Chota Lahore in Swabi near the Indus River crossing of Hund has a history older than the Punjab Lahore. Local people used to call it Landai Lahvor (short Lavor) then at some point in time it became Wadukai (small) Lahore and now, even the Pashto speakers call it chota Lahore instead of Lahvor. It was on the Aryan migration route from Kunar and Swat mountains. All the references of Huen Tsang, Buddhist monks and travellers from 5th Century onwards, are for the Lahore of Gandhara. Ancient ruins from Alexander’s time as well as Kushan period were visible in this area in the 20th Century.
Pannini’s Birthplace
Lahvor made a mark in pages of history since 350 BC, for being the birthplace of the celebrated Sanskrit grammarian, Pannini. Some historians believe that he was from the Panni tribe of the Gharghasht Pashtoons. His full name was Shankar Acharya Panini and he taught in Taxila “spelt out the phonology of the Sanskrit alphabet, which has continued unchanged” since then. Pannini’s work has served as a model and inspiration for philologists and grammarians alike for more than 2000 years. He has written “Ashtadahyayi” 8 chapters consist of 4000 aphorisms which describe and prescribe the proper use of Sanskrit language. It is possible that Pannini himself, if not an earlier grammarian gave to the literary language the name Sanskrit which essentially means, that which has been elaborated on. There is still a place called “Pani Wand” in Lahvor to remind us of the great teacher and linguist of the ancient
time.
Salatura to Lahore
Lahvor was also known as Salatura in Greek histories which mean a "Salty marsh". At the end of the 10th Century, Subktagin and in the beginning of the 11th century his son, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Peshawar and the famous battle with Raja Jaypal was fought in the planes of Swabi which was an important garrison of Hindu Shahi dynesty. It was the first Cantonment of the Ghaznavi Empire by the River Indus. Mahmood appointed his favorite slave Ayaz the Governor of this area. It was here that Ayaz died and buried. Yes, the famous Ayaz is buried in the village of Toorlandai near Lahor and not in Punjab Lahore.
References.
1. Ancient Geography of India, Alexander Cunningham. Edited by S.M Sastri Patna University 1924. P 65-66-67
2. Satta Nama . 100 great names from India’s Past, by V.V. Raman. Sangam Books
Limited, India, 1989 pages 43-44.
3. Tazkira, the origins and History of the Pathans. Khan Roshan Khan. 1983. Roshan
Khan & co. Karachi.
4. Tazkira, the origins and History of the Pathans. Khan Roshan Khan. 1983. Roshan Khan & co. Karachi.