Timergara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Timergara تيمرګره تیمرگرہ
City
Timergara Location in Pakistan
Country	Pakistan
Province	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
District	Lower Dir
Tehsil	Timergara
Elevation	823 m (2,700 ft)
Population  (2023)
• Total	47,860

Timergara (Pashto: تيمرګره, Urdu: تیمرگرہ) is an important city in Pakistan. It is the main city and headquarters of the Lower Dir District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It also serves as a temporary headquarters for the new Central Dir District.

The city of Timergara is located on the east side of the Panjkora River. It sits at a height of about 823 meters (2,700 feet) above sea level. This area has a very long history. Scientists have found ancient graves of people called Indo-Aryans here. These graves are from a very long time ago, between 1500 and 600 BC.

On the west side of the Panjkora River, there is another old site called Balambat. People have lived at Balambat continuously since the Indo-Aryan times, around 1500 BC. Discoveries at this site include houses from 500 BC. They also found fire altars, which are special places for fires. These altars show that the people followed an early form of Vedic Hinduism, which included worshipping with fire. Later, the Hindu Shahis controlled this area. You can still find old items and ruins from their time all over the region.

In 2023, about 47,860 people lived in Timergara. Most of the city is right next to the Panjkora River. The river helps separate the area of Balambat from the main part of Timergara city.

Timergara fields in winter

Learning and Education in Timergara

Timergara has several places where students can go to college and university. These institutions help young people get a good education and learn new skills.

Colleges and Universities in the Area

Here are some of the places where students can study in Timergara:

• University of Dir
• Virtual University of Pakistan Timergara Campus
• Government College of Technology Kandaro Balambat Timergara
• Government Post Graduate college Timergara
• Government Girls Post Graduate college Timergara
• Government Girls Post Graduate college Balambat
• Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan Timergara Campus

How Many Students Go to School?

In the Lower Dir area, many children attend school. About 73.83% of children are enrolled in schools. If we include a specific group called Kachi, this number goes up to 79.59%.

There are about 43 students for every teacher in the area. For boys, there are 41 students per male teacher. For girls, there are 46 students per female teacher.

Children Not in School

A recent survey looked at children aged 5 to 7 years old. There are 104,498 children in this age group. This includes 56,937 boys and 47,561 girls.

However, some children in this age group are not in school. About 25,169 children (or 24%) are not attending school. This includes 19% of boys and 30% of girls. These numbers also include students who started school but later stopped attending.

How Timergara Makes Money

The economy of Timergara is not very strong in farming. There are also no big factories or industries. Most of the money comes from people who live and work in the Middle East. These people send money back home to their families in Timergara. This money, called remittances, is very important for the local economy.

Who Lives in Timergara?

Most of the people living in Timergara are Pashtun. They belong to different tribes. The main tribes are Yousafzai, Ibrahimkhel, Utmankhel, and Umarkhel.

Some important religious figures from this area include Tor Baba (Abdur Rahim Khan), Timergara Babaje, and Jaloo Baba. Abdur Rahim Khan moved to Timergara in the late 1600s. He was known as Tor Baba because he was very religious. His descendants, the Mandal clan of Utmankheil, are often called Shaikhan.

Weather in Timergara

Timergara has two main seasons: hot and dry summers, and cold and wet winters.

Summer Weather

Temperatures start to rise quickly from May to June. July and August are very hot. However, the weather becomes cooler in September, especially at night.

Winter Weather

Temperatures drop quickly from October onwards. December and January are the coldest months. The lowest average temperature in January can be around -8 °C (17.6 °F).

Rainfall and Climate Change

Most of the rain falls in July, August, December, January, and February. Sometimes, at the end of the cold season, there are thunderstorms and hailstorms.

Timergara is also affected by global warming and changes in climate. In 2010, there was heavy snowfall and severe floods. These floods caused a lot of damage to the city's buildings and roads. In March 2014, the Panjkora River's water level rose again, which threatened the Balambat bridge.

What People Eat in Timergara

The people of Timergara enjoy many delicious foods. Popular dishes include fish and beef. Beef is often cooked as Chapli Kabab, Seekh Kabab, and tikka.

Many homes have a Tandoor, which is a special oven for baking bread. People also eat Lobya (beans), Saag (a leafy green dish), and Juwar Doday (bread made from maize). When guests visit, they are often offered Lassi (a yogurt drink) and Saag with Sookrak (a sweet maize bread).

Traditional Clothes and Jewelry

People in Timergara generally wear traditional Pashtun dress.

Men's Clothing

In winter, men wear a Chador over their clothes. A Chadar is a long piece of cloth used to keep warm. They also wear a Kameez (shirt) and Shalwar (loose trousers). In winter, men wear a woolen cap from Chitral. In summer, they wear a white Diroji cap. Peshawari Chappal (leather sandals) are the most common footwear for men.

Women's Clothing

Women typically wear Shalwar Kameez (a shirt and loose trousers). Many women also wear a Burqa when they go outside.

Fun Times and Celebrations

Festivals and fairs are an important part of Pashtun culture. The two most important festivals are the two Eids: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. These are special times for family gatherings and celebrations.

Besides festivals, many young people enjoy hiking. They explore the hills of Kumrat, Lowari Pass, Laram, Shahi, and Oshery when the weather is nice.

How Timergara Has Grown

When Timergara became the main city for the Dir district, more people started to move there. This caused the city's population to grow.

Here's how the population has changed over the years:

Getting Around Timergara

Timergara is a key city for travel. It connects areas like Bajawar, Dir Upper, and Chitral to the rest of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The city has two busy bypass roads that link different places.

The closest airport is Peshawar International Airport, which is about 98 miles away. For daily travel, people mainly use buses, taxis, and private cars.

Sports and Games

While there isn't a big public sports ground in Timergara, the people of Khungi Payeen village have made a nice ground by the river. Here, football players, cricketers, and volleyball players enjoy their games.

There are not many professional sports facilities available for players. However, the area has produced some talented athletes. These include cricketers like Naseem Shah, Imran Khan, and Israrullah. Murtaza Ahmad is a hockey player, and Irfan Ahmad plays badminton. These players have represented Pakistan in international cricket and played for provincial and regional teams in other sports.

Young people in Timergara love sports like cricket, football, basketball, volleyball, and hockey. The Rest House Ground and FC Ground (in Balambat) are two main places where sports events happen. Residents have also created smaller sports areas along riverbanks and at the base of mountains.

Images for kids

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  A view of Timergara in summer

See also

In Spanish: Timergara para niños