Chhachh


Chhachh or Chach is an alluvial plain located in the northern Punjab, Pakistan. Triangular in shape, Chhachh is bounded by the left bank of Indus to the northwest, Gandghar range to the east and the highlands along the Grand Trunk Road to the south, covering an area of some. Administratively a part of Hazro Tehsil of Attock District, Chhachh is reputed to be the most fertile in Punjab.

Etymology

Chhachh has been identified as the Chukhsa country of Gandhara in the Taxila copper plate inscription. The area is mentioned in various epigraphic material, such as the Taxila copper plate inscription, where it is described as a territory of the Scythian ruler Liaka Kusulaka.

History

Chach has been identified as the Chukhsa country of the Taxila copper plate inscription. The Chhachh region is located at the historical region of Gandhara Civilization, the ancient Indo-Aryan civilization. Later the region was ruled by Kabul Shahis, followed by Hindu Shahis. Many rulers such as Alexander the Great, Mahmud of Ghazni, Timur, Nader Shah and Babur and their armies crossed the Indus River at or about this region in their respective invasions of India.
A silver jug found at Taxila indicates that Zeionises was the "satrap of Chuksa, son of Manigula, brother of the great king", but who this king was remains uncertain.
File:Indo-Scythian Zeionises. Circa 45-35 to 5 BCE Uncertain mint in Chukhsa.jpg|thumb|Coin of Zeionises.
Obv: King on horseback holding whip, with bow behind. Corrupted Greek legend MANNOLOU UIOU SATRAPY ZEIONISOU "Satrap Zeionises, son of Manigula". Buddhist Triratna symbol.
Rev: King on the left, receiving a crown from a city goddess holding a cornucopia. Kharoshthi legend MANIGULASA CHATRAPASA PUTRASA CHATRAPASA JIHUNIASA "Satrap Zeionises, son of Satrap Manigul". South Chach mint.The Battle of Chach was fought in 1008 AD between the Ghaznavid army of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni and the Hindu Shahi army of Anandapala, resulting in the latter's defeat. The Gakhars became vital in the hills to the east, but their dominion never extended beyond the Margalla Pass. Ghakhars were defeated by the Kashmiri ruler Sultan Shihabu’d-din near Ohind and continued under Kashmiri rule until the conquest of Babur.
The Battle of Attock took place on 13 July 1813 between the Sikh Empire and the Durrani Empire. The battle was the first significant Sikh victory over the Durranis.
During British Rule the region became part of Attock Tehsil; the municipality of Attock which was created in 1867 and the North-Western Railway connected the town to Lawrencepur. The town is surrounded by rich cultivation, and from 20th century had a flourishing trade, chiefly in tobacco and sugar.

Geography

Chhachh is off the Pindi-Peshawar GT road. Chach is on the edge of Punjab's border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is 20.4 km from Attock city and 22.9 km from Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is bounded on the north and west by the Indus River and is about long and broad.
Chhachh is a plain which rolls from the Hazara-Punjab hills south to Kamra, and from east of the River Indus to the broken lands near Lawrencepur.