Chiniot is located in the Faislabad division of the province of Punjab. With Faisalabad, Jhang, Hafizabad, and Sargodha, there are boundaries. In February 2009, Chiniot, a Tehsil in the district of Jhang, was established as a separate district. In addition, Chiniot is separated into the Tehsil districts of Bhuwana and Lalian. Various sources claim that this city’s history goes back before Mohammad Bin Qasim captured Multan. There are people there from various castes and schools of thinking. Due to its handicraft and carving on wooden objects, Chiniot is well known across the world. The cultures of this region and the other parts of Punjab are comparatively similar.
History of Chiniot
There is no universally accepted version of Chiniot’s history, however many people believe that it was there when Mohammad Bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan. A Raja who governed the subcontinent is said to have only had one daughter, Chuni-Wut, according to some individuals. Chuni abandoned her father’s country because he would not let her marry his beloved. Some claim that Chuni didn’t leave her father, but rather came here to go hunting and got lost in the forest before heading to the riverbank and settling there. She was motivated to make her choice by the splendor of nature. Along the river and the hills, there was a dense forest. Jhand, a Punjabi term that means “thick forest,” was the area’s previous name. Jhand stretched all the way from Multan to Sargodha.
Chiniot in Mughal Era
In the Mughal era, forests were cleared in order to use the land for agriculture. Now, the name Jhang also comes from Jhand. According to the records, local inhabitant Nawab Asad-Ullah Thaheem founded Chiniot city. King Jahangir, an emperor of the Mughal dynasty, appointed Nawab Asad-Ullah Thaheem as his financial minister. When Jahangir began building the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore using the same pattern and design and the same stone and marble, the Nawab had already begun to establish this metropolis.
Tombs of Sahaba in Chiniot
There are tombs of several of Hazart Muhammad’s (Peace Be Upon Him) companions in Chiniot, indicating that people were already residing there when Islam began to spread throughout the subcontinent. Additionally, there are some Buddhist school of thought-related inscriptions on the hills, which were created as Taxlia’s educational institutions were being built. There are also four or five Mandirs, indicating that there were a sizable population of Hindus residing there prior to Pakistan’s independence. On the riverbank, there are also a few Muslim Sufi shrines.
The main roads and streets in Chiniot are excessively narrow, and there are still far too many ancient homes that were constructed using outdated construction methods. These residences are frequently referred to as Khatrion Key Ghar, a Punjabi term for Hindu residences.
Culture of Chiniot
The cultures of China and Punjab are same. Chiniot now has a population of roughly 0.5 million. The majority of people reside in villages, making up the remaining 60% of the population. The city of Chiniot is divided into fewer than fifteen Mohallas, with some of the most well-known ones being Raje Wali, Qaiziaan, Aali, Hussainabad, and Usmanabad. People from various castes reside in various mohallas. In terms of religious school of thought, 35% to 40% of the population adheres to Fiqa e Jafria, and the same amount is split among other schools of thought. Ahmedi’s school of thought predominates in a region named Chenab Nagar, also called Rabwah. Ahmedis are Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani’s devotees. The 1973 Pakistani constitution designated those who belong to this group as non-Muslims.
Business in Chiniot
The majority of city dwellers run their own businesses, although some also work in various industries. Most of the business is in the furniture industry. In Pakistan and other nations, Chiniot furniture is renowned worldwide. People have their own furniture-making facilities. Every street has at least one furniture store or workshop, and one in every ten men work in the industry. Furniture pieces have stunning carvings made by highly trained workers. Only two features or characteristics—durability and carving on furniture—make its furniture famous.
Languages in Chiniot
Although few of the city’s residents speak Urdu, everyone shares the same norms and values. They are quite social and kind to others. Moreover, they treat guests with far too much respect.
Food of Chiniot
The local people frequently feed their neighbors using their customized dishes. People enjoy spicy food, and Baryani is one of their favorite dishes. Due to the fact that Friday is a day off for the majority of people, particularly those who work in furniture markets, almost every family cooks rice or baryani on that day. Their second preferred cuisine or food is called Chiniot Kuna, which is made of beef or mutton and cooked in a mud pot buried in the ground. They combine all of the recipe’s ingredients in a mud pot called a Kuna before covering it with flour to prevent steam leakage and lighting it on fire underneath some dirt. People frequently go from neighboring cities to Chiniot to eat or taste Chiniott Kuna since it is a delicacy that is well-known throughout Pakistan.
Literacy in Chiniot
In comparison to villages, Chiniot city has a higher than average literacy rate. Government and private schools both contribute to the overabundance of educational institutions. In comparison to other cities, education costs less there. Around 98% of children in cities attend school. More than 20 high schools, including private ones, exist in Chiniot, but there is only one degree-granting institution there: the Govt. Islamia Degree College Chiniot, which is unable to meet the needs of its students. For higher education, students traveled to other cities, with the majority of them making the short trip to Faisalabad. Construction on the sixth campus of one of Pakistan’s finest universities began last year.
Villages in Chiniot
According to their size and population, villages fall into two categories. One kind is referred to as Chak, and the other as Khoo, Tehain. Khoo and Tehain are exclusively Punjabi names that refer to tiny villages with fewer than 100 dwellings, whereas Chak designates villages with more than 100 households. Every single tiny village has its own name, whereas Chaks are identified by their unique numbers.
The literacy rate in villages is quite low, yet it is rising daily. Most of the children attended the village’s elementary school. Children of wealthy farmers attended urban schools every day. Villagers have been disproportionately focused on education over the previous ten years. Regarding every farmer, whether he can afford it or not, he sends his children to the city for elementary and secondary education before sending them to other cities like Lahore and Fasialabad for higher education.
