CEREMONIES

Marriages

The custom of early marriage has disappeared. Previously minor children were being married though they remain with their parents till they attain puberty. However, betrothal even now takes place when the children are very young. This custom is also disappearing and now female after 15 years and male after 18 years are betrothed. Mostly when a boy starts earning. his parents start search for a suitable match for him through family friends and relations. Sometimes there are professional persons available who bring about contacts between families who have children of marriageable age. When a suitable match is found the parents of the boy approach the parents of the girl with a request to give their daughter in marriage to their son. If this is agreed to. a few suits of clothes and sometimes gold or silver ornaments depending upon the social status and monetary position of bridegroom's family, arc presented to the bride. Subsequently a dale is fixed for the marriage. The period from the dale of betrothal to the date of actual marriage varies from a couple of months to 2 to 3 years. The bridegroom is taken in a procession to the bride house where they are entertained. The expenditure of this feast in a majority of cases is borne by the parents of the bridegroom.

Deaths

Soon after death has occurred the male and female of neighborhood and relatives go to the deceased's house. The men set outside in open place receiving people and telling circumstance in which the death occurred. After the funeral prayers the body is laid in the grave. Cooking in the house of the deceased's family generally does not take place even in the house is extinguished. On the fortieth day Chehlum ceremony is observed in which Holy Quran is recited and the relatives and friends of the deceased are given meal.

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Dwellings

People of the district use to have houses of stone and clay. They are usually made with big rooms in a row. In front of the rooms also covered with tiled roof and then a large court-yard which would serve various purposes playing of children, cooking, washing of clothes and also considered as fine place.

In the urban areas houses are constructed in cemented style to match will buildings and have more than one storey.

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Occupations

Agriculture and forest are the main occupations in the district. With the literacy rate- people prefer government services. Mainly people are engaged in t Although animals husbandry, poultry and toil farming has great potential i.e. still under developed. Many people have  gone abroad and contribute to the development of country.

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Culture, Customs And Traditions

The people of Kotli are famous for their hospitality and friendliness. Most of them are inhabited on the mountains and hill slopes. People of Kotli are very diligent people observe their religious and other festivals in a colorful manner. Especially the dress of the woman folk is of gaudy multicolor. The women folk sing and dance only on occasions of marriages. Places where the dance is performed are not open to men folk. Bhangra is a common dance performed on festive occasions and only male takes part in it. There favorite games are Kabadi. Wrestling, football, volleyball. Hockey and cricket. Large number of people in aboard. They are playing very important role in uplifting the social and economic status of the inhabitants of the district by sending foreign exchange for the abroad.

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Dresses and Ornaments

The dress of the people is shalwar Kameez. Woman folk use the same dress with the addition of a Dopatta as head wear. Those working in the field mostly use a Kameez and a Tehband instead of Shalwar. The festival dress is the same but of a little superior cloth mostly of gaudy colors. In summer. garments are loose which are more comic winter- people use blankets or Lot to protect themselves from cold. Majority of people wear turbans. A number of people of the district have 120110 abroad to earn their livelihood. Therefore. being in touch with the western world they also now wear European dress.

Women folk like wearing golden and artificial ornaments. Ornaments  though indispensable to woman. however many of them are either out of fashion or their use are restricted to special ceremonies. Thus Jhoomar, tika. nose-ring and necklace are generally worn in marriage ceremonies. Whereas anklets (pazeb) and toe rings have gone out of fashion. Generally women wear bangles, made up of glass or gold. finger ring- a golden chain neck and ear ring of different size. color and design. Special attention. however. Is given to match the color of bangles in harmony with the color of their dress.

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Flora

Chir grows gregariously in the district, it is found pure as well as mixed broad Leaved species such as dalbergiasissoo and cedrela toona. At lowers  elevations dodonia-viscosa,carrissa, spinarum, axacia, modesta, flaxourtia, ramonethi, albizia, lebbek and olea cuspidate are found. At higher elevations myrsiane africana berberis lyicum and colebroodea oppositifolia are found. Jand and sanatha used as firewood through uncontrolled cutting is becoming a rarity. Garanda is commonly met with. But is bigger than a shrub. Khabal is the common grass in the district.  

Fauna

Wild animals are few in the district. Jackals are found in the district which play have with the crops. Hare is found every where even in the Luna bushes. In hilly areas chakor and partridges are found. Wild bear is met in belas and in hilly areas. Fish is found in abundance in the Poonch river

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Forestry

Chir zone commences from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above sea level- Lower hills are covered with chir trees. Blue Pine zone commences from 4000 to 7000 feet above sea level. There are pine forests in the upper regions of Kotli district. Area under chir forest is 85.617 acres- A forestation schemes have been sponsored by the Forest Department and every year in the months of February and August, a number of plants are distributed amongst the public free of cost for plantation. Important tree species found in the district are as under: -

 a) Coniferous

• Chirr 

b) Broad leaved

• Shisham

• Olea cuspidata

• Acacia modesta

• Sanatha

Details of forest area in Koti district is as under: 

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Livestock

Cow, Buffalo, horse, mule,  Sheep and goats are the main livestock of the district. The main pet animals in this area are donkey and camel. The donkey is very useful to the agriculturist class for carrying water from springs. Manure to their land transporting  the agriculture products to the markets. Camel is also used for transpiration of  goods for longer distances Camel is the only mean of conveyance to places not connected by road in the upper hilly regions otherwise inaccessible places are approachable only o0n horse and mule backs. Animal Husbandry Department has been established at district headquarters to provide vaccination and other treatment facilities for animal.

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Industry 

Being hilly and non-availability of raw material, the area is not suitable for Establishment of large scale industry. A flour mills at tehsil headquarter Sehnsa and a pharmaceutical unit have been established at Aghar. Kotli. Munda gubba, carpet, silk, woolen clothing, wood carving, paper mashie, and woolen blanked are produced. Manufactured on small as scale as a cottage industry.

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Mining

Marble, lead, boxite phosphate Sulpher chalk soap stone coal silver and zinc are available in the district. However exploration excavation of all the above mineral are in hand.

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Communication

Roads are the only mode of transportation in Kotli district. District headquarter Kotli is connected with both the tehsil headquarters i.e. Sehnsa and Nakyal (Fatehpur) through metalled road.

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Trade and Trade Centres

In the absence of industrial set-up entire trade is subject to the markets of Whole sellers have the contracts with the suppliers at Rawalpindi. Lahore and Faisalabad also manage to transport the goods in the district. On a small scale, traders community organized itself to safeguard its rights. No chamber of commence has yet been establish Kotli, Nakyal and Sehnsa are the main trade centers of the district. Sarsawah, Khuiratta and Gulpur are also trade centers but on small scale. 

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Distances from Kotli to major cities/towns

a)                         Karot Holar - Islamabad                           76 Kms 

b)                         Rawalpindi - Kotli                                  136 Kms

e)                         Mirpur - Kotli                                        100 Kms 

d)                        Kotli - Khui Ratta                                    29 Kms 

e)                        Kotli - Nakyal                                         40 Kms 

f)                         Kotli - Tattapani                                      62 Kms 

In 1998 there were 3684 telephone connections, one telegraph office and postoffices functioning in Kotli district.

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IMPORTANT/HISTORICAL PLACES 

Kotli

Kotli is the  district headquarter. It is situated in a spacious valley surrounded by snow clad mountains. Poonch river flows through the valley, Kotli is i37 kilometers away from Rawalpindi Islamabad. The land is very fertile and almost every kind of fruit and vegetable can be grown here. the people of Kotli are famous for their hospitality and friendliness. Kotli is connected by good metalled roads with all main centers and townships of the district.

Tenda 

In the north-west of Kotli city. on Sndhnoti road Tenda village situated on high mountains is a healthy resort and beautiful place. A rest house has also been built there for tourists.  

Tatta Pani (Hot Springs) 

On Kotli Hajira road- springs called Tatta Pani (hot water springs) attract people of the area for treatment of joint pains and skin diseases. Sulpher is available in the water of these springs in a large quantity.

Peer Nasoora 

Towards eastern side of Kotii city on Nakyal road Peer Nasoora is situated. Wildlife department has established a park at this place to preserve wild life. Being situated at height snow clad pleaks and Peer Panjal can he seen from here.

Sehnsa

Sehnsa tehsil headquarters situated on Rawalpindi Kotli road is one of the fertile areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.  There  are degree as well as intermediate colleges for male and female. 

There is a historical fort situated on the western bank of Jhelum river, It had been used as police/custom post in Dogra regime. With the passage of time roof of the fort has been damaged and only walls arc present to identify the damaged fort.

There  are also ruins of another fort. some kilometer in the west of Sehnsa calle Bharand fort which had been used as watch lower in the old days. Dhareer village is also in Sehnsa tehsil from where Subedar Baro Khan shaheed started freedom fight against Dogra regime in un-divided sub-continent.

Nakyal

At a distance of about 80 Kilometres from Kotli. Nakyal lehsil headquarter is a place having scenic beauty. Now-a-day as it is also known as Fatehpur on the name of famous Kashmiri leader Sardar Fateh Mohammad Karalv i who had been a member of parliament during Dogra regime in un-divided sub-continent.

Banah Valley 

Banah valley is situated on the south eastern side of Kotli city comprising a vast fertile area. The valley is famous in Azad Jammu and Kashmir due to its annual cattle fare and fertility, Cattle from far flung areas of Punjab and Occupied Kashmir are also brought to participate in it.

Shrine of Mai Toti Sahiba is also situated at Bandli where people from Azad Jarnmu and Kashmir visit to pay homage to Mai Sahiha.

Throachi Fort

Built by Mughals at a distance of few kilometers in the eastern side of Gulpur mauza third big and huge fort is situated on high hills. During regime it was also used for garrison and watching the people of the area.

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