Bela, Pakistan

Bela (Balochi: بݔلہ) is an important city of Lasbela District in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.[2] It is an ancient city in a historic track surrounded by hills above the Arabian Sea, nearly 180 km (110 mi) northwest of Karachi and 500 km (310 mi) south of Quetta. During the autumn of 325 BC, the settlement was part of the Asian campaign of Alexander the Great under the name Rhambacia (Greek: Ῥαμβακία).[3] After Alexander conquered the town, he commended the place and thought that if he built a city there it would become great and prosperous and he left Hephaestion behind to build it.[4] In 711 AD, it was part of Muhammad bin Qasim's campaign under the name Armabil.[5]

Bela
بݔلہ
City
Bela is located in Pakistan
Bela
Bela
Bela is located in Balochistan, Pakistan
Bela
Bela
Coordinates: 26.2267°N 66.3113°E / 26.2267; 66.3113
CountryPakistan
ProvinceBalochistan
DistrictLasbela
TehsilBela
Elevation
88 m (289 ft)
Population
 • Estimate 
(2012)
20,119 [1]
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)

Name

Alexander's historians mention the river name as Arabius,[6] and local people as Oreitans.[3] The Arab sources call it Armabil or Armanil. The Chachnama, in addition, uses the names Armael, Armana-Bil, Armapilla.[5] It is described as the second port city of Sind, after Debal.[7]

Demographics

Bela's population consists of Baloch and Sindhis. The population is predominantly Muslim with a small Hindu community.[2]

Religious groups in Bela City (1941 & 2017)
Religious
group		 1941[8]: 13–14  2017[9][10]
Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 3,389 86.79% 23,156 94.12%
Hinduism 469 12.01% 1,436 5.84%
Sikhism 47 1.2% — —
Christianity 0 0% 9 0.04%
Others 0 0% 2 0.01%
Total population 3,905 100% 24,603 100%

Significance

Bela and surrounding areas have some mineral reserves. 64 kilometres (40 mi) north of Bela are the Kundi deposits where traces of chalcopyrite, Galena, and silver are also found. Manganese ore is also found in the ophiolitic belt of Bela.[2] The tomb of Muhammad ibn al-Qasim's general, Muhammad ibn Haroon, is located in Bela.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Population of Bela, Pakistan". Mongabay. Archived from the original on 2013-10-11. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  2. "Lasbela" (PDF). District Development Profile. Govt. of Balochistan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  3. Ashley 2004, pp. 344–345.
  4. Arrian, Anabasis, 6.21
  5. Elliot 1853, pp. 127–.
  6. Ashley 2004, p. 464.
  7. MacLean 1989, p. 69.
  8. "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME XIV BALUCHISTAN". Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  9. "Final Results (Census-2017)". Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  10. "District Wise Results / Tables (Census - 2017) TABLE 9 - POPULATION BY SEX, RELIGION AND RURAL/URBAN" (PDF). Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  11. "Archaeological sites and historical monuments". Lasbela. Govt. of Balochistan. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
Sources
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