Nowshera
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Nowshera (Pashto: نوښار) (Urdu: نوشہرہ) - known locally as "Now-khaar" or "Now-Shaar" is the chief city of Nowshera District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is also one of the largest cities of the province[1] and lies on the Grand Trunk Road 27 miles due east of Peshawar[2] at 34°0'55N 71°58'29E.[3]
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[edit] Overview
Nowshera city is notable for its colonial era Cantonment, which is located at 33°59'48N 72°0'47E[4] and is home to the Pakistan Army "School of Artillery", School of ASC, ASC centre, Armour centre and School of Armour of Pakistan Army. The area comprises many Pakhtun tribes including the Yousafzai, Badrashi Khattaks, Kakakhel Miangan and Babers. The GT Road is the main road connecting villages and towns across the District. It is also at the junction of Peshawar and Swat Road.
It is the only district of Pakistan with three Cantonments namely Nowshera Cantonment, Risalpur Cantonment and Cherat Canton
[edit] History
During British rule, Nowshera was a town and cantonment as well as tehsil of Peshawar District (later Peshawar Division), the town was on the route of North-Western Railway. The population according to the 1901 census of India was 9,518.
The Imperial Gazetteer of India, describes the cantonment as follows:[2]
| “ | The cantonment stretches along the right bank of the Kabul river on a sandy plain, 3 miles in diameter, and is surrounded by low hills on all sides except the north, which is open towards the river. The garrison now consists of one British infantry regiment, two Native cavalry and four infantry regiments, a mountain battery, and a bearer corps, belonging to the Peshawar division of the Northern Command. The Kabul river is crossed by a permanent bridge of boats, whence roads lead to Mardan and Charsadda. The iron road and railway bridge across the river was opened on December 1, 1903. The village of Naushahra Khurd, west of the cantonment, and the large village of Naushahra Kalān, on the north bank of the Kabul, are both outside cantonment limits. The head-quarters of the Naushahra tahsīl, with the police station, are in the former, 3 miles from the cantonment. The town contains a Government dispensary and a vernacular middle school, maintained by the District board. | ” |
Today, (30 March, 2008), Nowshera has many education institutions for both boys and girls that mainly include Government Degree College for boys and another for girls. Government Islamia Highy School No. 1 is a legendary source of education for Nowsherians.
[edit] Attractions
Kund Park, Mangloot Wildlife Park, Saidukhel, Bahadur baba, Ziarat Kakasahib, Cherat are places of interest. Kund Park is a situated on the confluence of River Indus and Kabul River. it is the place where NWFP meets Punjab province.In Khairabad Kund Abasind (Indus River) water has blue colour and Kabul river's water colour is grey or somewhat muddy and people like diving and making fun around, it is after this park the two rivers combine but their water can still be distinguished!there is also a railway bridge which is more than 110 years old.
Jinnah Park is a park, the river Kabul flows through it, it has a small zoo which nests some peacocks.
The Tomb of the famous Sikh Commander Phula Singh, now an object of pilgrimage to Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike, is also situated in Nowshera.
Up towards the Hills area there is a shrine called Kaka Sahib and Mian Jamal Shah is his grandson and manages the Ziyarat since very long. The real name of KaKa Sahib is Syed Kastheer Gul whose backgroud meets with the Hazrat Imam Hussain R.A. Kaka was also known as Rehamkar the reason behind this was that kaka sahib was very kind to the peoples and peoples liked him so much that they named him Rehamkar (meaning Kind person) and The Great Poet Khoshall Khan Khattak was very inspired from the teaching and spirituality of kaka sahib. In the early day of khoshall khan had some conflicts with Kaka sahib but later when khoshall khan was arrested and punished by the British Rulers then khoshall khan realised that this is because Kaka sahib cursed him
[edit] Sports
Cricket, hockey and football are widely played, the famous cricket ground is Garrison Ground, where people gather in evening to play cricket and football in small groups. Regular cricket matches are arranged particularly, on Sunday. Volley Ball is also a popular game among towns and villages of Nowshera district.
[edit] References
Coordinates: 34°0′55″N 71°58′29″E / 34.01528°N 71.97472°E
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