Sarai Alamgir
(pop. 50,000) is the chief town of the tehsil
of the same name. It is part of Gujrat
district in the north of Punjab province. The
town is located on the eastern bank of the
Jhelum River across from the larger town of
Jhelum. East of the town is the
Upper Jhelum Canal.
Name
The Sarai part of the
name is of Middle Eastern origin, and refers
to an enclosed space, tavern or public house
in a city or beside a road, where travellers
and caravans could find shelter. The
Alamgir part of the name refers to the
seventeenth century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
who founded the town.
The town is colloquially
referred to as Sarai.
Geography and climate
Sarai is located at
32°54′00″N,
73°45′00″E
(32.900000, 73.750000) and lies at an altitude
of 232 metres (763 ft) above sea-level.
The district as a whole has
a moderate climate. In summer, temperatures
can reach 45șC, but the hot spells are
comparatively short due to the proximity of
the Karakoram Mountains. The winter months are
very pleasant with temperatures rarely falling
below 2șC. The average rain-fall in the
district is over 100 cm.
History
The ancient history of the
region has seen it participate in the Indus
Valley Civilization and the Gandhara
Civilization. At a later date, the Battle of
the Hydaspes took place nearby, between the
armies of Alexander the Great and the Indian
king Porus.
The actual town of Sarai was
founded by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
because of its strategic location on the Grand
Trunk Road and the Jhelum River as well as its
proximity to Kashmir.
Sarai gained prominence when
the King George V
Royal Indian Military School was
established on March 3rd 1922, one four such
cadet schools in British India to benefit the
sons of members of the Royal Indian Army.
The school is now known as
the Jhelum Military
College, despite not being located in
the town of Jhelum.
Transport
The nearest international
airport is at Rawalpindi, about 100 km away.
However, there are good transport links
including a railway station, the Grand Trunk
Road, the Jhelum River and the
Upper Jhelum Canal.
Site updated on
