Chunian

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Chunian is an historic city of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at 30° 58' 0N 73° 58' 60E and has an altitude of 177 metres (583 feet),^[1] and lies about 70 km south of Lahore, the Punjab capital. It is the headquarters of a tehsil or revenue sub-division of the same name in Kasur District. The city is administratively subdivided into two Union Councils.^[2]

The tehsil is known for the Changa Manga forest, the largest single plantation of trees in Pakistan, and the Chunian Industrial Estate, one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing units in the country.

Chunian city (1998 census pop. 47,600) is located on the Pattoki-Kasur Road, and constitutes an important junction of local roads. The city is located on the right bank of the old bed of Beas River. Beas changed its course several centuries ago. The city is a busy regional market for agricultural produce.

Some important places around Chunian includes Ellah Abad and Gehlan Hithar. Gehlan Hithar is also found to have almost 400 years of rich cultural history.

[edit] History

The present city is more than 500 years old. Some parts of the city fortification and several of its gates still exist. The city is built on a mound that is believed to be an original Harappan or Indus Valley Civilisation site. There has been little excavation. The last excavation was carried out in 1978 by the Archeology Department, Government of Pakistan. Among other objects, coins dating back to Alexander the Great's time (c. 323 B.C.) were discovered at the site. A large area of unexcavated mounds extends to the south-west of the city where ancient bricks and shards of pottery can be found on the surface. Popular legend holds that the city has been destroyed nine times in the past. The present name is popularly believed to have been derived from 'Chunni', name of a daughter of Raja Todar Mal, the dewan or revenue minister to Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great. Little historical evidence of this belief has been documented. People of nearby villages call the city Chooni in local dialect of Punjabi.