From Lyallpur to Faisalabad: the city of eight bazaars
Standing tall in the heart of the city with eight arteries, the 'Faisalabad's Clock Tower' narrates the saga of a century-old civilisation of Rachna Doaba (the land falling within two rivers).
The city of magnificent eight bazaars formerly known as "Lyallpur" named after Sir James Lyall, the then Lt Governor of Punjab, is the third-largest city of Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore.
The distinctive presence of the clock tower and eight bazaars reveals its conscious design synonymous with the Union Jack.
The Plateau of Rachna Doaba was barren land having low rainfall and owing to its geographical dynamics, it remained uninhabited since 1,800. Later, it provided an abode for freedom fighters waging a struggle against the British colonial regime. Tough resistance to the occupied regime made the British rule conceive an idea in the late 1,800s to colonise this region with multiple political, economic and administrative objectives and the task was assigned to James Lyall.
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Naming it as Lyallpur was a tribute to James Lyall for his services rendered in the colonisation of Rachna Doaba and lower Chenab valley. Later on, during the Second World War, a network of canals was laid down to materialise the natural and agricultural potential of this region to feed the huge British army. The idea behind this overture was to ensure a consistent supply of wheat and other commodities to the army as well as nailing down the freedom fighters taking refuge in this area.
Lyallpur, a beautiful and well-planned city was primarily designed for a population of only 40,000 people. Ample space was left for greenery and Banyan trees were specifically nurtured around the Clock Tower. Bazaar directing towards Railway Station was named as Rail Bazaar and the one heading towards district courts was named as Kutchery Bazaar. Karkhana Bazaar was leading towards industrial while Bhawana Bazaar, Jhang Bazaar, Aminpur Bazaar, Chiniot Bazaar and Montgomery Bazaar were also named after the cities towards their direction.
These eight bazaars cover a total area of 110 acres connected through a circular road called "Gol Bazaar". "Creation of this city had a purpose. British regime desired to harness its natural resources, rich agricultural land as well as deal with freedom fighters," said Dr Rizwanullah Kokab, a professor of History at GC University Faisalabad.
The time took its course and like other cities, Lyallpur continued expanding with the rural population shifting to this city in search of jobs and better amenities. In September 1977, this multi-coloured jewel of lower Chenab was renamed "Faisalabad" by the Pakistan Government in honour of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia who had a great love for Pakistan and its people.
Lyallpur was an agricultural district with a majority of Sikhs and Hindus till the Muslims from Ambala, Jhalander, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and other districts in Indian Punjab migrated to this region. Today, there is a city with a new name - "Faisalabad" - a thickly populated and industrial city.
"At the time of its creation, it was a thinly populated greenish abode to people. But, time turned it into a third most populated city of the country and in this process, it lost its greenery," said Dr Kokab.
As per the 2017 census, its population had swelled to 7,882,444 with thousands of acres of agriculture land turned into residential settlements," he said. Even after its renaming, its bazaars continued to serve trade and business purposes as per their nomenclature.
Main bazaars serve vendors and shopkeepers and Gol bazaars are wholesale points with relatively cheaper commodities. These bazaars cater for businessmen and citizens needs of garments, medicines, shoes, sports goods, mobile phones, home appliances, jewellery, cloth, yarn, food items, fruits, vegetables, stationery, printing material, electronics and cooking appliances. The business continued flourishing gradually. But, a major boom was witnessed when power looms replaced hand looms in 1958.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2022.