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Mansehra

Coordinates:34°20′2″N73°12′5″E/ 34.33389°N 73.20139°E/34.33389; 73.20139
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For the district, seeMansehra District.For other uses, seeMansehra (disambiguation).
Mansehra
  • مانسهره
  • مانسہرہ
City
Mansehra after winter snowfall
Mansehra after winter snowfall
Coordinates:34°20′2″N73°12′5″E/ 34.33389°N 73.20139°E/34.33389; 73.20139
CountryPakistan
ProvinceKhyber Pakhtunkhwa
DistrictMansehra
TehsilMansehra
RegionUpper Pakhli
Area
[1]
• Total1,340 km2(520 sq mi)
Elevation
1,088 m (3,570 ft)
Population
(2017)[2]
• Total127,623
• Rank71st in Pakistan
7th in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Density340/km2(900/sq mi)
DemonymMansehri or Mansehrian
Time zoneUTC+5(PST)
Postal Code
21300

Mansehrais a city in theKhyber Pakhtunkhwaprovince of Pakistan and the headquarters ofMansehra District.It is historically considered as the stronghold of theSwati tribeofPashtuns.[3]

In 1820, the ruling Swatis were defeated and the larger part of Pakhli came under Man Singh. During theSikh-era,Mansehra, from a small regional town, became an important city in regards to trade and its strategic location withinHazara.

Khan Bahadur Ali Gohar Khan Jahangiri Swati, 5th Khan/Chief of Mansehra city and elder brother of Babar Saleem Swati's great-grandfather Ahmed Khan.He remained Governor of Srinagar and Agricultural Minister of Kashmir State. Assassinated in 1948

History

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Ancient period

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Main article:Mansehra Rock Edicts
Ashokan inscriptions:Major Rock Edicts1 to 14.

With the rise ofChandragupta Maurya,the region came under the complete control of theMauryan Empire.Ashokagoverned this area as a prince on theimperial throneinc.272 BCE. he made it one of the major seats of his government. TheEdicts of Ashoka,inscribed on three large boulders near Mansehra record fourteen of Ashoka's edicts, presenting aspects of the emperor'sdharmaor righteous law. These represent some of the earliest evidence of deciphered writing inthe subcontinent,dating to the middle of the third century BCE, and are written from right to left in theKharosthiscript.[4]

The region was briefly and nominally controlled by many foreign rulers, including theIndo-Parthians,Indo-Scythians,andKushans,who promotedDharmic religionsthroughout Central and South Asia. The region reached its height under the Buddhist rulerKanishka the Great.

During the period,Buddhist art and architecture flourished in the area.[5]

Medieval period (500-1190 CE)

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With the decline of the imperial Guptas, theHindu Shahiscame to rule the area. The Hindu Shahis built two massive forts on the northern edges of the region. The forts were later renamed as "Kafirkots" (forts of the infidel). These Hindu Shahi forts were known for high towers and steep defensive walls. The Hindus also built manyHindu templesaround the area, however, much of them are now in rubble. The Hindu Shahis remained in control of the area until their defeat by theGhaznavidsin the year 1001.[5]

Modern period (1190-2000s CE)

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Pakhli Sultanate (1190-1399):

The area which is now known asMansehra Districtwas conquered bySultan Pakhal Swatiin 1190 who established the rule by driving out theBambaandKhakharulers of this area.[6]It remained part ofSultanate of Swatunder the name of Pakhli Walayiat (Province) until 1399.

Pakhli Sarkar(1399-1703):

The Timiurids attacked Pakhli Province ofSwat Sultanatein 1370 and established their Sarkar here. The Timiurids gave Sarkar to their subjects called Hazara Turks orKarluk Turksafter whom the name ofHazara Divisionis derived. They ruled until 1703. The last ruler was Sultan Mehmood Khurd. This Sultanate is referred as Pakhli Sarkar in Mughal documents because this area was taken from Sultan Pakhal Swati's Sultanate so the name continued on by Karluk Turks.

2nd Invasion of Swatis in 1703:

Swati's Sultanate of Swatwas ended in 1519 after being defeated byYousafzais.Swatis were finding a area to live peacefully again. In 1703, Swatis under the leadership of Syed Jalal Baba conquered Pakhli and ousted Turks. Saadaat Khan Swati was chosen as Chief of Swati tribe and the whole Pakhli was equally divided among the 3 clans of Swatis. At that time Pakhli was composed of the all areas of today'sDistrict MansehraandDistrict Battagram.

Pakhli Chieftain (1768-1818):

Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded the region withTimur Shah Durrani.Under Durrani Rule, the Chief of Swati tribe Saadaat Khan Swati was chosen as Chief of Pakhli.[7][8]Durrani rule was interrupted by theMaratha Empire's underRaghunathrao,who drove out the Afghans,[9]Following theThird Battle of Panipat,Ahmad Shah Durrani defeated the Marathas and recaptured Lahore, Sikh forces occupied the region after the Durranis withdrew. The Durranis invaded two more times, while the Sikhs would re-occupy the region after both invasions.[8]

Sikh Rule(1818-1831)

The fall of the Durrani Empire made way for theSikhsto rise to power underRanjit Singh.The Sikhs gained control of the area in 1818 by defeating many tribal rulers locally known as "Khans", all belonging to theSwati tribe.A town in Pakhli which is now called Mansehra city(not whole District) was founded byMahan Singh Mirpuri,a Sikh governor.[10][11]There were popular uprisings against Sikh rule, but these uprisings failed and the Sikhs remained in power until 1849 when the area came underBritishrule.[11][12][13][14]

The name of the city is derived from the name of its founder,Mahan Singh,who was an administrator in theSikh Armyduring the rule ofRanjit Singh.[15]The city hosts theMansehra Shiva Temple,which is known for its annualShivarathrifestival.[16]

During Sikh Rule, Saddam Khan Jehangiri Swati was the 2nd Chief/Khan of Mansehra City followed by his son Jageerdar Zaman Khan Jehangiri Swati[17]and Saadat Khan's son Habibullah Khan Khankhail Swati remained the "Khan ofPakhli State

followed by his son Jagirdar Ameen Khan Khankhail Swati while Agror Valley was in the chieftainship of Ghafoor Khan Begal Swati.

In this rule, Jagirdar Muhammad Ali Khan Jahangiri Swati was the "Wali of Konsh Valley" and Khan Wasil Khan Sarkheli Swati was the "Khan of Balakot" who gave valuable assistance toSyed Ahmed Shaheedagainst Sikhs.

British period

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By 1849, the British had gained control of all of Mansehra. To maintain peace in the area, the British took preventive measures by co-opting the local chiefs.

Khan Jummah Khan Jehangiri Swathi was the Khan of Mansehra city under British rule.[18]Atta Muhamad Khan Begal Swathi was the chief ofAgror Valley,Lal Khan Sarkheli Swathi was the Chief ofBalakot,Samundar Khan Khankhail Swathi was Khan ofGarhi Habibullahwhile Wali Muhammad Khan Jehangiri Swathi was the Wali of Ogra andKonsh Valley.[18]

The British dividedHazararegion into threetehsils(administrative subdivisions): Mansehra,Abbottabad,andHaripur.In 1901, when the British formed the buffer province ofNorth West Frontier Province(NWFP), Hazara was annexed into it.

DuringBritish rule,Mansehra was a small town. Its population according to the 1901 census was 5,087.[19]During the British period, Mansehra was the headquarters ofMansehraTehsil.

In 1976 Mansehra Tehsil was made district and Mansehra became the centre of it.

Organisation

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Mansehra City is the administrative capital of District andTehsilMansehra. The City of Mansehra is administratively divided into fourUnion Councils:[20]Mansehra City WardsNo.1–4 and Mansehra (Rural)/suburban. Each union council is divided intoMohallas.

Demography

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Religious groups in Mansehra City (1931−2017)[a]
Religious
group 		1931[22] 1941[21] 2017[23]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 4,217 72.96% 8,141 79.68% 144,838 99.96%
Hinduism[b] 1,091 18.88% 1,699 16.63% 2 0%
Sikhism 469 8.11% 375 3.67% — —
Christianity 3 0.05% 2 0.02% 39 0.03%
Jainism 0 0% — — — —
Zoroastrianism 0 0% 0 0% — —
Judaism 0 0% 0 0% — —
Buddhism 0 0% — — — —
Ahmadiyya — — — — 0 0%
Others 0 0% 0 0% 19 0.01%
Total population 5,780 100% 10,217 100% 144,898 100%

Cultural festival

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During the festival ofDurgashtami,held in the first month of theHindu calendarand the seventh month of theNanakshahi calendar,[24]about 400 localHindusassembled on Bareri Hill to worshipDevi(asDurga). Offerings were taken by aBrahminof Mansehra.[24]The assembly on each occasion lasted only one day.[24]The site is ancient, as at the base of Bareri Hill are the boulders inscribed with the Edicts of Ashoka.[25]

[edit]
  • Northern parts of Mansehra city
    Northern parts of Mansehra city
  • The giant rock of King Ashoka.
    The giant rock of King Ashoka.
  • Sunset in Mansehra City
    Sunset in Mansehra City

Khans of Mansehra

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Khansalso known asNawabsof Mansehra (city only) are following:[26][17]

No Khan Reign Notes
1 Khan Sardar Khan Jahangiri Swati 1703-1751 Khan-E-Awal Mansehra right after the Conquest ofPakhli
2 Khan Suddam Khan Jahangiri[27][17] 1751-1795(died) 2nd Khan Of Mansehra, son of Sardar Khan
3 Khan Zaman Khan Jahangiri[28][17] 1795- 1881(died) 3rd Khan of Mansehra, Known for resistance against Sikh rule, son of Suddam Khan
4 Khan Juma Khan Jahangiri 1881- 1910 Son of Zaman Khan, British terminated his Khanate
5 Khan Bahadur Raja Ali Gohar Khan Jahangiri 1925-1948 Restored Khanate, MLA, Governor Srinagar, Agriculture Minister Kashmir(princely state), Khan Bahadur, Raja
6 Khan Tariq Khan Jahangiri[29] 1948–Present Minister KPK, 3 times elected MPA of Mansehra

Khan Muhammad Tariq Khan Swati has been MPA of Mansehra from 1990-2002 and minister of KPK. Khan Ali Gohar Khan was the agriculture minister ofKashmirbefore partition,deputy commissionerand acting governor ofSrinagar.He was awarded the title of "Khan Bahadur"byBritish Viceroyand title of "Raja"byMaharaja Hari Singhof Kashmir. MPA of Mansehra,Babar Saleem Swatialso belongs to the same family. He is the great grandson of 4th Khan Of Mansehra, Jummah Khan. Khurram Khan, a well known Politician of Mansehra also belongs to same family and is the great great grandson of 3rd "Khan Of Mansehra", Zaman Khan. Zaman Khan Jehangiri was well known for his resistance againstMaharaja Ranjeet Singharmies in Hazara.

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toMansehra (city).

Notes

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  1. ^1931-1941: Data for the entirety of the town of Mansehra, which included Mansehra Municipality.[21]: 19 
  2. ^1931-1941: IncludingAd-Dharmis

References

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  1. ^"Mansehra Demographics table"(PDF).Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2018-12-27.Retrieved2018-12-27.
  2. ^"DISTRICT AND TEHSIL LEVEL POPULATION SUMMARY WITH REGION BREAKUP (MANSEHRA DISTRICT)"(PDF).Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.2018-01-03. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2018-04-17.Retrieved2018-04-24.
  3. ^"Who is Babar Saleem Khan Swati, the Newly Elected Speaker of the KP Assembly? - Economy.pk".2024-02-29.Retrieved2024-08-10.He belongs to the powerful Swati clan, which ruled over Mansehra for centuries.
  4. ^Department of Archaeology and Museums (2004-01-30)."UNESCO world heritage Centre - Mansehra Rock Edicts".Whc.unesco.org.Retrieved2011-03-30.
  5. ^abAncient Pakistan.Chairman, Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar. 1971.
  6. ^"Imperial Gazetteer of India Vol 19 page 319".
  7. ^"Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 19, page 319 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library".dsal.uchicago.edu.Retrieved2023-08-07.
  8. ^abEdmund Bosworth, C. (26 December 2007).Historic Cities of the Islamic World.BRILL.ISBN9789047423836.
  9. ^Roy, Kaushik (2004).India's Historic Battles: From Alexander the Great to Kargil.Permanent Black, India. pp. 80–1.ISBN978-81-7824-109-8.
  10. ^Not to be confused with theHinduRajputRajaMan Singh IofAmberinRajputana,India
  11. ^abAlavi, Rehan (March 25, 2015).Beyond the Dreams Rehan Alavi.Xlibris AU.pp. 92–94.ISBN9781503504004.
  12. ^Weekes, Colonel H. E. (December 19, 2011).History of the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles: 1858 to 1928.Andrews UK Ltd.p. 5.ISBN9781781493335.
  13. ^Hazara Gazetteer 1884
  14. ^Gazetteer 1884,
  15. ^Hazara Report1993, Peshawar:Govt of NWFP, p. 12
  16. ^"Pakistan prepares to hold a major Hindu festival Maha Shivaratri".Asia.Gulf News.TNN. 17 February 2020.Retrieved22 February2020.
  17. ^abcd"Hari Singh Nalwa: Forgotten Voices From Hazara".SikhNet.2019-05-29.Retrieved2024-05-09.
  18. ^ab"Punjab Gazetteer of Hazara District 1883-84 Page 74".Chiefs includes Khan Samundar Khan Swati of Garhi Habibullah—the Hereditary Chief of Swati tribe, Muhammad Husain Khan Swati— The Jageerdar of Mansehra, Atta Muhamad Khan Swati— the Chief of Agror Valley.
  19. ^"Mānsehra Village - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 17, p. 203".Dsal.uchicago.edu.Retrieved2011-03-30.
  20. ^"Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mansehra".Nrb.gov.pk. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-18.Retrieved2011-03-30.
  21. ^ab"Census of India, 1941. Vol. 10, North-West Frontier Province".1941. p. 19.JSTORsaoa.crl.28215543.Retrieved31 March2024.
  22. ^"Census of India, 1931, vol. XV. North-west frontier province. Part I-Report. Part II-Tables".1931. p. 257.JSTORsaoa.crl.25793233.Retrieved31 March2024.
  23. ^"Final Results (Census-2017)".Retrieved31 March2024.
  24. ^abcReport of the land revenue settlement of the Hazara district of the Punjab By E. G. Wace.Central Jail Press. 1876.Retrieved2007-11-03.In the nearby locality of Bareri, Hindus from the vicinity, to the number of about 400, used to assemble at the top of Bareri hill to worshipDevi(Durga) and to present offerings, which were taken by aBrahminof Mansehra. The assembly on each occasion lasted only one day.
  25. ^"Around Abbottabad by S.A.J. Shirazi".Travelers Digest. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-11-10.Retrieved2007-11-03.Further north; go to the black mountain near Oghi or to see the Asokan inscriptions on boulders near base of Bareri Hill close to Mansehra.
  26. ^"Swati Family: Khans of Mansehra City".Swati Family.2023-10-27.Retrieved2023-10-26.
  27. ^Wace, E. G. (1876)."Report of the Land Revenue Settlement of the Hazara District of the Punjab, 1868-74".Google Books.
  28. ^"Report of the Land Revenue Settlement of the Hazara District of the Punjab, 1868-74".
  29. ^"PF-42 Mansehra Election 1993 Full Result KPK Assembly NWFP".www.electionpakistani.com.Retrieved2023-10-26.
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