Dipalpur

This article is about the town in the Pakistan. For the town in India, see Depalpur, India.

For the tehsil, see Depalpur Tehsil.

Dipalpur دیپال پور دِيپالپُور
City
The shrine of Hujra Shah in Depalpur City
Dipalpur Show map of Punjab, Pakistan Dipalpur Show map of Pakistan
Coordinates: 30°40′15″N 73°39′12″E
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
District	Okara
Tehsil	Dipalpur
Elevation	167 m (548 ft)
Population  (2017)[1]
• City	99,858
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
Calling code	044
Number of towns	10+
Number of Union councils	3

Dipalpur (Urdu: دِيپالپُور), also spelt Depalpur, is a city in the Okara District of Pakistani province of Punjab that served as headquarters of Depalpur Tehsil, the largest Tehsil of Pakistan. It is situated 148 kilometres from the province capital Lahore on a bank of river ravi.^[2][3] It is located in the west of District Kasur.

History

Early

Depalpur has a great historic past and is a very ancient town. It was founded by Raja Depa Chand Bhatti. The fortified town of Dipalpur is built on an old Kushan site (40 AD to 172 AD). The fortifications themselves are very ancient; though it is impossible determine their dates. All that can be said is that they are older than the visitation of Timur in 1398 AD. From the time of Alexander to the time of Mahmud Ghaznavi, there were no found accounts of Dipalpur.^[4] According to the Gazetteer of 1935, the modern name is claimed to have been named by Raja Deva Pala Bhati Rajput after he re-founded the town.^[4]

Early Muslim period

Mughal and Delhi Sultanates

However, in older times, Dipalpur fell on the way to Delhi and, as such, was considered to be a place where an invader could be engaged. Dipalpur, therefore, was one of the 3 lines of defense; the other two begin Uch Sharif, Samana, and Hansi. Ain-i-Akbari reveals that the militia force at Dipalpur, during the reign of Abul Fazal, consisted of 5,210 mounted Horsemen and 53,300 infantry. In the 14th Century, Firuz Shah Tughlaq regularly visited this place. It is also believed that he built a large mosque outside the city, which no longer remains. At the time of Timur’s invasion, Depalpur was second to Multan in size and importance. The town, it is believed may have been deserted due to Taimurs’s invasion and drying up old Beas River.^[4] The Mughal Emperor Akbar, along with his son Saleem (Jahangir) along with their royal entourage, stayed in Dipalpur when he came to pay homage to Fariduddin Ganjshakar in 1578. Akbar named the corridor Bari Doab by combining the syllables of the names of the two rivers, Beas River and Ravi River, that bounded the area.^[5]

Hujra Shah Muqeem

Sufism

Many Muslim saints have come to preach in this area. Bahawal Haq commonly known as Bahawal Sher Qalandar came from Baghdad and settled in the village of Patharwall near Dipalpur. The saint constructed a hujra (small living room) and a mosque outside the village. His grandson Shah Muqeem continued his mission. The village came to be known as Hujra Shah Muqeem. This is the place mentioned in the famous Punjabi love story Mirza Sahiban, in which Jati Sahiban came here are prayed, although there is no historical evidence to that. A Muslim saint named as Saayin Abdul Razaq stayed in Dipalpur and later on he started his volunteer activity for local people and after his death he was buried in city. Now, his death place is known as Razaqia Darbar.^[6]

Mongols

The Mongols invaded this part of the country repeatedly and they were checked at Dipalpur by Ghiyas-ud-Din Balban and his son Muhammad Khan, during their last invasion of Punjab in 1285 AD. Pir Muhammad Khan Mangol (also called Samar Khan) was defeated at Dipalpur but during the pursuit of the retreating Mongols, Muhammad Khan was killed. It is believed that Shahzada Muhammad Khan is laid to rest in a small tomb to the west of the Badshahi Mosque. Conformation from any authentic sources is, however, not available.^[4]

Notable Historical Visits to Dipalpur (11th–19th Century)

Several historical figures are recorded or traditionally believed to have visited Dipalpur due to its strategic importance as a military and administrative center. These visits highlight Dipalpur's historical significance, drawing rulers, saints, and conquerors who aimed to strengthen their power, establish governance, or impose their beliefs through force.

Historical Figure	Title/Position	Date/Period of Visit	Context of Visit
Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi	Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire	Early 11th century (c. 1005)	Known for his ruthless raids and desecration of Hindu temples, Mahmud passed through Dipalpur during his campaigns, marked by fierce intolerance toward local religions and cultures.[7] [8]
Baba Fariduddin Ganjshakar	Sufi Saint	13th century	Preached Sufism in the area, shaping Dipalpur’s spiritual landscape.[9]
Qutb-ud-din Aibak	Sultan of Delhi Sultanate	Early 13th century	Established a fort in Dipalpur to defend against Mongol invasions.[10] [11]
Sultan Jalal-ud-din Khilji	Sultan of Delhi Sultanate	1290s	Visited to strengthen Dipalpur's defenses on the northwest frontier.[12] [13]
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq	Sultan of Delhi Sultanate	1320s	Made Dipalpur a military and administrative hub for the region.[13] [14]
Sheikh Rukn-ud-din Abul Fath	Sufi Saint	14th century	Visited to spread Sufi teachings, establishing a lasting spiritual legacy.[15]
Feroz Shah Tughlaq	Sultan of Delhi Sultanate	Mid-14th century	Promoted agriculture by building canals in the region.[16]
Timur (Tamerlane)	Conqueror, founder of Timurid Empire	1398	Infamous for his brutality and mass slaughter, Timur passed through Dipalpur during his bloody invasion of the Indian subcontinent. His campaign was marked by horrific massacres and widespread destruction, as he established himself as a murderous tyrant feared across the region.[17] [18]
Guru Nanak Dev	Founder of Sikhism	Early 16th century (c. 1505)	Guru Nanak visited Dipalpur as part of his journeys across the Indian subcontinent to spread his teachings on compassion, unity, and tolerance.[19] During his stay, he engaged with the local community, sharing spiritual wisdom and advocating for equality.[19] Gurdwara Sri Chota Nanakiana Sahib is the site where he is said to have rested beneath a dead pipal tree, which miraculously came back to life and still stands today.[20] During his stay, he is also believed to have cured a leper named Nuri (Nauranga), an act that reinforced his reputation for kindness and healing; Nuri's grave lies just behind the gurdwara.[20] [21]
Babur	Founder of the Mughal Empire	1520s	Known for his oppressive rule and harsh policies toward local populations, Babur visited Dipalpur during his campaign to conquer Northern India, using forceful means to secure control.[22] [23]
Sher Shah Suri	Sultan of Delhi Sultanate	Mid-16th century	Strengthened the Grand Trunk Road near Dipalpur for better connectivity.[24]
Mughal Emperor Akbar	Emperor of the Mughal Empire	Late 16th century	Implemented administrative reforms in the region, enhancing governance.[25] [26]
Maharaja Ranjit Singh	Ruler of the Sikh Empire	Early 19th century	Annexed Dipalpur to the Sikh Empire, solidifying control in Punjab.[27]
Bahadur Shah Zafar	Last Mughal Emperor	19th century	Oversaw Dipalpur as part of the weakening Mughal influence in the Punjab.[28]

Notable residents

• Bushra Bibi (born 1974), wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan
• Qaiser Shehzad (born 1986), cricketer
• Mian Mazhar Zubair Mohal (born 1990), politician

References

1. "Punjāb (Pakistan): Province, Major Cities, Municipalites & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information".
2. Location of Dipalpur - Falling Rain Genomics
3. Tehsils & Unions in the District of Okara - Government of Pakistan Archived February 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
4. "History | Punjab Portal". www.punjab.gov.pk. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
5. "The sorry state of Dipalpur Fort". Daily Times. 2019-04-10. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
6. Cunningham, Alexander (1994). The Ancient Geography of India. Delhi: Low Price Publications. pp. 213–214. ISBN 8185395470.
7. Jackson, Peter. The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History. Cambridge University Press, 1999.
8. Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. The Ghaznavids: Their Empire in Afghanistan and Eastern Iran 994-1040. Edinburgh University Press, 1963.
9. Gaborieau, Marc. Islam and Politics in Afghanistan. Columbia University Press, 2001.
10. Chandra, Satish. Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals. Har-Anand Publications, 2004.
11. Wink, André. Al-Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World, Vol. II. Brill, 1991.
12. Habib, Irfan. Medieval India: The Story of a Civilization. National Book Trust, 2007.
13. Kumar, Sunil. The Emergence of the Delhi Sultanate. Permanent Black, 2007.
14. Lal, K. S. History of the Khaljis (1290–1320). Munshiram Manoharlal, 1950.
15. Schimmel, Annemarie. Islam in the Indian Subcontinent. Brill, 1980.
16. Digby, Simon. War-horse and Elephant in the Delhi Sultanate: A Study of Military Supplies. Orient Monographs, 1971.
17. Manz, Beatrice Forbes. The Rise and Rule of Tamerlane. Cambridge University Press, 1989.
18. Levi, Scott Cameron. The Indian Diaspora in Central Asia and Its Trade, 1550–1900. Brill, 2002.
19. McLeod, W. H. Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion. Oxford University Press, 1968.
20. https://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_chota_nanakiana_sahib_depalpur.html
21. Grewal, J. S. The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press, 1998.
22. Thackston, Wheeler M. The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor. Modern Library, 2002.
23. Dale, Stephen F. The Garden of the Eight Paradises: Babur and the Culture of Empire in Central Asia, Afghanistan and India (1483–1530). Brill, 2004.
24. Sen, S. N. History of Administrative System of Medieval India. New Age International, 1999.
25. Richards, John F. The Mughal Empire. Cambridge University Press, 1996.
26. Smith, Vincent A. Akbar the Great Mogul, 1542-1605. Clarendon Press, 1917.
27. Grewal, J. S. The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press, 1998.
28. Dalrymple, William. The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857. Bloomsbury, 2006.