{"id":4069,"date":"2025-07-13T14:30:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T14:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/?p=4069"},"modified":"2025-07-14T02:18:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T02:18:18","slug":"baramulla-where-myths-take-root-and-history-lives-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/baramulla-where-myths-take-root-and-history-lives-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Baramulla: Myths Behind the Narratives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\r\n    <div class=\"custom-author-box\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pen-nib6507149641121985660.jpg\" alt=\"Author Image\">\r\n        <span class=\"author-name\">Dr Manzoor A Rather<\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <style>\r\n        .custom-author-box {\r\n            display: flex;\r\n            align-items: center;\r\n            position: relative;\r\n            width: 250px; \/* Set the total width of the author box *\/\r\n            margin-top: 20px;\r\n            margin-bottom: 10px;\r\n        }\r\n\r\n        .custom-author-box img {\r\n            width: 70px; \/* Set the image width *\/\r\n            height: 70px; \/* Set the image height *\/\r\n            border-radius: 50%;\r\n            object-fit: cover;\r\n        }\r\n\r\n        .custom-author-box .author-name {\r\n            position: absolute;\r\n            left: 80px; \/* Adjust if the image width changes *\/\r\n            top: 50%;\r\n            transform: translateY(-50%);\r\n            font-size: 16px;\r\n            font-weight: bold;\r\n            color: #fff;\r\n            background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);\r\n            padding: 5px 10px;\r\n            border-radius: 12px;\r\n            white-space: nowrap;\r\n            text-overflow: ellipsis;\r\n            overflow: hidden;\r\n            max-width: calc(100% - 50px); \/* Ensures it doesn't overflow *\/\r\n            width: auto; \/* Allows width to adjust automatically *\/\r\n            display: inline-block; \/* Ensures it only takes necessary space *\/\r\n        }\r\n    <\/style>\r\n\r\n    \n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Standing by the banks of the Jhelum, where its waters divide and embrace the town of Baramulla, one cannot help but reflect on the stories that have shaped this place. Baramulla, once known as <em>Var\u0101ham\u016bla<\/em>, is more than a town of bridges, markets, and old streets; it is a tapestry where myth and history are woven together \u2014 where legends endure in memory and where every stone and bend in the river whispers a part of its identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The geography of Baramulla is deeply symbolic. The Jhelum River, sometimes calm and at times fierce, mirrors the town\u2019s people: resilient, adaptable, and quietly steadfast. The bridges that span the Jhelum do more than connect two sides; they bind together Baramulla\u2019s social, cultural, and economic life into a living whole. The surrounding hills stand guard like ancient sentinels, and the winds sweeping through its lanes remind us of the delicate balance between nature and civilization \u2014 a balance gifted by time, belief, and memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among local sayings, there is a phrase often repeated half-seriously, half-playfully: \u201cPeople from Baramulla have twelve faces.\u201d Over generations, it has come to mean that Baramulla\u2019s residents are diplomatic, quick-witted, and highly adaptive \u2014 traits honed by centuries of living at Kashmir\u2019s historic gateway. Merchants, travelers, saints, and rulers passed through here, and the people learned to navigate many worlds, balancing openness with caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One folk story links the town\u2019s name to <em>bara<\/em> (twelve) and <em>mulla<\/em> (Muslim scholars) \u2014 suggesting that twelve revered scholars once settled here. Though beloved locally, this explanation reflects oral tradition and cultural pride more than historical fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Linguistically and historically, the truth runs deeper. The original name, <em>Var\u0101ham\u016bla<\/em>, is rooted in Sanskrit: <em>Varaha<\/em> (boar), an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and <em>m\u016bla<\/em> (root or foundation). According to Hindu mythology, Kashmir Valley was once a vast lake called <em>Satisar<\/em> \u2014 the lake of Parvati. The demon <em>Jalodbhava<\/em> held dominion over it until Lord Vishnu, assuming the form of a boar, struck a mountain and created an outlet for the water to drain. This act is believed to have occurred at the site later named <em>Varahmuel<\/em>. The \u201cmolar\u201d \u2014 a deeply rooted grinding tooth \u2014 became symbolic of this action. Thus, the name <em>Varahmuel<\/em> may imply a town with deep roots, both literally and metaphorically. Vishnu\u2019s act, as savior and sustainer, becomes a grand allegory of ecological balance and the emergence of human habitation in Kashmir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The story carries powerful symbolism: the boar\u2019s tusk or molar as a metaphor for strength, rootedness, and transformation. Beyond mythology, it reflects an ancient understanding of the land\u2019s ecological significance \u2014 draining the waters so that life could flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over centuries, the name softened in local speech: <em>Var\u0101ham\u016bla<\/em> became <em>Varahmuel<\/em>, and eventually <em>Baramulla<\/em>. The shift from \u2018V\u2019 to \u2018B\u2019 might have been a natural linguistic evolution or a response to cultural sensibilities, particularly among the growing Muslim population, for whom the boar held uncomfortable symbolism. Yet, through all transformations, the <em>muel<\/em> \u2014 the root \u2014 remained, anchoring the town to its deeper identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Kashmiri, many vowel sounds soften or disappear, and the letter \u2018V\u2019 often blends into a \u2018B\u2019. Just as someone named <em>Waseem<\/em> might affectionately be called <em>Baseem<\/em>, <em>Varahmuel<\/em> gradually transformed into <em>Baramulla<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The suffix <em>muel<\/em> \u2014 meaning \u201croot\u201d \u2014 is key. Whether <em>Varahmuel<\/em> or <em>Baramulla<\/em>, the essence lies in rootedness: in myth, in language, in memory. In Sanskrit, <em>Varahmuel<\/em> literally translates to \u201cboar\u2019s molar\u201d \u2014 a deeply embedded tooth capable of enacting a great change, a wonder that gave rise to a settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Professor Abdul Ghani Butt reflects in his autobiographical sketch <em>Beyond Me<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cHow was it that Varahmuel changed\u2014into Baramulla? Why was it that the \u2018V\u2019 was changed into \u2018B\u2019? Phonetics is beyond me. No amateurish treatment is either intended. It is fundamentally wrong to write in ignorance. Ignorance blocks a passage to get at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The letters \u2018V\u2019 and \u2018B\u2019 sound phonetically similar, though they differ in meaning \u2014 as in <em>vile<\/em> and <em>bile<\/em>, <em>valance<\/em> and <em>balance<\/em>. One explanation could be phonetic shift. Yet, another may lie in a cultural discomfort: <em>Varaha<\/em> \u2014 boar \u2014 may have been repugnant to the collective Muslim psyche, prompting the change. Still, the <em>muel<\/em>, the root, remains intact, preserving the link to both mythology and history.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>He adds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cMythology, say the masters, comprises unverified narratives, stories, and allegories explaining life in shades, riddles, and fables. Historicity, in contrast, treats of events \u2014 their genuineness and actuality. Yet mythology and historicity together determine the path of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baramulla is no exception. While we may not have seen Lord Vishnu bore the opening, people worshipped his act \u2014 an act of transformation, of saving, of balancing ecology. Mythology in this sense becomes a metaphor, echoing deeper truths, even if not literal.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In this fusion of myth and fact lies the soul of Baramulla. Myth provides meaning and memory; history gives facts and form. Together, they offer a narrative far richer than either alone. Baramulla becomes both a place and a parable \u2014 a testament to adaptation, resilience, and continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout history, Baramulla has seen saints, sages, scholars, merchants, and conquerors. Early settlers like the Nagas and Passach tribes left imprints alongside the shrines, bazaars, and mosques that followed. Faith, trade, learning, and even conflict \u2014 all passed through this ancient gateway to Kashmir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a cultural activist and citizen historian from Narvaw Baramulla, I do not see my role as choosing between myth and history but in listening to both. The saying about \u201ctwelve faces\u201d reminds us that people can hold multitudes \u2014 be cautious yet open, traditional yet evolving. The Sanskrit root reminds us that what truly endures lies deeper than surface appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baramulla\u2019s most enduring lesson is this: stories keep us alive. Whether whispered in folktales or shared in everyday speech, they remind us of where we come from and why we endure. Names may change; pronunciations may soften. But the <em>muel<\/em> \u2014 the root \u2014 remains, holding us fast to our identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, Baramulla is not merely a place on the map. It is a living embodiment of balance: between myth and memory, between history and hope, between the past and the present. And through remembering and retelling these stories, we keep that balance alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>About the Columnist<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Rather popularly known as Narvaw Walla, is a Kashmiri academic, researcher, and cultural activist from Baramulla. He founded the Narvaw Literary Society in 2020 and actively works to preserve Kashmiri literature, oral histories, and cultural heritage. His research focuses on Kashmir, oral narratives. He Was associated With The Partition Museum Amritsar, India.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Standing by the banks of the Jhelum, where its waters divide and embrace the town of Baramulla, one cannot help but reflect on the stories that have shaped this place. Baramulla, once known as Var\u0101ham\u016bla, is more than a town of bridges, markets, and old streets; it is a tapestry where myth and history are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[114,115,94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","category-history","category-kashmir"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4069"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4085,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4069\/revisions\/4085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}