The historical Mughal Road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the world has been a dream for both the people of Kashmir as well as those living on the other side of the mountain range. The road is in between Bafliaz, a village falling under the jurisdiction of Poonch District of Jammu division and Shopian District of Kashmir Valley. The road is 84 Kms, crossing over Pir Panjal Mountain range.Mughal Road-Poonch-Rajouri-Shopian-Jammu-kashmir-Pir ki Gali

 

The road brings Poonch closer to Srinagar by reducing the distance from 588 Kms to 126 Kms.

This has been the most ancient and traditional route to Kashmir. In 16th century this very route was used by the then Mughal Emperor Akbar to bring in his soldiers to conquer Kashmir. In 1586 when King Yousuf Shah Chek, who was ruling Kashmir, was arrested by Mughals, they had reached here through the same route.

The road originated in Jhelum  town of Punjab  province (now in Pakistan)  and then touched Kotli  ( in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir ), Thanamandi ( Rajouri District ) and finally Chandimarh located in Pir Panjal mountains and one branch crossed over to Shopian via Heepora.

Mughal Road-Poonch-Rajouri-Shopian-Jammu-kashmir-Pir ki Gali

 

The road passes through 11,500 to 1,30,000 ft high mountain with 49 Kms covered in steep and 20 Kms rolling portions besides mountain stretches.  The road passes through Buffliaz, Beramgali, Chandimarh, Poshana, Chattapani, Peer Ki Gali, Aliabad, Zaznar, Dubjan, Heerpora and Shopian and would act as an alternative road link for the valley.

Mughal Road-Poonch-Rajouri-Shopian-Jammu-kashmir-Pir ki Gali

In Chingus in Rajouri District emperor Jehangir died during his return from Kashmir and his body was kept in a fort at the place. On this road, a rest house was built by the Mughal’s  which still exists at Muradapora . There was another rest house at Nayn Sukh ( Fatehpur), a grand Sarai at Thanamandi and a terrace at Noori Chamb  water falls named after the Noor-Jehan, the queen of Jehangir in Rajouri district.

A grand Mughal rest house still stands at verdurous mountain peak at Chandimarh in the Mughal road followed  by small rest houses at Alyabad, Ziarat  of Peer Baba at Pir-Ki-Gali, Dubjian, near the Sulphur springs , and a big rest house now in damaged  condition at Heerpura (Shopian).Mughal Road-Poonch-Rajouri-Shopian-Jammu-kashmir-Pir ki Gali

Emperor Jehangir died while returning from Kashmir on this very road near Rajouri at a place known as Chingus and his body was kept in a fort at there.

Special Thanks to Neha Bakshi for providing these pics.