service from Basian to Rawalpindi in 1977. He died in 1988 in Rawalpindi. He was uncle of Zoake Akhter Abbasi (General Councillor) and father in law of Najib /abbasi, younger brother of Zafir Abbasi (Journalist of Birote).
*Haji Mohammed Azam Khan was the first Chairman of Union Council Birote that separated in first time from Bakote in 1981. He has no contributions in any field. He is only a trader and he tried to restoration of high status of Kohala after flood of 1991 but Government refused his appeal and constructed New Kohala Bridge at the last end of Union Council in north.
*Qazi Sajawal was the first and last Chairman of Union Council Birote Khurd during 1981 to 85. He belonged to Mojwal Family of Mohrha Birote Khurd. He constructed a way from Mohrha to Birote Kalan but the leader of construction party was assassinated there in 1984. He is engaged in business in Karachi.
*Ghulam Irfan Khan was second chairman of united Union Council possessed office from 1985 to1988 of Birote. He worked for electrification, water supply scheme and telephonic interaction during his tenure. He got funds from District Council and constructed Hotrerhi Choke to Mohrha road first time. Najib Abbasi of Julial, Shaheen Haider Abbasi of Basian and Abd-ul-Gafoor nickname Khushi Mohammed of Kahoo were his councillors. He died in 1992 in Birote.
*Tahir Fraz Abbasi was the first high educated Nazim of Birote during President Musharraf's term in office. He belonged to Kahoo Khanal sub-tribe and a high educated family. His uncle Haji Sarfraz Khan was first Accountant General of Pakistan, Nasir Fraz Abbasi DRO (NADRA) Muzaffarabad is his elder brother. The people of Union Council Birote very like to him due to his lot of services and honesty and Rawalpindi MNA Hanif Abbasi is his cousin. He practicing as a lawyer in district courts Abbottabad. Politically he if a worker of ruling party Pakistan Muslim League (Q). He constructed Choorean to Khekhran, Hell to Hotrerhi Pull Link road, Chorean Juleal Road. He lost his seat in Birote in 2005 as Nazim but he played a very constructive role in Birote politics. Among others Gulestan Abbasi (Naieb Nazim), Khushi Mohammed, Shaheda Islam Abbasi and Shamim Akhter Abbasi were in his cabinet.
*Mohammed Afaq Abbasi is the second Nazim of Birote. He is worker of Ex-Chief Minister and vice president of Pakistan Muslim League (N) NWFP Mehtab Ahmed Khan and elected due to his Dhond Abbasi sub-tribe Kamalaal majority. he belongs to a learned and educated family of Musaddiq Abbasi, a brigadier of Pakistan Army and ex-lumberdar Sardar Feroze Khan (died 1972). He not only attended the house of UC Birote monthly meeting regularly but also is also spedning lots of time with UC fellows to tackle the local problems. He served the UC by putting his all efforts to help the homeless peoples of the UC after the earthquake.

Birote Kalan and Birote Khurd

The Birote area is divided into two sections—Birote "Kalan" ("greater Birote") and Birote "Khurd" ("lesser Birote")—which comprise more than one dozen villages. The entire area runs from Abbasian (formerly Basian) in the north, to New Kohala Bridge in the west, to Tarmuthean in the south along the NWFP, Punjab, and AJK borders, and to the last Union Council of NWFP in the southeast part of the province.

Kahoo

Kahoo is in between Birote and Termuthean, starting from Bandi in east to Nakkar Qutbal and Ram Kot in the west. "Kahoo" means "olive tree" in local Dhondi/Kareali language. One Sufi Gull Baba shrine is located in the eastern edge of Kahoo, near Ayobia forest. First lawyer Tahir Firaz Abbasi, First Accountant General of Pakistan Haji Sarfraz Khan and three journalists Mohammed Obaidullah Alvi, Fida Abbasi and Sajjad Abbasi belonged to Kahoo.

Termuthean

Termuthean located on the boundary of NWFP, Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Termuthean means "THIRTY HANDS JOINED" in local language. Former name of Termuthean was "SUMBLANEAN" where ancestor of Lahrals, sub tribe of Dhonds Sardar Lahr Khan.

Navli And Chandal Bandi

Lower Birote is also called "NAVLI", means a lowest warm place.other Villages (Chandal Bandi),Gala, beautiful Village.waseem Ahmed S/o Muhammad Shafi Abbasi

Naker Mojwal

This place is famous for Mohyo Khan, encestor of Mojwals Dhond Abbasies. It is located at Birote Khurd.

Kanair

Kanair is a nullah between Birote Kalan and Birote Khurd and running more than ten millenia. This nullah played a main role in the construction old Birote Society. Many families belonged to working class were living on the right edge of Kanair nullah. They were running water mills. A tribe called "Rakheal" or guards of Birote also lived there. Word "Kanair" is derived from the name of a botanical herbal plant used in Auo-vadic medicines [ [http://www.siu.edu/~ebl/leaflets/galliaya.htm Medico-Botanical Investigation of Medicinally Important Plants from Galliyat Areas, NWFP (Pakistan)] ] .

Mohrha

"Mohrh"a is a word means a small adjoining place of a town. Other words are used in this meanings are Hel, as "MANWAN NI HEL" etc. Mohrha is situated in central Birote Khurd that damaged by a large landslide beneath it. On UC head Qazi Sajawal was elected as chairman in 1992. People of Mohrha largely businessmen and settled in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Nakkers

There are two Nakkers in Birote Khurd, on is Qutbal and other is Mojwal. "Nakker" means a sharpest place in hilly areas.

Nakker Qutbal

This Nakker is placed at south west of UC Birote, UC Malkote is in south and Khanaspure Ayoubia in west. This Nakker is on the name of Qutab Khan, a son of Rattan Khan. The population of Nakker Qutbal is more than three thousands.most of these people have left and live in pirwadhai rawalpindi after the earthquack. Micronations as Dhond Abbasi and Satties, Awans and some Kethwals are living there with hospitality and harmony. A large forest "Kandaran" full of herbal plants and wild life is also there. Muslim saint Gull Baba passed his last day in this forest and buried there when he breathed last. Famous journalist Ishteaq Abbasi trader in Karachi Imteaz abbasi and jamil ahmed abbasi advocate belonged to Qutbal sub-tribe of this Nakker. First water mill was constructed in Nakker Qutbal in fiftenth century at Jandran ni Dheri.

Nakker Mojwal

Moj Khan was an ancestor of the Mojwal sub-tribe of this Nakker, so the name is derived from this personality of old time. He was a feudal lord of time and possessed land from the peak of Mokeshpori to Kanair in east and west and from Lohwer Nulla to Hotrole Nullah as south and north. More than two thousand descendants of Moj Khan live there. Mojwals are living in Basian and central Bakote also. Other parts of Nakker Mojwal are Hotrerhi, Moni dhari and Narhi Hoter.

Hotrole

Hotrole is possessed by Birote Kalan Hajeal and Dereal sub-tribes in sixteenth century from Karhrals. Hotrole means paddy fields and cultivated for centuries but downfall of area started when a large land slide gutted half of Hotrole in 1942. Only some dozen people are living there now. All people migrated in Birote Kalan. Most populated parts of Hotrol are Sangrerhi and Narhi Hoter.

Bhan

Bhan means a pond of water, but there are no ponds near the jungle. The northmost part of UC Birote is inhabited by Nikodral sub-tribe, with some Awans and Seyed families also living there. Renowned advertizing boss of Circle Bakote Kalim Abbasi belong to this area. Mostly people are transporters and drivers working in Karachi. Some Awan families migrated to Bhara Kahoo near Islamabad. A jeepable link road was constructed in Mehtab era. Population of Bhan is one thousand and five hundred only. Other part of area is Chlotean and very beautiful.

Education

Birote is a relatively well educated Union Council with a population of 30,000, it has two higher secondary schools, two middle schools, 58 primary and mosque schools and more than one dozen religious institutions. The traditional religious education by the religious scholars and teachers of this area has for centuries been influenced by the older Vedic tradition. The old society of Circle Bakote was disturbed by the Sikh invasion in the first decade of the 19th century and all of the old religious families were expelled from this area. This lead to a loss of educational environment that affected the individual names of both sexes because Sikh soldiers destroyed the local human values as well as culture. This continued until the downfall of Sikh Army in Rawalpindi, Haripur and Hazara Division. The local people initially welcomed British Rule instead of Sikhashai but also fought War of Independence against them in 1857 and paid a huge loss of lives and properties.

Early Educational Institutes

British Government stepped forward to modernize Murree Hills and Circle Bakote according to recommendation of Major Abbott (founder of Abbottabad city and chief of Boundary Commission in 1846-62). He recommended his officials that only Zimindari school needed to provide clerks, revenue staff and lower class local servants. The Osia High School is a first educational institute that established this area in 1887. The first Vernacular Primary School established in Bakote, Khanaspore/Reala and Boi in 1898 but with the lack of interest Reala School came on the verge of closedown. Chives of Birote take serious notice of mentioned position and a caravan under the leadership of Haji Qalander Khan met educational authorities and requested to shift this school to Birote. They offered to provide buildings and teachers accommodation free of cost. This request of Birotians accepted and Reala Vernacular Primary School shifted to Birote in March 1903, the first teacher was Molana Ismail Alvi, first student was Nazar Mohammed Khan (Fader of Raja Haiderzaman) and first class four was Abdul Karim Khan in building of late Bulaqi Khan (Grand grand father of ex General Councilor Khushi Mohammed Abbasi of Kahoo Sharqi).

Boys High School Birote

Primary school Birote was upgraded in 1958 and became Government High School [ [http://www.circlebakote.com/gallery/index.php?id=30 Berote School] ] in 1971. Ex Chief Minister of NWFP Mehtab Ahmed Khan further upgraded this educational institution as Higher Secondary School in 1997 with new building that constructed by contractor Raja Haiderzaman Abbasi with cost of Rs. four million and eight thousand. This educational institution was constructed by the monetary contribution of Birotians all over the country and rest of the world in 1966 but now it is a in bad condition and not able to manage as school.

Modern Education

In last decade of 18th century, Seyed Masoom Ali Shah of Juleal introduced a mobile private school in Birote and all first batch of teachers were provided by him in 1903. After his mission in eighties of previous century, Bashir Abbasi of UC Bakot established Yasin Public School in Birote first time. Saeed Ahmed Abbasi, a lawyer had founded Seyed Ahmed Shaheed Academy in Central Birote in 1984 and changed into a chain of schools. It was a milestone of modern education in Birote and it create a religio-modern and political thoughts in student's minds. A new way of learning and with modern Western syllabus introduced by SEEDA School System in 2002 in Birote and gained a high popularity among educated parents of students. The owner of this school is also a high educated fellow named Iftekhar Abbasi, an ex-employee of Seyed Ahmed Shaheed Academy and now he established two campuses with co-operation of his elder brother and a candidate of PF 45 Zulfiqar Abbasi. Other modern institutions of Birote are Suddam Model School and Aeries Model School.

Damage due to earthquake

The area was affected by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake - a year after the quake an Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) team visited Birote to resurvey damaged houses damaged by earthquake and to pay relief cheques. A five-member delegation of Circle Bakote, headed by Abdul Rehman Khan Abbasi, met with federal ministers and the constituency leader, Amanullah Khan Jadoon on 23 Oct 2006, about the unavailability of earthquake relief funds [ [http://www.erra.gov.pk/Reports/MAPS/UNH-RHR-008.pdf Rural housing reconstruction - Earthquake reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority] ] .

Historical notes

* Birote was a part of Bakote until 1981 when a separate Union Council was formed.
* Birote was first mentioned in a book of a British tourist "Legacy To Kashmir" published in 1891 (reprint by Sang-e-Mil Publishers Lahore).
* Birote was a part of Hazara constituency in the 1936 elections when only 7 landowners cast their votes.
* This area was well known throughout the province for its golden apples, but now Rawalpindi supplies apples to the area.
* Professor Ghulam Kibrea Abbasi of Kahoo was the first journalist who published weekly "Tarjuman" Karachi as the first news-magazine of Circle Bakote.
* Molana Abdurehman was the first Martyere of Circle Bakote who embraced martyrdom in Srinager in 1931, belonged to UC Birote.
* The first Muslim transport company was established in 1920 by Mohammad Amin Khan which was named Allied Charaghdin Transport Company running buses between Rawalpindi & Srinager.
* First Agitation against a teacher of Primary School Birote Azizurehman Qureshi of Thala was held in Basian in 1976.
* First Vadic Hakim who won publicity in South Asia was Hakim Qazi Zafir-ul-Haq Alvi Chishti (b. 1918 d.1997) and founder of Jadid Chishtea Dawakhana in Rawalpindi. He was personal physison of Ex-President of Pakistan General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and renowned poet and writer of Pakistan Anthem Hafiz Jalindhri [ [http://www.salaam.co.uk/knowledge/biography/viewentry.php?id=666 Hafiz Jalindhri] ] . He also taught in Osia [ [http://cgi.ebay.nl/POSTCARD-KULDANA-MURREE-PAKISTAN-REAL-PHOTO-BEHARILAL_W0QQitemZ150139681185QQihZ005QQcategoryZ69733QQcmdZViewItem Old postcard] ] High School before 1947 and his renowned peuple is Brigadier Taj Abbasi.
* The first largest funeral prayer in Birote was in memoriam of Benazir Bhutto at Choorean in Kahoo Sharqi on 28th December 2007.
* The first writer of Dhondi/Kareali language is Mohabbat Husain Awan of Lammian Larhan, wrote life history of Islamic prophet Muhammad [ [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=485403315695148254&q=prophet+mohammad&total=7282&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1 cave of hira part 4 prophet mohammad hajj haj umrah umra allah medina ziyarat gh ] ] in 2006.

See also

* Abbottabad District
* Circle Bakote
* Manwan ni hell

References

External links

* http://www.maps.live.com/?q=birote+pakistan&FORM=BDIR
* http://www.thefreedictionary.com/biros