Chotta Sethianwala is a small mohalla in the walled town of Bhera, with nine gates. The main entrance of Chotta Sethianwala is from the old Kacheri bazaar. Adjacent to Qazianwali Majid, a street leads north: about 30 yards is pre-partition Dakkhani ( a small post office ), and next it is Chotta Sethianwala. The same street goes through Mohalla Nigianwala and joins Circular Road. Mohallas close to Chotta Sethianwala are Ubranwala, Gorayanwala, Nagianwala and Khannawala.
On a lighter note: there is an old dictum in Bhera, “Bhera daay soo mohally: har morally wich daa jahalay. “This means there are 100 mohallas in Bhera, and in every mohalla, there are 10 crazy, stupid, irrational, lunatic persons.”
Notes :
- Qasianwali Madjid is believed to be of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s period, who reigned from 1628 to 1658.
- The Municipal Committee in Bhera was created in 1867. It is estimated that Dakkhani started functioning in Bhera around that time.
- Write-up and pictures of Purani Dakkhani are available; if interested, it can be shared.
Zahid Mumtaz
