ChikarValley (Urdu: چکارویلی ) is a small town and hill station in Jhelum valley District of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located 46 kilometers (29 mi) from Muzaffarabad at the altitude of 1,607 meters (5,272 ft).[1] It is the headquarters of Tehsil Chikar.
Chikar valley
The town is accessible from Muzaffarabad by Muzaffarabad-Srinagar road branches off at Sarran Bypass road link(named Ramsir Chikar Bypass) & Dhanni Bakaalan. It is also accessible from Sudhan Gali.
the beautiful Jehlum valley from Bandi Chikar
Before partition of Indian subcontinent Chikkar was very important town and was the biggest local trade center. People from adjoining areas like Prem Kot used to trade over here. Government School in Chikar was famous before 1947 which was established way before 1900, many students used to study over here. Chikar can be considered as the most historically place of the Jhelum valley region. It was the main trading centres of Hindus and Sikhs of Kashmir. Many villages in Chikar have the names which show Hindu roots like Ramsar, Indrasari and Sudhan Gali etc. Census record of 1941 showed that considerable amount of non-Muslim were present in Chikar and its adjoining areas.[2]
The earth quake of 2005 Created a natural fresh water lake near to Chikar which is known as Zalzaal lake.[3]
Rest houses of AJK Tourism & Archeology Department have been built for tourists. Some private hotels with all facilities are available here for tourists to stay and enjoy nature.
Notable caste families in Chikar are the indigenous/earliest inhabitants of Muzaffarabad division, descendents of Raja Khakha Khan,a Janjua Chieftain, mainly decedents of his two sons, namely Raja Sangi and Raja Mangi; f(P)irouziyaal, Tezyaal, Bakaal, Hatmaal and other respective Rajpoot clans[4] lives here in majority.[5][6] and other notable casts are Sheikhs, Shal, Thakiyals, Gujjars, Chohan, Dar, Khawajas ,Bhats, Syeds (Gillani, Bukhari and others), Awaan, Chaudhary, Kayani, Siyaal,etc.
^Al-Nasaib Al-Qabail Akbaria Kashmir and Pakistan (published 1 October 1994) written by Capt. (rtd) Muhammad Ashraf Khan(District Bagh, Jammu Kashmir).
Pakistan
