Kharota Syedan is a village on the northern outskirts of Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.^[1] The villages has community services such as primary and secondary education, a post office, mosques, and banks. The town has utilities including gas, electricity, water, and telephone communications. Fasyal Bank & MCB both are having ATM machines But bank cards aren't accepted on shops.

Name

Kharota name is derived from Gharota which dreived from Ghar. It was common name for a village in ancient Jammu-Punjab region (There are at least 10 villages with Gharota name in the region, Most famous of them is where Dev Anand was born). Suffix "Syedan" was added recently to present majority of syed population in the village.

HISTORY

Jayram Pur is sub village situated in west of Kharota Syedan.

Kharota Syedan takes its name from the islamic honorific, Syed. Prior to the arrival of Islamic teachers in the 1100s AD, the holder of the village lands was Jay Ram Choudhry, a Hindu in the Lodhra family of the Jat clan. At that time, the village was called Jayrampur.

Over time, the Syed family as well as people of varied ethnic origins and religions have settled in the village. These include the Choudhry family descendants, Gujjar, Arain, the Lohar family of the Rajput clan and the Pashtun people.

The principle Islamic teacher in the Jhelum region, now revered as a saint, was a man called Salah ad-Din from Hindustan. He converted the ruler of Jhelum, Jaadha Paswal of the Gujjar clan to Islam. When Salah was called to move on to Sialkot, the Jaadha Paswal sent his son, Khair with him.

When Salah ad-Din and Khair Paswal arrived in Kharota Syedan, they lived at the site of the present village khanqah (place of religious gathering or spiritual retreat.) Salah ad-Din married Jay Ram Choudhry's daughter and took the village as dowry. Salah ad-Din's cousins came to live in the village.

Salah ad-Din's wife died without issue and was buried in the family hujrah (mausoleum). When he was dying, Salah left his estate, including the village and surrounding fertile lands, to Khair Paswal. However, Khair Paswal refused the inheritance, saying, "Sarkar, I am not hungry for lands. My elders are still ruling Upper Jehlem. I was ordered to serve you, being the son of the Prophet Muhammad (S.W.S.) and so I did. If, at all, you want to gift me something, please allow me and my kin to be buried near your feet."

Hearing this, Salah ad-Din raised his hands in supplication and prayed for the prosperity Khair Paswal and his descendants. He made Khair paswal and his family his mutawallies and mujawars (burial caretakers). The village itself was distributed among Salah ad-Din's relatives. The surrounding lands were returned to the Lodhra family.

The first khanqah in Kharota Syedan (Darbar Chitti Khanghah) was founded by Fateh, son of Fazal, descendant of Khair Paswal. An annual festival to pay homage to Salah ad-Din takes place in May and June.

Refugees of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 settled in Kharota Syedan, contributing to the diversity of the population.

GOVERNANCE

Kharota Syedan is a part of Sialkot township. The village is governed by a Union Council. The First Chairman of Kharota syedan is Mr. Ch Muhammad Din who build the union Council in kharota syedan and Mr Syed illyas shah was twicely elected as chairman of kharota Then Mr. Nasir waheed Advocate elected First Nazim of Kharota syedan in 2001.

SOCIAL WORK

Kharota Syedan Sialkot have a registered Non-Government Organization name as The Helpers Welfare Foundation working under supervision of Syed Baseer Zafar (Founder President) here since 2010 in different dimensions such as health, environment, education, social uplift, natural disasters, etc.

Geography

Kharota Syedan lies on the outskirts of Sialkot township. It is about 250 km southwest of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. To the west is the Chenab river. To the east are the mountains of the Himalayas.

References