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.

JALANDHAR, Punjab

Main Attraction: DEVI TALAB MANDIR

Devi Talab Mandir is located about one km. from the railway station in Jalandhar. The old Devi Talab has been renovated and in its centre, a new temple has been built. Recently a model of Amarnath Yatra has been built in the premises. An old temple of goddess Kali also stands by the side of the Devi Talab. The Mandir is famous for the 'Hariballabh Sangeet Sammelan' held every year in December at its precincts for the past 125 years. Famous classical music exponents - both instrumental and vocal come together and perform at this gathering.

Brief History

Legendary and mythological

The district of undoubted antiquity, and finds mention in the Puranas and Mahabharata. According to Padma Purana the territory takes its name from the great demon king Jalandhara, the son of the Gangas. Jalandhara was a prodigy of nature. When he was grown up, Sukra, the Preceptor of the demons appeared before Ocean and requested him to withdraw from Jambudwipa, the sacred abode of holy persons, and to leave sufficient land unwashed by his waters for Jalandhara. The Ocean acceded to the request and withdrew for about 300-Zojanas. 

This mythological story embodies a tradition of a time when, as geologists affirm, the sea stretched in a long arm up the Jalandhara Doab to the neighbourhood of the Hoshiarpur. According to another legend Jalandhar was the capital of the kingdom of Lava, the son of Rama before he founded Lahore. According to still another account based upon Mahabharata, the kingdom of Jalandhara was founded by a Rajput King Susarma Chandra of Multan who had fought in the great battle of Mahabharata on the side of Kauravas and had thereafter retired with his followers to the Jalandhar Doab. This kingdom was also called Trigartta, as it was watered by three river Satluj, Beas and Ravi.

Hindu period

The earliest history of Jalandhar occurs in the reign of Kanishka, the Kushan king of northern India in whose time a council of Buddhist teachers was held near Jalandhar about 100 A.D. to collect and arrange the sacred writings of Buddhism and to bring about reconciliation between its various sects. In the 7th century when the famous Chinese traveller and pilgrim Huen Tsiang visited India in the reign of Harsha Vardhana, the kingdom of Jalandhara or Trigartta was under Raja Utito (whom Cunningham identifies with the Rajput Raja Attar Chandra). 

It was said to extend 167 miles from east to west and 133 miles from north to south, thus including the hill states of Chamba, Mandi and Suket, and Satadru or Sirhind in the plains. Raja Utito was a tributary of Harsha Vardhana. The Rajput Rajas appear to have continued to rule over the country right up to the 12th century, interrupted sometime or the other by their skirmishes with the rulers of Kashmir. Generally their capital was Jalandhar and Kangra formed an important stronghold.

Muslim period

The Rajput Rajas lost Jalandhar to a Turkish chief, Ibrahim Shah of Ghazni sometime between 1179 to 1188 A.D. The territory was a fief of the Delhi Kingdom in the reign of Muizz-ud-Din Behram Shah (1240-1242). Thence forward the plains portion of the territory remained under the Muslim rule and the hills portion, called Kangra, continued under the rule of the former Rajput Rajas. Alla-ud-Din Khilji sacked the fort of Kangra and desecrated the temple. Then came the sack of Delhi by Timor (1398) as a result of which the ruling house of Tughlak fell. 

The Sayyads succeeded and remained in power from 1414 to 1450. But the country remained in a disturbed condition and many insurrections appeared, those of Malik Tughan and the Khokhar chief, Jasrat Khan, being conspicuous. The rebellious chiefs aimed at the Governors at Jalandhar and Sirhind who represented the Sultanate at Delhi and whenever the imperial forces marched against them and they found them stronger they would withdraw, but only to reappear with the going a way of the imperial forces. The Sultanate was further weakened by the Mughal attacks from the north-west and finally in 1450, Behlol Lodhi, the Governor of Sirhind seized power at Delhi and became the first Lodhi Sultan. The matters did not improve under the Lodhis. 

The Afghan nobles who were the mainstay of the empire were disloyal and rebellious and would take every opportunity to grab more and more power from the Sultanate. In the meantime the Mangols or Mughals had been attacking and plundering the north- west part of the country. Babar had risen to power and was casting a varicious eyes on the empire of Delhi. He got a golden opportunity when the rebellious Afghan Chiefs invited him to attack hoping that, after plundering, he would return leaving them supreme in the territory ruled over by the Delhi Sultan. Babar attacked and defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in the first battle of Panipat in 1526, But he did not oblige the inviting chiefs, particularly the Afghan Governor of Punjab, and instead of going back he settled down at Delhi and became the founder of the Mughal Empire

In 1540 Babar’s son, Humayun, was defeated and expelled from India by the Turko-Afghan Chief, Sher Shah Suri, and it was only after the latter’s death that he could return India in 1555. Sher Shah Suri’s son Sikander Sur was defeated at Sirhind but he retreated to the hills and Humayun had to send his son Akbar along with Bairam Khan in pursuit of him. Akbar took up his residence at Jalandhar but in the meantime Humayun died and it was only after defeating Hemu in the second battle of Panipat in 1556 that Akbar could return to deal with Sikander Sur, whom he ultimately defeated. 

Then came the fall of Bairam Khan in 1560 from the position of his power over Akbar and he intended to withdraw and proceed to Mecca. But he changed his mind in the way and collected troops and prepared to attack Jalandhar. He was, however, defeated at Gunachaur north-west of Rahon and he finally surrendered to Akbar at the fort of Talwara on the Beas. During Akbar’s reign, copper coins were minted at Jalandhar and his capable minister, Todar Mal, made a settlement of land revenue in Jalandhar Doab.

During Jehangir’s reign (1605-27) Jalandhar Doab received special attention because of Nur Jehan’s attachment with Nurmahal. She had been brought up there and among other things, she got a big Sarai built there in which, it is said, she halted whenever she passed between Delhi and Lahore. Guru Arjan Dev founded Kartarpur in 1588 on the site given by Jehangir to Guru Arjun Dev’s father, Guru Ramdas. In Shah Jahan’s reign (1627-58). The highway between Delhi and Lahore was laid out and one of the sites where a sarai on the road was constructed, developed as Phillaur.

The Sarai at Dakhin, some of the bastes of Jalandhar and Phagwara which was originally called Shah Jehanpur came into existence during those days. During the rest of the 17th century, Jalandhar remained firmly attached to the Delhi empire. With the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire began to totter, but Nadar Shah’s invasion in 1739 gave it the greatest jolt. Enemies of empire rose from all sides and among them were the Sikhs from the Punjab.

Sikh period

Having mature his plans, Guru Gobind Singh commenced open opposition to the imperial power near about 1695 and for ten years was engaged in war fare with varying degrees of success with the Governors of Lahore and Sirhind in the vicinity of the Jalandhar Doab. Ultimately he was defeated in 1705. His two younger sons were bricked alive and put to death at Sirhind by the Governor of that place, Wazir Khan. Guru Gobind Singh left for Deccan where he was killed by an Afghan fanatic in 1708 on the banks of Godawari, but he had inspire Banda Bairagi to continue the struggle against the Mughal tyranny. 

Banda Bairagi proceeded to Punjab, defeated Wazir Khan, sacked Sirhind and put to death the slayers of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons. He marched through Jalandhar Doab showing no quarter to the religious persecutors. The imperial forces, however, pursued him and ultimately he was defeated, captured and tortured to death in 1716. This silenced the Sikhs for a while but as soon as Nadar Shah appeared on the scene and put Nurmahal to ransom, they took up arms again but were defeated in 1743 by Adina Beg, the Mughal Governor of Jalandhar Doab.

In 1747, Ahmed Shah Abdali invaded Punjab, but was defeated near Sirhind by the Mughal forces under Mir Mannu who had also the support of the Sikhs and Adina Beg. Mir Mannu became Governor of Punjab and ruled from 1748 to 1752, retaining Adina Beg as his deputy in the Jalandhar Doab. Ahmed Shah invaded Punjab for the second time in 1748 and for the third time in 1752. A great damage, however, came from his fourth invasion in 1755. He plundered Nurmahal and slaughtered its inhabitants. He plundered Delhi and retired, leaving his son, Prince Taimur, as Governor of Punjab. 

On his way back, he pillaged and burnt Kartarpur but the Sikhs took the revenge in 1757 when, under Guru Barbhag Singh, they ransacked Jalandhar and punished the Afghans living in the bastis there. Adina Beg who had in the meantime retired to the hills, invited the Maratthas against the Afghan. The Maratthas came, expelled the Afghans and made Adina Beg Governor of Province in 1758. This infuriated Ahmed Shah and he invaded for the fifth time in 1761 and defeated the Maratthas in the third battle of Panipat. He returned to Kabul leaving Buland Khan as Governor of Lahore and Zain Khan as Governor of Sirhind.

The Sikhs had also in the meantime mustered strength and attacked Zain Khan. Ahmed Shah appeared again and defeated the Sikhs in 1762 at Barnala in the battle known as Ghallughara, meaning the great destruction. No sooner had Ahmed Shah returned to Kabul, the Sikhs attacked Zain Khan, defeated and slew him near Sirhind in 1763. This established Sikh supremacy which was not disturbed though Ahmed Shah made another few attempts.

Thus began the era of Sikh confederacies (misls). Brought into existence principally by the religious persecution of the Mughals, the Sikh misls were feudal in character. The leaders of the Confederacies had under them minor chiefs, who in turn had their subordinates, till the common soldiers were reached. The greater chiefs divided their lands among their subordinate chiefs and these again assigned villages to their dependents for their support. 

These misls were twelve in number (1) the Nikais, (2) the Nishanias, (3) the Kanhaias, (4) the Sukarchakias, (5) the Shahids, (6) the Bhangis, (7) the Phulkians, (8) the Ahluwalias, (9) the Ramgarhias, (10) the Faizullapurias, (11) the Krora Singhias, and (12) the Dalawalas. The Nikais and Nishanias had no connection with the Jalandhar Doab. The Kanhaias for some time held a large tract in the upper part of the Doab. The Sukarchakias, ultimately is the person of Ranjit Singh, became master of the whole Doab, but till then the scene of their history lay mostly outside it. The connection of the Shahid and Bhangi misls with Jalandhar was also not much.

Similarly the Phulkians were also not directly concerned with the Doab except that they had created marital relations with some of the Sardars there. The remaining 5 misls had large possessions in the Doab. The possessions of the Ahulwalias mostly lay outside the Jalandhar District. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia had taken service with Adina Beg in 1752, though he deserted him a little later. On his (Adina Beg) death, he took possession of a considerable tract in the north-west of the Doab in which he was helped by the mutual wranglings of the other misls. It was on the death of his son, Jodh Singh, in 1816 that his possessions were taken over by Ranjit Singh as a consequence of family quarrels.

Consequent to the death of Adina Beg, Jalandhar proper passed on to the Faizullapurias under the leadership of Khushal Singh. Khushal Singh’s son, Budh Singh built the fort at Jalandhar but he was driven out of his possession to the south of the Sutluj by Diwan Mohkam Chand in 1811 whom Ranjit Singh had deputised to take over the whole Doab. The Kalsia branch of the Krora Singhias were in strength near about Talwan in the south –west of Phillaur Tahsil under Baghel Singh. The later got a fort built at Talwan, but on his death, the consequent family quarrels enabled Ranjit Singh to take over his possessions in 1809-10. 

The Dalawala Confederacy was founded in the extreme south- west of Jalandhar near the confluence of Beas and Sutluj rivers by Tara Singh Gheba. It was the strongest amongst the misls and, among other possessions, had all the three southern Tahsils of the District under its control. Tara Singh extended his dominion far and wide even beyond Sutluj; it included Rahon where he took up his residence. Tara Singh Gheba accompanied Ranjit Singh in the latter’s exploits across Sutluj in latter’s 1807, but he died in the way and Ranjit Singh lost on time in taking hold of his possessions, despite heroic resistance offered by his wife Ratten Kaur, in which she perished.

British period

Even before Ranjit Singh had succeeded in absorbing the various misls in the domain, the British had appeared on the scene and in 1809 a treaty was concluded between Ranjit Singh and the British whereby the cis-Sutluj Sikh States passed on to the protection of the East India Company and Ranjit Singh agreed to confine his dominion to the north of Sutluj. Though Ranjit Singh broke the power of the great chiefs, he did not proceed to extremes against their feudal subordinates. They were mostly left in possession of a considerable portion of their estates, in return for a proportionate number of men for the Army and in some cases personal service. The rest of the country was either given on a similar tenure other followers of the Sikh Government or were held by Nazims (Governors)for the ruler.

The Jalandhar Doab had a chain of Nazims during the reign of Ranjit Singh, the first and the most important being his Commander-in-chief, Diwan Mohkam Chand. Ranjit Singh died in1839. Confusion and disorder followed his death. In 1845, the Khalsa Army crossed the Sutluj and thus started the First Sikh War. The Jalandhar Doab was not the scene of any remarkable military event. The Army of Ranjodh Singh Majithia marched through the Doab was joined by the troops of Nihal Singh Ahluwalia of Kapurthala. It crossed the Sutluj at Phillaur on 17th January, 1846 and after a temporary success at Badowal was defeated at Aliwal by the British forces led by Sir Henry Smith. 

The Sikhs retreated to Phillaur and then dispersed, pursued by Brigadier Wheeler who occupied the fort at Phillaur. The main body of the English Army marched to Sabraon where the Khalsa Army was finally defeated and thus the first Sikh War was ended. The British annexed the Jalandhar Doab and formed it into a commissionership. They built cantonments at Jalandhar, Phillaur, Nakodar and Kartarpur, only one of which at Jalandhar continues to this day, the remaining three having been abandoned a little later. The British authority set about getting the various Sikh forts in the region demolished. This was highly distasteful to some of the Sikh Chiefs and the Second Sikh War broke out in 1848-49 Again the Jalandhar District was not the scene of any military operations. The Khalsa Army was finally defeated at Gujarat and the whole of the remain under the Sikh Darbar of Lahore was annexed by the British. The latter soon established law and order and till the Mutiny nothing of importance occurred in Jalandhar District.

The first War of Independence and after.

During the first war of Independence (Mutiny so called) the District was of importance because one of the main lines of communication between Punjab and Delhi passed through it, and was commanded, where it crossed the Sutluj by the Phillaur fort. All the native troops stationed in Jalandhar mutinied, with the exception of the Artillery. Though the forces of the Raja of Kapurthala kept peace in the town and there was also a small European garrison present, there was not much resistance to the main body of the mutineers setting out for Delhi. At Phillaur, they were joined by the native infantry. At Ludhiana, they found plenty of guns and powder in the fort. They succeeded in reaching Delhi. In the District, however, the situation remained under control thanks to the Kapurthala troops and other levies which the authorities were able to raise with the help of the loyal elements. After the fall of Delhi, the country was disarmed and matters did not take long to settle down.

After the Mutiny, nothing of important has occurred in the District. In 1858-59, the portion of the Grand Trunk Road between Sutluj and Beas, passing through Phillaur, Phagwara and Jalandhar was realigned and metalled. A decade later, the railway line between Beas, Jalandhar and Phillaur was opened. The Doab was linked with the rest of the Punjab by great railway bridges over the Beas, and the Sutluj as also over the Bein. Except for minor adjustments here and there the boundaries of the District continued to remain the same as they were when it was first constituted. The district shared with the rest of country, the benefits of settled regime and administration. It also took its due share in the various phases of the national struggle which finally brought the county its political emancipation from foreign rule in 1947.

GURDASPUR, Punjab

Main Attraction: MAHAKALESHWAR TEMPLE AT KALANAUR

Kalanaur is known for lord Shiva’s rest place. Since time immemorial, a big Shivratri fair is held every year in the Mahakaleshwar temple on Shivratri day when a large number of devotees gather here to celebrate the festival of Shivratri. It is the only temple of Shiva in India in which Shivlingam is in horizontal position. This Shivlingam is in Mahakaleshwar temple at Kalanaur.

Brief History

Little is known about the ancient history of Gurdaspur district except a few antiquities like the rock-temples at Mukheshwar on the Ravi, some eight kilometers above Shahpur Kandi. These are said to date back to the times of Pandavas. Stories are told of Arjun and Draupadi visited the place. A long cleft in the rock, a little way up the river is known as Arjun Canal. Later the tribe called Udumbaras lived in the Kangra valley along Pathankot, where their coins have been found. They were the descendants of Malavas, who played a leading part in the history of Punjab. Cunningham identified the Udumbaras with some other tribes mentioned in the Puranas and inhabiting the neighbouring areas of Kangra, Kulu and habitations on the River Ravi.

Gurdaspur, along with its neighbouring districts was the scene of the exploits of Alexander who had come as far as the River Beas in his grand desire to quest and conquer. The last Camp of Alexander before repatriation is said to have been on the bank of the River Beas. But all traces of the twelve altars of hewn stone, which he is supposed to have left on the spot, have unfortunately been lost inadvertently.

From the latter half of the tenth century up to 1019 AD, the district was included in the Shahi Kingdom of the Punjab under Jaypal. Anandpal (also known as Anangpal (1001-1012 AD) and Trilochanpal (1012-1019 AD) which once extended from the Indus to Lamghan, inherited by Bhimpal. Entire Shahi Kingdom became part of an important event i.e. visit of the great canal constructor Firozshah Tughlaq (1351-1388 AD) to Kalanaur in 1353 on a hunting excursion. Here he had a splendid palace built on the bank of the Saraswati. Kalanaur was the most important town in the district during the period of Delhi emperors. It was the chief place in the neighbourhood from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century.

As all over the country, the achievement of Independence on August 15, 1947 was celebrated in the district with great enthusiasm. But it was marred by the communal riots and the exodus of minority communities from both sides of the border. Consequent upon the partition of the country, hitherto part of the Gurdaspur district, Shakargarh tahsil was transferred to Pakistan and the refugees from there moved to the Indian side of the border to settle in Gurdaspur district or elsewhere as suited them. The local people collaborated with the govt. to render all possible help to the uprooted people till they were settled.

AMRITSAR, Punjab

Main Attraction: SRI HARMANDIR SAHIB

Sri Harmandir Sahib, is also known as Golden Temple. It is located in Amritsar District. Guru Arjan Dev Sahib, conceived the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs and he himself designed the architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib. Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a Muslim Saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore on 1st of Magh, 1645 Bikrmi Samvat (December,1588). Sri HarmandirSahib, is built on a 67 square ft. platform in the centre of the Sarovar. The Darshani Deori (an arch) stands at the shore end of the causeway. A regular recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is held there.

Brief History

Amritsar the most populous district in the state, is one of the border districts, which share Common boundaries with Pakistan. It is situated in the north-western part of the state in the Bari Doab, a territory situated between Beas and Ravi rivers. The district is the heart throb of Majha tract, now forming the district of Amritsar and Gurdaspur, ruled by Manjh Rajputs.

The district takes its name from the city of the same name which is the seat of district headquarters and best known as the home of Golden Temple, also called “Hari Mandir” or “Darbar Sahib”. The city, however, derives its name from the tank surrounding the Golden Temple. Literally speaking, Amritsar means “The tank of nectar or the tank of immortality”. The shrine is considered sacred and a bath (Ashnan) therein is considered as purifier. The shrine and the tank were built by Guru Ram Das the fourth Sikh Guru, who is the founder of Amritsar city. The fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Dev completed the project and built a temple known as Hari Mandir, the foundation stone of which was laid by saint Mian Mir a sufi saint who had good relation with Guru Arjun Dev.

The legend goes that after Sagar Manthan (Charming of Sea), the pot containing Amrit ask (nectar), hidden here was forgotten. It so happened that a lady who was married to a leper came here along with her husband. She left her husband near the place where present Sarovar is located, which was then only a small pool. The leper saw a crow turned white after a deep in a pool, so he jumped in the pool and was cured of the disease. Thereafter the miraculous powers of the pool were recognized and a temple was built in the centre of the pool by Guru Arjun Dev. The Sikhs were called upon to pay homage at the temple after a bath in the Sarovar. Later Akal Takat was constructed near the temple complex where Sikhs used to assemble twice a year on Baisakhi and Diwali festivals to discuss their common problems for unanimous and common actions.

The city became an important religious centre for the Sikhs. The Gurus invited traders and others to settle at the place which became an important centre for trade and commerce also. However the city owes much to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who for the protection of the residents built a 14 feet high boundary wall, with 12 gates. He also laid out a beautiful garden called Ram Bagh.

LUDHIANA, Pujab

Main Attraction: TIGER SAFARI, AMALTAS

Zoo in Ludhiana known as Tiger Safari is situated on GT Road (Ludhiana- Jalandhar Highway); it is 6 kms from the main city. Tiger Safari here is stretched out on 25 acres. It was established in 1993 and people can see black bucks, sambhars, rabbits and lots of peacocks in the safari. Majestic tigers roaming about in the dense jungle offer a thrilling experience.

Of course, the Tiger Safari is one place where the children love going. It is quite exciting for children to see the tigers bathing and roaming freely from the windows of the van. We all have seen the tigers in a zoo. But it was exciting to see the tigers sleeping under the bushes to protect themselves from the fierce sun. It is really enjoyable & thrilling to see the tigers bathing in the pool.

Brief History

It is presumed that this tract formed a portion of the Kingdom of Magadh at the time of Alexander’s invasion and ruled by the Nanda kings. Chander Gupta Maurya overthrew the Nanda dynasty and extended his Empire to Afghanistan. Later, during the reign of the Kushan kings, the territory comprising the Ludhiana district was included in their empire, which at one stage included Uzbekistan and Tazakistan now in southern Russia. With the fall of the Guptas, Ludhiana formed a part of the Empire of Harsha, who built his capital at Thanesar. With the break-up of the Harsha’s Empire, the tract of Ludhiana was ruled by the Tomar Rajput Kings of Delhi, the Chauhans, and the Pal Dynasty.

Towards the end of the 10th century, the Turks of Central Asia, who were new converts to Islam. They occupied the whole of Iran, Afghanistan and Turkistan. The Hindus were defeated at Ohind and later at Peshawar. All attempts of Anand Pal and his son failed to check the Turks from ingression into India. Their Generals occupied the Punjab, right up to Lahore. It was at this time that Basil Dev, grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, established a strong Rajput kingdom in the area of Ajmer and Delhi and Ludhiana tract formed a part of his kingdom. Ghazni dynasty was over thrown by another tribe headed by Mohd. Gauri, a Turko Afghan Chief, who dreamt of establishing Muslim Empire in northern India. Jai Chand, the Rajput king of Kannauj sent him an invitation to invade India and promised all help against his cousin and son-in-law, Prithvi Raj Chauhan. Mohammed Gauri defeated Prithvi Raj at Taroari in 1913 and established his rule over Delhi.

The later Muslim rule is so well known that it needs not to be recounted here. The name of Ludhiana find mention conspicuously when in 1421, a powerful Khokhar Chief, Jasrat, rose in revolt, occupied Ludhiana and made a strong bid for the Empire of Delhi. For some time, Ludhiana remained in possession of Jasrat Khokhar. Ludhiana was also the base of Jasrat Khokhar’s attack on Sirhind. However, he had to abandon the town, when the imperial forces under Sultan Mubarak Shah Sayyad advanced towards Ludhiana. Malik Tughan and Jasrat had to retreat across the Satluj.

It was in the reign of Sikander Lodhi that the town of Ludhiana was founded. During his reign, the people in the tract of Ludhiana were oppressed by the plundering Biluchis. Sikander Lodhi sent two of his Generals, Yusaf Khan and Nihang Khan with an army to protect the people against the onslaught of the Biluchis. Yusaf crossed the Satluj to save the people of the Jalandhar Doab against the plundering by the Khokhars. He settled at Sultanpur. The other General, Nihang Khan, continued to reside at Mir Hota as the representative of the Sultan. He called the place, Lodhiana or the town of Lodhis. His grandson, Jalal Khan, built a fort at Ludhiana on the bank of the Satluj. At that time, the Satluj flowed just by the town of Ludhiana, at the place where the Buddha nala now exists. Sometimes later, Ludhiana was made a part of the province of Delhi and the Sirhind Division, which was directly under the control of the Lodhi kings.

During the reign of Babar, Ludhiana and the country around it was a mahal (district) of the sirkar (division) of Sirhind in the suba (province) of Delhi. When Humayun, son of Babar was turned out of India, Ludhiana fell into the hands of Sher Shah Suri. After the death of Sher Shah, Sikander Shah Suri, who was the Governor of Punjab held Ludhiana. In 1555 Humayun defeated Sikander Shah Suri at Machhiwara, 25 miles from Ludhiana, leading to his reinstatement as the Emperor. During the reign of Akbar (1556-1605), People from other areas were brought and settled in the eastern parts of Ludhiana district. In the Ain-i-Akbari, Ludhiana has been mentioned as one of the mahals in the Sirhind Sirkar of the Suba of Delhi and this position continued during the reign of Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

Under the leadership of Guru Gobind Singh, a long drawn out struggle between the Sikhs of the cis-Satluj States and the Muslim Governors of Sirhind commenced. The district of Ludhiana with the adjoining country to the south, specially the forests near Machhiwara, were the places of the Guru’s encounters with the enemy. Being defeated by Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind in 1705, Guru Gobind Singh went to Deccan. From there he inspired Banda Bahadur, a Dogra from Jammu and Kashmir State, to continue the fight. Banda gathered some forces in Punjab and defeated and killed Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind. He ran-sacked the town of Sirhind and over-ran the country between the Satluj and yamuna. Farukhseer was the Emperor of Delhi at that time and he sent his army to curb the activities of Banda. In 1715, Banda was defeated at Gurdas Nangal and later executed. The Sikhs remained depressed and persecuted for some time, but rose again against the tottering Mughal Empire. The Chiefs of the Phoolkian tribe, after some struggle, established Kingdoms for themselves on the ruins of the Mughal Empire. Ala Singh, the founder of the Patiala house, was a contemporary of Rai Kahla of Raikot. Ala Singh ruled at Patiala while the tract of Ludhiana was under Rai Kahla, who had held the lease of a considerable tract of land from the Mughal Emperors. Rai Kahla asserted his independence. A part of Ludhiana was also under Raja Ala Singh of Patiala and a part under the Muslim Governor of Sirhind. In 1741, the Governor of Sirhind and Raja Ala Singh combined to defeat Rai Kahla and threw him out of his territory, though for a short period.

Nadar Shah Durrani invaded India in 1739. He crossed the Satluj at Ludhiana and marched through the District to Delhi along almost the same course as the present Grand Trunk Road. Ludhiana district saw another big fight in 1747 when Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India for the first time. When he reached the Satluj, he found his passage blocked by the Mughal army. Ahmad Shah Abdali made a long detour up the right bank of the river Satluj and crossed it near Machhiwara or Behlolpur while the Mughal army was waiting for him near Ludhiana. A battle was fought between the contending armies near the villages of Manupur and Barwali, a few miles to the northeast of Khanna. Ahmed Shah Abdali was defeated.

Ahmed Shah Abdali, however, invaded Punjab many a time after that but to his subsequent invasions no resistance was offered by the imperial troops in Sirhind, though his armies were constantly harassed by the Phoolkian Chiefs and the Rais. The Phoolkian Chiefs held sway over Patiala, Jind, Nabha and Faridkot, etc., while the Rais ruled over Raikot and some other parts of Ludhiana district. The Rais were permitted by Ahmed Shah Abdali to take possession of the town and the fort of Ludhiana in about 1760. In 1761, Ahmed Shah Abdali invaded India for the fourth time to punish the Marhattas who had ousted his son, Timur and the Afghan Garrison from Lahore. Marhattas had come under the leadership of their Chief, Raghoba up to Lahore and after defeating the Afghans, had become supreme force in Punjab also.

They appointed Adine Beg as their Viceroy at Lahore. When Ahmed Shah Abdali came in 1761, Adina Beg fled to the hills. Ahmed Shah Abdali fought a decisive battle with the Marhattas at Panipat and deated them. Zain Khan was appointed the Governor of Sirhind. In 1762 there was a formidable combination of Phoolkian Cheifs and other Sikh leaders assisted by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and other Sikh leaders from the Majha tract against Zain Khan. Ahmed Shah Abdali, who was at Lahore heard of this and marching the Satluj in two days, crossed it at Ludhiana, and fell upon the allies. The Sikh army was cut into pieces and they were badly defeated near Barnala. This great disaster is known as ghalu ghara in the Sikh history. In 1763, however, the Sikhs again got together and rose against the Governor of Sirhind. The cis-Satluj Sikhs were aided this time fully by the Sikhs across the Satluj. Zain Khan was defeated and Sirhind fell into the hands of the Sikhs.

With the fall of Sirhind, finished the last vestige of the Mughal control over the division of Sirhind. The next year (1764), Ahmed Shah Abdali passed through the country and recognized Raja Ala Singh of Patiala as the Governor of Sirhind. In 1774, Ahmed Shah Abdali came to India for the last time, but did not proceed beyond Ludhiana. Amar Singh, grandson of Raja Ala Singh was confirmed as the Governor of Sirhind and given the title of Maharaja. The whole of this rich tract thus came to the phoolkian chiefs and their Majha allies; the Mughals had no control whatsoever over them. A part of the district was also in possession of the Rais of Raikot. Their northern boundary was the river Satluj and they also held sway over the town of Ludhiana. The low lands opposite their territory were held by Kakkar Sardars and Diwan Mohkam Chand. The whole of the present uplands of Jagraon and Ludhiana Tahsil, with considerable part of the Moga and Zira Tahsils of the Firozpur district, belonged to the Rais. The land now comprising Samrala tahsil was divided amongst the Sikh leaders. A famous leader of the Sikhs, Tara Singh Ghaiba established himself at Khanna, and Jassa Singh Ahluwiala of Kapurthala got about 30 to 40 villages near Isru.

Twelve years after the fall of Sirhind, in about 1775, the Satluj river changed its course and the whole of the bet tract, which is about 50 miles in length and 5 to 6 miles in width, came to this side of the river. The condition of the Ludhiana tract, during that period, was very good, people were prosperous and the rule of the Rias was just and mild. It is said that they got only 1/4th of the produce land as land revenue from the people without any other tax. The peace of the area was however, disturbed by a Sikh Sardar, Bedi Sahib Singh of Una. In 1794, he crossed the Satluj with an army and proclaimed war against the Nawab of Malerkotla. He was, however, defeated by the Maharaja of Patiala, who was a friend of the Nawab. But he came again in 1798 and attacked the Rias of Raikot. The Rias sought the help of the Maharaja of Patiala and an English general, George Thomas, from Hansi and they all defeated the Bedi Chief.

In 1803, Delhi was captured by the East-India Company and this brought the British Government in contact with the Sikh chiefs of the cis-Satluj states. At that time Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Lahore, was thinking of extending his dominion beyond the Satluj. A dispute was then brewing up among the Sikh rules of Patiala, Nabha and Jind and this afforded an opportunity to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In 1806, he crossed the Satluj. Ludhiana town was then in the hands of the Rais and was controlled by Bhag Bhari, the wife of the last Rai ruler, and by Nur-ul-Nisa, his mother. They offered no resistance to Ranjit Singh, who took possession of the town and fort of Ludhiana. He passed on this area to his nephew, Raja Bhag Singh of Jind. Ranjit Singh also took Naraingarh in Ambala district in 1807. In these expeditions, Ranjit Singh took possession of the entire territory of the Rais, except two or three villages which were given to them for maintenance. A part of the territory was given to the Raja of Jind and another part consisting of Jagraon Tahsil and Dakha Pargna was given to Sardar Fateh Singh Ahluwalia of Kapurthala. Bhai Lal Singh of Kaithal got 16 villages about Gujjarwal and the Nabha Chief got some area in Pakhowal. Diwan Mohkam Chand became the Governor of the portion of the country reserved by Ranjit Singh for himself.

By 1809, the British decided that the progress of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, on this side of the river Satluj, should be stemmed and that the Sikh Chiefs of the cis-Satluj States be taken under their protection. In 1809, a treaty was concluded between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Mr. Matcalfe to the effect that Maharaja Ranjit Singh would not extend his territory beyond the river Satluj and that all the rulers of the cis- Satluj States would be considered to be under the protection of the British Government. The fort of the Ludhiana was occupied by the British army and Ludhiana town became a military outpost. A British resident was appointed at Ludhiana for the protection of the cis-Satluj chiefs. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had to set up his own fort at Phillaur as a frontier fort of his territory.

When Raja Sangat Singh of Jind died in1835, the British Government acquired about 80 Villages around Ludhiana and Bassian and appointed an Assistant Political Agent to administer this territory with his headquarters at Ludhiana. Confusion and disorder followed when Ranjit Singh died in 1839. In 1845, the Khalsa army crossed the Satluj and thus started the First Sikh War. Firozpur was the main point of their attack. The Sikh General Ranjodh Singh Majithia appeared with a force of 10,000

infantry at Phillaur and crossed the Satluj. Nihal Singh Ahluwalia of Kapurthala played a double game. His troops fought the British near Firozpur. A considerable body of these troops had joined Ranjodh Singh near Ludhiana, while Raja Nihal Singh professed friendship to the British Government. He said that he had no control over his army. Ranjodh Singh was able to subdue the garrison at Ludhiana. Sir Henry Smith was then sent from Firozpur with 4,000 men to go to the help of the Ludhiana garrison but near Baddowal, this force was attacked by the Sikhs. The British troops were defeated. Ranjodh Singh was joined by some regular troops of the army from Lahore and his strength increased to some 50,000 men. Another battle was fought at Aliwal and there the Sikhs were defeated by the British army led by Sir Henry Smith. 

The Sikh troops were either driven across the river or dispersed over the uplands or got drowned in the river. After a month, the final victory was won by the British over the Khalsa army at Subraon that ended the First Sikh War. The British Government annexed the territory of Lahore Government on this side of the Satluj. The possession of the Ahluwalia Chiefs on this side of the river was also forfeited by the British and the Nabha Raja lost about a quarter of his territory. The territory of the other minor Chiefs who had opposed the British Government was also confiscated. From these acquisitions was formed the district of Ludhiana in 1847. In the eventful 1857, the Ludhiana town was garrisoned by a small detachment of infantry who turned hostile, and were joined by the local population and mutineers from Jalandhar. But the ammunition in the fort proved useless and they left for Delhi. The local officers took strong action against the rebels. Many of them were hanged and others were heavily fined. All houses within 300 yards of the fort were leveled. The area was kept safe with the help of the levies of Nabha, Malerkotla and fresh recruits. The Kooka rising also deserves mention. They were suspected of political movtives, and the British got an opportunity to suppress them, when in 1872 some 150 Kookas attacked Malerkotla. These Kookas were, however, over-powered with the help of the forces of the native rulers. Their leader, Satguru Ram Singh was deported to Rangoon where he remained a State prisoner till his death in 1885.

Thereafter, the district began to develop socially and economically. Some industries were set up at Ludhiana and the town became a centre of industry and commerce. The hosiery and textile industries were set up in the early years of the twentieth century. Khanna and Jagraon developed mainly as commercial centre. More and more people shifted their residence from the rural areas to the urban areas. At the time of partition in 1947, the Muslim inhabitants of the district crossed over to Pakistan and displaced persons from western Punjab started settling here in large numbers.