گجرات
Gujrat
| Gujrat گجرات |
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 Gujrat
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Coordinates:  32°34′25.67″N 74°4′44.18″E / 32.5737972°N 74.0789389°E / 32.5737972; 74.0789389Coordinates: 32°34′25.67″N 74°4′44.18″E / 32.5737972°N 74.0789389°E / 32.5737972; 74.0789389 |
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| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| District | Gujrat |
| Population (2007) | |
| – Total | 298,731 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Calling code | 053 |
| Number of Union councils | 18[1] |
Gujrat (Urdu/Punjabi: گجرات) is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province.[1] People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which neighbors Pakistan. The major sources of livelihood among the Gujrat populace are agriculture and small industries.
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Location
Gujrat is situated on the bank of Chenab River, situated about 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Lahore, the capital city of Punjab province, and 150 kilometres (93 mi) from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Prominent nearby locations include Jhelum, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Lalamusa and Bhimber-Azad Kashmir. The city is surrounded by many villages and towns, which supply significant labour to the local market.
History
Gujrat was founded by Raja Bachhan Pal Gurjar in 460 BC, according to General Cunningham, the British historian. Historical consensus is that it existed in the time of Alexander the Great, and that the city’s Raja Porus put up a fierce challenge to Alexander’s invasion at the bank of the Jehlum River. The establishment of Gujrat City was realized early in the 1900 century after the British Empire and in support of regional land lords (e.g., Daswandi Khan of Daswandi Pura).
During the Mughal period, Mughal royalty frequently traveled through the district en route to Kashmir. When King Jahangir died while he was returning from Kashmir, the news of his death was suppressed to avoid any chaos in the empire. His abdominal organs were taken out and buried in Gujrat. To this day, an annual festival is held commemorating this event, commonly known as the “Festival of Jahangir”.
Two main battles between British and Sikh armies were fought in this district: the Battle of Chillianwala and Battle of Gujrat. Only after winning the battle of Gujrat on 22 February 1849 did the British declare victory in Punjab.
Historic remains
There are many historical buildings and ruins in and around Gujrat. The Grand Trunk Road, commonly abbreviated as G.T. Road, built by emperor Sher Shah Suri, also passes through Gujrat. The road still exists today, along with its period stone wall. Historical buildings and ruins can be found in the nearby towns of Moin-ud-din pur, Sabowal, Jalal Pur Jattan, Kotli Kohala, Karianwala, Gagian, Ranian, LalaMusa, Pindi Miani, Nagrianwala, Shadiwal, Kalra, Tanda, Samrala, Adowal, Gandra Kalan, Kotla, Daulat Nagar, Boken Morre, Dinga, Kunjah, Kot Ranjha, and many more.
Geography
Gujrat is an ancient city of Pakistan located between two famous rivers, Jhelum River and Chenab River. Because of its proximity to the rivers, the land is good for cultivation of rice and sugarcane as main crops. It is bounded to the northeast by Jammu and Kashmir, to the northwest by the Jhelum River, to the east and southeast by the Chenab River, separating it from the districts of Gujranwala and Sialkot; and to the west by Mandi Bahauddin District.
Climate
The city has a moderate climate. During the peak of summer, the daytime temperature shoots up to 45 °C (113 °F), but the hot spells are relatively short due to the proximity of the Azad Kashmir Mountains. During the winter, the minimum temperature may fall below 2 °C (36 °F). The average rainfall at Gujrat is 67 centimetres (26 in).
Culture
Terracotta vases of Gujrat
Gujrat produces low-temperature pottery and ceramic goods, hukkas, artistic handicrafts, flower pots, changairian (made from the leaves of palm and date trees), cotton mates and woolen shawls. Sohni Mahiwal is a famous folk tale of the Punjab region. The heroine of the story, named “Sohni” (a Punjabi word meaning “beautiful”), came from the Gujrat region. She used to meet her lover, Mahinwal, by crossing the Chenab river, sitting on a pitcher. The tale is still told to this day and is an essential part of Punjabi culture. The anniversary of Kanwan-Wali Sarkar near Karuan Wala Gujrat is celebrated with a fair in August every year. He is known as the one of the greatest saints that ever lived. A famous miracle was when water in a well actually turned to milk for a period of time. The well is still there. The locals have a myth that it rains heavily at the time of fair (but actually the rain falls because of monsoon) and “Wengi Wali Sarkar” anniversary in 5 January every year at village Haji Wala near Karianwala Tehsil and District Gujrat.[clarification needed]
Economy and industry
A Clay artist working thrower to make terracotta vases.
Gujrat is also known for its clay, with which the locals have long produced quality pottery. The city also produces fine furniture. Over the last few decades, Gujrat has also attained a name in the manufacture and export of electric fans. Gujrat is also home to one of the two largest shoe manufacturing companies in Pakistan, namely Service Industries, which runs a large shoe factory in the city.
There are about 1,059 cottage-level and small- to large-scale industrial units operating in the district. Rice production and export is another major product of Gujrat. There are many other factories engaged in manufacturing of electrical goods, electric motors and rice cleaning mills. Most are cottage industries, providing employment to a large number of people and accounting, in aggregate, for more than 90 percent of the domestic market.
Education
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan named the region “Khita-e-Younan”, or “territory resembling ancient Greece”, in reference to the high number of educational institutes present in the area. The following universities and colleges are located in Gujrat:
- University of Gujrat
- Govt. Zaminadar Degree College (for men)
- Govt. Fatima Jinnah Degree College (for women) [1]
- Govt. College For Girls [2]
- Govt. College of Commerce
- Govt. Miss Fatima Jinnah High School (for girls)
- Punjab College
- Swedish Pakistani Institute of Technology [3]
- Nawaz Sharif Medical College, at University of Gujrat [4]
- Ajmery Group of Colleges
- Punjab Group of Colleges
- Jinnah College of Commerce (for Boys)
- Chenab Group of Colleges
- ILM College Gujrat
- Govt. Girls College, Railway Road
- Govt. Degree College for Men, G.T. Road
- Jamia Islamia Le-Binat-Ul-Islam (religious)
- Govt. Comprehensive School, G.T. Road
- Bright Model School (BM Edu. Campus)
- Municipal Model High School for Boys
- Municipal Model High School
- Shaukat Model High School
- Government Zamindar High School
- Pakistan International Public School (P.I.P.S)
- Dar-e-Arqam Model High School Gujrat
- Govt. Muslim High School Gujrat
- County Public High School Gujrat
- Roots Foundation High School Gujrat
- Standard Model High Gujrat
- Beaconhouse School System
- Jinnah Public School (Hafiz Hayat Campus)
- Government Secondary School, Dhuma Malka, Gujrat
Transport
Alexendria bridge in Chenab River Gujrat
The district is linked with Gujranwala, Jhelum, and Mandi Bahauddin districts with 1,019 kilometres (633 mi) of paved roads. The main Peshawar – Karachi railway line passes through the city and Gujrat is among the important railway stations of this route. The district is linked with Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha and Gujranwala districts through Pakistan Railway Network. Daewoo Express has a terminal at GT Road Gujrat, opened on May 14, 2004, and connects Gujrat with Lahore. Gujrat airport does not host any commercial flights, and people use the nearby Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore and Sialkot International Airport for domestic and international flights. There is a small airport in the nearby village of Sabowal, which Pakistan Air Force uses to train pilots.
Notable people
- Raja Aziz Bhatti, a recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider (Pakistan’s highest military award) during the India-Pakistan war of 1965; belongs to Laadhian, a village in Gujrat.
- Muhammad Akram, a recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider during the India-Pakistan war of 1971; belongs to Dinga, a village in District Gujrat.
- Shabbir Sharif, a recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider during the India-Pakistan war of 1971; belongs to Kunjah, a town in District Gujrat.
- Inayat Hussain Bhatti, entertainer, religious scholar, and Punjabi writer
- Anwar Masood, Pakistani poet. He writes in Punjabi, Urdu and Persian.
- Naheed Akhtar, singer
- Sabiha Khanum, actress and wife of actor Musa Raza (Santosh Kumar)
- Shaukat Ali, folk and Ghazal singer
- Alam Lohar, folk singer
- Arif Lohar, singer
- Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan, ex-head of PML-(Q)
- Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, ex-Chief Minister of Punjab
- Fazal Elahi Chaudhry, former President of Pakistan
See also
- Saadat Pur
- Punjab
- Gujrat District
- Kunjah
- Mangowal Gharbi
- Dinga
- Jalalpur Jattan
- Karianwala
- Sarai Alamgir
- Kharian
- Lalamusa
- Ismaila Shareef
- Sarai Alamgir Tehsil
- List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by area
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