Yazman

يزمان
City
Yazman
يزمان
Coordinates: 29°48′N 71°27′E / 29.8°N 71.45°ECoordinates: 29°48′N 71°27′E / 29.8°N 71.45°E
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
Elevation	115 m (377 ft)
Population (1998)
• Estimate ()	50,000
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)

Yazman (Urdu: يزمان‎), is a city and capital of Yazman Tehsil of Bahawalpur District, in southern Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at 29°8'0N 71°45'0E with an altitude of 115 metres (380 feet).

History

Yazman is primarily called a gateway to the Cholistan Desert. It is the largest Tehsil of Bahawalpur District. Yazman is a unique offspring of the process of colonization of the defunct state of Bahawalpur and it was named after a city of “Yazman” in a Syrian region of Balkh.

Yazman is actually a seven to eight decades older city. The following three factors played a vital role in its colonization and development. 1-It is situated at a starting point of Cholistan, 32 kilometers from Bahawalpur (The capital of the ex-state of Bahawalpur and a commissionerate and divisional headquarters after its merger into Pakistan) 2-The colonization as a result of the completion of Satluj Valley Project canal system. 3-An important station of the Cholistan or Colony Railway Line laid down from Samma Satta, Bahawalpur to Fort Abbas via Yazman. Yazman came into being because an administrative unit was required in the colony area of Cholistan.

After 1955 the coming years heralded a new era of development and progress and its infrastructure was enhanced to the maximum extent. With effect from 1 July 1984 Yazman gained the status of Tahsil with a high profile socio-economic and agrarian progress.

Tehsil level offices of all important departments i.e. Police, Agriculture, Social Welfare, Education, Food, Forest, sports, irrigation, electricity, telephone and branches of all the national banks are operational here. Special focus on the development of Cholistan has been a special phenomenon. After devolution many development projects of education, irrigation, communication, public health engineering and electricity have so far been carried out.

Transportation

Keeping in view to provide an effective infrastructural facility in the form of state controlled communication, a 124 miles project of a railway line from Samma Satta to Bahawal Nagar via Fort Abbas was started in November 1926.In the first phase railway line was laid down from Bahawal Nagar to Doga Bonga and was inaugurated in 1928.It was extended to Fort Abbas during the next two years. The project of remaining 80 miles from Fort Abbas to Samma Satta with the prominent stations of Mansoora, Quresh, Yazman and Qattal Ammara was completed during the period of next four to five years. This railway line could be utilized only for five years as on the request of the British Indian Government (a patron of the Bahawalpur state) all the infrastructure of railway line was given to the old patron to meet the urgent requirements of the Second World War at Indian Fronts.

The Nawab of Bahawalpur sanctioned the removal of 80 of the 124 miles railway track on 12 December 1940.It was lifted with a hope and plan to be re-laid after war. But that hope was never fulfilled and as a consequence the then required level of development in the colony area of Fort Abbas, Fort Marot and Yazman suffered a great setback in the days to come.

In 1943 Yazman was conferred upon the status of Notified Area Committee (NAC or Sub Tahsil) along with its neighboring cities of Hasilpur, for Abbas and others like Bahawal Nagar, Sadiq Abad, Chishtian and Haroon Abad with a subsequent extension up to 31 March 1947 and a Naib tahsildar was posted who was also ex-officio chairman of the Committee. In order to facilitate the agro based economy, the State had a norm to alleviate some of the cities to the level of Mandi. Yazman was given the status of non-permanent Mandi in 1943-44 and was upgraded to the level of Permanent Mandi in 1949. The construction work of the Yazman City was started through auction of plots for commercial and residential purpose by the state administration. A brick kiln was approved for the promotion of construction work. One dispensary was established in 1942-43. The figures of the income and expenditure of Yazman committee as Rs.1621,Rs.2531 and Rs.1016,Rs.1364 are available in the administrative reports for the years 1942-43 and 1943-44. In the same year there was a police station with a staff of one Sub inspector, one hawaldar and 18 constables. The state administration report for the year 1946-47 reflects that “the construction of water courses in Yazman is given due importance. Yazman is indicating a permanent low profile of development due to poor situation of the communication.” The provision of communication facilities was a major motive in this area. Apart from the railway line (discarded after only five years), lorry service was started between Bahawalpur to Fort Abbas and Yazman on the non metaled road which continued up to the merger of the state in Pakistan till 1955. When the 32 kilometers road between Bahawalpur and Yazman was converted into metalled road, the transport service and its quality became better and comfortable.

Sites

Cholistan Desert

The desert area which comprises one third of the total area of the Bahawalpur District is called “Cholistan” or “Rohi”. In local dialect the word “Cholistan” which means desert without water and grass. The Cholistan can be divided into two parts: VIZ Smaller Cholistan and Greater Cholistan. Smaller Cholistan is situated along with the irrigated area while Greater Cholistan lies further south. Some parts of Cholistan are open plain spaces, locally called “Dahars” where soil is alluvial and suitable for cultivation. The other parts consists of sand dunes, called “Tibas” rising at some places up to 100 meters with vegetation peculiar to sandy tracts.

Cholistan was under regular irrigated cultivation till 1200 B.C and under seasonal regular irrigated cultivation till about 600 B.C. With the drying up of River Hakra the area was deserted with passage of time. There are more than 400 archeological sites which were once populated as per survey report of Dr. Rafique Mughal which was carried out in the winter of 1978 and published in an international magazine. Cholistan is also called as valley of Hakra.

Average rainfall in Cholistan is 7.5 to 12.5 centimeters and subsoil water is brackish. Density population in Cholistan is only 09 persons per square kilometers. Animal population is around 1,200,000 which comprises camels, goats, sheep and cows. Cholistan is home of wildlife. Main source of drinking water both for human beings and animals, is rain water which is stored in “Tobas” and “Kunds” (water reservoir). Cholistanis constantly move in search of water. The desert on south was once habitable and forts of Derawar, Din Garh, Mauj Garh and Marot were situated at the bank of the dried up river called Sarswati, Hakra or Chughra. With the passage of time, its feeder channels changed route thus the vast tract of irrigated land converted into desert now called Cholistan.

The population of Cholistan consists of Muslims and non-Muslims with culture and language of their own. Cholistani clans migrate to the plains of the district in summer with their animals when rain and water is scarce. The current major clans of Cholistan include Jats, Arain, Rajputs and Balochis. Their sub-clans include Chatta, Cheema, Warraich, Rehan, Ghuman, Sidhu, Uppal, Janjua, Rathore, Bhatti, Leghari, Lashari, and Dashti. Though these clans are unique because of their historical past and maintenance of their tribal traditions. The crafts and folktales are very much recognized.

The Shrine of Channan Pir

A few kilometers from Yazman at the start of Cholistan, the Shrine of Channan Pir is situated. It is an exclusive centre of the spiritual and cultural heritage of Yazman and Cholistan. Cultural activities are observed to be at the peak when Urs or Fair of Channan Pir is held on the consecutive seven Thursdays starting in the month of March every year. The visitors throw tabbaruk (the sacred sweet) and the persons who pick and taste this tabarruk are supposed to be fortunate in achieving their worldly pursuits. It is told that some time in the Seventh Century Hijri (the Islamic calendar) a well known spiritual celebrity of great stature at Uch Sharif Hazrat Makhdum Jalal-ud-Din Surkh Bukhari while traveling on route to Jasalmir a Hindu area, claimed that there was a Muslim residing in the area. He was replied in negative. He was told that the wife of the ruler (raja) of this area was expecting a baby. He predicted that he would be a staunch Muslim. The Raja became scared of the forecast of the saint and the newborn baby was laid alive in a cradle made of sandalwood and was thrown in the desert to vanish away. The supernatural phenomena protected and brought up the to be saint. He entered in the circle of Makhdum Jalal-ud-Din Surkh Bukhariand and was given the title Channan Pir. He converted many non-Muslims. The individuals of almost all the religions and sexes are devotees of Channan Pir and pay respects to him on the occasion of his death anniversary (Urs). The passionate devotees from all over the area pay homage to the saint as a token of acknowledgement of fulfillment of their desires for which they make vows. The Ruler Nawab of Bahawalpur paid a visit to the shrine along with the state Prime Minister Mr. Krafton and his spouse on March 14, 1943.

Derawar Fort

The most visited ancient site is Fort Derawar which is situated in the middle and on the interlinked old communication network of the Great Desert of Cholistan. Its distance from Ahmad Pur East and Bahawalpur is equal i.e. 50 km. The historians tell that Derawar Fort was constructed by the Raja of Bhatti tribes in 757 A.D. It is constructed in Hindu style of architecture. The first Nawab of Bahawalpur State Sadiq Muhammad Khan I while expanding the territory of the state attacked and got hold of the fort from Sardar Aghi Sing.

Raja Jajja from a Bhatti tribe was the ruler of Khanpur and Ahmadpur. Another Raja Diwa Sing sought permission from his maternal uncle Sardar Jajja Sing to construct the fort at a bank of Hakra in Cholistan which was granted and its erection started in 837 A.D. Due to unknown reasons Raja Jajja ordered to suspend the process of construction. On the request of his sister, the mother of Diwa Sing, he again permitted to restart its construction. After its completion it was named as “Dewar Awal” which became Derwar by the passage of time.

In 1825, Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan III built a mosque in front of it on the true model of Jamia Masjid Dheli. Marble of very fine quality was used in the mosque of Derawar. It is a unique monument which was constructed with a material which was brought there from the remote areas to that area of poor communication. The family graveyard of the Nawabs Half km from the mosque is also worth seeing because of its style and architecture.

Economy

The main ingredients of the social set up of Yazman are dominantly agrarian. The city gives a passive look on account of socio-economic conditions. Economic activity depends on a favorable climate. Its population consists mainly of lower middle class and low paid communities. The area is relatively backward and is not industrialized. The literacy rate is very poor. As the city of Yazman is very close to its district headquarters Bahawalpur, the residents of the city of Yazman prefer to avail the educational facilities at Bahawalpur.

References

Mehar Mubasher Ali

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