Chichawatni
| Chichawatni (Khuddari) | |
|---|---|
 Chichawatni (Khuddari)
|
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| Coordinates: 30°19′N 72°25′E / 30.32°N 72.42°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province/state | Punjab |
| Population (1998) | |
| • Total | 72,261 |
| • Estimate (2011) | 160,000 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Calling code | 040 |
| Number of towns | 1 |
| Number of union councils | 3 |
Chichawatni (Urdu: چِيچہ وطنى) is a city in the Sahiwal District of the Pakistani province of Punjab. Situated near the Grand Trunk Road, it lies approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the district capital, Sahiwal. In 2011, Chichawatni's population was estimated at approximately 160,000.
There are two leading folk etymologies proposed for the name Chichawatni. The first asserts that the 7th century Raja Dahir named the town Chichawatni – meaning "City of Chach" – for his father, Maharaja Chach of Alor. According to the second etymology, the name is derived from a Hindu family who lived in the area in antiquity, with the father of the family being named Chicha and the mother Watni.
From the beginning of the 7th century Rajput Bhatti kingdoms dominated Eastern portions of Pakistan and northern India. In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul in 1005, and followed it by the conquests of some western Punjab region. Eastern Regions of Punjab from Multan to the Rawalpindi in north (Including region of present-day Faisalabad) remained under Rajput rule until 1193. The Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire later ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Empire invaded and occupied Sahiwal District. The Muslims faced restrictions during the Sikh rule. During the British Raj, Chichawatni was reputedly transformed from a small Punjabi village into a relatively modern city by infrastructure investment and planning decrees, starting in 1918. At the time of the independence in 1947, many aristocratic Indian Muslim families migrated from Punjab towns like Ludhiana, Jallandhar, Amritsar and Firozpur, and settled in towns like Chichawatni, shaping the city's present-day Muslim elite. The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslims refugees from India settled down in the Sahiwal District.
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