(BILLU) Home, Village Chack Amir (Chack Amir)

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This is my small and picturesque village named Chack Amir officially, it is 27 kilometers away from Pathankot (Punjab) towards the north-west. Before partition it was known as 'Chack Khokhar' because it was named after a Khokhar caste of Muslims who inhabited the place until 1947, but the locals call it 'Mire Chack'. The whole village is divided in two parts by a playground. It is situated on the bank of the river UJJH and it borders Jammu and Kashmir in the north and Pakistan in the west. The majority of the population evacuated during India and Pakistan partition. After independence grandfather stayed at many locations, but later he came here. It was a Muslim village, as ruins of their houses are often found while we do digging. Now, It has approximately 300 residents who are all Hindus, with 75 per cent Rajputs and 20 percent Harijans, while Brahmins, Blacksmiths and Potters constitute the rest.

Three quarters of villagers are literate and there is a government primary school in the centre of village. Students go to towns to do the further studies. All Rajputs belong to Lalotra clan and came from three different Pakistani villages named Chumbian, Sagarpur and Khanna. Villagers spend their leisure time by playing cricket, volleyball and cards. Every winter, a cricket tournament is held to encourage the players. every winter There's organised a Cricket tournament every year. There is a lord Shiva's temple and two peer baba's shrines. The bhandaras are held every year at both the places, temple and the shrines. There is a very famous place called Bheem Goda which dates back to the Mahabharta, a very small place amidst the river UJJH. Bheem Goda is known for its bouli (the fountain water which has medical properties). Devotees come from farther villages to take holy dip to cure their skin diseases and hopeless couples also come for babies. It is said that Bheem Sen, a character from The Mahabharta, was once going through this way, he felt thirsty so he dug a pit by using his knee, the water came out and he quenched his thirst. There is also a bhandara organised by villagers every year in the beginning of the winter.

People are very lively, helping and hard-working. They celebrate a lot on Dipawali and Lohri. I would like to share something funny, every one is called by their funniest names given by the villagers as per their personalities. Most of the people are farmer and their hard-work returns a large quantity of crops. They cultivate major crops like wheat, paddy and mustard. They have Dogri culture which belongs to Jammu. But still they have a little bit flavour of punjabi culture. Our favourite feasts are corn breads with chpped mustard leaves and stems' vegetable (Saag & Dhoda), Milk-kheer, lassi, Pathoru. Daal-roti and paat are common foods, Charoliyaan are made during the Rainy season. People consume meat and wine a lot. Let's talk about weather, it's very hot during the Summer, extremely chilling as arrives the Winter and faces deluges when the monsoon comes. There is a fish pond also own by Sh. Ramesh Singh Lalotra. Almost every one has got a concrete house now.

We have a graam panchayat to rule the village which is comprised of five members and a Sarpanch. Every five years we choose a new panchayat in the hope of village's development which will never be fulfilled becaus no one pays attention towards it. There have been a few developments like repairing of the school building which is only done for showing they have done it. Moreover, an under construction pond and a few meters long street can be seen. Sorry, I missed something to tell you about those two Rest halls which are built for Baarats' stay and some other ceremonies. They have never been used except one thing which I'll tell you later on. One of the funniest stuff, People never make their baraties stay in those halls because it's said that our corrupted former Sarpanchs have not used sufficient cement during their construction. My brother and fully grown up people only use it for playing the card on Diwali and the day after. Govt. has started its project to supply the tube-well water which has been under construction for last 8 years. We have got cable channels and landline telephone connections which hardly work for 6 months in a year.Thank God! we do have the road which connects the village to the link road. We all have lots of expectations from new Sarpanchini, Smt. Rosy Devi w/o sh. Vishal Singh Lalotra, who has recently been selected. Village has different varities of mango trees. There is a need of dispensary. It's surrounded by fields. Once you come here, will feel the peace. There blows the cool breeze which rejuvenates mind and soul.

A lot of love and respect to my village and villagers............Billuu