Gujrat

About Gujrat

Gujrat is a city, located along the western bank of the Chenab River, in the northern region of Punjab, Pakistan. Located around the historic Gujrat Fort, it serves as the headquarters of its eponymous district and division. It is the 11th-most populous city in Punjab and the 16th in Pakistan, with an urban population of 574,240 in 2023. Having an industrial and export-oriented economy, Gujrat constitutes the "Golden Triangle of Punjab" alongside Sialkot and Gujranwala. It is also known for being the setting of the classical Punjabi folktale of Sohni Mahiwal.

Gujrat is a place of some antiquity and abounds in important ancient sites. The city and district formed part of the kingdom of Porus who ruled primarily within the Chaj Doab. He was defeated by Alexander after a difficult campaign at the Battle of Hydaspes in May 326 BC. Alexander was impressed by his bravery and decided to reinstall him as a vassal of the Macedonian Empire. Instead of rehabilitating Gujrat, which had been affected during Alexander's invasion, some local legends suggest that after the death of King Porus, a ruler named Raja Kula Chand (sometimes linked to Chandragupta) founded...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.