Manhala

Manhala
Town
Manhala Khan-e-Khanan
Manhala
Location in Pakistan
Coordinates: 31°31′44″N 74°32′36″E / 31.5288°N 74.5433°E / 31.5288; 74.5433
Country Pakistan
ProvincePunjab
DistrictLahore
TehsilWagah Town
Area
 • Total
2,100 ha (5,300 acres)
Time zoneUTC+5 (PKT)

Manhala (منہالہ خان خاناں), also known as Manhala Khan-e-Khanan, is a historic town located in the Lahore District of Punjab, Pakistan.[1] Situated near the India–Pakistan border, it is one of the largest settlements in the Wagah Town tehsil, located east of the BRB Canal.

History

The town was founded in the 1590s during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar by his prominent minister, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan.[2] Due to its strategic location on the original imperial highway (the historic route connecting Lahore, Delhi and Agra), it served as an important stop for travelers during the Mughal era.

Historically, Manhala was a significant estate of the Sandhu Jats. During the British Raj, it was recorded as a prominent village in the Lahore District Gazetteers.[3] The estate originally covered a vast area, much of which was managed by the local Sandhu Sardars. After the Partition of India in 1947, the Muslim branch of the family remained in the village.[4]

Geography and infrastructure

Manhala is located approximately 4 kilometres from the India–Pakistan border and serves as a commercial hub for surrounding villages. The town is notable for housing a Kos Minar, Manhala Kos Minar a Mughal-era milestone that is protected under the Antiquities Act of Pakistan.[5]

References

  1. ^ Goulding, H.R. (1924). Old Lahore: Reminiscences of a Resident. Civil and Military Gazette Press. p. 45.
  2. ^ Lal, Kanhaiya (1884). Tarikh-e-Lahore (in Urdu). Lahore: Victoria Press.
  3. ^ Gazetteer of the Lahore District, 1883-84. Punjab Government. 1884. p. 162.
  4. ^ Talbot, Ian (2006). Divided Cities: Partition and Its Aftermath in Lahore and Amritsar. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195472264.
  5. ^ "List of Protected Antiquities in Punjab". Archaeology Department, Government of Punjab.

Further reading

  • Muhammad Waliullah Khan, Lahore and its Important Monuments, Department of Archaeology, Government of Pakistan.