Pakpatan - Land of Baba Farid (Punjab)

 

Pakpattan is one of the ancient cities of Pakistan, located at a distance of 207 km from Lahore and accessible through National Highway N-5 via Depalpur after turning to left before Okara. It is located on the right bank of the Sutlej River along the border with Bahawalnagar district.

Pakpattan is also known as the city of Baba Farid, a great Sufi saint. Its original name was Ajodhhan, but it was renamed as Pakpattan as Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar called it first time.

Pakpattan is connected with Bahawalnagar, Okara, Vehari, and Sahiwal districts. It can accessed through National Highway N-5 from Okara as well as Sahiwal. Depalpur Road runs through the center of the district. It is also connected with the Lahore - Karachi railway track via Pakpattan.

Pakpattan was agricultural region with vast forest during the Indus Valley Civilization. Various canals and the Sutlej River is the source to irrigate the land of the district. Its land is known due to the fertility of its soil and main profession in the district is agriculture. Various crops such as wheat, cotton, rice, maize, and sugarcane grow in abundant quantity. It is also famous for various fruits such guava, mango, etc.

The main canal flows through the center of the district is the Pakpattan Canal that originates from Sulemanki Headworks for irrigation purpose in Pakpattan, Sahiwal, and Multan districts.

The Shrine of Baba Farid, also known as Fariduddin Ganjshakar, is 13th century Sufi saint. It was the first Islamic holy sites in the South Asia. He belonged to Chisti order of Sufism. The annual Urs or celebrations in his honour conduct from the first to tenth of the Islamic month of Muharram. His shrine also has importance in Sikhism as his poetry was incorporated into the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, visited the area in 15th century to collect Baba Farid's poetry. It is located near the right bank of the Sutlej River in the center of town of Pakpattan on the Pakpattan-Sahiwal Road. The complex includes the tomb of Baba Farid and an old mosque constructed on the arrival of Baba Farid in the city. Tomb is made of white marble with two doors for entrance, Nuri Darwaza or Gate of Light, and Bahishti Darwaza or Gate of Paradise. There are two graves inside the tomb, one belongs to Baba Farid and other to his eldest son.

Malka Hans is the famous ancient and historical town in Pakpattan at a distance of 12 km in the north of Pakpattan. Waris Shah, a famous Punjabi poet, came here from his town Jandiala Sher Khan to compose its classic epic Heer in 1766. Heer is the famous Punjabi poetry represents the tragic story of the Heer and Ranjha love. Mian Muhammad Bakhsh also stayed here for few months and wrote few couplets of his famous sufi poetry book Saif-ul-Maluk.

During the stay of Waris Shah in Malka Hans, he lived in small room adjacent to a historical mosque, also known as Masjid Waris Shah. It has three domes and prayer chamber with vast courtyard. It is located in the center of the Malka Hans town.

Chan Pir Darbar is located on the Pakpattan - Minchinabad Road at a distance of 7 km from Pakpattan city. The annual celebrations are held at the beginning of the summer season for seven days in the month of March at Chan Pir village. There are shrines of Chan Pir and Sakhi Ghulam Qadir are situated. He was a Sufi saint who was said to have come to this region during the 13th century. It is a center of the cultural and spiritual activities in Yazman, a town in Bahawalpur, and the Cholistan desert.

Kumhariwala Hydro Power Project is situated on Pakpattan Canal near Kumhari Wala town at a distance of 12 km form Pakpattan city. It has a capacity to produce electricy of 2.82 MW. From the headworks, the Lower Pakpattan canal is originated.

Pakpattan is famous for its unique and special sweet, called Tosha. It was first introduced in Pakpattan.

The weather of Pakpattan is humid and hot in the summer season, where the winter is short with mild cool weather. It also receives a considerable amount of rainfall in the monsoon period.