Hathimera is a village situated in Mansehra District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It lies adjacent to the Karakorum Highway (part of the China–Pakistan Friendship Highway), at approximately latitude 34°23'47"N and longitude 73°13'10"E.
Etymology
The name Hathimera derives from local lore. Historically, the area served as a route for the Mughal Emperor Akbar's travels to the Indian subcontinent. According to tradition, one of Akbar's wives had an elephant that died at this location, leading to the original name Hathimra ("Elephant Died"). Over time, the name evolved into Hathimera ("Elephant Place").
Geography
Hathimera is located in the fertile Pakhli Plains, near the Siran River and close to the Gandhian Bridge. It is approximately 8 km (5 miles) from Mansehra city and lies within the Union Council of Sandesar.
Demographics
The village has a population of approximately 10,000, with a literacy rate of about 70%. The population includes families from various ethnic and tribal backgrounds, such as Abbasi, Swati, Sardar, Awan, Yousafzai, and Tanoli.
Archaeology
Construction work in the area has yielded artifacts including pottery and gold rings. Human skeletons have also been discovered, some found wearing clothes or in seated positions rather than formal graves, which has been interpreted as evidence that the individuals may have drowned or been swept away by a natural disaster in antiquity.
