Sarai Alamgir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sarai Alamgir (Urdu: سرائے عالمگیر) (pop. 50,000) is the chief town of the tehsil of the same name. It is part of Gujrat district in the north of Punjab province. The town is located on the eastern bank of the Jhelum River across from the larger town of Jhelum. East of the town is the Upper Jhelum Canal.
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[edit] Name
The Sarai part of the name is of Middle Eastern origin, and refers to an enclosed space, tavern or public house in a city or beside a road, where travellers and caravans could find shelter. The Alamgir part of the name refers to the seventeenth sentury Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who founded the town.
The town is colloquially referred to as Sarai.
- See also: Sarai
[edit] Geography and climate
Sarai is located at (32.900000, 73.750000) and lies at an altitude of 232 metres (763 ft) above sea-level.
The district as a whole has a moderate climate. In summer, temperatures can reach 45ºC, but the hot spells are comparatively short due to the proximity of the Karakoram Mountains. The winter months are very pleasant with temperatures rarely falling below 2ºC. The average rain-fall in the district is over 100 cm.
- See also: Geography of Pakistan
[edit] History
The ancient history of the region has seen it participate in the Indus Valley Civilization and the Gandhara Civilization. At a later date, the Battle of the Hydaspes took place nearby, between the armies of Alexander the Great and the Indian king Porus.
The actual town of Sarai was founded by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb because of its strategic location on the Grand Trunk Road and the Jhelum River as well as its proximity to Kashmir.
Sarai gained prominence when the King George V Royal Indian Military School was established on March 3rd 1922, one four such cadet schools in British India to benefit the sons of members of the Royal Indian Army.
The school is now known as the Jhelum Military College, despite not being located in the town of Jhelum.
- See also: History of Pakistan
[edit] Transport
The nearest international airport is at Rawalpindi, about 100 km away. However, there are good transport links including a railway station, the Grand Trunk Road, the Jhelum River and the Upper Jhelum Canal.
- See also: Transport in Pakistan
[edit] Sites of interest
The town is a historic crossroads between the ancient Grand Trunk Road and the Jhelum River. Nearby are the site of the Battle of the Hydaspes, the Alexandrian city of Bukephala or Bucephala and the huge Rohtas Fort.
