JHELUM

A fusion of two Sanskrit words; Jal - pure cold water, and Ham - snow. Jhelum city and the greater region has been inhabited for thousands of years, with considerable archaeological evidence that indicates the existence of early human settlements like the Vedic, and Achaemenid empires.

In 326 BCE, Alexander the Great conquered the region. This was also the year of the Battle of Hydaspes, which was fought between Alexander the Great and King Porus at the banks of the Hydaspes river (now known as the Jhelum River).

The Jhelum River flowing through mountains in the wintertime.

The Maurya empire followed Alexander’s departure, wherein Chandragupta Maurya spread Buddhism in the area. The Indo-Greek, Kushan, and Gupta empires followed and all had significant fulfillments in arts, science, and culture.

The final empire of the Medieval period was the Mughal empire which bought architectural, commercial, and cultural changes to the area. Albeit not as strong as Lahore or Delhi, the influence that the Mughal rule had over Jhelum was still substantial. It saw the construction of forts, buildings, roads, bridges, and inns, all which facilitated trade and enforced security.

Qila Rohtas - Rohtas Fort; A 16th Century Fort in Jhelum.

At the time of the Sikh confederacy, no misl governed Jhelum directly, however the Sukerchakia (like it did to all others) was the one to conquer and unite the area to the Sikh Empire.

The British ruled over Jhelum and had a similar impact on the district, as they did on the rest of Punjab. They introduced their culture, language, and educational institutions. They established a cantonment in the city which is still in use.

Following the 1947 partition of Punjab, Jhelum became a part of Pakistani Punjab, and continues to share a significant military contribution to Pakistan. The city’s close proximity to the Jhelum River also makes it a significant contributor of agricultural produce. 400,000 people live in the Jhelum city and surrounding villages.

Cattle grazing over wheat crops near the Jhelum River.

Until our paths cross in Chakwal - Trish Saab