Ichgam

Ichgam (Urdu: اچھگام‎) or Ichigam[1] is a census town located in the Indian administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district. It falls under the administrative division of tehsil Budgam, one of the nine tehsils of district Budgam.[2] It is one of the most populated area of Budgam district. It is roughly 5 km (3.1 mi) away from district Budgam and nearly 19 km (12 mi) away from Srinagar, the summer capital of union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Ichgam village consists of four blocks — Ichgam-A, Ichgam-B, Ichgam-C and Ichgam-D.[3] The village consists of two major sects of Islam, Shias and Sunnis. A minority of Hindus is also present.[4]

Ichgam

Aliabad Ichgam
Village
Ichgam
The shrine of Hazrat Abbas (as) in Ichigam.
Nickname(s): 
Aliabad Ichgam
Ichgam
Ichgam
Ichgam (India)
Coordinates: 33°59′09″N 74°45′10″E
Country India
Union TerritoryJammu and Kashmir
DistrictBudgam
Area
 • Total4.64 km2 (1.79 sq mi)
Elevation
1,622 m (5,322 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total7,461
 • Density1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Languages
 • SpokenKashmiri
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
191111
Literary rate53.69%
Sex Ratio953 ♀/ 1000 ♂
Websitebudgam.nic.in

Demographics

As of 2011, the population of Ichgam is 7,461 of which 3,820 are males while the remaining 3,641 are females as per the report released by Census of India. Population of children with age of 0-6 is 15.64% that's 1,167 of the total population of Ichgam. In Ichgam, the female sex ratio is of 953 against the erstwhile state average of 889. The child sex ratio in Ichgam village is around 1,065 compared to erstwhile state average of 862. Literacy rate of the Ichgam is 53.69% lower than the former state average of 67.16%. In Ichgam, male literacy is around 61.32% while female literacy rate is 45.32%.[lower-alpha 1][5]

Geography

The total area of Ichgam is 4.64 km2 (1.79 sq mi). It is located at 33.9859°N 74.7527°E / 33.9859; 74.7527, at an elevation of 1,622 m (5,322 ft) above the sea level. It's distance from the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, is 19 km (12 mi). The Srinagar International Airport is located near to the village Ichgam.

Education

From private to public, there are nearly 10-15 schools in the village of Ichgam including one Government Boys Higher Secondary and a Girls Higher Secondary School. The Government Boys Higher Secondary School Ichgam hold the streams like Medical, Non Medical, Arts and Humanities but there is no stream of Commerce. Subjects like History and Geography are also missing.

Schools in Ichgam

Government Boys Higher Secondary School Ichgam

Government Boys Higher Secondary School Ichgam is located at the main bus stand of Ichgam, behind the newly built complex. Managed by the Department of Education, the school was established in the year 1930.[6] The medium of instructions in this school is English. Government Boys Higher Secondary School is housed in the two government owned buildings. The UDISE code of the school is 01040900603.[7] The school is co-educational and consists of the classes from nine (9th) to twelve (12th).[8][9][10]

Image of the gate of Government Boys Higher Secondary School Ichgam

Imamia Public School Ichgam

Imamia Public School (IPS) Ichgam is managed and run by Educational Trust Kashmir (ETK), the organization that runs many schools in the Kashmir valley named, Imamia Public Schools. The school was established in 1989 and is located at the Kalbal, the North western part of the village; behind the Primary Health Center Ichgam. It's UDISE code is 01040900606.[11][12] At present, nearly 400 above students are studying in this school. Imamia Public School is housed in the Educational Trust Kashmir owned, big three floor building. The school is among the best schools of the village Ichgam and the in the near localities.[13]

Imamia Public School Ichgam

Others
  • Government Girls High School Ichgam
  • Government Middle School Ichgam
  • Government School Wolina, Ichgam
  • Government School Baghat Mohalla, Ichgam
  • Government School Naru, Ichgam
  • IEI Ichgam
  • Hasnain Educational Institute, Ichgam [14][15]

Healthcare System

As of December 2020, there are numerous Medical shops and stores present in the village of Ichgam. The Primary Health Centre Ichgam is located at Kalbal, the north-western part of Ichgam.[16]

This image depicts Primary Health Center Ichgam. Photo taken in January 2021

Attractions

The shrine of Haztat Abbas (as) is located in Bungam area of the village Ichgam. It is also called Roza Hazrat Abul Fazel Abbass (as) in the native language of the village. Every Thursday, a large number of people from the Shia sect of Islam visit here. It is one of the biggest landmark in the village.[17]

The shrine of Hazrat Abbas (as) in Ichgam.

Festivals

Many majalis and festivals celebrated in Ichgam are Nauroz, Ashoora, Sham-i-Ghareban, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Eid-i-Ghadeer and Shab-e-Meraj. The annual majalis in Ichgam is held on 28 safar of every Islamic year in Imambada Ichgam. It was only due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that annual majalis was not held.

Sports

Cricket, football, and badminton are the most played sports in Ichgam. Cricket, being the most popular sport in India, is also played on a large scale in Ichgam. In brick kilns, on playgrounds; anywhere we can see the children and adults of Ichgam playing cricket in mid summer. Tournaments are organized and people take a part in them by spectating, cheering or by directly participating in them.

People playing cricket in Brick kilns in Ichgam

Transport

Roads

Ichgam village falls on Budgam- Khansahib road. It is connected to many other villages and townships by a network of roads. To link Ichgam with Ompora, Zori Bhag, Qazi Bagh and Budgam internally, a new link road is being built by the government.[18] This link will be completed by 2021 and will reduce distance between these places.

Roads in the Ichgam village are Macadamized but still some roads are not properly built. In ending 2020, some roads near Roza Hazrat Abbass (as) were Mecadamized.

Railway

To present date, there is no railway line connecting Ichgam with other places. The nearest railway station to the Ichgam village is Budgam railway station, located in Ompora, nearly 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away from district headquarters, Budgam.

Airport

The nearest airport to Ichgam is Srinagar International Airport, also called Budgam Airbase.

Old suffering

Prior to December 2020, the villagers of Ichgam used to face a routinely problem. The Airforce Base Camp is located next to the Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport . The gunshots that came from this camp used to hit many houses in Wolina, a part of Ichgam. On 11 December 2020, a female inhabitant (Fatima) was hit by the bullet in her right leg while she was washing vegetables in her kitchen. The bullet had pierced the roof of her house and had been fired by the Airforce personnel during their routine firing drills. It was the daily routine of the air force personnel to conduct their firing drill in the same direction as of the Wolina area of the village. This had put the lives of villagers at the risk of death. Even after reaching many officials, nobody seemed to care about the ordeals of villagers.

The injury of Fatima sparked off a protest in Ichgam. Many people (men and women) blocked the Budgam-Khansahib and Budgam-Chadoora road demanding a quick action against Air force personnel who are involved in the incident. Many officials including Deputy Commissioner Budgam, SHO Budgam and the Tehsildar also visited the place after and during the protests.

Later on an FIR was filed by the Police Station Budgam and the routine of firing drill was closed by the administration. [19][20][21]

Telecom services

The Ichgam village is connected through telecom services to the entire world. Airtel, Bsnl, Vodaphone, and Reliance Jio are the main telecom service providers in this area. On 21 February 2018, Aircel stopped its services in the whole country. The local subscribers also affected in this village.[22]

Religions
Religion Percentage
Muslims
 
 98.71%
Hindu
 
 0.98%
Others
 
 0.31%
Distribution of population on religion.[23]
Demography
Gender Percent
Male ♂
 
 51.00%
Female ♀
 
 49.00%
Male and female population

Notable people
  • Ayatollah Syed Mohammad Mosawi Ichgami Kashmiri (1910 - 1959)[24]

See also

Notes
  1. This information about Ichgam is as per the reports released by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in 2011 in accordance with the census of India.

References
  1. "Ichgam Budgam the valley of Joy - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  2. "Ichgam, Budgam" (PDF). cdn.s3waas.gov.in. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  3. "Ichgam" (PDF). Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  4. Lawrence, Sir Walter Roper (2005). The Valley of Kashmir. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-1630-1.
  5. Population, Ichgam (18 January 2021). "Population of Class V Census Towns and Villages in India". Census of India. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. "GBHSS Ichgam (Dreygam)". Schools. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  7. "BHSS Ichgam, UDISE Plus". UDISE Plus. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  8. "Schools in Budgam" (PDF). ceobudgam.in. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  9. "BHSS Ichgam" (PDF). JK Education. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  10. "Directory of Schools" (PDF). mospi.nic.in. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  11. "IPS Ichgam, UDISE Plus". UDISE Plus. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  12. "UDISE codes of Schools of Budgam". UDISE. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  13. "IPS Ichgam, Educational Trust Kashmir". Ichgam: Education Trust Kashmir. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  14. "Schools in Ichgam,Budgam, J&K". icbse. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  15. "Schools in Ichgam". study4sure. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  16. "PHC Ichgam Primary Health Center - Address and Reviews - Govt. Building, Kalbal Ichigam, Near Imi Middle School, Budgam, Badgam, Jammu & Kashmir - Phone Number". aarogya.us. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  17. "Roza Hazrat Abul Fazel Abbas a.s Ichigam". vymaps. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  18. "Day 10 Cycling. Ichgam Budgam, Qazibagh, Zoor, ZaalHad, new link road- YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  19. https://m.thewire.in/article/rights/every-house-hit-by-bullets-budgam-villagers-protest-against-air-forces-firing-drills
  20. https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/front-page-2/woman-injured-by-bullet-from-air-force-firing-range-in-budgam/
  21. https://thekashmirwalla.com/2020/12/65-year-old-woman-injured-after-hit-by-stray-bullet-in-budgam/
  22. "Telecom service in Ichgam affected after Aircel stopped it's services in India". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  23. "Census of India (Jammu and Kashmir)". Census of India.
  24. Syed Mohammad Mosawi was born in 1329 hijrah in Ichgam, Kashmir. Studied in Jamia Nazimiyyah, Sultan-ul-Madaris, Shia Arabic College and Lucknow University. After Completion of Sadr-ul-Fazil, Emad-ul-Adab, Emad-ul-Kalam and Fazil-ul-Adab moved to Najaf and received for Ijtihad. During his stay in Najaf Seminary learned from the best teachers of Hawzah and attained the degree of Ijtihad. He studied for about 23 years in Najaf.
  1. Vale of Kashmir
  2. Official Website of Budgam District
  3. Official Website of Educational Trust Kashmir
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