Buchal Kalan
32°40′47″N 72°38′02″E / 32.67972°N 72.63389°E
Buchal Kalan | |
|---|---|
Village and union council | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Region | Punjab Province |
| District | Chakwal District |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
Buchal Kalan (Urdu: بوچھال کلاں), (or simply Buchal) is a village, union council and administrative subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. It is part of the Kallar Kahar Tehsil.[1] As of the most recently available data from 1998, the population of this village is about 18,907 people.
History
This village is named after Bahauddin (Booch) Multani who migrated here in the 16th Century with his sons and was originally from Multan. He in turn is from the lineage of Arabs belonging to the descendants of Hazrat Ali (RA). He was looking for a place to resettle and found this area to be very beautiful with its hills, water springs, and mountainous geography. It was also a great place for him to herd his cattle. Over 70% of the people living in Buchal Kalan today are among his descendants. One of the most well known, and pious personalities from Buchal Kalan was Feroz Khan son of Noor Khan. He was very well known among the people of the village. He was a doctor in occupation. Buchal Kalan is also a place of ghazis (muslim warriors) and shaheeds (martyrs).
Education
A great amount of shaheeds are buried under the soil of this village. In this village, there are two degree colleges and one high school. The people of Buchal Kalan are well educated due to the high literacy rate. They are also well mannered and also famous for great hospitality. The area of Buchal Kalan is disputed however the area of the main village as presented on the bottom right photo is approximately 2 sq. km. Buchal Kalan is the best village of the Chakwal Administrative District on the basis of literacy rate. According to the photo to the right it can be concluded that a mixture of Dhani and Shapuri Punjabi is spoken in Buchal Kalan.
Geography
Buchal Kalan is located approximately 12 km southwest of Kallar Kahar and 30 km west of the Khewra Salt Mine. However, even though the distance between Buchal Kalan and Kallar Kahar is relatively short, there is an important difference to note in regards to elevation. Buchal Kalan is located on the Punjab salt range which is a geographical feature east to a section of the Indus River basin and south of the Postwar Basin. This salt range is a distinctly elevated area about 13 km wide and 126 km long.[2] However, the city of Kallar Kahar is located in the Postwar Basin relatively close to the salt range highlands. The Salt Range is the youngest and the most southern part of the western Himalayan Ranges in Pakistan.
The physical arrangement of the village itself in regards to buildings and housing is fairly centralized, as illustrated by the aerial graphic. Crop fields as well as open areas can be found in the outskirts of the village proper.
Neela Wahn (Blue Waterfalls)
Due to the fact that this location is such a popular destination among tourists and residents alike, it deserves it's own section. What locals refer to as "Neela Wahn" are a series of water springs and waterfalls. They are renown for their uniquely, crystal clear water and beautiful location. As shown on the aerial photo, the location in which the waterfalls are located, is distinctly green as compared to the rest of the plateau.
References
- ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Chakwal Archived January 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ghazi, Shahid; Ali, Syed Haroon; Sahraeyan, Mohammad; Hanif, Tanzila (2015-03-01). "An overview of tectonosedimentary framework of the Salt Range, northwestern Himalayan fold and thrust belt, Pakistan". Arabian Journal of Geosciences. 8 (3): 1635–1651. doi:10.1007/s12517-014-1284-3. ISSN 1866-7538.