Phalia (
Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabis, Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a ...
) is a town and headquarters of Phalia Tehsil of
Mandi Bahauddin District
Mandi Bahauddin ( Punjabi and ) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
Located in central Punjab, the district is bordered on the northwest by the Jhelum River, on the southeast by the Chenab River (which separates it from Gujranwal ...
, Punjab, Pakistan.
History
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
and his army crossed the
Jhelum River
The Jhelum River is a major river in South Asia, flowing through India and Pakistan, and is the westernmost of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It originates at Verinag and flows through the Indian-administered territory of Jammu ...
(Hydaspes) in July 326 BC at the
Battle of the Hydaspes River
The Battle of the Hydaspes also known as Battle of Jhelum, or First Battle of Jhelum, was fought between the Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great and the Pauravas under Porus in May of 326 BCE. It took place on the banks of the Hyda ...
where he defeated king
Porus
Porus or Poros ( ; 326–321 BC) was an ancient Indian king whose territory spanned the region between the Jhelum River (Hydaspes) and Chenab River (Acesines), in the Punjab region of what is now India and Pakistan. He is only mentioned in Gr ...
.
[
According to ]Arrian
Arrian of Nicomedia (; Greek: ''Arrianos''; ; )
was a Greek historian, public servant, military commander, and philosopher of the Roman period.
'' The Anabasis of Alexander'' by Arrian is considered the best source on the campaigns of ...
(''Anabasis'', 29), Alexander built a city in the place whence he started to cross the river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
, which he named Bukephala
Bucephalus (; ; – June 326 BC) or Bucephalas, was the horse of Alexander the Great, and one of the most famous horses of classical antiquity. According to the '' Alexander Romance'' (1.15), the name "Bucephalus" literally means "ox-h ...
or Bucephala to honour his dead horse Bukephalus
Bucephalus (; ; – June 326 BC) or Bucephalas, was the horse of Alexander the Great, and one of the most famous horses of classical antiquity. According to the '' Alexander Romance'' (1.15), the name "Bucephalus" literally means "ox-h ...
or Bucephalus
Bucephalus (; ; – June 326 BC) or Bucephalas, was the horse of Alexander the Great, and one of the most famous horses of classical antiquity. According to the '' Alexander Romance'' (1.15), the name "Bucephalus" literally means "ox-h ...
.[ It is thought that ancient ]Bukephala
Bucephalus (; ; – June 326 BC) or Bucephalas, was the horse of Alexander the Great, and one of the most famous horses of classical antiquity. According to the '' Alexander Romance'' (1.15), the name "Bucephalus" literally means "ox-h ...
was near the site of modern Jhelum City
Jhelum (; , ) is a city, located along the western bank of the Jhelum River, in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city in Punjab and 31st largest in Pakistan, by population. Located in northern Punjab, it serves as the capital of the ...
but that is wrong. Phalia was named after Bucephalus
Bucephalus (; ; – June 326 BC) or Bucephalas, was the horse of Alexander the Great, and one of the most famous horses of classical antiquity. According to the '' Alexander Romance'' (1.15), the name "Bucephalus" literally means "ox-h ...
, the name of the Alexander's dead horse, and presently a tehsil of Mandi Bahauddin District
Mandi Bahauddin ( Punjabi and ) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
Located in central Punjab, the district is bordered on the northwest by the Jhelum River, on the southeast by the Chenab River (which separates it from Gujranwal ...
. Beyond Taxila
Taxila or Takshashila () is a city in the Pothohar region of Punjab, Pakistan. Located in the Taxila Tehsil of Rawalpindi District, it lies approximately northwest of the Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area and is just south of the ...
, Alexander opted for an alternative route instead of the traditional route i.e. today's Grand Trunk Road
Grand Trunk Road (formerly known as Uttarapath, Sadak-e-Azam, Shah Rah-e-Azam, Badshahi Sadak, and Long Walk) is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For at least 2,500 years it has linked Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. It r ...
(link through Pakistan between Afghanistan and Bangladesh) and built two cities on opposite banks of the Jhelum on the route between Bhera
Bhera (; ) is a city and a tehsil of Sargodha District, Punjab province of Pakistan.
The city is known for wood-carved items, textiles (such as quilts and khussas), and certain desserts (such as pheonian and pateesa).
The city is made up ...
and Mong.
In AD 997, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi took over the Ghaznavid dynasty
The Ghaznavid dynasty ( ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic '' mamluk'' origin. It ruled the Ghaznavid Empire or the Empire of Ghazni from 977 to 1186, which at its greatest extent, extended from the Oxus to the Indu ...
empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...
and followed it by the conquests of Punjab region
Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
. The Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries. and later Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
due to missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...
Sufi
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
saints whose dargah
A Sufi shrine or dargah ( ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargāh'' दरगाह درگاہ, ''dôrgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint or dervi ...
s dot the landscape of Punjab region
Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
.
Jalalpur Sharif
Jalalpur Sharif () is a town located in the Jhelum district in Punjab, Pakistan.
History
Jalalpur's modern name came from the renaming of its ancient name, , by Malik Darwesh Khan Janjua who was a high-ranking general of the Mughal Army in ...
is located on west of the river Jhelum
Jhelum (; , ) is a city, located along the western bank of the Jhelum River, in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city in Punjab and 31st largest in Pakistan, by population. Located in northern Punjab, it serves as the capital of the ...
whereas Phalia on eastern bank in Mandi Bahauddin District
Mandi Bahauddin ( Punjabi and ) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
Located in central Punjab, the district is bordered on the northwest by the Jhelum River, on the southeast by the Chenab River (which separates it from Gujranwal ...
close to river Jhelum
Jhelum (; , ) is a city, located along the western bank of the Jhelum River, in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city in Punjab and 31st largest in Pakistan, by population. Located in northern Punjab, it serves as the capital of the ...
earlier known as Hydaspes
The Jhelum River is a major river in South Asia, flowing through India and Pakistan, and is the westernmost of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It originates at Verinag and flows through the Indian-administered territory of Jammu an ...
. A semi hill or mound i.e. the historical sign of the ancient city and a shrine still available in mid of the Mohalla Ameer. In 2010, maximum of the area reshaped into commercial land and precious heritage could not be preserved.
After the decline of the Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
, the Sikh
Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
invaded and occupied Mandi Bahauddin District
Mandi Bahauddin ( Punjabi and ) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
Located in central Punjab, the district is bordered on the northwest by the Jhelum River, on the southeast by the Chenab River (which separates it from Gujranwal ...
. The Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
s faced severe restrictions during the Sikh rule. During the period of British rule
The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent,
*
* lasting from 1858 to 1947.
*
* It is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
* or dire ...
, Mandi Bahauddin District increased in population and importance.
The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League Muslim League may refer to:
Political parties British India
*All-India Muslim League, led the demand for the partition of India resulting in the creation of Pakistan
** Punjab Muslim League, a branch of the organization above
**Unionist Muslim L ...
and Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement was a religiopolitical and social movement that emerged in the early 20th century as part of a campaign that advocated the creation of an Islamic state in parts of what was then British Raj. It was rooted in the two-nation the ...
. After the independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
of Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
in 1947, the minority Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
s and Sikh
Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
s migrated to India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
while the Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
s refugees from India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
settled down in the Mandi Bahauddin District
Mandi Bahauddin ( Punjabi and ) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
Located in central Punjab, the district is bordered on the northwest by the Jhelum River, on the southeast by the Chenab River (which separates it from Gujranwal ...
.
Phalia is approximately the same age as Lahore
Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
. The four subdivisions (Mohallas) are named after the forefathers of Tarar tribe:
* Phalia Ameer for "Muhammad Ameer"
* Phalia Keeman for "Muhammad Karim"
* Phalia Boota for "Muhammad Boota" (also known as "Nawan Lok")
* Phalia Mehman for "Muhammad Khan"
Geography and climate
Phalia is situated at 32.43 N latitude and 73.58 E longitude. It is located between the main cities of Mandi Bahauddin
Mandi Bahauddin () is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is also the capital of Mandi Bahauddin District. It is the 41st most populous city in Pakistan, according to the 2017 census. The city is about 220 metres above sea level and is located ...
and Gujrat
Gujrat may refer to:
India
* Gujarat, a state in western India
* Gujarat Subah, a former Mughal imperial province
* Gujarat Sultanate, a historical sultanate
Pakistan
* Gujrat, Mianwali
* Gujrat, Pakistan, a city in Pakistan's Punjab Province
...
, about 23 kilometres from Mandi Bahauddin and from Gujrat and from Malakwal
Malakwal () is a city in Mandi Bahauddin District, Punjab, Pakistan.
History
In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005, he conquered the Shahis in Kabul, an ...
and near about from Salam interchange on M-2 motorway, at an altitude of above sea level.[
Phalia has a moderate climate, which is hot in summer and cold in winter. During peak summer, the day temperature rises up to . The winter months are mild and the minimum temperature may fall below .
The average annual rainfall in the district is .]
Population
Health facilities
Health Medical facilities are on average available in the city. The main government hospital established in the city is THH (Tehsil Headquarters Hospital). There are several other private hospitals, Health center and Clinics at different locations within the city.
Phalia City
* Population and religions
Phalia is not a big city. Most of the population of the village are Muslim with some Christians.
* Languages
Punjabi language is the native language of the province and is most widely spoken language in Phalia.[
* Registered voters
The number of registered voters in the Constituency PP-117 (Mandi Bahuddin-II) Phalia is 134,119.] among them almost half of them are of female voters.
Administration
After the abolition of Nazim system, the Administrator of Phalia is Assistant Commissioner Bilal Feroz Joya in 2016.
Notable people
* Mustansar Hussain Tarar
Mustansar Hussain Tarar (; ) Sitara-i-Imtiaz, S.I. (born 1 March 1939) is a Pakistani author, travel enthusiast, mountaineer, writer, novelist, columnist, TV host and former actor.
Early life
Mustansar Hussain Tarar was born in Jokalian on 1 M ...
* Muhammad Tariq Tarar
Muhammad Tariq Tarar (Urdu: ًمحمد طارق تارڑ) (born 13 May 1961) is a Pakistani legislator and a former member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency NA-108 from 2008 to 2013. He was also a member of the Provincial ...
[
* ]Pir Syed Muhammad Binyamin Rizvi
Pir Syed Binyamin Rizvi (Urdu: پیر سید محمد بنیامین رضوی) 15 August 1959 - 24 June 2004) was a Pakistani politician. He served as the Minister of Social Welfare, Women Development and Bait-ul-Maal, alongside the Advisor to ...
* Parvaiz Mehdi Qureshi
Parvaiz Mehdi Qureshi (born 1 October 1943) best known as PQ Mehdi, is a retired four-star rank, four-star air officer and former fighter pilot who served as the eighth CAS of the PAF, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) of the Pakistan Air Force from 199 ...
* Asif Bashir Bhagat
Asif Bashir Bhagat () was born in Bhagat village, Phalia, Tehsil Phalia, in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan. He was elected as Member Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in the 2008 general elections against Pakistan Muslim League (N), PML-N ca ...
[
* ]Basma Riaz Choudhry
Basma Riaz Choudhry also spelt Baasima (Urdu: بسمہ ریاض چوہدری) is a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Punjab. She is the daughter of Chaudhry Riaz Asghar, brother-in-law of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. The first time she was ...
* Muhammad Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhary
Muhammad Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhary () is a Pakistani politician who had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007 and again from June 2013 to 2014.
Political career
He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a c ...
References
{{Tehsils of Punjab, Pakistan
Cities and towns in Mandi Bahauddin District
Tehsils of Punjab, Pakistan