Kasur

Kasur
قصُور
City

The shrine of Bulleh Shah in central Kasur
Coordinates: 31°07′01″N 74°27′01″E / 31.1170277778°N 74.4502222222°E / 31.1170277778; 74.4502222222Coordinates: 31°07′01″N 74°27′01″E / 31.1170277778°N 74.4502222222°E / 31.1170277778; 74.4502222222
Country Pakistan
Province Punjab
District Kasur District
Area
 • Total 3,995 km2 (1,542 sq mi)
Elevation 218 m (715 ft)
Population (2007)
 • Total 288,181
 • Density 595/km2 (1,540/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+5)
Calling code 049

Kasur or Qasur (Urdu: قصُور‎), (Punjabi: قصور), is the headquarters of Kasur District, Pakistan. It is the 20th most populous city of Pakistan.[1] Bordered to the north by Lahore, by India to the south and east, the city is adjacent to the border of Ganda Singh Wala, a border with its own flag-lowering ceremony similar to that of Wagah but far more intimate and less jingoistic. Kasur is also the burial place of the legendary Sufi-poet Bulleh Shah.

History

Kasur region was an agricultural region with forests during the Indus Valley Civilization. The Vedic period is characterized by Indo-Aryan culture that supposedly migrated from Central Asia and settled in the Punjab region. Kasur was said to be ruled by Kusha, son of Lord Ram. The Kambojas, Daradas, Kaikayas, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas and Kurus invaded, settled and ruled the ancient Punjab region. After overrunning the Achaemenid Empire in 331 BCE, Alexander marched into the present-day Punjab region with an army of 50,000. The Kasur region was ruled variously by the Maurya Empire, Indo-Greek kingdom, Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire, White Huns, Kushano-Hephthalites and Shahi kingdoms.

In 997 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul, and followed it by the northern region around modern-day Kasure. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire and later Afghan empire ruled the Kasur region. The city of Kasur was established by Kheshgi tribe of Pashtuns who had migrated to the region, during the reign of Babar and built several small forts in the area.[2] During this time, the Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints. Under Mughal rule, the city flourished and was notable for commerce and trade. It became the home of the legendary Sufi saint and celebrated poet, Bulleh Shah, who is buried in a large shrine in the city.

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh reocuppied Kasur in 1807. During the British Raj, the irrigation canals were built that irrigated large areas of the Kasur District. The predominantly Muslim population supported the Muslim League and the Pakistan Movement. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs were to migrate to India while the Muslim Muhajir people, migrated from India and settled in Kasur.

Language

Further information: Punjabi dialects

Notable people

Agriculture

The main crops in Kasur are wheat, corn, Rice, potato, sugar cane and turmeric. Allahabad(Thengmor) The biggest wheat and rice market in Punjab, there are 70 rice sheller in the area. Turmeric fields of Chhanga Manga and Talwandi, Noor Pur are unique agricultural features of Pakistan.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//tables/POPULATION%20SIZE%20AND%20GROWTH%20OF%20MAJOR%20CITIES.pdf
  2. ↑ http://citykasur.tripod.com/citynetcafe/id12.html
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 25, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.