Gujrat city

Gujrat (Urdu: ), is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province.[1] The major sources of livelihood among the Gujrat populace are agriculture and small industries. Gujrat is also known as the city of King Porus.

Location
Gujrat (not to be confused with the Indian state of Gujarat) is situated on the bank of Chenab River, the headquarter of Gujrat district, and is one of the most famous cities in Pakistan.

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 realised early in the 19th century after the British Empire and in support of regional landlords (e.g., Daswandi Khan of Daswandi Pura). Gujrat became a part of the Muslim Sultanate of Delhi when the Afghan noble Sultan Shahabud-Din Muhammad Ghauri conquered Punjab in 1185. Gujrat slowly developed as medieval town and many Muslim Sufi missionaries converted the local Gurjar population to Islam. During the Mughal period, Mughal royalty frequently travelled 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". Shah Daula is a Sufi saint of the city and he met Sikh's sixth Guru Gobind Singh (15951644) when he was passing though Gujrat. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh invaded and occupied Gujrat. The Sikh army under Sardar Gujjar Singh Bhangi in 1765 defeated the Gakhar ruler of Gujrat and annexed it to the Sikh Territories. From 17651846 Gujrat was controlled by the Sikhs. Two main battles between British and Sikh armies were fought in this district: the Battle of Chillianwala and the Battle of Gujrat. Only after winning the battle of Gujrat on 22 February 1849 did the British declare victory in Punjab. The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslim refugees from India settled in the Gujrat district. Muslims refugees from East Punjab, Haryana, Jammu started arriving and crossed the border in to Pakistan; many were given land in Gujrat District to settle.

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 nearby towns throughout the area.

Language and demography

Dialects of Punjabi

As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, Punjabi language is spoken by 95%. Punjabi dialects spoken in the district are

Majhi or Standard (Majority) Potohari (Few people near jehlum district) Shah puri (Few people speak this dialect)

Other Languages include:

Urdu being national language is spoken and understood. English is also understood and spoken by the sizable educated people.

According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the total population of Gujrat district was 2,048,008 of which 1,026,000 are males and 1,022,000 are females, with a population density of 642 persons per square kilometre. Over 25.62% of the population was recorded as being urban.[2]

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,or water pipe, 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 KanwanWali Sarkar near Karuan Wala Gujrat is celebrated with a fair in August every year. He is known as 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. Some locals attach significance to the fact that it often rains heavily around the time of the fair (monsoon). "Wengi Wali Sarkar" anniversary in 5 January every year at village Haji Wala near Karianwala Tehsil and District Gujrat.[clarification needed]the shrine of hazrat shahdola(a famous saint in Punjab) is also in gujrat near shahdola choki. the anniversary of (hazrat shahdola sarkar)is celebrated in June every year.