067. Samadhi of Diwan Mulraj Chopra & A Beautiful Haveli In Alipur Chatha (Akalgarh)
Alipur Chatha, also known as Akalgarh, is a small town located about 40 kilometers west of Gujranwala and approximately 7 kilometers southeast of the historic city of Rasul Nagar (formerly known as Ramnagar). The 1760s marked the rise of Sikh power in central Punjab, including the Gujranwala district, which remained under Sikh dominance for the…
066. A Hindu Temple In Hafizabad, Pakistan.
As often happens during such explorations, while searching for Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi in Hafizabad, I unexpectedly discovered something else, an old Hindu temple. We stopped in the main bazaar and inquired about the gurdwara’s location. Among those we asked was Chacha Aslam, a man well over eighty but still hale and hearty. While giving us…
065. An Old Gurdwara In Sargodha, Pakistan.
Sargodha is a big and important city in north-central Punjab. It is a new city; its foundations were laid down in 1903 during the British Raj. According to a booklet, “The Sargodha Perspective“, published by the Commissioner of Sargodha Division in 1975, this is how it got its name: The district of Sargodha derives its…
064. Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi, Hafizabad
Hafizabad is a city located in north-central Punjab, about 45 kilometers west of Gujranwala. Over the past few years, I had passed through it many times on my way to Gujranwala, but never had the chance to explore it. Although I was vaguely aware of the presence of a historical gurdwara, I never found the…
063. Grave of Air Chief Marshal Nur Khan
The war of 1965 was a very important moment in the history of Pakistan. Some even believe it to be our finest hour, when we successfully repulsed massive attacks on our borders at several fronts by an enemy many times bigger. While our army and navy performed well (especially in defense), it was the Air…
062. Tomb of Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed: Nishan-e-Haider
Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed is one of those ten great sons of this country who, in the line of duty and in defence of their country, showed extraordinary bravery and courage and were awarded the highest military award of the land, Nishan-e-Haider. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz, s/o Meherban Khan, was born in 1944 in…
061. Grave of Shahamad Khan: Victoria Cross & Order of St. George
As I mentioned earlier in my post on Captain Raja Sarwar Shaheed, NH, the old Rawalpindi Division is home to five of the ten recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider. Even before the creation of Pakistan, this region was an important source of recruitment for the British Indian Army. Hundreds of thousands of men from this area…
060. Tomb of Sawar Muhammad Hussain Janjua Shaheed: Nishan-e-Haider
December 14, 2016, was a lucky day for me, because on this day I visited the memorials of two of the ten recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider, the highest military award of Pakistan. After visiting the monument of Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed a couple of hours earlier, I reached Dhok Nishan-e-Haider, the village of Sowar…
059. Monument of Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed: Nishan e Haider
Nishan-e-Haider is the highest military award of Pakistan, granted to honour those who display exceptional courage and make the supreme sacrifice of laying down their lives in defense of their country. So far, ten Pakistanis have received this great honour. It is interesting to note that at least seven out of these ten Nishan-e-Haider recipients…
058. Stupa Of Mankiala
The first time I saw the stupa of Mankiala was in 1989 or 1990, while travelling on the GT Road. Its huge, distinct round shape is quite visible from the road, less than two kilometers away. Subsequently, I saw it many times but could not find any information about it—though I was sure it was…