207. St. John’s Church, Jhelum & the Mutiny of 1857!
Once, while reading about the Mutiny / War of Independence of 1857, I saw a commemorative plaque bearing the names of British soldiers who were killed in an action at Jhelum. In pursuit of that clue, I visited this church on March 30, 2014, but for some reason I could not enter it. However, it…
106. Exploring an Old Serai at Rajopindi, district Jhelum!
The legendary Grand Trunk Road, which traversed the entire North Indian Plain, was one of the major commercial routes of the subcontinent. It played a crucial role in the political, economic, and military history of North India. Its importance has been recognized since the time of Ashoka, and all subsequent rulers and dynasties paid attention…
205. Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi Tibba Sahib Abhor Nanaksar (Tibba Abhor / Chak 1 EB), district Pakpattan!
About ten kilometers east of Arifwala, on the road towards Pakpattan, there is a mound rising from the green cultivated plain. A small village with about two dozen houses and a large graveyard stands atop this mound, which covers an area of almost 30 acres. The village is now called Jati Usman, after a saint…
204. A historic baoli in Kharian on the legendary GT Road, district Gujrat!
It was the third baoli I visited during my journey along the GT Road on 10th November 2025. The previous two were located at Khukha and near Sarai Alamgir, both situated in open fields. In contrast, the baoli at Kharian lies right in the heart of the city, nestled within a congested residential area. Its…
203. Baradari of Diwan Kirpa Ram at Kunjah (district Gujrat)!
Kunjah is a well-known town in the district of Gujrat, located about eight kilometres to the west of Gujrat city. It is an old settlement that enjoyed considerable importance during both the Mughal and Sikh periods. A mosque in the town is traditionally believed to have been built during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. Kunjah…
202. An Udasi Dera at Santpura, (aka Gurdwara Santpura), district Gujrat!
In the beautiful rural area of district Gujrat, about seven kilometers to the west of Kharian, lies a village which is now called Sunnat Pura. But once upon a time, which now seems a very distant past, though actually just 78 years ago, this place had a different name, and its inhabitants, too were somewhat…
201. Tomb of Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider.
I had long wished to visit the tomb of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, one of Pakistan’s bravest soldiers and one of the eleven recipients of the highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider. Finally, the opportunity came on November 10, 2025. This was my sixth visit to the monument or tomb of a Nishan-e-Haider recipient. For the…
200. A forgotten baoli at Baoli Khurd, district Gujrat!
While travelling on the historic GT Road on November 10, 2025, I visited three baolis, and one more the next day. This is the second one; I hope you have already read about the first baoli near Khukha in the district of Jhelum. This article is about an obscure baoli located at 32°53’12.00″N, 73°47’25.04″E, a…
199. A Baoli at Khukha, district Jhelum!
GT Road, or the Grand Trunk Road, is also called the Great Road and sometimes referred to as the Kings’ Road. It is considered one of the most important roads in the world, connecting the entire northern plain of India since the time of Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. In later periods, especially during the Delhi…
198. Government Denny’s Higher Secondary School, Rawalpindi!
The history of the modern education system in this region would not be complete without mentioning the story of Denny’s Higher Secondary School, Rawalpindi. Not that there were no educational institutions at all, there were madrassas and pathshalas, but this was one of the earliest educational institutions established in the city on modern lines. It…