Hasan Abdal or Hassan Abdal (Urdu: حسن ابدال) is a historic town of 50,000 residents in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located where the Grand Trunk Road meets the Karakoram Highway near the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 40 km northwest of Rawalpindi. The town is famous for Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib, one of the most sacred sites in Sikhism, where thousands of Sikhs congregate on the eve of Besakhi every year .
History
The famous Chinese traveler Xuanzang who visited the place in the 7th century A.D. mentions the sacred spring of Elapatra about 70 li to the northwest of Taxila which is identical to the one at the current site of Gurdwara Panja Sahib.
The town is mentioned in Ain-i-Akbari in the context that Shams al-Din built himself a vault there in which lies Hakim Abu’l Fath buried. Akbar’s visit to the town on his way back from Kashmir is also mentioned.
William Finch who travelled through India between 1608 and 1611 describes Hasan Abdal to be a "pleasant town with a small river and many fair tanks in which are many fishes with golden rings in their noses ...; the water so clear that you may see a penny in the bottom".[1] The Mughal emperor Jehangir mentions in his Tuzk-e-Jahangiri this town by the name of Baba Hasan Abdal where he stayed for three days. He also praises the city in these words: "The celebrated place at this station is a spring which flows from the foot of a little hill, exceedingly clear, sweet and nice...".[1] Hasan Abdal was visited by various Mughal kings on their way to Kashmir[2]
Muslim Tradition
"The Muslim version of the story is that one Hasan, a Gujar, had many buffaloes; that a Faqir named Abdal came and asked him for a draught of milk. Hasan said, I would gladly give you some, but my buffaloes are at present dry. Abdal laid his hand on one of them and said, "Now milk it." He did so, and soon gave him a copious draught. Abdal expressed his gratitude to Hasan, and asked what he could do for him. Hasan replied that they were much straitened for want of water, on which Abdal struck the neighbouring hills in two places, from which the two streams of Hasan Abdal have come forth. On the departure of the Faqir, Hasan said the spot should hereafter be called after them jointly".
Punja Sahib
In 1521 the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak, arrived in Hasan Abdal, a Gurdwara was built on the spot that he stayed containing a sacred rock that is believed to contain the hand print of Guru Nanak.[2] Punja or panja (Punjabi: پنجہ) :hand or paw. There are different traditions about the origin of the Hand print.
Health and medical care
There is a Tehsil Headquarters Hospital and numerous privately owned clinics in and around the city. Despite the exponential growth in population, the health care facilities are extremely insufficient. Many hospitals are located nearby Wah Cantonment or in Rawalpindi.
Schools
The city has several state owned primary schools, a high school each for boys and girls, a higher secondary school each for boys and girls and a degree college for women. There are a number of privately run schools to make up for the shortfall of the state owned ones.presentation convent high school is also established since 1956.
Cadet College, Hasan Abdal
Cadet College Hasan Abdal is the first Cadet College in Pakistan and was established by the government of Punjab at the initiative of General Muhammad Ayub Khan, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, originally to serve as a feeder institution to the Services Academies. For this purpose, Military Wings were started in 1952 in Government College, Sahiwal, and Islamia College, Peshawar. On the completion of buildings at the present location, the Military Wings were shifted to Hasan Abdal and the Cadet College started functioning as Punjab Cadet College in April 1954. In 1960, the government constituted a Board of Governors to exercise administrative control over the college. Hugh Catchpole was the founder Principal of the College.
The college is located on the Rawalpindi/Peshawar road about 29 miles (48 km) from Rawalpindi/Islamabad, in natural surroundings near the junction of the National Highway and Grand Trunk Road.
Environmental issues
Surrounded by the fresh water springs with crystal clear water and Loquat orchards the city used to be an idyllic place till recent past. Its beauty as mentioned in the earliest accounts[1] has somehow survived the ill planning that has resulted in an exponential increase in its population.
Caste in Hasan Abdal
Maliks, Rajput alpial, Gujjars, Awan, Khattar, Khankhail,Chaudharies Pashtoons, and Jadoons comprises 75% of the city population due to their same culture and heritage more than 500 years.10% saadat.
See also
References
External links
Pakistan