Surmo
Surmo سرمو | |
|---|---|
 The 7,821 m (25,659 ft) tall Masherbrum as viewed from Surmo | |
  Surmo سرمو Location in Pakistan | |
| Coordinates: 35°9′6.5181″N 76°26′43.6057″E / 35.151810583°N 76.445446028°ECoordinates: 35°9′6.5181″N 76°26′43.6057″E / 35.151810583°N 76.445446028°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Gilgit Baltistan |
| District | Ghangche |
| Elevation | 8,532.504 ft (2,600.707 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 10,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+6 (GMT+6) |
Surmo Valley (Urduوادی سرمو) is a valley in Ghangche District, in Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. Etymologically, the name is derived from sermo : ser meaning gold and mo is a suffix used to feminise the word. Sermo or serfo also refers to a type of seed with yellow colour which was bowed here in ancient times. The name Surmo is supposed have been derived from sermo. A person who belongs to Surmo is called Surmopa or Surmovi.
Location[]
Surmo is located approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the district administrative capital of Khaplu. Its neighborhoods are Choghogrong, Tarkari, Khar, Gond, Langkhung, Tishari and Ghazi-Thang, containing 800 houses and approximately 10,000 people. Cultural symbols include Rgyalmo Khar, Shagharun khar and Minduq Sar (flower garden). Surmo is only a few hours travel time towards Franu, one of the last Pakistani territories before India.
History[]
Surmo is one of the oldest valleys of Baltistan. It contains 150-year-old walnut trees. In 1996, stupas were found here. Local people called this place Rgyalmo Khar (a queen's palace).[1]It had been a rich village in Baltistan. People from various places came here to seek help and their needs were fulfilled. Sumo was controlled by powerful leaders and it was going in well direction until under the leadership of Apo Washa. He was a very talented and competent man.
Geography[]
Surmo is important with respect to military and transportation networks in the mountainous region. Its biggest bridge, Surmo Bridge, links Siachen region with the district capital of Khaplu, as well as Chorbat Valley, making this valley strategically important. A new RCC bridge has been constructed over the Shiok River from the Reebothang side to other, and is expected to be operational in 2021. The new bridge is regarded as a huge progress and will add to the importance of Surmo. The bridge will also speed up transportation and the drivers' time shall be saved. The bridge is economically and militarily very important to the region.
Surmo was formerly a fertile and prosperous area. A well-known local expression was Surmo ma drang na gar ma drang ("if your stomach is not full or stuffed in Surmo, there is no other place it would be"). The shifts in flow of the glacier-sourced Shyok river (literally the river of death) have caused considerable damage, the slow and steady kind of devastation that resulted in landslides. Many fields were lost in this way over the past century, leaving only 20% of the fields on the riverside which are not cut-off due to flooding. Measures have been taken to save the land erosion by building defensive walls of stone. However that seems inadequate before the large river. In 2010, the river threat reached an alarming situation when many houses had to be demolished provided the fact that the river approached too near. The Shiok river remains as a treat to Surmo.
Surmo Broque[]
A broque in Baltistan indicates a place which is entirely dedicated to agricultural activities usually located far from the population. People don't live in a broque permanently and keep shifting position between the village and broque. It is one of the primary sources of income for lower class families.
Surmo Broq, a site of terraced fields hundreds of feet above the valley, is one of the beautiful Broqs in Baltistan. It attracts many tourists from all over Baltistan in summer when the Broque is lush green. Khaplu Broque neighbors the Surmo Broque and the former is approximately 5 times larger than the latter. With the passage of time, people's interest in the broque started to plunge. They turned their attention away from farming to more progressive ideas like education, business etc. Today only a small percentage of population do farming in the broque and earn their living. Today machinery has taken over majority of work.
is located there at a distance of few kilometers above the broque. Reabothang, a newly cultivated land near Surmo Bridge, is another source of earning and farming. Allotment of land to the natives of Surmo completed in 2009, after which Reabothang saw a rapid boost in fertility. Another enormous uncultivated land of Surmo is called Tunga.
Surmo has several beautiful meadows and lakes where local people take their livestock during the summer season, they spend the whole season there till winter, famous meadows are , Xaribroque and Surat.
Welfare Organizations[]
The people of Surmo are considered as one of the well-organized and educated people in Baltistan. Aga Khan Development Network and Anjumane Falah o Behbood Surmo are among the oldest welfare organizations of Baltistan working in the region for the welfare and development of the locals for many decades.
The young generation of Surmo is struggling in education, and dreams of Surmo as a well-developed village in future. Youth organization "Skarchan" is playing vital role in various fields of life like healthcare and education as well as for better environment of the area. Skarchen was established in 2000 and has since helped build Madrsa Shah Hamdan and Faizbukhsh Public School. Skarchen is a youth organization and includes many of youth of Surmo. Askari Tanzeem is a group which includes the retired army personnel who would play their in welfare. The main achievement of the organization is the construction of Jamia Masjid Surmo.
Unfortunately no student welfare organization has ever existed in Surmo. This has resulted in the low literacy rate and increased unemployment. Surmo is in dire need of a student welfare organization to make students develop high interest in education. Currently the Tarkari and Gond localities are among the most educated. Education should be given full attention.
Markazi Jamia Masjid Surmo[]
Jamia Masjid Surmo stands among the prominent mosques of Baltistan. The mosque was formally opened to the public in July 2008 in a large opening ceremony (iftitah) in which prominent people from all over Baltistan were invited. The public was catered. This day was one of the most important days in history of Surmo. A magazine to commemorate the iftitah was also published by Syed Manzoor Hussain which provided complete details regarding construction of the mosque. The mosque has many compartments namely the khanqah which is central building, fyaqkhuru (which is used in winter), angon (for ladies and children), chillakhut for meditation. The taharat area locally known as chaman is located outside the mosque which is a good practice. The largest congregation takes place on Jum'a prayer on Friday. In initial days of Muharram, the mosque is once again full of people to mourn the martyrs of Karbala. The mosque is open for 24 hours and is never found locked because the door of Allah is never locked. The completion of the mosque was a huge success for the people of Surmo.
References[]
- Valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan
- Ghanche District
- Baltistan