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{{Use Pakistani English|date=August 2020}}
]
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement {{Infobox settlement
⚫ | official_name =

| official_name = Saidpur | name = Saidpur
| name = Saidpur Village | image_skyline = Saidpur Village, Islamabad Capital Territory, P1090833 tonemapped.jpg
| latd = 33.742077 | imagesize = 240px
| longd = 73.067708 | image_alt =
| subdivision_type = ] | image_caption = A view of Saidpur Village
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Pakistan}} | settlement_type = ]
| coordinates = {{coord|33.742077|73.067708|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type1 = ]
| subdivision_name1 = ] | subdivision_type = ]
| population_total = | subdivision_name = {{flag|Pakistan}}
| population_as_of = | subdivision_type1 = Administrative region
| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon|Islamabad}} ]
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of = | population_total =
| population_footnotes = | population_as_of =
| area_total_km2 = | population_est = 12,000-15,000
| elevation_m = 620 | pop_est_as_of = 2015
| elevation_m_min = | population_footnotes =
| elevation_m_max = | area_total_km2 =
⚫ | elevation_m = 620
| population_density_km2 =
| leader_title = | elevation_m_min =
| leader_name = | elevation_m_max =
| leader_title1 = | population_density_km2 =
| leader_name1 = | leader_title = Chairman
| leader_name = Shiraz Kiyani<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ecp.gov.pk/PrintDocument.aspx?PressId=33091&type=PDF|title = ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan}}</ref>
⚫ | area_code =
| established_title = Founded
| area_code_type = ]
| timezone1 = ] | established_date = 1530
| utc_offset1 = +5 | area_code = 051
| website = | area_code_type = ]
| footnotes = | timezone1 = ]
| utc_offset1 = +5
| website =
| footnotes =
| native_name = سیدپور
| named_for = Sultan Said Khan
| founder = Mirza Fateh Ali
| other_name = Fatehpur Baoli
| native_name_lang = ur
}} }}
'''Saidpur''' ({{Langx|ur|{{nastaliq|سیدپور}}}}) is a village and ] (UC-1)<ref>{{Cite web |title=ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan |url=https://ecp.gov.pk/frmPollingStations.aspx?ID=1&W=1 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=]}}</ref> located in a ] in Pakistan in the ], near the ] overlook, in the ]. It is a ] village that has a wide spectrum of religious and cultural heritage. It serves as a tourist spot for locals as well as foreigners.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-12-27 |title=Antiquity of Saidpur Village lures tourists |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2277665/antiquity-of-saidpur-village-lures-tourists |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2018-08-14 |title=At the foot of Margallas: Saidpur Village hides intriguing history |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1780967/foot-margallas-saidpur-village-hides-intriguing-history |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
'''Saidpur''' is a ] village on the slopes of the ] and located off the Hill Road to the east of ] in ]. The village has the footprints of various civilizations, including ], Greek, ], ], ] and the colonial periods, and now serving as a popular recreational spot for both local and foreign visitors.


The village also has an animal market, which provides a source of income to its dwellers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-10-08 |title=Saidpur Village animal market: A place where some find themselves stuck and others find opportunities |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/448429/saidpur-village-animal-market-a-place-where-some-find-themselves-stuck-and-others-find-opportunities |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref> Some shops sell locally made ] items<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-01-09 |title=Remembering Rahimdad — the legendary potter of Saidpur |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/319051/remembering-rahimdad-%E2%80%94-the-legendary-potter-of-saidpur |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref> and ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=PakistanToday |title=PTI, PAT sit-ins paralyse Saidpur Village {{!}} Pakistan Today |url=https://archive.pakistantoday.com.pk/2014/08/21/pti-pat-sit-ins-paralyse-saidpur-village/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |language=en-GB}}</ref> A 2015 estimate puts the village's population at between 12,000 and 15,000.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bajwa |first=Sara Kamal |title=A Study of Status of Livelihood Assets at Household Level: Evidence from Saidpur Village, Islamabad |url=https://www.academia.edu/19903085/A_Study_of_Status_of_Livelihood_Assets_at_Household_Level_Evidence_from_Saidpur_Village_Islamabad |journal=]}}</ref>
⚫ ==History==
Saidpur is named after Sultan Said Khan, son of ], the ] chief of the ] region (who ruled from Attock to Jehlum) during the reign of the Mughal Emperor ].


⚫ == History ==
Said Khan gifted Saidpur village to his daughter who was married to Mughal emperor ] son of Mughal emperor ]. ]'s memoir, ] mentions him residing at a place “beyond ]”, on his way to Kabul, which is believed to be Saidpur.


=== Establishment and early years ===
Saidpur was considered a garden resort and a perpetual spring provided water for drinking and for watering gardens around during the Mughal period.
The area around the village has been a part of several civilizations, including the ], the Buddhists, the Greeks, ] of the ], the ], and the ].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2016-03-27 |title=Saidpur Village – a witness to history |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1073941/saidpur-village-a-witness-to-history |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-18 |title=Historical Saidpur village attracts visitors |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/870554/historical-saidpur-village-attracts-visitors-2/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=Daily Times |language=en-US}}</ref> One of the oldest villages in the region that is still inhabited,<ref name=":0" /> Saidpur was founded in 1530 by Mirza Fateh Ali. It was named Fatehpur Baoli after its founder.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saidpur - a monument to peaceful coexistence {{!}} Shehr {{!}} thenews.com.pk |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/900921-saidpur-a-monument-to-peaceful-coexistence |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref> The village was transferred to Said Khan ] by ] as a reward for the Gakhar family's services in the war effort against ]. As a result, the settlement was renamed to 'Saidpur'. Sultan Said Khan was the son of Sultan Sarang Khan, a chief of the ] area during the reign of Mughal Emperor ].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Saidpur has history, heritage of three eras |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/594268-saidpur-has-history-heritage-of-three-eras |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>


Several years later, Said Khan's daughter married Akbar's son, Saleem (who later ascended the throne as ]). Her father gave her Saidpur as a wedding gift. '']'', Jahangir's autobiography, mentions his stay at a village "beyond ]", believed to be Saidpur, en route to ]. The village was a garden resort at that time,<ref name=":3" /> and a ] flowed across it, providing water for drinking and ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saidpur Village-Around IST |url=https://ist.edu.pk/life-at-ist-around-ist-saidpur-village |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=ist.edu.pk}}</ref>
The village was converted into a place of Hindu worship by a Hindu commander, ]. He constructed a number of small ponds: Rama kunda, Sita kunda, Lakshaman kunda, and Hanuman kunda. The region is home to many Hindu temples that have been preserved; showing the history of Hindu civilisation and architecture in the region.


=== Use as a Hindu site ===
== Remodelling of Saidpur ==
The village was later set up as a place for ] worshippers by commander ], who visited the site in 1580.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-09 |title=Hindus hope to revive abandoned Saidpur temple |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1159126/minorities-day-initiative-hindus-hope-revive-abandoned-saidpur-temple |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref> Several ponds were built and named after characters from the epic '']'' (including Hanuman Kunda, Lakshaman Kunda, Rama Kunda, and Sita Kunda), and ] were also constructed. Hindus from Rawalpindi used to gather there and celebrate ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-25 |title=The historical Saidpur Village |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/232393/the-historical-saidpur-village/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=Daily Times |language=en-US}}</ref>


=== Interfaith harmony ===
In 2006, the ], under the leadership of Mr. Kamran Lashari, initiated the project of remodelling the Saidpur village aimed at providing the visitors with the glimpses of multi-cultural heritage flourishing under the Margalla Hills.
In the 20th century, a ] was constructed adjacent to the temple by the ], which served as a school for spreading the teachings of ]. Until the ] in 1947, ] and the goddesses ] and ] were worshipped next to each other.<ref name=":3" /> A ] and a ] were also located nearby, as was the shrine of Zinda Pir (Living Saint),<ref>{{Cite web |last=fraaz |title=Saidpur village at risk {{!}} Pakistan Today |url=https://archive.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/07/12/saidpur-village-at-risk/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |language=en-GB}}</ref> symbolizing interfaith harmony.<ref name=":2" /> However, after 1947, the local Hindus migrated to ] and took their idols with them.


=== CDA renovation ===
The government of France provided technical assistance in remodelling and a leading French architect Max Boisrobert visited the site on the invitation of Ambassador of France Mr Regis de Belenet who assured full cooperation of his country in establishing the recreational spot. Max suggested many ideas and techniques to preserve the natural impact of the village during its remodelling.
In 2006, the ] started work on the renovation of the village on a budget of 400 million ] (3.26 million ]). It was remodelled as an Arts and Crafts Village, with the objective of preserving its 500-year old multi-cultural heritage and developing it as a ]. Historical buildings were refurbished, the mud houses of the locals were given a facelift, and the water stream was cleaned.<ref name=":1" /> A museum displaying old pictures of Islamabad was also opened in the north-west corner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Saidpur village attracts visitors |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/926103-historical-saidpur-village-attracts-visitors |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-05-10 |title=Saidpur Village: fusing the old and the new |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/12243/saidpur-village-fusing-the-old-and-the-new |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>


== Rama Temple ==
The initial cost of the project was estimated to be around 400 million rupees.<ref>http://www.opfblog.com/3034/islamabad-another-attraction-added-for-visitors-of-saidpur-village/</ref>


Saidpur Village is home to a small 16th-century temple called Rama ] or Ram Kund Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god ]. ] believe that he lived in the area with his family during 14 years of their exile.<ref name=":0" /> According to official records dating to 1893, a fair was held each year at a pond near the site called "Ram Kund" to commemorate that Ram and his family had once sipped water from it. For centuries, Hindus have travelled from far and wide to worship at the temple, staying in an adjoining ] (rest house for pilgrims). However, all the idols have since been removed,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-07|title=In Pakistani capital, a centuries-old temple where Hindus are not allowed to pray|url=https://arab.news/nby4j|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Arab News PK|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Yasin|first=Aamir|date=2018-03-11|title=Rawal Dam temple — reminiscent of a submerged village|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1394445|access-date=2020-08-19|website=DAWN.COM|language=en}}</ref> and, since 1947, the temple has not been used as a ]. Between 1960 and 2006, the temple building was used as a girls' school. At that time CDA took possession of it and converted it to a tourist site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yasin |first=Aamir |date=2016-10-09 |title=‘Tourists, restaurants violate sanctity of Saidpur’s temple’ |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1289029 |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref>
==Tourist Attraction==
]
In 2008, the ] completed the remodelling of Saidpur into a tourist attraction by giving it the look and feel of a quaint village. The key changes that have come about include the re-doing of a temple, the cleaning up of a stream running through the village and giving the mud houses a facelift. The village reflects the traditional ambience; the temple, the stones used on the walls, the stacks of hay, the horse-drawn carts and everything else depicts the history of ] region.<ref>http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\04\10\story_10-4-2008_pg11_1</ref>


The local Hindu community has expressed its desire for the temple to be reopened, since the nearest temple in the vicinity is in Rawalpindi. Residents believe that tourists disregard the sanctity of the place by walking inside it while wearing shoes. Carvings of goddesses have been painted over by the CDA, and the sites of the former ponds have been taken over by restaurants.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-09 |title=Hindus hope to revive abandoned Saidpur temple |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1159126/minorities-day-initiative-hindus-hope-revive-abandoned-saidpur-temple |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref> Natural streams and ponds in the vicinity now contain ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mir |first=Asim |date=2022-04-04 |title=Saidpur village struggles against decay |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2350901/saidpur-village-struggles-against-decay |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
* Preserved old school building
* Restaurants & Cafe's
* Nomad Art Gallery
* Preserved old Sufi tomb
* Preserved ] & ]


==See also== ==See also==
Line 64: Line 70:
* ] * ]
* ] * ]

==Picture gallery==
{{Gallery
|title=Images of Saidpur
|width=340
|height=240
|lines=3
|File:Saidpur village.jpg|Saidpur village
|File:Saidpur Village 1.jpg|Renovated walkways along the old stream
|File:Saidpur Village 2.jpg|Looking down from a high point at the village sprawl
|File:Saidpur Village 3.jpg|Restaurants are a favourite tourist attraction
|File:Saidpur Village 4.jpg|The building in red is an old school building ... and right next to it are two, Sikh and Hindu, temples
}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}{{Neighbourhoods of Islamabad}}
{{Cultural heritage sites in Islamabad Capital Territory |state=autocollapse}}

==Trivia==
A funny ] advertisement has been filmed in this village.

==External links==
*
*

{{Neighbourhoods of Islamabad}}


] ]
]

]
]

Latest revision as of 11:15, 26 October 2024

Village in Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
Saidpur سیدپورFatehpur Baoli
Village
A view of Saidpur VillageA view of Saidpur Village
Coordinates: 33°44′31″N 73°04′04″E / 33.742077°N 73.067708°E / 33.742077; 73.067708
Country Pakistan
Administrative regionIslamabad Capital Territory Islamabad Capital Territory
Founded1530
Founded byMirza Fateh Ali
Named forSultan Said Khan
Government
 • ChairmanShiraz Kiyani
Elevation620 m (2,030 ft)
Population
 • Estimate 12,000−15,000
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)
Calling code051

Saidpur (Urdu: سیدپور) is a village and union council (UC-1) located in a ravine in Pakistan in the Margalla Hills, near the Daman-e-Koh overlook, in the Islamabad Capital Territory. It is a Mughal Era village that has a wide spectrum of religious and cultural heritage. It serves as a tourist spot for locals as well as foreigners.

The village also has an animal market, which provides a source of income to its dwellers. Some shops sell locally made pottery items and handicrafts. A 2015 estimate puts the village's population at between 12,000 and 15,000.

History

Establishment and early years

The area around the village has been a part of several civilizations, including the Gandhara, the Buddhists, the Greeks, Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, the Mughal Empire, and the British Raj. One of the oldest villages in the region that is still inhabited, Saidpur was founded in 1530 by Mirza Fateh Ali. It was named Fatehpur Baoli after its founder. The village was transferred to Said Khan Gakhar by Emperor Akbar as a reward for the Gakhar family's services in the war effort against Sher Shah Suri. As a result, the settlement was renamed to 'Saidpur'. Sultan Said Khan was the son of Sultan Sarang Khan, a chief of the Potohar area during the reign of Mughal Emperor Babur.

Several years later, Said Khan's daughter married Akbar's son, Saleem (who later ascended the throne as Emperor Jahangir). Her father gave her Saidpur as a wedding gift. Tuzk-e-Jahangiri, Jahangir's autobiography, mentions his stay at a village "beyond Rawalpindi", believed to be Saidpur, en route to Kabul. The village was a garden resort at that time, and a natural spring flowed across it, providing water for drinking and irrigation.

Use as a Hindu site

The village was later set up as a place for Hindu worshippers by commander Raja Man Singh, who visited the site in 1580. Several ponds were built and named after characters from the epic Ramayana (including Hanuman Kunda, Lakshaman Kunda, Rama Kunda, and Sita Kunda), and temples were also constructed. Hindus from Rawalpindi used to gather there and celebrate Baisahkhi.

Interfaith harmony

In the 20th century, a gurdwara was constructed adjacent to the temple by the Sikhs, which served as a school for spreading the teachings of Guru Nanak. Until the partition of the subcontinent in 1947, Waheguru and the goddesses Lakshmi and Kali were worshipped next to each other. A church and a mosque were also located nearby, as was the shrine of Zinda Pir (Living Saint), symbolizing interfaith harmony. However, after 1947, the local Hindus migrated to India and took their idols with them.

CDA renovation

In 2006, the Capital Development Authority started work on the renovation of the village on a budget of 400 million rupees (3.26 million dollars). It was remodelled as an Arts and Crafts Village, with the objective of preserving its 500-year old multi-cultural heritage and developing it as a tourist spot. Historical buildings were refurbished, the mud houses of the locals were given a facelift, and the water stream was cleaned. A museum displaying old pictures of Islamabad was also opened in the north-west corner.

Rama Temple

Saidpur Village is home to a small 16th-century temple called Rama Mandir or Ram Kund Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Rama. Hindus believe that he lived in the area with his family during 14 years of their exile. According to official records dating to 1893, a fair was held each year at a pond near the site called "Ram Kund" to commemorate that Ram and his family had once sipped water from it. For centuries, Hindus have travelled from far and wide to worship at the temple, staying in an adjoining dharamshala (rest house for pilgrims). However, all the idols have since been removed, and, since 1947, the temple has not been used as a place of worship. Between 1960 and 2006, the temple building was used as a girls' school. At that time CDA took possession of it and converted it to a tourist site.

The local Hindu community has expressed its desire for the temple to be reopened, since the nearest temple in the vicinity is in Rawalpindi. Residents believe that tourists disregard the sanctity of the place by walking inside it while wearing shoes. Carvings of goddesses have been painted over by the CDA, and the sites of the former ponds have been taken over by restaurants. Natural streams and ponds in the vicinity now contain sewage.

See also

References

  1. "ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan".
  2. "ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan". Election Commission of Pakistan. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Antiquity of Saidpur Village lures tourists". The Express Tribune. 27 December 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  4. ^ "At the foot of Margallas: Saidpur Village hides intriguing history". The Express Tribune. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  5. "Saidpur Village animal market: A place where some find themselves stuck and others find opportunities". The Express Tribune. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  6. "Remembering Rahimdad — the legendary potter of Saidpur". The Express Tribune. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  7. PakistanToday. "PTI, PAT sit-ins paralyse Saidpur Village | Pakistan Today". Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  8. Bajwa, Sara Kamal. "A Study of Status of Livelihood Assets at Household Level: Evidence from Saidpur Village, Islamabad". Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
  9. ^ "Saidpur Village – a witness to history". The Express Tribune. 27 March 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  10. "Historical Saidpur village attracts visitors". Daily Times. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  11. "Saidpur - a monument to peaceful coexistence | Shehr | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Saidpur has history, heritage of three eras". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  13. "Saidpur Village-Around IST". ist.edu.pk. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  14. "Hindus hope to revive abandoned Saidpur temple". The Express Tribune. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  15. "The historical Saidpur Village". Daily Times. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  16. fraaz. "Saidpur village at risk | Pakistan Today". Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  17. "Historical Saidpur village attracts visitors". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  18. "Saidpur Village: fusing the old and the new". The Express Tribune. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  19. "In Pakistani capital, a centuries-old temple where Hindus are not allowed to pray". Arab News PK. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  20. Yasin, Aamir (11 March 2018). "Rawal Dam temple — reminiscent of a submerged village". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  21. Yasin, Aamir (9 October 2016). "'Tourists, restaurants violate sanctity of Saidpur's temple'". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  22. "Hindus hope to revive abandoned Saidpur temple". The Express Tribune. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  23. Mir, Asim (4 April 2022). "Saidpur village struggles against decay". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
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