Mandi Bahauddin

Mandi Bahauddin
منڈی بهاؤالدین
City
Mandi Bahauddin

Location within Pakistan

Coordinates: 32°35′N 73°30′E / 32.583°N 73.500°E / 32.583; 73.500Coordinates: 32°35′N 73°30′E / 32.583°N 73.500°E / 32.583; 73.500
Country Pakistan
Province Punjab
District Mandi Bahauddin District
Established 1506 AD
NA/PP 2/5 N.A (108,109) P.P(116,117,118,119,120)
No. of Towns
2
Government
 • Type City District
 • Union Councils 27
Area[1]
 • Total 7,623 km2 (2,943 sq mi)
Elevation 204 m (669 ft)
Population (2015)[2]
 • Total 400,000
 • Density 52/km2 (140/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Bahauddinian
Time zone PST (UTC+5)
Postal code 50400
Dialling code 0546

Mandi Bahauddin (Punjabi, Urdu: منڈی بهاؤالدین‎) is a city in central Punjab, Pakistan.It is also the capital of Mandi Bahauddin District. The city is some 220 metres above the sea level and is located in central Punjab, between the rivers Jhelum (north 12 km) and Chenab (south 39 km).

Administration

Tehsil Map of Mandi Bahauddin

Mandi Bahauddin, the capital of the district, is also the Tehsil headquarters. Mandi Bahauddin Tehsil has 27 Union Administrations / Union Councils.[3]

History

Early history

In 1506 AD Hazrat Bahauddin a Sufi Darvesh established a settlement namely Pindi Bahauddin in the north-eastern corner of the region known as "Gondal Bar", after his immigration from Pindi Shah Jahanian to this area. The settlement soon became a center of intense commercial activity, hence named afterwards by the merchants as "Mandi Bahauddin", the Market of Bahauddin. The Urdu word "Mandi" implies "marketplace". The proto-city was later on fortified with 9 main doorways to guard against foreign invasions. The wall intact today was completed in 1946.[4]

However, the recorded history of Mandi Bahauddin goes back to the era before Common Era, connecting the region with the historic figure of Alexander the Great. Some 8 km northwest of the modern-day Mandi Bahauddin town, village Mong on the southern bank of Jhelum River (Greek Hydaspes), the battle Battle of the Hydaspes River was fought between Raja Porus (Sanskrit Paurava) and Alexander. This historic battle of Hydaspes River, which Indian sources refer to as the "Battle of Jhelum", took place in 326 BCE.[5] The kingdom of Raja Porus was situated in the northern Punjab of modern Pakistan. This battle proved the last major fight of Alexander's career, for the Macedonians, after being put up a fierce resistance by Porus' soldiery and having heard of a massive 4,000 elephant force mustered by eastern kingdoms, refused to march further east i.e. Ganges Plains.[6]

In 997 Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi succeeded his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, as ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty. He conquered the Shahis in Kabul in 1005, followed by the conquest of the Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and, later, the Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab became predominantly Muslim, due to missionary Sufits whose dargahs dot the landscape. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the native Sikhs of Punjab gained control over the territory. In 1847 the District came under British occupation and two years later, in 1849, it was included in the territory annexed after the second Sikh War.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.census.gov.pk/PUNJAB/MANDI%20BAHAUDDIN.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//tables/POPULATION%20SIZE%20AND%20GROWTH%20OF%20MAJOR%20CITIES.pdf
  3. ↑ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mandi Bahauddin – Government of Pakistan
  4. ↑ http://www.findpk.com/cities/Explorer-pakistan-Mandi%20Bahauddin.html
  5. ↑ Kaushik Roy, India's historic battles: from Alexander the great to Kargil, Delhi: Permanent Black, 2004, p.11
  6. ↑ Ruth Sheppard, Alexander the Great at War: His Army – His Battles – His Enemies, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008, p.206
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