Hasan Abdal: History
The famous Chinese traveler Xuanzang who visited the place in the 7th century A.D. mentions the sacred spring of Elapatra about 70 li to the northwest of Taxila which has been identified as the spring at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. The town is mentioned in Ain-i-Akbari in the context that Shams al-Din built himself a vault there in which Hakim Abu’l Fath lies buried. Akbar’s visit to the town on his way back from Kashmir is also mentioned.
The origin of the name Hasan Abdal is attributed to two men, a Gujjar named Hasan and a Faqir named Abdal, according to the folk history. Abdal requested some milk from the Gujjar, who had many buffaloes. As Hasan did so freely, Abdal expressed his gratitude and asked what he could do for him, on which Hasan replied that they were much strained for water. Abdal then struck the neighbouring hills in two places from which sprang the two streams of Hasan Abdal.
In 1521, the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak, arrived in Hasan Abdal. A Gurdwara called Panja Sahib was built on the spot that he stayed at, containing a sacred rock that is believed to contain the hand print of Guru Nanak. Punja or panja (Punjabi: پنجہ (Shahmukhi); ਪੰਜਾ (Gurmukhi)):hand or paw. Twice a year, Sikh pilgrims visit this Gurdwara from all over the world.
William Finch who travelled through India between 1608 and 1611 described Hasan Abdal to be a "pleasant town with a small river and many fair tanks in which are many fishes with golden rings in their noses ...; the water so clear that you may see a penny in the bottom".
The town was the seat for Mughal warring expeditions to the empire's northwest frontier. The Mughal emperor Jahangir mentions the town in his Tuzk-e-Jahangiri by the name of Baba Hasan Abdal where he stayed for three days. He also praised the city in these words: "The celebrated place at this station is a spring which flows from the foot of a little hill, exceedingly clear, sweet and nice...". Hasan Abdal was visited by various Mughal kings on their way to Kashmir.
Raja Man Singh built the nearby Wah Gardens during the reign of Akbar. The terraced gardens were divided into four parts. Shah Jahan rested at the gardens on his four expeditions to Kabul. Emperor Aurangzeb stayed at the town for over a year beginning in 1674, in order to quell the "Afridi Revolt". The presence of Emperor Aurangzeb at the gardens convinced many local Pashtun tribes to abandon the rebellion, and join forces with the Mughals.
During British rule, the railway station at Hasan Abdal was built which linked areas to the north and west with the Punjab For areas where the railway lines ended, the tonga was available.