Chakwal
Chakwal (Hindi: चकवाल, Punjabi, Urdu: چکوال) is a city and district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad.
Origin
Variants of name
- Chakwal/Chakval (चकवाल) = Chakravala (चक्रवाल) (AS, p.324)
- Chakrawala (चक्रवाल)
Mention by Panini
Chakrawala (चक्रवाल) is a place name mentioned by Panini under Sakhyadi (सख्यादि) (4.2.80.9) group. [1] Chakwal is probably prakrat variant of the sanskrit name Chakrawala.
Tahsils in the District
Jat Gotras
Click to see Jat Gotras in Chakwal
Major tribes
The tribes, clans and castes that inhabit this area are the Awans, [Salaars],[maliks],(Kahout Quresh)[Khokhar] most of them resident in Dab and Bhatti Gujjar Village,[Qazis] most of them resident in Nachindi village [Chodree] Jats (the main clans being the Khoti, Khingar, Gondal and Mekan), Bhutta, Rajputs to include Janjua, Mair Minhas, Chohan, Bhatti, Jalap & Khiwa,others are Kahuts, Mughal Kassar, Pathans, Gujars, Syeds of Chak Misri, Maliars, Kashmiris and the Punjabi Sheikhs (including the famous Sahgal family). (Tehsil Chakwal Kahout Quresh Mair Minhas,and Mughal Kassar are Major Tribe. Talagang Tehsil is almost entirely inhabited by the Awan tribe, with just a few villages of Bhatti Rajputs. Kahout, Mughal,Minhas.
The physical features of the district, its tribes, its society and its economy all combine to make Chakwal one of the main recruiting areas for the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force. Main occupation of the people are Mining. Transport and poultry business also contributes imperatively towards the revenues of the district.
History
Chakwal is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan,[2] chief of the Mair Minhas the Muslim Jat clan from Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur. It remained a small but central town of the Dhan Chaurasi Taluka for many centuries. In 1881, during the British era, it was declared the Tehsil Headquarters. It was finally upgraded to district status in 1985.
Chakwal's landscape features the canyons in Thirchak-Mahal. There are man-made and natural lakes around the city in neighbouring communities.[3]
On the top of this hill is a shrine called Chehl-Abdal of Chehl Abdal” hill top which is at 3,500 feet above sea level. Another well-known tourist place in the area is Kalar Kahar, 2,500 feet above sea level. The famous temple-fort of Katas Raj is nearby. Chakwal is connected by road to Jhelum and Lahore via the Sohawa road.
चक्रवाल
चक्रवाल पाणिनिकालीन भारतवर्ष का एक स्थान था। इसका अभिज्ञान वर्तमान चकवाल, ज़िला झेलम से किया जाता है।[4] झेलम पाकिस्तान के पंजाब प्रांत का एक ज़िला है। यह झेलम नदी से लेकर सिन्धु नदी के बहुत पास तक विस्तृत है। यहाँ के बहुत-से लोग किसी ज़माने में ब्रिटिश राज की फ़ौज में काम करते थे।
Notable persons
References
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.506
- ↑ District Gazeteer of Jhelum 1904 - Ibbetson, D.: "Punjab settlement report", page 87. Punjab Government Press, 1862
- ↑ Adamson, Hilary; Shaw, Isobel (1981). A traveller's guide to Pakistan. Asian Study Group
- ↑ पाणिनीकालीन भारत |लेखक: वासुदेवशरण अग्रवाल |प्रकाशक: चौखम्बा विद्याभवन, वाराणसी-1 |संकलन: भारतकोश पुस्तकालय |पृष्ठ संख्या: 87 |
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