037. Partitions Of Bengal in 1905 and 1947
Partitions of countries or even administrative units mostly create great controversies. Thus, it has never been easy to create new administrative units, even inside a country. In South Asian history, the partitions of countries or administrative units have a long history and have repeatedly played a very important role. The most recent example is that…
036. Muslim Population Of India: According To The Censuses Of 1941 and 2001
Demographics of a country play a very important role in shaping its culture and history. India is no exception. It is a land of highly diverse geography, terrain, and climate. Its ethnic composition is even more diverse, with hundreds of distinct peoples inhabiting it and speaking many different languages. The subject of this post is…
035. Partition Of Punjab in 1947
Some events in history have always fascinated me. One of them is the independence and partition of India in 1947. Besides the two World Wars, it can be counted among the most important events of the twentieth century. This event led to the independence of India, and eventually, three independent countries emerged. The independence of…
034. Pakistan Elections – 2013
Elections are a very important part of a democratic process, and interesting too. We Pakistanis generally take a lot of interest in heated political debates. But it is very important for us, especially the young, to understand the system and the process, so that we can develop our opinions on the foundations of solid facts…
033. Bollywood’s Pakistan Connection
In mid July, 2014, news items appeared in the media that PM Nawaz Sharif has ordered the house of legendary actor Dilip Kumar, to be declared a national heritage and also to take steps to restore it and turn it into a museum. Notification for that purpose was issued on 26th July, 2014. I noticed,…
032. Oman The Land Of Forts
You must be thinking that what a post titled “Oman The Land Of Forts” is doing on this blog, which is supposed to be about historical and culturally important places of Pakistan. You must have seen that in almost all of my posts, I have deplored the bad conditions of our monuments or historically important…
031. Khurd – Birthplace of Great Actor Sunil Dutt
I’m sure most of you know Sunil Dutt, yes, the father of Munna Bhai! But what many might not know is that he was born in a village in District Jhelum, Pakistan. While the list of Bollywood actors who trace their roots to present-day Pakistan is long and fascinating, Sunil Dutt is the only one whose…
030. Tomb of Sultan Shahab ud Din Mohammad Ghauri and the grave of Major General Nawabzada Muhammad Sher Ali Khan Pataudi
Sultan Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghauri is a well-known figure in South Asian history. While Muhammad bin Qasim and, three centuries later, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni had opened the gates of India to Muslim conquests, their campaigns did not extend permanent rule beyond present-day Pakistan. The task of firmly establishing Muslim power in northern India ultimately fell…
029. Gogera Fort and Old Building of Gogera Courts
Gogera is an old town with a rich historical legacy. In the past, it held far greater importance in the region than it does today. Until the 1850s, it served as the district headquarters—covering areas that are now part of the present-day Okara and Sahiwal districts. I have already written about Gogera’s association with Rai…
028. Tomb of Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal and Grave of Lord Berkley
When the storm of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 broke out across northern India, the fate of the British Empire in the subcontinent hung in the balance for several months. Different regions and communities chose sides based on their own historical experiences, geography, social dynamics, and personal interests. Punjab, however, remained largely peaceful. Although a…