FIROZPUR, Punjab

Main Attraction: HARIKE LAKE AND WETLAND

Harike Lake and Wetland is situated in the district of Firozpur in the state of Punjab. A barrage built in 1953 on the confluence of rivers Sutluj and Beas near Harike town resulted in the creation of Harikelake. Over the course of time, this wetland system, the largest in north India, emerged as a fine waterfowl habitat. It was declared a bird sanctuary in 1982 and a Ramsar Site in 1990. In 1992 the sanctuary area was enlarged to 86 sq. km. 

Harike lake constitutes the main reservoir which is the deeper portion of the wetland adjoining the barrage, while the marshy islands and shores together with the extensive wetlands stretching beyond the reservoir area, comprise the rest of the wetland. The lake is triangular in shape, with its apex in the west, a bund, called the Dhussi Bund forming one side, a canal the second and a major road the third.

Brief History

Not much is known of the early history of Firozpur district. This may partly be due to the river Sutluj shifting its course constantly leaving behind ruins and mounds of earth called Theh. The vagary of the river has, however, made a strong impact on the character of the people, making them virile and turbulent and inured to hardships. The Rajput tribes from the neighboring Rajasthan were among the early known invaders of the territory. The Punwar Rajputs appears to be earliest with their capital at Janer, followed by Bhati Rajputs, about the time the muslims established contacts with India. 

The Bhatis settled south of Muktsar and continued pushing the Punwars northward. The various branches of Bhatis fanned out towards east and west, the Dogars and Naipals to the west towards. Pakpattan and the Manj Rajputs to the east towards Kot Ise Khan and Raikot. Two ruling branches of the Manj Rajputs embraced Islam towards the close of the thirteenth century. Firozpur town was named after their chief, Feroze Khan, the chief of Manj Rajputs, but more reliable sources maintain that it was founded by Feroze Shah Tughlak.

Some two centuries after the immigration of the Bhatis the Jat tribes, namely, Dhaliwals, Gills and Sidhus appear to have made inroads into the territory from the south and south-east and gained possession of various areas. One tribe worthy of mention from among these Jats is Sidhu Barars who came from the same stock as the Bhati Rajputs. They founded the chieftainship of Kot Kapura and were the forefathers of the ruling families of the Faridkot State and the Phulkian States of Patiala, Nabha and Jind. Most of the Jat tribes accepted the Sikh faith in the seventeenth century. 

In due course they took advantage of the tottering Mughal Empire for strengthening their positions. Thus when Guru Gobind Singh was in flight from Chamkaur Sahib in 1705 A.D., the Chief of Kot Kapura, though a Sikh, did not offer him shelter against the Mughal pursuers, and the Guru went to Muktsar and from there to Deccan. In the meantime, the Dogars had begun to make depredations eastward from Pakpattan side where they had emigrated earlier. They pushed the Manj Rajputs southward, and established themselves for about a hundred miles along the Sutluj. However, they could not hold for long against the rising power of the Sikh Misls which took them under their sway.

Religious persecution was hammering the Sikhs into a number of staunch and warrior Misls whose common aim was to fight out the Mughal tyranny. In 1760, they inflicted defeat on the Mughal Governor of Lahore. Three years later, Hari Singh, the chief of Bhangi Misl, sacked Kasur, and one of his Sardars named Gujjar Singh crossed the Sutluj and took possession of Firozpur and made over the fort and surrounding territory to his nephew, Gurbakhsh Singh. The dogars gave him a lot of trouble but ultimately he was able to break their resistance and added to his territory a sizable area on both sides of the Sutluj. Near about 1792, while partitioning his possessions among his sons, Gurbakhsh Singh gave the fort and territory of Firozpur to his second son, Dhanna Singh. He did not prove to be a strong ruler. 

Thereupon a favourite Sardar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Nihal Singh Atariwala, crossed the Sutluj and hemmed in Dhanna Singh’s territory from all sides. It was the time when the British East India Company was giving protection to the Trans-Sutluj chiefs, and no sooner Dhanna Singh asked for it, the protection was readily given. Ranjit Singh was thus restrained from extending his influence east of the Sutluj. Dhanna Singh died in 1818-19 leaving his widow Lachman Kaur as his successor. The widow died in 1835. She had no issue and the territory passed to the British. The British were yet busy in restoring peace and order and consolidating their position in the area when the First Sikh War broke out in December, 1845.

It is rightly said that the battle for Punjab was fought in Firozpur district. The intrigues and jealousies of the Sikh Darbar left no time with it to give correct direction to the overflowing energies of the brave Khalsa Army of Ranjit Singh, and more to exhaust itself out than for any other purpose, it was allowed to cross the Sutluj and to fight the British.

The first engagement took place at Mudki and Lal Singh, the Sikh Commander, left his men when the victory was in sight, and had the 7,000 odd British troops who had fallen into the hands of the Khalsa Army been destroyed, the subsequent history of Punjab, and possibly of India, would have been different.

Similarly at Firozpur it was only the treachery of the Sikh Commander, Teja Singh, who left the battle field when the victory was within an ace of achievement, which averted a sure defeat for the British. The Sikh Army was all the time let down by its commanders. The next Sikh Commander, Ranjit Singh, defeated the British in the next battle at Buddiwal, but was himself defeated at Aliwal.

The treaty of Lahore was signed in 1845. As a result, the British acquired, inter alia, all the territory east of the Sutluj. The territory was divided among the districts of Firozpur, Badhni and Ludhiana, The Firozpur district getting the ilaqas of Zira, Mudki, Khai and portions of Kot Kapura, Guru Har Sahai, Jhuma, Kot Bhai, Bhucho and Maharaj. In 1847, the Badhni district was dissolved and the ilaqas of Mallanwala, Makhu, Dharamkot, Kot Ise Khan, Badhni, Chuhar Chak, Mari and Sade Singhwala were added to Firozpur district. Sultan khan wala was taken in exchange from Faridkot state. In 1852, portions of the ilaqa of Muktsar and Kot Kapura were added to the district. In 1856, The Nawab of Mamdot was deposed as a result of his and his son’s atrocities and misdeeds, and his estate was attached to district Firozpur. 

Two Regiments of Native Infantry were stationed at Firozpur and Fazilka in 1856-57. They revolted but timely action of the local British Officers did not allow them to do much damage. The native Light Cavalry also rose in revolt but with the help of the artillery manned by the Britishers, they too were overwhelmed. The emissaries succeeded in spreading the flames of revolt in Fazilka side, the Britishers were able not only to suppress the revolt, but also to send succour to the besieged garrison at Delhi. Sant Sham Dass who had rallied some 4,000 adherents round him was defeated near Jaitu or Saidoke. He was captured and executed.