Noon Bagla: A Village In Crisis
Tragedy
Noon Bagla has existed since the mid-eighteenth century, an isolated village sitting at an altitude of 6600 ft in the lower Himalayas, surrounded by beautiful pine forests, idyllic in its natural beauty, its people living peaceful, frugal lives, bonded together by a resolute community spirit and a faith that was to prove unshakable even in the midst of unimaginable tragedy and despair.
The morning of 8 October 2005 dawned as countless others had done. Children saying goodbye to their parents as they made their way down winding pathways to the local school, fathers in the fields that had been tended for generations, mothers cradling infants, the elderly still contributing as best they could to family life. Within seconds peace and tranquility had given way to death and destruction as the earth cruelly ripped the heart from the village and took away many young lives. The stone school walls collapsed killing fourteen children, twenty five other people died in the ruins of their homes. Although the terror lasted only a few seconds its legacy will endure for generations.
Geography
Noon Bagla is 62 kilometres from the regional capital of Muzaffarabad and 12 kilometres from Chikar, the nearest town. 'Noon' means crescent shaped, reflecting the geography of the village, with the wooded area forming a crescent around the central hill. From here can be seen a lake, tragically formed by the earthquake, the lush green Chikar Valley and the year round snow covered mountains of Pir Panjal, Pandoo, and peaks like Shamsa Bari, Pir Chanasi, Kafir Khhun Gangachoti and Bara Hazari.
History
Some 250 years ago a spiritual and religious Muslim leader, Shah Sultan, found this hushed place, so calm and attractive for meditation and prayers that he decided to move here permanently. His devotees and relatives followed and the village expanded. His brother Shah Umer lived in Muzaffarabad. Shah Sultan died whilst visiting his brother's family in Muzaffarabad and was buried there. Coincidentally, his brother died in Noon Bagla whilst visiting Shah Sultan's family and was buried here. In time Sikhs also moved to Noon Bagla because of its beauty and fresh water.
Noon Bagla continued to be a joint community of Muslims and Sikhs living together in peace and harmony until partition. In 1948 when Kashmiris fought against the Dogra Ruler and Indian forces invaded Kashmir, the Sikhs migrated to the Indian side of Kashmir and many Muslim families moved to this side of the control line. Those families who came empty handed were allotted the land the Sikhs left. Today Noon Bagla village has a joint community of about 750 people, half of whom are 18 and under, which includes Sayyeds, Chaudharies, Mughals and Qureshies.
Education and Training
The majority of people are literate and can read and write Urdu. The Primary School was opened in the early sixties and upgraded to Middle standard in 1972. It has not been upgraded since. Almost 99% of children go to school however few progress beyond middle standard education because the nearest high school is in Chikar, a two hour trek away meaning very few attempt the journey. Most of the girls give up after primary school. Education is therefore limited both in terms of age and in terms of the curriculum with the focus being mainly on reading and writing. This means that young people have few opportunities to realise potential and ambitions or aspirations are severely curtailed. The economy is consequently being starved of development and future effective family support.
Many people lost their jobs and livelihoods as a result of the earthquake. There is therefore an urgent need to reskill people to help regenerate the area and develop the local economy.
Health
The nearest hospitals to Noon Bagla were in Muzaffarabad, sixty two kilometres away, a difficult journey of at least three hours for the fit and healthy, potentially life-threatening for the seriously ill. One of the two hospitals in Muzaffarabad was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Hospital treatment is free only to government personnel and their dependents and the demands on the one remaining hospital are such that the public have to seek out private doctors, if they have the means, or, in more serious cases, travel even further to Islamabad. Chikar, twelve kilometres from Noon Bagla, did have a basic health facility but this too was destroyed by the earthquake.
Economy
From the early seventies onward Noon Bagla developed as a regional business centre. People came here from different areas and opened shops and the market place expanded rapidly. The market, that catered for thousands of people, was destroyed by the earthquake and only a few shops remained intact although in a dangerous condition. People who used to come to Noon Bagla to run their businesses failed to return. Before the earthquake some of the villagers were working as shopkeepers but the majority were working in the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and a few in Karachi. Most returned to help rebuild the community and as result lost their jobs further damaging the now very fragile economy of the area.
The land is fertile and the climate is favourable to grow vegetables, fruits and spices but it has been given little attention because of other priorities and current agricultural production is not sufficient to meet demand.
In the mid-eighties, Noon Bagla was chosen to be developed as a Hill Station and later as an Army Cadet College but neither initiative materialised. There was once a flour depot that supplied flour to Khawra Valley on the other side of the hill containing dozens of smaller villages but this has now disappeared.
Transport
In 1959 the road to Noon Bagla was built by the Army but hasn't been upgraded in the last fifty years. This road is one of the oldest roads in the area. It used to connect Bagh with Muzaffarabad via Chikar. Now the road beyond Noon Bagla has fallen into disuse. The lack of effective transport links has a detrimental affect on all aspects of life, education, health, the economy, tourism......
Tourism
Before the earthquake the village was a tourist centre and hosted many sightseers when the tourist rest house was maintained. Due to lack of funding and negligence its condition has deteriorated and, allied to the after effects of the earthquake, so too has the tourist trade.
There are no Government development activities and because of poor road conditions few people now make the journey. As a result today it is a very much quieter scene.
In Summary
Noon Bagla is in decline, the fragile education system is failing the children and the immediate area; the economy is teetering on the brink of collapse and health provision is minimal. Many of the current problems can be traced back to that tragic October morning, others stem from lack of investment over decades, in schools, in transport, in tourism.....
The people of Noon Bagla, and up to 12,000 others in the numerous smaller villages that still look to it for their welfare and survival, deserve more than apathy and neglect. Friends from Britain are helping to develop a regeneration programme, the construction of a Health Centre is planned for 2010 and the Kashmir Community Fund (KCF) has been set up to help support and develop much needed projects.
Together we can make a difference.