Bufliaz

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Another beautiful hill spot situated on the foothill of Peer Rattan range is Buffliaz, 39 Kms east of Poonch town. The village named after the horse of Alexander the great (Bunifales) who is said to have died there, is situated on both the blanks of poonch river. It is the start Of Mughal road from Buffliaz to Shoupian (83 km. Traversed by the carvans of Mughal emperors and their royal armies four centuries ago, the majestic Mughal Road would come up as an alternative highway to connect Kashmir with rest of India . The road will serve as shortest (76 km) between the province of Kashmir and Rajouri and Poonch.

The road originated in Jhelum town of Punjab province (now in Pakistan) and then touched Kotli ( in Pakistan Occupied –Kashmir ), Thanamandi ( Rajouri District ) and finally Chandimarh located in Pir Panjal mountains and one branch crossed over to Shopian via Heepora . As per the blueprint, the road from Bafliaz to Shopian is 89 kms and it will criss-cross 11,500 to 130,000 feet high mountain ranges , which is higher than Banihal pass on Jammu –Srinagar national highway and the present entry point to Kashmir valley . Besides, 49 km of road is steep and 20 km rolling besides mountain stretches. The road will be constructed from Bafliaz (Poonch) through Chandimarh , Dugram , Pir Panjal Pass. Ghurd, Aliahad Saria, Sukh Saria and Heerpora to Shopian . The road still has several monuments constructed by the Mughals.

In Chingus in Rajouri District emperor Jehangir died during his return from Kashmir and his body was kept in a fort at the place. On this road, a rest house was built by the Mughal’s which still exists at Muradapora . There was another rest house at Nayn Sukh ( Fatehpur), a grand Sarai at Thanamandi and a terrace at Noori Chamb water falls named after the Noor-Jehan, the queen of Jehangir in Rajouri district . A grand Mughal rest house still stands at verdurous mountain peak at Chandimarh in the Mughal road followed by small rest houses at Aliabad, Ziarat of Peer Baba at Pir-Ki-Gali, Dubjian, near the Sulphur springs , and a big rest house now in damaged condition at Heerpura ( Shopian).