Salt Range
Encyclopedia
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, deriving its name from its extensive deposits of rock salt. The range extends from the Jhelum River
Jhelum River
Jehlum River or Jhelum River , ) is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...
to the Indus
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
, across the northern portion of the Punjab province. The Salt Range contains the great mines of Mayo, Khewra
Khewra
Khewra is a town of Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil in Jhelum District, Punjab province, Pakistan, it is located at 32°38'60N 73°1'0E. The town is administratively subdivided into two Union Councils and is the location of the Khewra Salt Mines.-References:...
, Warcha
Warcha
Warcha is a village and one of the 51 Union Councils of Khushab District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. Warcha salt mines has the best rock salt of the world both in purity and color...
and Kalabagh
Kalabagh
Kalabagh a town and union council of Mianwali District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located on the western bank of Indus River. It is the site of the proposed Kalabagh Dam. It is also famous for its red hills of the salt range and scenic view of the Indus River traversing through the...
, which yield vast supplies of salt. Coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
of a medium quality is also found.
- SakaserSakaserSakaser is the highest mountain in the Salt Range area in Pothohar in Pakistan. Soan Sakaser Valley starts from here. Sakaser is compound of Saki and sar. Saki related to Sakia or Buddha and sar is pond....
and Tilla JogianTilla JogianTilla Jogian is the highest peak in the Eastern Salt Range in Punjab, Pakistan. At 975 meters above sea level, it is about 25 km to the west of Jhelum city and 10 km west of the model village of Khukha. The view from the top of Tilla is highly rewarding...
are the highest peaks of Salt Range. - Khabikki LakeKhabikki LakeKhabikki Lake is a salt water lake in the southern Salt Range area in Pakistan. This lake is formed due to the absence of drainage in the range....
and Uchhali LakeUchhali LakeUchhali is a saltwater lake in Soan Sakaser Valley in the southern Salt Range area in Pakistan. This lake is formed due to the absence of drainage in the range.Sakaser, the highest mountain in the Salt Range at , looms over the lake....
are lakes in the Salt Range.
Kathwai:
Two interesting sites are close to Kathwai, Kutte Mar and Tulaja fort. At Kuttee Mar to the Northeast of Kathwai are Muslim graves made of Kangar and the purported grave of a dog that is said to have died defending the wedding procession of its owner from an attack by bandits. Kutte Mar may have been the place where the Khura inscription of Toramana was found (Buhler 1891-92, 238-41; Sircar 1965: 422-4). If this assessment is correct, a Buddhist monastery was established here around 500. A.D. This inscription and another fragmentary inscription found at Sakaser (Pakistan Archaeology 5, 1968: 284-70) confirm that this area was a flourishing, centre for Buddhism, which is borne out by the extensive archaeological remains.
The Tulaja fort is located on a huge rock outcropping with sheer cliffs overlooking the shrine of Kacchianwalla and the Punjab plains. The entire area is covered with the ruins of defensive walls, houses, and other structures made of large stone blocks. Although one building has been identified as a mosque, it is very difficult to distinguish other religious, military or civil structures. One of the most interesting features is a large square tank made of the flat rectangular bricks, which may have supplied water so that the fort could withstand a siege. Comparing this tank with those in other forts may help in assigning a relative date to its construction. In addition to architectural styles, evidence from any coins, which are found here, may help to indicate if this city belonged to the period of the Turk Sultans, Lodhis or Mughals. Extensive remains of a cemetery and other settlements are on the slopes below the fort. There are also supposed to be some remains on Tulaji across the valley from Talaja.
People
- Janjua rajputJanjua rajputThe Janjua is a Rajput royal warrior clan of South Asia and rulling warriors. They have been referred to as "the most valiant warriors of Punjab." Their warlike nature and dominant rule of their kingdoms against other tribes earned them a powerful reputation in Western Punjab, Afghanistan,...
- AwanAwan (Pakistan)Awan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
- KhokharKhokharThe Khokhar or Khokar are a people of Punjab region of Pakistan and north-western India. According to H. A. Rose they are the gotra of Rajput, Jat, Arain, Nai, and Churah. According to Denzil Ibbetson, they are also a gotra of the Tarkhan and Khatri tribes. The Khokhars were designated as an...
- Khokhran
See also
- Salt Range Temples http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/arth/meister/pakistan.htm
- List of mountain ranges of the world
- List of mountains in Pakistan
- List of highest mountains (a list of mountains above 7,200m)