Chiniot چنیوٹ | |
|---|---|
 Clockwise from top: Bu Ali Qalandar Mosque besidesChenab River, exterior and interior views ofShahi Mosque,Omar Hayat Mahal | |
 Municipal Committee logo | |
  Chiniot Chiniot (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan | |
| Coordinates:31°43′10″N72°59′3″E / 31.71944°N 72.98417°E /31.71944; 72.98417 | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Punjab |
| Division | Faisalabad |
| District | Chiniot |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Committee |
| • Chairman | None (vacant)[1] |
| • Vice Chairman | None (vacant)[1] |
| Elevation | 179 m (587 ft) |
| Population | |
• City | 318,165 |
| • Rank | 28th, Pakistan |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+6 (PDT) |
| Postal code | 35400 |
| Dialling code | 047 |
| Distance(s) | From
|
| Website | www |
Chiniot (Punjabi,Urdu:چنیوٹ) is a city and the administrative headquarters ofChiniot District in the province ofPunjab, Pakistan. Located on the bank of the riverChenab, it is the28th most populous city in Pakistan.
Chiniot is known for its intricate wooden furniture, architecture, and mosques. TheShahi Mosque,Omar Hayat Haveli, Laxmi Narayan temple and the shrines of Shah Burhan and Saeen Sukh are some of the notable specimen of Chinioti architecture in the town.[4]
The origins of Chiniot are obscure, and historical records accurately detailing its founding unavailable.[5] According to some accounts, the city was founded by an ancient king's daughter named Chandan, who while on a hunting expedition, was charmed by the surrounding area, and ordered the construction of the settlement ofChandaniot,[6] alternatively speltChandniot,[7] which was named in her honour. The name Chiniot, a contracted version of the original name, eventually gained favour,[8] though the older name had been used up until at least the 1860s.[9]
DuringMughal rule, Chiniot was governed as part of thesubah, or province, ofLahore. The city reached its zenith during the reign of Mughal EmperorShah Jahan, under his governor of Punjab,Wazir Khan and his Grand Vizier,Sadullah Khan,[6][10] who commissioned the Chiniot'sShahi Mosque.[6] Chiniot's artisans were renowned for their skill during the Mughal era, and were employed in the decoration of theTaj Mahal, and Lahore'sWazir Khan Mosque.[7]
Following the collapse of Mughal authority after the death of EmperorAurangzeb in 1707, the localSial dynasty under the rule of Walidad Khan was officially granted governorship of the area on account of Khan's loyalty to the Delhi throne.[6] Though nominally a part of the declining Mughal realm, Walidad Khan forged a largely independent state in western Punjab that controlled the region betweenMankera andKamalia.[6] Chiniot suffered heavily during theDurrani invasion of the late 1748.[6]
The Sial state around Chiniot was encroached upon bySikh chieftains in the north, and byMultani chiefs in the south, before coming under the control of theBhangi Misl Sikhs by 1765.[6] The Sikhs imposed an annual tribute on the Sial chief, Inayatullah Khan, which he ceased paying in 1778 before also capturing Chiniot.[6] He died in 1787, though the city had reverted to Bhangi Sikh rule before his death.[6]
The city suffered during the SikhMisl states period in which the city region's Bhangis battled theSukerchakiaMisl.[6] Chiniot was captured byRanjit Singh in 1803, and thereafter became part of theSikh Empire.[6] The city was invested in Sial chief Ahmad Khan, who promised to pay tribute to Ranjit Singh's kingdom.[6] Khan stopped paying tribute, and briefly seized full control of the region in 1808, but was decisively defeated by Ranjit Singh's forces in 1810.[6]
The city came under British rule by 1849, and the city was constituted as a municipality in 1862.[6] In 1875, the city's population was 11,999.[6] During the British period, a vast network of canals was laid to irrigate Punjab, resulting in the creation of many new "canal colonies" around Chiniot.[7] Chiniot's famousOmar Hayat Mahal was built between 1923 and 1935 for a businessman who made his fortune inCalcutta.[11]
Chiniot is at the intersection of theFaisalabad-Sargodha andLahore-Jhang roads. It is 158 km (98 mi) northwest ofLahore and 38 km (24 mi) north ofFaisalabad. Chiniot city is spread over an area of 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi) with an average elevation of 179 metres (587 ft).
Rabwah city, the headquarters of theAhmadiyya Community is on the other side of the Chenab River. In the center of river a worship center (or Chilla Gah) of the SufiBu Ali Shah Qalandar is located.
Chiniot city lies on left bank of theChenab River, and is located on a small rocky hill. Much of the surrounding area consists ofalluvial plains, interspersed with rocky outcroppings ofslate andsandstone that reach up to 400 feet in height around Chiniot.[9]
Chiniot has ahot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationBSh).[12] The weather in Chiniot is variable.
| Climate data for Chiniot (1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 22 (72) | 27 (81) | 33 (91) | 39 (102) | 39 (102) | 35 (95) | 35 (95) | 34 (93) | 32 (90) | 27 (81) | 21 (70) | 30 (87) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8 (46) | 11 (52) | 16 (61) | 20 (68) | 25 (77) | 28 (82) | 27 (81) | 27 (81) | 25 (77) | 20 (68) | 14 (57) | 9 (48) | 19 (67) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 18 (0.7) | 35 (1.4) | 24 (0.9) | 13 (0.5) | 17 (0.7) | 69 (2.7) | 139 (5.5) | 113 (4.4) | 56 (2.2) | 9 (0.4) | 11 (0.4) | 12 (0.5) | 516 (20.3) |
| Source: My Weather[12] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 39,042 | — |
| 1961 | 47,099 | +1.89% |
| 1972 | 70,108 | +3.68% |
| 1981 | 105,559 | +4.65% |
| 1998 | 172,522 | +2.93% |
| 2017 | 278,747 | +2.56% |
| 2023 | 318,165 | +2.23% |
| Sources:[13] | ||
According to the 1998 census, the population of Chiniot Tehsil was 965,124 (included urban 172,522). According to the2017 Census of Pakistan, the city has the population of 278,747. The language spoken isPunjabi.
The important products of Chiniot includes silk, cotton, wheat, sugar, rice, milk, pottery, wooden furniture, etc. The city's agricultural economy is largely derived from "canal colonies" established during British rule when a vast network of canals were laid to irrigate Punjab.[7]
Chiniot is famous for his wooden furniture, and developed as a centre of woodworking given its close proximity to the Chenab River – as timber fromKashmir would be floated down the river towards Chiniot.[7] Chiniot's artisans are renowned for their skill, and were employed in the construction of theTaj Mahal andWazir Khan Mosque.[7] The city's metalworkers, along with those of Lahore, were considered the best in Punjab during the British period,[14] and Chinioti designs and were considered superior to those ofHoshiarpur orJalandhar.[14] Ramzan Sugar Mills is located at Faisalabad Road.
Educational institutions in Chiniot include
After his death, Sheikh Omar Hayat's HaveliOmar Hayat Mahal was converted into a library by theGovernment of Pakistan.
Chiniot is connected with the rest of Pakistan by a main highway and rail line. The nearest international airport isFaisalabad International Airport, which is 48.5 km (30.1 mi) from Chiniot.
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In Chiniot people celebrate Islamic occasions with great arrangements. On 12Rabi' al-awwal, 1440th birthday celebration of the Islamic ProphetMuhammad, people of Chiniot arranged a 63-maund cake, one of the largest cakes in the world.[29]
Chiniot is known for its furniture. Chinioti craftsmen and artisans have for centuries carved flowers and geometric patterns ontocellulose fibres. Masons from Chiniot are thought to have been employed during the construction of theTaj Mahal andGolden Temple.[30]
Cricket is the most popular sport in Chiniot.Football is also played here. Other popular sports includehockey,volleyball,basketball,badminton,tennis,kabbadi, andhorse racing.
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