Name	Sohag
Native name	سوهاج
Nickname	Bride of the Nile
Settlement type	City
Motto
Image seal	Sohag logo.gif
Seal size	70px
Pushpin map	Egypt
Pushpin label position	bottom
Pushpin mapsize	300
Pushpin map caption	Location in Egypt
Coordinates region	EG
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	Governorate
Subdivision name1
Subdivision type2	Markaz
Subdivision name2
Leader title	Governor
Leader name	Waddah Hamzawy
Leader title1
Established date
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total km2	68
Area land km2
Population as of	2010 Estimate
Population total	209419
Population rank	20th in Egypt
Population density km2	3079.69
Population metro	600000
Population demonym	Sohagi / Sohagy
Population density blank1 sq mi
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	+2
Coordinates display	inline, title
Elevation footnotes
Elevation m	61
Elevation ft	200
Postal code type	Postal code
Postal code	82749
Area code type	Area code
Area code	+20 (Egypt) 93 (City)
Website	www.sohag.gov.eg/
Footnotes	}}

Sohag ( , Sa'idi Arabic: , ), also known as ''Sawhāj'', ''Suhag'' and ''Suhaj'', is a city in Egypt that lies on the west bank of the Nile. It has been the capital of Sohag Governorate since 1960. Prior to that, the capital was the city of Girga and the name of the governorate was Girga Governorate. It also included Esna Governorate (nowadays Qena Governorate)

History

Until the 19th century there was only a village located in the area. In 1960, the capital of the province of Sohag Girga transferred to this location and the city was renamed accordingly.

It is unclear how long this site has been inhabited. There are several mummies here that date to Roman times, the village. In Coptic times, there was a community of monks living at the White Monastery in the area.

The 10th of April is the national day of the governorate to celebrate the victory of the Egyptian national resistance troops on the French troops in Johaina Battle in 1799.

Geography

Sohag lies on the western bank of the Nile on a fertile agricultural plain, approximately 6 kilometers southwest of Akhmim. In addition, the city includes two islands, Karaman-ez-Zahur Island, which is larger and uninhabited, and ez-Zahur Island (جزيرة الزهور, Ǧazīrat az-Zuhur, "Flower Island") which has some homes.

Economy

The city Sohag of itself encloses only a few archaeological sites, hence tourism represents but a small portion of the city's income. Other sources of income include trade, small industries of carpets, furniture, spinning and weaving and sugar. Administrative and educational services are two big sectors of income as a small university employs a majority of residents.

Demographics

1976	1986	1996	2006	2010

People

Religion

Historical sites

Mosques

Sidi Arif Mosque (Arabic: مسجد العارف بالله, Masjid al-ʿArif bi-Allah). The mosque is located in the south of the city. The el-ʿArif Mosque was built in the 14th century (the 8th century of the Islamic calendar). The present building was constructed around 1995. At the corners of the facade are two minarets, and the roof is crowned by a dome. Inside the five-naves mosque the bases of the piers and the walls were lined with red granite. The ceiling is painted ornamentally; in its middle is an elongated light dome. The southeasten half is lit by chandeliers. At the end there are the prayer niche (mihrab) with simple ornaments and to the right of it the wooden pulpit (minbar).

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El-Farshuti Mosque (Arabic: جامع الفرشوطي, Jāmʿi al-Farschūṭī). The el-Fashuti Mosque also named el-'Atiq Mosque (the old mosque) is located approximately 350 meters southwest of the Sidi Arif Mosque . The most striking feature of the mosque is its 53 meter high minaret in the southeast corner. The minaret has galleries with balustrades on four floors. The mosque is a modern, bright new building. The mosque is divided into five naves by columns and pillars. It has a light dome in the middle which is inscribed at the bottom with a sura from the Qur'an. The bases of the walls are painted yellow and white with green bands. A very colorful prayer niche next to the wooden pulpit is located at the southeast side.

In the masonry on the east, south and west sides are stones engraved with historic inscriptions moved from previous buildings, including a decree of the penultimate Mamluk sultan al-Ghawri (1441–1516) from the year 1506 (911 AH) on the southeast side.

{| |- | rowspan="2" | | | rowspan="2" | |- | |}

Churches

In the city there are two important churches erected in the 20th century: the church of the Holy Virgin and the church of Saint George.

The church of the Holy Virgin (Arabic: كنيسة السيدة العذراء, Kanīsat as-Saiyida al-ʿAdraʾ). The church is located in the north of the bazaar (souq Qaiṣarīya). It consists of five naves. There are three sanctuaries for Saint George (left), the Holy Virgin and the Archangel Michael at the ends of the middle three naves. All sanctuaries are completely screened by a wooden iconostasis. On both sides of the entrances to the sanctuaries are wooden icons of the Holy Virgin and Jesus (see Iconostasis). The Lord's Last Supper and the crosses are located above the iconstasis. The presentation in the central nave is framed by a fish and a pigeon, the other ones are framed by angels and a dove. Galleries are located above the aisles and the entrance. On the walls, there are paintings of saints and scenes from the life of Jesus.

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Church of St. George is the cathedral of the diocese of Sohag(Arabic: كنيسة مار جرجس, Kanīsat Mar Girgis). The church is located 300 meters north of the Opera (Midan Obira) or Culture Square (Midan eth-Thaqafa). Church of the Archangel Michael (Arabic: كنيسة الملاك ميخائيل). The church is located in the Railway Station Street (El-Mahatta St.), on the east side of the railway tracks.

Monasteries

;White Monastery

The Coptic White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. It is located about 5 kilometers west of Sohag. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the white limestone of its outside walls. The surviving building is the church of what was once a much larger monastery complex.

;Red Monastery

The Red Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery named after an Egyptian saint called Pishay. It is located about 5 kilometers north of the White Monastery. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the construction material of its outside walls, consisting of red (burnt) brick. These walls are considerably thicker at the base than at the top, and just like the walls of Ancient Egyptian temples, they are surmounted by cavetto moldings. The Red Monastery is architecturally similar to the White Monastery.

Temples and cemeteries

The city is the site of a temple built for the goddess Repyt(Triphis) by Ptolemy XV Caesarion and subsequent Roman emperors. South of this temple was an earlier temple of Ptolemy IX Soter II. One of the tombs nearby, belonging to the brothers Ibpemeny "the younger" and Pemehyt of the late second century BC, has two zodiacs on its ceiling.

Subdivisions

The city of Sohag is informally divided into two division: the East District (Arabic: حى شرق) and the West District (Arabic: حي غرب). Among the most notable regions of the West District are:

Sidi Aref

Al Shahid (Arabic for the Martyr)

Gharb Al-Koubry ("West of the Bridge" neighborhood)

The East District is considered a more upscale district that includes some of the most affluent neighborhoods of the city including 15th Street, Al Kashef Street, Jumhuriya Street, The Courts Compound, and The Technical and Agricultural Schools. Some of the most notable locales of the East District include:

The Courts Compound of Sohag

City Hall of Sohag

Sohag University

Sohag Teaching Hospital, a member of GOTHI, which is among the biggest hospitals of the region

Multiple governmental directorates

Many recreational areas including The Sohag Stadium as well as many parks including Al Zohour (an revitalized park located in the middle of the Nile River).

Nasr City - the first satellite city to be built in the East District. It was established during the time of the former president Gamal Abdel Nasser, hence the name Nasr City.

Climate

Sohag is one of the warmest places in Egypt due to its place in the east side of Sahara in North Africa. Sohag is ranked the 5th driest place in Egypt and the 9th globally .Also ranked 4th warmest place in Egypt and 296th globally .

Culture

The Sa'idi Arabic dialect spoken by Sohagy people like all other Upper Egyptian cities . There are some similarities to Standard Arabic and Gulf Arabic pronunciation.

Museums

The Sohag Museum contains about 5000 artifacts gathered from around the Sohag governorate, including items stretching from the Middle Kingdom to Greco-Roman times.

Bazaars

Souq el-Qisareya The bazaar in Sohag is named suq Qaiṣarīya, and is partly covered.

Souq el-Itnein A weekly market held every Monday in the morning for trading in vegetables, fruits,animals and traditional hand made objects (like baskets, farming axes and Bags). The weekly market is believed to be held for the first time during the Ancient Egyptian era . The place of Souq el-Itnein is changeable for years because of the crawling of the new buildings towards its location . The souq now is in the south of the city and is held in the streets and beside the city cemetery .

Music

Transport

Sohag is linked to Giza and Northern cities through three main roads: road of Asyut Western Desert, Eastern Desert Road, Rural Road also connected to it through the train.

In February 2010 a new highway linking the city to the Red Sea city of Hurghada was opened facilitating the ease the movement between Upper Egypt and the Red Sea coastal region.

In May 2010, the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak inaugurated a brand new airport to serve the city called Sohag International Airport.

! City	! Distance (km)
Alexandria	692
Port Said	691
Ismaïlia	616
Suez	605
Cairo	471
Aswan	428
Luxor	205
Asyut	98

Cityscape

Education

Sohag is characterized by very large numbers of graduates in all fields.

Illiteracy has continued to drop due to schools (literacy) for all ages free of charge.

There Sohag many schools and colleges most famous:

Primary schools:

Al-Nasr school

Huda Sharawi school

Mulhaqat Al-Mu'allemat school

Middle schools:

Ahmad Deifalla school

Nabawi Muhandis school

Ali Osman Baltak school

Tarik Ibn Ziad school

High schools:

Sohag Military school

Abdelmunim Riad school

Asmaa Bint Abi Bakr school

University

Sohag University is a governmental university in Sohag. It is on the eastern bank of the Nile. It also became an independent university in 2006. Before 2006, it was part of another university. There are currently ten colleges in Sohag University, as well as future plans to found more colleges to better serve the community. With more than 40,000 undergraduates it is highly ranked in Upper Egypt in terms of undergraduates numbers.

Sports

The most favourite and popular sport in Sohag is football. Sohag has many football clubs, among which only Sohag Football Club and Sohag Railways FC, Which played in the Egyptian Premier League EPL for a few seasons ago. EPL club El Gouna FC used the Sohag stadium as a home ground at times.

Here is a list of the major sport clubs in the city of Sohag:

{|style="margin:0 0 0 1em; background:#ffffff; border:1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse:collapse; text-align:center; font-size:95%;" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" |- style="background:#efefef; border-bottom:2px solid gray;" ! Club |- |Sohag FC |Sohag Railway FC |Nil Sohag |Shobban Sohag |}

Notable people

Sohag has established a positive reputation around Egypt .

Narmer, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period (c. 32nd century BC).

Sheikh Mohamed Siddiq El-Minshawi, Great Qur'anic reciter .

Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, Former Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque.

Rifa'a el-Tahtawi, writer, teacher, translator, Egyptologist and renaissance intellectual.

Mustafa al-Maraghi, reformer and rector of Al-Azhar Mosque.

Mohammed Aboul-Fotouh Hassab, gastro-intestinal surgeon well known for the description of his operation Hassab’s decongestion operation for the treatment of oesophageal varices as a result of portal hypertension.

Gamal El-Ghitani, author of historical novels and cultural and political commentaries and is the current editor-in-chief of the literary periodical Akhbar Al-Adab ("Cultural News") .

Naguib Sawiris, business pioneer that transformed his telecommunications company Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) to become one of the leading telecom players in the world.

Youssef Wahbi, Film Actor .

Atef El-Tayeb, Film Director .

George Sidhom, Film Actor.

Emad Hamdy, Film Actor .

Baligh Hamdi, composer who created hit songs for many prominent Arabic singers.

Dhul-Nun al-Misri, Sufi saint. He was considered the Patron Saint of the Physicians in the early Islamic era of Egypt .

Jaber Abu Hussein, The famous narrator ot the Taghribat Bani Hilal .

Nadia Lutfi, one of the most popular actresses during the final phase of Egyptian cinema's "Golden Age".

Omar Taher, Writer and poet .

Nearby attractions

Abydos one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt, and also of the eight Upper Nome of which it was the capital city. It also Considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Ancient Egypt, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including a Umm el-Qa'ab, a royal necropolis where early pharaohs were entombed.

Akhmim has several mosques and two Coptic churches, maintains a weekly market, and manufactures cotton goods, notably the blue shirts and check shawls with silk fringes worn by the poorer classes of Egypt.

El-Hawawish the ancient necropolis (cemetery) for the city of Akhmim.

El-Salamuni comprises a rock-cut chapel dedicated to the god Min.

The Meritamen statue in east Akhmim.

Beit Khallaf Outside the village are two very large brick mastabas from the Third Dynasty.

Athribis The city is the site of a temple built for the goddess Repyt (Triphis) by Ptolemy XV Caesarion and subsequent Roman Emperors.

Photo gallery

See also

Upper Egypt

Sa'idi people

Sa'idi Arabic

References

External links

Sohag on Wikivoyage

Sohag on Travel grove

Sohag photo album

Category:Governorate capitals in Egypt Category:Populated places in Egypt Category:Ancient cities Category:Former populated places in Egypt

ar:سوهاج bg:Сухадж (област) da:Sohag de:Sohag es:Suhag fa:سوهاج fr:Sohag ko:소하그 id:Suhaj it:Sohag he:סוהאג ka:სუჰაგი arz:سوهاج ms:Suhaj nl:Suhaj pl:Sauhadż pt:Sohag ro:Suhaj ru:Сохаг sv:Sohag tr:Sevhac uk:Сохаг vi:Sohag war:Sohag zh:索哈傑

name	Kumar Sanu
background	solo_singer
alias	Kedarnath Bhattacharya
born	September 23, 1957 (age 53) Kolkata, India
instrument	Tabla
genre	Playback singing
occupation	Singer,Actor,Music Director,Film Producer
years active	1984–present }}

Kumar Sanu (alias Kedarnath Bhattacharya (), born in Kolkata, is a leading Indian Bollywood playback singer. He was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award over five consecutive years. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2009.

Early life

Kumar Sanu's father Pashupati Bhattacharya was a vocalist and composer. He trained Sanu as a singer and tabla player. After getting a degree in commerce from Calcutta University, Sanu began performing publicly in 1979, singing at shows and restaurants around Calcutta. He modeled his singing style after Bollywood singer Kishore Kumar. Later he developed his own singing style.

Career

In 1987, music director and singer Jagjit Singh offered Sanu the chance to sing in the Hindi film ''Aandhiyan''. Sanu then relocated to Mumbai, where Kalyanji-Anandji gave him chance to sing in the film ''Jaadugar''. Kalyanji-Anandji suggested that he change his name from Kedar Nath Bhattacharya to Kumar Sanu.

Sanu started off singing Jagjit Singh's film songs, and went on to work with composers including Naushad, Ravindra Jain, Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Pt.R K Razdan, Kalyanji Anandji, and Usha Khanna.

For the 1990 film ''Aashiqui'', music directors Nadeem-Shravan got Sanu to sing all but one of the songs which included ''Sanson ki zaroorat hai jaise'', ''Tu meri zindagi hain'', ''Nazar ke saamne'', ''Jaane jigar jaaneman'', ''Ab Tere Bin Jee Lenge Hum'' and ''Dheere, dheere se meri zindagi mein aana''. He won the first of his record five consecutive Filmfare awards as Best Male Playback Singer. His next Filmfare Awards came for songs in the movies ''Saajan'' (1991), ''Deewana'' (1992), ''Baazigar'' (1993), and ''1942: A Love Story'' (1994).

Sanu often collaborated with Nadeem-Shravan. Some of their collaborations include songs in movies like ''Aashiqi''(1990), ''Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin'' (1991),''Sadak'' (1991), ''Saajan'' (1991), ''Deewana'' (1992), ''Dil Ka Kya Kasoor''(1992),''Kal Ki Awaz'' (1992), ''Shreeman Aashique'' (1993), ''Salami'' (1993), ''Damini: Lightning'' (1993), ''Dil Wale'' (1994), ''Agni Sakshi'' (1996) ''Raja Hindustani'' (1996), ''Jeet'' (1996) ''Pardes'' (1997), among others.

In a career spanning two decades he has sung with composers including R.D. Burman, Anand-Milind, Anu Malik, Jatin-Lalit, Nadeem-Shravan, Ismail Darbar, Kalyanji Anandji. Sanu has also worked with A. R. Rahman in ''Milgayee Milgayee'' from Kabhi Na Kabhi.

He has also created music for Indian films and also produced the Bollywood film, ''Utthaan''.

Sanu was in the panel of judges on Sony TV for Waar Parriwar, a reality show based on the bringing together of a singing gharana (family of singers) and on Zee Bangla TV in a music reality show called Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - Vishwa Sera.

Awards

2009: Padma Shri: India's 4th highest civilian honour given by Government of India.

IIFA: Artist of the decade.

The government of Denton in America observe Kumar Sanu Day on 31 March.

Global excellence award-2003.

Filmfare

;Filmfare Best Male Playback Award

1990; ''Ab tere bin jeelenge hum'' - ''Aashiqui''

1991: ''Mera Dil Bhi Kitna Pagal Hai'' - ''Saajan''

1992: ''Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar'' - ''Deewana''

1993: ''Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen'' - ''Baazigar''

1994: ''Ek Ladki Ko Dekha'' - ''1942: A Love Story''

Star Screen Award

;Star Screen Award for Best Male Playback

1994: ''Ek Ladki Ko Dekha'' - ''1942: A Love Story''

Notable Bollywood Filmography

SaajanDeewana (1992 film)Baazigar1942: A Love StoryDilwale Dulhania Le JayengeRaja HindustaniJudwaaKuch Kuch Hota HaiHum Dil De Chuke SanamKaho Naa... Pyaar HaiYeh Hai JalwaDil Ka RishtaBewafaaNo Entry

Year
rowspan="1">1990	Aashiqui	"Ab Tere Bin Jeelenge Hum", "Nazar Ke Saamne Jigar", "Bas Ek Sanam Chahiye", Tu Meri Zindagi hai, Main duniya bhula dunga
rowspan="2"	1991	|	"Mera Dil Bhi Kitna Pagal Hai", "Jiye To Jiye Kaise"	Solo, Alka Yagnik, SP Balasubramanyam
Sadak	"Tumhein Apna Banane Ki Kasam"
rowspan="1"	1992	Deewana ||	"Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar"	Solo
rowspan="2"	1993	|	"Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen", "Baazigar O Baazigar"	Anu Malik, Alka Yagnik
Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke	"Ghunghat Ki Aad Se", "Kash Koi Ladka", "Yoohi Kat Jayega Safar", "Bombay Se Gayi Poona"
rowspan="3"	1994	|	"Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To", "Rim Jhim Rim Jhim", "Kuch Na Kaho", "Rooth Na Jaana"	Solo, Kavita Krishnamurthy
Main Khiladi Tu Anari	"Chura Ke Dil Mera", "Paas Woh Aane Lage Zaara Zaara"
Yeh Dillagi	"Honton Pe Bas"
rowspan="5"	1995	|	"Tujhe Dekha To"	Lata Mangeshkar
Karan Arjun	"Yeh Bandhan", "Jaati Hoon Main", "Jai Maa Kali"
Veergati
Akele Hum Akele Tum	"Dil Mera Churaya Kyun"
Coolie No. 1
rowspan="2"	1996	|	"Pardesi Pardesi (II)", "Poocho Zara Poocho", "Tere Ishq Mein Nachenge"	Alka Yagnik, Alisha Chinai, Sapna Mukherjee
Jeet (1996 film)	Jeet	"Tu Dharti Pe Chahe", "Waadon Se Nahin"
rowspan="4"	1997	|	"Duniya Mein Aaye", "Tera Aana Tera Jaana", "Tu Mere Dil Mein Bas Ja"	Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sushma Shrestha>Poornima
Ishq (film)	Ishq	"Neend Churai Meri"
Pardes (film)	Pardes	"Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain", "Meri Mehbooba"
Hero No. 1	"Saton Janam Tujko Paate", "Main Tujhko Bhaga Laya"
rowspan="5"	1998	|	"Saajanji Ghar Aaye", "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai"	Kavita Krishnamurthy, Alka Yagnik
Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai	"Pehli Pehli Baar", "O Jaana Na Jaana", "O Jaana Yeh Mana, "Madhosh Dil Ki Dhadkan", "Ek Dil Tha", "Dil Mein Basake"
Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998 film)	Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya	"Odh Li Chunariya", "Tum Par Hum Hai Atke"
Ghulam	"Aankhon Se Tune Kya"
Bandhan	"Title Song"
rowspan="4"	1999	|	"Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan"	Kavita Krishnamurthy
Pardes	"Do Dil Mil Rahe Hai"
Jaanam Samjha Karo	"Love Hua"
Biwi No.1	"Jungle Hai Aadhi Raat"
rowspan="2"	2000	|	"Chand Sitare"	Solo
2000	Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye	"Title Song", "O Priya O Priya"
rowspan="1"	2002	|	"Aankhen Pyari Hain", "O Jaane Jigar"	Alka Yagnik
rowspan="3"	2003	|	"Kitna Majboor Ho Gaya Hu Main", "Dil Chura", "Hai Dil Mera Dil", "Saajan Saajan"	Solo, Alka Yagnik, Sapna Awasthi
Qayamat: City Under Threat	"Woh Larki Buhat Yaad", "Mujhe Tumse Muhabbat Hai"
Andaaz	"Kitna Pagal Dil Hai", "Kisise Tum Pyar Karo", "Aaj Kehna Zaroori Hai"
rowspan="1"	2004	|	"Pyar Ka Anjam"	Alka Yagnik, Sapna Mukherjee
rowspan="1"	2005	|	"Kahan Ho Tum"	Udit Narayan

References

External links

Category:Living people Category:Bengali musicians Category:Bengali people Category:Bollywood playback singers Category:Indian film singers Category:Indian male singers Category:People from Kolkata Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:University of Calcutta alumni Category:1957 births

ar:كومار سانو bn:কুমার শানু fr:Kumar Sanu hi:कुमार शानू sw:Kumar Sanu mr:कुमार सानू no:Kumar Sanu