Pasrur
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Pasrur (Urdu: پسرور) is a town situated in Sialkot District, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The nearest big cities are Sialkot, Narowal and Gujranwala.
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[edit] History
Akbar was the first Mughal emperor to recognise and give a land grant which later came to be known as Pasrur.
Akbar sought military and financial help from Raja Maan Singh to conquer the land of Punjab to expand his empire. Upon successful victory, he distributed large parts of fertile land to Raja Maan Singh. Raja Maan Singh did not want to go and live in Punjab. He recognized that his importance will be felt only if he is present in Akabar's court all the time. Therefore he, in turn distributed parts of the fertile Punjab valley to many of his financial supporters.
A Jain merchant trader from the town of 'Oshowal' (Oswal in Marwar in India, who had financially supported Raja Maan Singh was granted a large part of fertile land which is now Pasrur. The Jain merchant had to move to and live in Pasrur in order to avail of his grant. This was gladly accepted and he became the 'Zamindar' of the area of Pasrur.
The new owner of the land brought many farmers from his home town and from neighbouring areas to till the land. Slowly a small town developed in the area. Despite his enormous wealth from tax collections, the Zamindar re-established his old trade as a Cloth merchant in and around Pasrur villages. This came in handy during periods of famine when the farmers of the area could not pay taxes.
One of the descendants of the original Zamindar was 'Baba Dharam Dass'. Baba Dharam Dass owned a horse and used to travel from village to village selling his clothes. Once on such a trip, he was murdered. His tomb is located on the other side of the creek named 'Deoka' (or is it Degh?) just outside Pasrur boundary. Two different replicas of 'Baaba Dharam Dass's tomb have been made by his descendants, one near the town of Meerut, 60 kilometres from New Delhi and other just on the outskirts of the city of Ludhiana in Punjab, India.
Most Jain descendants of Baba Dharam Dass, worship him as their ancestor and invoke him during life ceremonies.
Akbar was succeeded by his son, Jehangir. Jehangir often used to travel to Kashmir during summer. On one such visits, he took a stop over in what is now called Pasrur. He enjoyed the wine and the beauty of Pasrur for a few days and uttered the word 'Pur Suroor' to appreciate his stay and intoxication he had there. Since then, the place was known as Pur Suroor and over a period of time, the name was shortened to its present name 'Pasrur'.
In 1807, Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Quitbuddin and after winning the battle, annexed Pasrur in his state. According to Sikh history, between 1500-1506, their founder Guru Nanak had visited the Mughal king Babur in Saidpur (modern Eminabad, Pakistan), and after that Guru Nanak returned to Sialkot via Pasrur. According to Punjabi Munch, Guru Nanak revisited Pasrur again on his second journey in 1517-1518.
In 1894, Maria White of Grover City, Mercer County, Pennsylvania - USA founded a dispensary near Pasrur where she worked and ended her medical career.
[edit] Economy
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the people in Pasrur. Many people go to Sialkot, the nearest big city, to work in leather, garments and sports factories. Pasrur is also famous for clay pots manufactured here though clay pottery contributes relatively less to Pasrur's economy.there a pharmaceuticals manufacturing company "CANDID PHARMACEUTICAL"www.candidpharma.com and a sugar mills at sialkot road pasrur.
[edit] Baba Dharam Dass Tomb
Pasrur has a famous tomb of a Jain Baba, Baba Dharam Dass who is the ancestor of most Jains living in Pasrur. His tomb is now in ruins. Last recorded visit to the tomb was made by some Jains from Delhi in 1980's to retrieve a few bricks from it to incorporate in the replica's of the Baba Dharam Dass tomb made one in Meerut and another in Ludhiana in India. It is the author's opinion that this tomb is located in the vicinity of the Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Pasrur in Deoka.
A Jain merchant trader from the town of 'Oshowal' (Oswal in district Marwar in the state of Rajasthan in India) who had financially supported Raja Maan Singh was granted a large part of fertile land which is now Pasrur. The Jain merchant had to move to and live in Pasrur in order to avail of his grant. This was gladly accepted and he became the 'Zamindar' of the area of Pasrur.
The new owner of the land brought many farmers from his home town and from neighbouring areas to till the land. Slowly a small town developed in the area. Despite his enormous wealth from tax collections, the Jaamindaar re-established his old trade as a Cloth merchant in and around Pasrur villages. This came in handy during periods of famine when the farmers of the area could not pay taxes. One of the descendants of the original Jaamindaar was 'Baba Dharam Dass' whose tomb is located on the other side of the creek named 'Deoka' (or is it Degh?) just outside Pasrur boundary. Two different replicas of 'Baaba Dharam Dass's tomb have been made by his descendants, one near the town of Meerut, 60 kilometres from New Delhi and other just on the outskirts of the city of Ludhiana in Punjab, India.
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