Chhachh
Chhachh
چھچھ Chach | |
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![]() A village of Chhach near Attock | |
Coordinates:33°53′00″N72°22′00″E/ 33.88333°N 72.36667°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Province | Punjab |
District | Attock District |
Tehsil | Hazro Tehsil |
Demonym | Chhachhi |
Time zone | UTC+5(PST) |
• Summer (DST) | +6 |
Part ofa serieson |
Punjabis |
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ChhachhorChach(Hindko:چھچھ) is a region located inPunjab,PakistanbetweenPeshawarandIslamabadat the northern tip of Attock, consisting of analluvial plainextending fromAttock DistrictofPunjab,Pakistan,southwest ofTopiandSwabi.[1]
Etymology
[edit]Chach has been identified as theChukhsacountry ofGandharain theTaxila copper plateinscription. The area is mentioned in various epigraphic material, such as the Taxila copper plate inscription, where it is described as a territory of theScythianrulerLiaka Kusulaka.[2]
History
[edit]Ancient History
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Gandhara%2C_Alfred_Foucher_1905.jpg/300px-Gandhara%2C_Alfred_Foucher_1905.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Liaka_Kusulaka.jpg/220px-Liaka_Kusulaka.jpg)
Chach has been identified as theChukhsacountry of theTaxila copper plateinscription.[3]The Chhachh region is located at the historical region ofGandhara Civilization,the ancientIndo-AryanCivilization. The region was inhabited by theIndo-Scythians.Liaka Kusulakawas anIndo-Scythiansatrap of the area ofChukhsa (Chach)during the 1st century BCE. Later the region was inhabited byKabul Shahisand later was ruled byHindu Shahis.[4]Many rulers such asAlexander the Great,Mahmud of Ghazni,Timur,Nader ShahandBaburand their armies crossed the Indus River at or about this region in their respective invasions ofIndia.[5]
A silver jug found atTaxilaindicates thatZeioniseswas the "satrap ofChuksa,son ofManigula,brother of the great king ", but who this king was remains uncertain.[6]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Indo-Scythian_Zeionises._Circa_45-35_to_5_BCE_Uncertain_mint_in_Chukhsa_%28Chach%29_%282%29.jpg/220px-Indo-Scythian_Zeionises._Circa_45-35_to_5_BCE_Uncertain_mint_in_Chukhsa_%28Chach%29_%282%29.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Indo-Scythian_Zeionises._Circa_45-35_to_5_BCE_Uncertain_mint_in_Chukhsa_%28Chach%29.jpg/220px-Indo-Scythian_Zeionises._Circa_45-35_to_5_BCE_Uncertain_mint_in_Chukhsa_%28Chach%29.jpg)
Obv:King on horseback holding whip, with bow behind. Corrupted Greek legend MANNOLOU UIOU SATRAPY ZEIONISOU "Satrap Zeionises, son of Manigula".BuddhistTriratnasymbol.
Rev:King on the left, receiving a crown from a city goddess holding a cornucopia.Kharoshthilegend MANIGULASA CHATRAPASA PUTRASA CHATRAPASA JIHUNIASA "Satrap Zeionises, son of Satrap Manigul". SouthChachmint.
Middle Ages
[edit]TheBattle of Chachwas fought in 1008 AD between theGhaznavidarmy of SultanMahmud of Ghazniand theHindu Shahiarmy ofAnandapala,resulting in the latter's defeat. TheGakharsbecame vital in the hills to the east, but their dominion never extended beyond theMargalla pass.Ghakhars were defeated by the Kashmiri rulerSultan Shihabu’d-dinnearOhindand continued underKashmiri ruleuntil the conquest ofBabur.[7]
Early Modern Period
[edit]This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(November 2023) |
TheBattle of Attock(also known as Battle of Chuch) took place on 13 July 1813 between theSikh Empireand theDurrani Empire.[8]The battle was the first significantSikhvictory over the Durranis.[9]
DuringBritish Rulethe region became part of Attock Tehsil; the municipality of Attock which was created in 1867 and theNorth-Western Railwayconnected the town toLawrencepur.The town is surrounded by rich cultivation, and from 20th century had a flourishing trade, chiefly intobaccoandsugar.
Geography
[edit]Chhachh is 7 km (4 mi) off thePindi-PeshawarGT road. Chach is at the edge ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa-Punjabborder. It is 20.4 km fromAttock cityand 22.9 km fromTopi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.It is bounded on the north and west by theIndus Riverand is about 19 miles (31 km) long (from east to west) and 9 miles (14 km) broad.[10]
Chhachh is a plain which rolls from theHazara-Punjabhills south toKamra,and from east of theRiver Industo the broken lands nearLawrencepur.
Demography
[edit]The Chach Valley, consisting of 84 villages located along the Indus River. Percolation from the Indus makes the area extremely fertile. The region was surrounded by rich cultivation, and had a flourishing trade, chiefly intobaccoand sugar. The population of the area are primarilyHindkowans,Pashtunpeople of the area who hail from theYusufzai,Barakzai,Akakhel,Tareen,Alizai,Lodi,Sadozaitribes andKashmiris.People of this region speakChhachi dialectofHindko."Chhachhi" is also ademonymfor the people from Chhachh. Chhachi people are usuallybilingualboth inHindkoandPashtolanguages. It also has a significant number of people living abroad.[11]
References
[edit]- ^Peach, Ceri; Vertovec, Steven (27 July 2016).Islam in Europe: The Politics of Religion and Community.Springer.ISBN9781349256976.
- ^"Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 115 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library".dsal.uchicago.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 13 June 2010.
- ^"Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 115 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library".dsal.uchicago.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 13 June 2010.
- ^"Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 115 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library".dsal.uchicago.edu.
- ^public domain:Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). "Attock".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 886. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^Konow, Sten(1929).Kharoshṭhī Inscriptions: with the Exception of Those of Aśoka.Kolkata: Government of India Central Publication Branch. p.82,PLATE XVI.
- ^Hasan, Mohibbul (2005).Kashmir Under the Sultans.Aakar Books.ISBN978-81-87879-49-7.
- ^Cunningham 1918,pp. 152–153
- ^Jaques 2006,p. 81
- ^Conference, British Dam Society (2002).Reservoirs in a Changing World: Proceedings of the 12th Conference of the BDS Held at Trinity College, Dublin, 4-8 September 2002.Thomas Telford.ISBN9780727731395.
- ^Beauty of Chhachh - Tribes
Sources
[edit]- Cunningham, Joseph Davey (1918).A history of the Sikhs: from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej.London, New york:Oxford University Press.
- Jaques, Tony (2006).Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A-E.Greenwood Press.ISBN978-0-313-33537-2.