Dadu, Sindh
Dadu
دادو | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Painted mosque in Dadu | |
  Dadu Location within Sindh  Dadu Location within Pakistan | |
| Coordinates: 26°43′57″N 67°46′45″E / 26.73250°N 67.77917°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Sindh |
| Division | Hyderabad |
| District | Dadu |
| Elevation | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Population | |
• City | 188,317 |
| • Rank | 52nd, Pakistan |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Calling code | 025 |
| Number of Union councils | 10 |
Dadu (Sindhi and Urdu: دادو) is a city and the capital of the Dadu District in Sindh, Pakistan. The city is located on the western bank of the Indus River and is administratively subdivided into four Union councils. Dadu is famous for its tea.
Dadu is the 11th most populous city of the Sindh Province and the 52nd most populous city in Pakistan with a population of 171,191 (2017). It is located 100 miles (160 km) to the north of Hyderabad,[2] the second largest city of Sindh.
History
The area known as Dadu was subject to the Sindhi tribe called the Pahnwars. According to the scholar Hussian Charan, the Sindhi Panhwar tribe held the lands of North Sehwan and the Lands of Dadu. From 1691-1692, the Pahwanr leader, Mir Pahnwar, tried to rebel against the Kalhora Ruler Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro, but the uprising was defeated by the forces of the Kalhora dynasty.[3]
Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro invited many Baloch tribes, especially the Khosa tribe, to Dadu to assist him in fighting the uprising of Panhwar and other Sindhi tribes. The Panhwar leaders Sardar Faqeer Pahnwar of Samtani and Sardar Haider Pahnwar of Urarri organized a battle against the Baloch. The Panhwar tribe won and killed the Baloch leader, Gola Khosa.[3]
In response to this defeat, Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro made a force consisting of the Sindhi Soomra tribesmen and Sindhi Abra tribesmen and took them to overthrow the Panhwar. In this battle, the Panhwar were defeated by the larger Kalhora Forces. [3]
The history of how Dadu got its name is not known for sure. It is generally believed that Dadu was founded as a village by Sardar Dadu Khan Kalhoro during the Kalhora dynasty (1701–1783).[4] Dadu Khan Kalhoro was a powerful tribe leader and landlord. He had close relations with Kalhora rulers and was called Daderah. Some historians are of the opinion that the old name of Dadu was Marakhpur, which was conquered by Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro during the first decade of the 18th century.[5] Nowadays, Marakhpur is a small locality in Dadu City.
There is also another theory regarding the origin of Dadu. Dadu Dayal (1544–1603) was a great saint, poet, and follower of Guru Gorakhnath from Gujrat, India. He introduced a new Panth of Yogi known as the Dadupanth. Dadu Dayal visited Sindh and lived here for a long time. His followers were called Dadunavasi. Two of his followers, Dayo Ram (1836–1906) and Sanat Bhagat Ram, were from Dadu. Dadu became the town of the Danunavasi and hence got the name Dadu.[6][7]
During the Kalhora dynasty, Dadu and the surrounding area's fortunes flourished, the irrigation system was improved, and new canals were constructed to boost the agricultural economy of the area. As a result, Dadu became an important center of trade and agriculture. When Kalhora rulers shifted the capital of Sindh to Hydrabad, Dadu lost its prosperity. Under Talpur rule, the glory of Dadu further declined. The Talpur rulers were more focused towards Hyderabad, Khairpur Mirs, and Mirpur Khas. They did not pay much attention towards Dadu and the surrounding areas.
Demographics
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 13,716 | — |
| 1961 | 19,142 | +3.39% |
| 1972 | 30,184 | +4.23% |
| 1981 | 39,298 | +2.98% |
| 1998 | 102,550 | +5.80% |
| 2017 | 171,191 | +2.73% |
| 2023 | 188,317 | +1.60% |
| Sources:[8] | ||
According to 2023 census data, Dadu had a population of 188,317.
Languages
- Sindhi (98.0%)
- Urdu (1.34%)
- Others (0.68%)
According to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, Sindhi is overwhelmingly the dominant language in the city, spoken by 97.98% of the population. Urdu is the second-most common language at 1.34%, followed by Saraiki speakers who make up 0.36%. While an additional 0.32% is formed by a multitude of languages (mostly Punjabi and Pashto).[9]
Climate
Dadu has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh), characterized by extremely hot, sweltering summers and mild winters. Temperatures regularly rise above 40°C (104°F) during the peak summer months and can exceed 50°C during severe heatwaves. The highest recorded temperature in Dadu is 51.5°C (124.7°F), making it one of the hottest areas in Pakistan. Winters are generally mild, with comfortable daytime temperatures and cooler nights.
Personalities
Nasrullah Kalhoro: Advocate, founder of Club Dadu, political worker, member of parliament, President of the district bar council of Dadu.
Apa Janat Khatonn Kalhoro: First woman Muslim school teacher in Dadu City, founder of school Shahni Muhall Dadu.
References
- ↑ "Table-2 Urban localities by population size and their population by sex, annual growth rate and household size, Census - 2023".
- ↑ "Dadu | Pakistan | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- 1 2 3 Baloch, Nabi Bakhsh (1984). Jangnama (in Sindhi). Jamshoro: Sindhi Adabi Board. p. 259.
- ↑ Solangi, Muhammad Uris Azhar (2013). دادو ضلعو - ھڪ اڀياس (A Study of Dadu District) (in Sindhi). Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan: Sindhi Adabi Board. p. 2.
- ↑ Makhdoom, Amir Ahmad (Translator) (1975). تحفتہ الڪرام (Tuhfatul Karam by Mir Ali Sher KAnia Thattvi) (in Sindhi). Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan: Sindhi Adabi Board. p. 262.
- ↑ Magsi, Dhani Bux (2005). ڊادوءَ سان منھنجون يادون (My Memories of Dadu) (in Sindhi). Dadu, Sindh.: Kachho Publications. pp. 480–481.
- ↑ "Ancient sites, towns and villages". Aziz Kingrani. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- ↑ "Population by administrative units 1951-1998" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ↑ "First Digital Census: Understanding Its Importance and Process - Pakistan Bureau of Statistics population". Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 30 January 2026.