Kasur, the city of Bulleh Shah, located 55 km southeast of Lahore, is one of the oldest cities in Pakistan. It is adjacent to the Indo-Pak Border which is famous for its guard changing ceremony.
Kasur has a glorious past set in spiritual and cultural traditions, nurtured by Sufi Saints like Baba Bulleh Shah, Baba Kamal Chishti, Shah Inayt, Imam Shah Bukhari, on one hand and by musicians, singers like Ustad Barey Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Malka-e-Tarrannam Noor Jehan etc. on the other hand. The important cultural events in the district are the Ursof Baba Bulleh Shah and Urs of Baba Imam Shah Bukhari.
The real name of Sufi Saint was Abdullah. Later on the said name was converted as Bullah and due to publicity of his poetry he has been known as Baba Bulleh Shah. His actual date of birth and death reckoned in various books can not be treated as authentic.
However, Mr. Charles Fradilt Asboran in his book Bulleh Shah has recorded his date of birth as 180 and date of death as 1775. He was born in Uch Gilanian district Bahawalpur. He belonged to Syed family and his father’s name was Syed Sakhi Shah who migrated from Uch Shareef to Malikwal district Sarghoda and then to village Pandoki, district Lahore. At that time, Bulleh Sha was 6 years old. He got his religious education from Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza Kasuri who also taught Syed Waris Shah, author of Punjabi mater-piece Heer. Shrine of Bulleh Shah is situated in the centre of Kasur city. His annual Urs (ceremony) is held on 10th to 12th Bhadon (Last week of August).
Noor Jehan (September 21, 1926 – December 23, 2000) was a famous singer and actress. She is revered in Pakistan by her title Mallika-e-Tarranum (Queen of Melody) and is considered to be one of the greatest singers to have come from the Indian Subcontinent. Noor Jehan has appropriately sung around 10,000 songs in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi films in both India and Pakistan.
A Joint Check Post (JCP) at Ganda Singh Wala was constructed in 1959 for holding joint flag hoisting ceremony. It is located at 18 kilometers from Kasur and 9 kilometeres from Feroz Pur (India) on Lahore - Feroz Pur road. It served as gateway to India up to 1986 as the buses used to ply from Pakistan to India through this gate way.
The flag hoisting ceremony takes place an hour and half before evening prayer daily which is worth-seeing. This is also a picnic spot.
The city Kasur is famous for its very spicy fish, Kasuri Falooda, sweet dishes "Andrassa and Dhoda (sohan halwa) and Kasuri methi. Apart from that, it is also the birthplace of Noor Jehan, the famous Pakistani singer and actress who gained popularity in the 1950's. It is also famous for saint Baba Bullay Shah whose tomb is in this city.
Changa Manga is the first man-made irrigated forest not only in Punjab, but also in Pakistan. It was established in 1866 initially for the production of firewood for railway steam locomotives. It covers an area of 12510 acres situated about 75 kilometers west of Lahore near Chunian Tehsil of district Kasur. Changa Manag forest was developed for production of mulberry timber for sports industry. Production of Shisham timber for furniture and plywood industries etc., production of fast growing species like popular for meeting the requirement of match, plywood and chip board industries, to provide recreational facilities, preservation and multiplication of wildlife and promotion of sericulture.
In Changa Manga a tram-way was established in 1921. The main objective was haulage of timber and firewood from the main felling, thinning areas to sale depot. At present, it is a recreational source of tourists coming to forest park. Forest Park in forest was established in 1961-62. It was further improved through a development scheme, 1995-96 to 1997-98. The total area of the park is 134 acres. The existing facilities in the forest park for tourists are hanging bridges, cafeteria, swimming pool, Lake Pagoda, log huts, mosque, toilets, booting, tramline, motel and rest house.
The city of Kasur is an aggregation of fortified hamlets, called kots, small in themselves, but together forming a considerable town. In 1592 originally there were 12 principal residential colonies were built under the rule of Mogul Chagatai Genghis Khan's descendant Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar in promulgation with the grace extended from Moguls to Pashtuns.
The names of 12 kots are as follows:
Kasur has a glorious past set in spiritual and cultural traditions, nurtured by Sufi Saints like Baba Bulleh Shah, Baba Kamal Chishti, Shah Inayt, Imam Shah Bukhari, on one hand and by musicians, singers like Ustad Barey Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Malka-e-Tarrannam Noor Jehan etc. on the other hand. The important cultural events in the district are the Ursof Baba Bulleh Shah and Urs of Baba Imam Shah Bukhari.
Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah
The real name of Sufi Saint was Abdullah. Later on the said name was converted as Bullah and due to publicity of his poetry he has been known as Baba Bulleh Shah. His actual date of birth and death reckoned in various books can not be treated as authentic.
However, Mr. Charles Fradilt Asboran in his book Bulleh Shah has recorded his date of birth as 180 and date of death as 1775. He was born in Uch Gilanian district Bahawalpur. He belonged to Syed family and his father’s name was Syed Sakhi Shah who migrated from Uch Shareef to Malikwal district Sarghoda and then to village Pandoki, district Lahore. At that time, Bulleh Sha was 6 years old. He got his religious education from Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza Kasuri who also taught Syed Waris Shah, author of Punjabi mater-piece Heer. Shrine of Bulleh Shah is situated in the centre of Kasur city. His annual Urs (ceremony) is held on 10th to 12th Bhadon (Last week of August).
Malka Tarranum Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan (September 21, 1926 – December 23, 2000) was a famous singer and actress. She is revered in Pakistan by her title Mallika-e-Tarranum (Queen of Melody) and is considered to be one of the greatest singers to have come from the Indian Subcontinent. Noor Jehan has appropriately sung around 10,000 songs in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi films in both India and Pakistan.
Ganda Singh Wala Border
A Joint Check Post (JCP) at Ganda Singh Wala was constructed in 1959 for holding joint flag hoisting ceremony. It is located at 18 kilometers from Kasur and 9 kilometeres from Feroz Pur (India) on Lahore - Feroz Pur road. It served as gateway to India up to 1986 as the buses used to ply from Pakistan to India through this gate way.
The flag hoisting ceremony takes place an hour and half before evening prayer daily which is worth-seeing. This is also a picnic spot.
Food & Cosines
The city Kasur is famous for its very spicy fish, Kasuri Falooda, sweet dishes "Andrassa and Dhoda (sohan halwa) and Kasuri methi. Apart from that, it is also the birthplace of Noor Jehan, the famous Pakistani singer and actress who gained popularity in the 1950's. It is also famous for saint Baba Bullay Shah whose tomb is in this city.
Changa Manga Forest / Park
Changa Manga is the first man-made irrigated forest not only in Punjab, but also in Pakistan. It was established in 1866 initially for the production of firewood for railway steam locomotives. It covers an area of 12510 acres situated about 75 kilometers west of Lahore near Chunian Tehsil of district Kasur. Changa Manag forest was developed for production of mulberry timber for sports industry. Production of Shisham timber for furniture and plywood industries etc., production of fast growing species like popular for meeting the requirement of match, plywood and chip board industries, to provide recreational facilities, preservation and multiplication of wildlife and promotion of sericulture.
In Changa Manga a tram-way was established in 1921. The main objective was haulage of timber and firewood from the main felling, thinning areas to sale depot. At present, it is a recreational source of tourists coming to forest park. Forest Park in forest was established in 1961-62. It was further improved through a development scheme, 1995-96 to 1997-98. The total area of the park is 134 acres. The existing facilities in the forest park for tourists are hanging bridges, cafeteria, swimming pool, Lake Pagoda, log huts, mosque, toilets, booting, tramline, motel and rest house.
Kots (residential areas)
The city of Kasur is an aggregation of fortified hamlets, called kots, small in themselves, but together forming a considerable town. In 1592 originally there were 12 principal residential colonies were built under the rule of Mogul Chagatai Genghis Khan's descendant Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar in promulgation with the grace extended from Moguls to Pashtuns.
The names of 12 kots are as follows:
- Kot Pacca Qila
- Kot Nawan Qila
- Kot Azam Khan
- Kot Ghulam Mohammad Khan
- Kot Murad Khan
- Kot Haleem Khan
- Kot Peeraan
- Kot Fateh Din Khan
- Kot Usman Khan
- Kot Badar-ud-Din Khan
- Kot Ruken Din Khan
- Kot Nawab Hussain Khan
- Khara Road
- Pakeeza Colony
- Bhatta Gorian Wala
- Munir Shaheed Colony
- Kot Ghulam Muhammad Khan
- Kot Mir Baz Khan
- Kot Sherbaz Khan
- Kot Abdul Qadir
- Rod Kot
- Dhoor Kot
- Jinnah Colony
- Baghdadia Colony
- Bulley Shah Colony
- Mushtaq Colony
- Ghosia Colony
- Gulberg Colony
- Gora Nagar
- Fazal Colony
- Roshan Colony
- Shakoor Colony
- Bhasar Pura
- Salamat Pura
- Din Garh
- Ali Garh
- Niaz Nagar
- Wylie Pur
- Jamat Pura
- Kirshna Nagar
- BASTI SHAHDRA SHARIF Basti Chiragh Shah
- Basti Barat Shah
- Basti Qadir Abad
- Basti Babian Wali
- Basti Noor Shah Wali
- Garden View Housing Scheme Steel Bagh
