A History of Pasrur
Akabar was the first Moghul King to recognise and give a land grant which later came to be known as Pasrur.
Akabar (1556-1605), a Moghul king, son of Humayun and grand son of Babur, the first Mogul empror in India, was a generous King with patronage to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He was the first Moghul ruler who actually fortified the foundations of the Mughal Empire. He adopted conciliatory policy towards Rajput’s (the ruling clan of Rajasthan) and married a Rajput wife Maharani JodaBai. Many a Rajput Kings and noblemen acted as his advisers. Balbir, Tansen and Raja Maan Singh are some of the most famous Rajputs in Akabar’s Darbar. Tansen was the most accomplished musician of the age. Ain-i-Akbari gives the names of 36 first-rate musicians of Akbar’s court where Hindu and Muslim style of music mingled freely.
Akabar sought the Military and Financial help from Raja Maan Singh to conquer the land of Punjab to expand his empire. Upon successful victory, he distributed large parts of fertile land to Raaja Maan Singh. Raaja Maan Singh did not want to go and live in Punjab. He recognised that his importance will be felt only if he is present in Akabar’s Darbar all the time. Therefore he in turn distributed parts of the fertile Punjab valley to many of his financial supporters.
A Jain merchant trader from the town of ‘Oshowal’ (Oswal in district Marwar in the state of Rajasthan in India) who had financially supported Raja Maan Singh was granted a large part of fertile land which is now Pasrur. The Jain merchant had to move to and live in Pasrur in order to avail of his grant. This was gladly accepted and he became the ‘Jaamindaar’ of the area of Pasrur.
The new owner of the land brought many farmers from his home town and from neighbouring areas to till the land. Slowly a small town developed in the area. Despite his enormous wealth from tax collections, the Jaamindaar re-established his old trade as a Cloth merchant in and around Pasrur villages. This came in handy during periods of famine when the farmers of the area could not pay taxes. One of the descendents of the original Jaamindaar was ‘Baba Dharam Dass’ whose tomb is located on the other side of the creek named ‘Deoka’ (or is it Degh?) just outside Pasrur boundary. Two different replicas of ‘Baaba Dharam Dass’s tomb have been made by his descendents, one near the town of Meerut, 60 kilometers from New Delhi and other just on the outskirts of the city of Ludhiana in Punjab, India.
Akabar was succeded by Jehangir (1605-1628). Akbar’s son, Salim, who took the title of Jehangir, meaning “Conqueror of the World”. He expanded the empire through the addition of Kangra and Kistwar and consolidated the Mughal rule in Bengal. Although many rebellions arose in the empire, especially in Bengal and Mewar, Jehangir was able to suppress them all. Jehangir was renowned for administering impartial justice to his people, irrespective of their religious faith.
Jeahngir was also an alcohol addict and could be found day and night with wine goblets in his hands. He was also susceptible to the influence of others, a weakness exploited by many. Because of his inebriated state, Nur Jehan came to be the actual power behind the throne.
Jehangir often used to travel to Kashmir during summer. On one such visits, he took a stop over in what is now called Pasrur. He enjoyed the wine and the beauty of Pasrur for a few days and uttered the word ‘Pur Suroor’ to appreciate his stay and intoxication he had there. Since then, the place was known as Pur Suroor and over a period of time, the name was shortened to its present name ‘Pasrur’.
In 1807 Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Quitbuddin and after winning the battle, annexed Pasrur in his Raaj.
According to Sikh history, between 1500-1506, their founder Guru Nanak had visited the Moghul king Babar in Saidpur (modern Eminabad, Pakistan), and after that Guru Nanak returned to Sialkot via Pasrur. According to Punjabi Munch, Guru Nanak revisted PAsrur again on his second journey in 1517-1518.
In 1894, Maria White of Grover City, Mercer County, Pennsylvania – USA founded a dispensary near Pasrur where she worked and ended her medical career.
Where is Pasrur
Pasrur is located as a Railway junction with train going to Narowaal to its East, Sialkot to its North and Lahore to its West.
Pasrur is located about 10-20 kilometers west of River Ravi while Jhelum lies far to its west. If you cross the creek ‘Degh’ from Pasrur and travel about 15 kilometers further to the North-East, you will reach River Ravi which is the border between India and Pakistan near Jammu in India and Noarowaal and Sialkot in Pakistan.
Click here to see the location map of Pasrur.