Published:
December 21, 2024
Gurez, or Gurais is located about 120 kilometres North of Srinagar. At about 2,400 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level, it is one of the most picturesque locations in Kashmir. The fauna includes the Himalayan brown bear and the snow leopard. The Kishanganga River flows through the valley.
The valley lies near the Line of Control, which separates it from the Astore and Neelum districts of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and its inhabitants are ethnic Dards/Shins. It is connected to the rest of Kashmir through the Razdan Pass and remains cut off for six months in winter due to heavy snowfall. The valley falls along the ancient Silk Route, which connected the Kashmir Valley with Gilgit, before continuing further to Kashgar. Gurez's most formidable peak is the pyramid shaped Habba Khatoon, around which legends abound and is named after the Kashmiri poet Habba Khatoon.
Gurez is an important communication centre where the route from Srinagar comes north to the Kishenganga river, crosses it in the vicinity of Gurez and Dawar and then proceeds to Gilgit via the Burzil pass and the Astor valley. Gurez is also connected to Muzaffarabad by a track along the river valley and by cross-country tracks south to Sonamarg and east to Dras. The fall of Muzaffarabad led to the advancing of tribal lashkars to Gurez along the Kishenganga valley and was occupied by them. Operation Eraze was the codename of the assault and capture of Gurez and involved 161 Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army.
1st GRENADIERS captured the still snow-bound Rajdhani Pass in May 1948, and later captured Gurez in June. In the meantime, 2/4 Gorkha Rifles had successfully advanced along the pilgrim route and pushed back the Pakistanis from Kanzalwan which they captured. For the remainder of the war, the raiders were content to secure the Burzil pass on the route to Skardu so as to secure the communications of their columns besieging Ladakh.
Srinagar → Manasbal (40 Km) → Mantrigam → (72 Km) → Gurrey Bridge Near Kuragbal Gurez (123 Km) → Gurez Sector (135 Km) Destination
