ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>PO&#7788HOH&#256R</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="POlHOHR"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279PO&#7788HOH&#256R, a distinct lingual and cultural region in northwest Punjab (now in Pakistan), comprising a part of the R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 district, including the entire Gujjar <u>Kh</u>&#257n <i>tahs&#299l</i> (subdivision) Barring the hilly tract in the east along the River Jehlum, southeastern part of R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 <i>tahs&#299l</i> and Kallar circle of Kah&#363&#7789&#257 <i>tahs&#299l</i>. It is a slightly raised plain sloping south and southwestward. This probably gives it the name <i>Po&#7789hohar</i>, a derivative of Hindi <i>pa&#7789h&#257r</i> lit. plateau. It is a rough plain interspersed with numerous streams and ravines which turn into turbulent torrents during the rainy season. The main river of Po&#7789hoh&#257r is So&#257&#7749, commonly pronouced Su&#257&#7749, which is a tributary of the Indus and which figures extensively in the folkore of the region. Another notable stream is K&#257&#7749sh&#299 which ultimately joins the Jehlum.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some archaeological finds from the So&#257&#7749 basin believed to be dating back to the first and second interglacial age suggest that Po&#7789hoh&#257r was one of the earliest homes of mankind in this part of the world. In any case, the region can boast of the most ancient culture in India. It must have been the first halting place for the waves of Aryan who entered India from the northwest. When the Greeks invaded India in 326 BC, they found Tak&#7779a&#347il&#257 or Taxil&#257 at the northwestern edge of Po&#7789hoh&#257r "the great and flourishing city." Taxil&#257 continued to be an important seat of learning and centre of Graeco-Buddhist art for many centuries. The relics of Buddhism in Po&#7789hoh&#257r are not confined to Taxil&#257 alone. Hasan Abd&#257l, M&#257niki&#257l&#257 and many other places are intimately connected with BuddhIst tradition and culture. The local dialect, Po&#7789hohar&#299, spoken even in areas beyond the boundaries of Po&#7789hoh&#257r proper still preserves many Sanskrit and Pr&#257krit verb forms and inflections. A popular legend points to the conquest of the region by R&#257j&#257 Ras&#257l&#363, son of King Salv&#257n, ruler of Si&#257lkot. From the point where the tradition of antiquity gives place to more authentic historical records, Gakkha&#7771, a Muhammadan tribe, comes into prominence. The Gakkha&#7771s ruled over Po&#7789hoh&#257r more or less independent of the sovereign powers at Delhi and &#256gr&#257 until they were overcome by Sard&#257r Gujjar Si&#7749gh, a powerful Sikh chief of the Bha&#7749g&#299 family, in 1765. His deputy, Milkh&#257 Si&#7749gh, set up his headquarters at R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299, then only a small village. Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh annexed Po&#7789hoh&#257r in 1810, and in 1849 along with other Sikh territories, the district passed under British rule.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Po&#7789hoh&#257r was predominantly Muslim. Sikhs, according to 1901 census, were hardly 5 per cent of the population while Hindus were about 10 per cent. The two non-Muslim communities, mostly Khatr&#299s and Aro&#7771&#257s, were closely knit together and hardly distinguishable from each other in religious belief and social customs except that the Sikhs, under the influence of their spiritual head, B&#257b&#257 Khem Si&#7749gh Bed&#299 of Kallar, one of the leadrs of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement, generally took the vows of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 and kept their hair and beard untrimmed. A large percentage of Hindu Khatr&#299s and Aro&#7771&#257s were Sahijdh&#257r&#299 Sikhs. The influence was also strengthened in the area by the Nira&#7749k&#257r&#299 Darb&#257r spearheading a reformist movement located at R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 and by the proximity of Pañj&#257 S&#257hib, the famous Sikh shrine sacred to Gur&#363 N&#257nak. Sikhism received further fillip from the preachings of holy men such as Sant Atar Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 Th&#257n Si&#7749gh. Being businessmen by profession, Po&#7789hohar&#299 Sikhs were better off economically and better educated than members of the majority Muslim community, and were quick to take to western education introduced by the British. B&#257b&#257 Khem Si&#7749gh Bedi was pioneer in the field of women's education and he opened 20 schools for girls throughout Po&#7789hoh&#257r. Several <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 schools for boys also came up which provided special facilities for teaching Punjabi in Gurmukh&#299 script. Po&#7789hoh&#257r has produced a large number of Sikh scholars and writers. Among them may be counted Bh&#257&#299 Jodh Si&#7749gh and Professor Tej&#257 Si&#7749gh, distinguished theologians, N&#257nak Si&#7749gh and Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh Duggal, both novelists of standing, Dr Mohan Si&#7749gh D&#299w&#257na, the critic and Mohan Si&#7749gh, the poet. The towering political leader, Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, was a Po&#7789hohar&#299. So were Gi&#257n&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh Mus&#257fir and Gi&#257n&#299 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh Dard.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Sikhs of Po&#7789hoh&#257r were a flourishing section of the community and leaders in a variety of fields. On the eve of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the entire region was engulfed in fierce communal frenzy. Widespread loot, arson and massacre were the order of the day. Many fled to find refuge in eastern part of the Pu&#7749jab, especially in the Sikh state of pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. The orgy intensified after the Partition in August 1947, resulting in mass migration of Hindus and Sikhs to the Indian side. Po&#7789hoh&#257r&#299 Sikhs resettled mostly in towns and cities throughout India particularly in Delhi, Punjab, Hary&#257&#7751&#257 and Uttar Pradesh, where they still retain their distinctive identity and avocations.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Tej&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Sabhi&#257ch&#257r</i>. Delhi, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"><i>Pañj Dary&#257</i>. Lahore, December 1942<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh Duggal<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>