The District Chakwal has a number of serene, unpolluted scenic spots.
It
is very easily approachable because it is nearby Islamabad Lahore motor way.
From Chakwal it is 24 to 25 kilometers, from Islamabad it is 85 kilometers
through motorway.
Historical background of Kallar Kahar
This
is picturesque valley about 25 kilometers from Chakwal City on the Chakwal -
Khushab Road. Kallar Kahar is about two hours drive from Islamabad. An
interchange has been constructed there on the motorway and with the completion
of Lahore -Islamabad motorway the driving time has reduced to about half and
hour. Kallar Kahar has a beautiful blue lake surrounded on the southern side by
lush green hills. Boating and fishing facilities are available at the lake and a
number of trekking trails can be explored. Another attraction of the valley is
mineral water springs sprouting from the root of the hills. Between the hills
and the lake spread the famous orchards called Baghe Safa along with the
well-known Takhte Babri. Flocks of peacocks freely road around the valley and
add to its beauty. In addition to many rest houses of the Punjab Government a
motel belonging to Punjab Tourism Development Corporation is available for the
tourists.
Kallar Kahar, a beautiful valley
surrounded by small mountains. The beautiful landscape gives a romantic
atmosphere. Every year thousands of visitors come to see this beautiful valley
through out the country and even from foreign countries. It is one of those
areas a Pakistan where one can find peacock flaunting here and there freely.
Kallar Kahar is called mini heaven on the earth after Kashmir. There are many
springs of sweet water here and there. There is a beautiful lake where one can
enjoy boating, the pedestal boat as well as motor boat. The main visiting points
is Kallar Kahar are lake, the shrine of Sakhi Haoo Bahoo(a hermit ). Hundreds of
followers and other people daily come to visit the shrine, the thorn of the
great emperor Babar near the garden, the beautiful gardens are always full of
its delicious fruits.
Historical background of Kallar Kahar
It
is said, when the great emperor Babar invaded these areas in 1524 Ad he stayed
with his army and there, at Bagh-E- Safa, he addressed his army standing on the
thorn and order his soldiers to give a proper shape to the huge rock, which is
still existing in Kallar Kahar and commonly called Takhte Baabari . As the
valley, he found attractive and fascinating so he decided to stay for a short
period. As he him self writes in his famous book Tuzke Baabari about the area
that he found the area very much fascinating. There he stayed with his
companions. Sahibzada Sultan Ali Zulfi
in his book (Salt Ranges Main Asare
Qudeema ) writes that the old name of Kallar Kahar was Kuldah Kinar and Shahklah.
With the passage of time that name became popular as Kallar Kahar, there is
mention of this in Tuzke Baabri. All the invaders who had been coming to this
area 97% of them passed from Kallar Kahar. Beside Alexander the great fifty
other invaders passed the same way and crossed the Indus. Sultan Mahmood
Ghuznavi also used the same passage for his seventeen attacks on sub continent.
In the southern side of Kallar Kahar there is an old graveyard. Here, Anwar Baig
Awan, a renowned historian of Chakwal found different things from the graveyard
of Ghurka or Ghudka. A stag made of clay, whose one horn is broken a lion of the
same material and a piece of stone of royal green color, which is perhaps the
hilt of a dragger or sward. These entire things are safe.
The
great emperor Zaheer-Ud- Din Baabar to the Garden present in Kallar Kahar gave
Baghe Safa the name. He write about this garden that " From Bhehra, at the
distance of seven kouh (almost five miles) there is a hill its name in history
book is as kuhoo Jooda. We started my journey and at the time of afternoon we
reached in Kallar Kahar. Every where there were fields of wheat. It is a place
worth seeing. There, in Kallar Kahar, at the distance of seven kilometers is a
plain piece of land. On this plain land there is a big lake. As the place
Iofounnd got a garden prepared and named it Baghe Safa". It is the first
garden on Mughal style.
The
lake of Kallar Kahar covers an area of six to seven miles. The main source of
the water are the springs flowing out from the near by mountains. One can enjoy
boating and fishing in the lake. There are many hotels restaurants and picnics
spots beside the lake. The green wild bush plants and herbs and trees surround
Lake. There are many interesting and supernatural stories along the local people
about this lake like the great lake of Saf-ul Malook Found in Kaghan valley.
While Kallar Kahar is situated in the slat ranges, that’s why the water of the
lake is salty and can not be used for drinking purpose and irrigation etc.
Kallar Kahar is one of the most rare valleys of the world in which peacock are
found as the freely wondering birds. One can hear the sound of sweet whistles of
these heavenly birds beautifying the magical atmosphere. Beside peacocks
different kinds of other beautiful birds are also found in this valley. Kallar
Kahar can also be said as the valley of fruits and roses. Delicious and sweet
fruits of this are exported to other territories of Pakistan and even to the
other countries too. The extract of the fragrant roses is also an earning
business for t he local people. The mountains are covered with the green trees,
which add the environmental beauty and also used as the burning fuel. The tree
inhabitants of Kallar Kahar enjoy good health. They are smart, neat and loving
people. Military service, business, agriculture and gardening are the major
occupations of the local population. Form last two decades this town is given
very much progress in different fields of life. Educational institutions,
hospitals, rest houses, parks, and markets are established.
Choa Sadian Shah is an other valley known from its scenic beauty. It lies at a
distance of about 33 kilometers southward from Chakwal. it is bowl shaped valley
surrounded on all side by lush green hills. Most of the houses lie in the low of
the valley or on the slopes of the eastern hills. This valley is full of
orchards of Locatt, pomegranates peach, guava and the aroma of these fruits
permeates the valley the valley. In the main orchards on Kallar Kahar road there
is a stream which falls about 150 feet forming a small waterfall. Many fields of
roses add to the beauty of the valley. These roses are used here to produce an
extract for medicinal purposes.
This is a narrow but very beautiful valley lying in the heart of the forest of
Gandhala. It is situated at about 3 kilometers from Choa Sadian Shah. At
present, rocky path leads from Choa Sadian Shah to the valley. The whole valley
is covered with orchards and is ideal for trekking. In ancient times, it was the
capital of the Buddhist state of Singhapura. Remains of the temple of Ashok are
still found here. Another attraction of this place is the hill of Morrti, which
stands high above the valley.
In order to store water for irrigation is this rainfed area if fir human
consumption, several small dams have been constructed in the district of Chakwal.
These include the Dhurnal Dam, Dhok Tahlian Dam, Khokhar Zer Dam, Nikkah Dam and
Kot Raja Dam. These site if all these dams are scenic and good picnic spots. At
some of these dams facilities for fishing and boating are also available.
Chakwal
has large tracts of evergreen forests of the dry sub-tropical type. Vegetation
includes plants like Phalli, Kao, Sanatha etc. There are two major wildlife
reserves. The undulating Diljabba game spills over covers over 1,00,000 acres of
Chakwal and spills over into Jhelum District. This reserve abounds in Grey
partridge, uria , chakor see see, hares, jackals and wolves, whereas the leopard
and yellow throated Martian are occasional visitors.
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