Jalandhar

Jalandhar is a district in the State of Punjab in India. The district is situated at 71° 31’ East and 30° 33’ North. It is surrounded by Ludhiana district in East, Kapurthala in West, Hosiharpur in North and Ferozepur in South.

The district derives its name from its headquarter city of the same name.

Area of District is 3,401 sq. km. According to 2001 Census, the total population of the district was 19,53,508 persons (10,26,535 males and 9,26,973 Females).

The Jalandhar District consist of 5 tehsils/subdivisions viz. Jalandhar-I, Jalandhar II, Nakodar, Phillaur and Shahkot. Besides, there are 5 sub-tehsils, viz. Adampur, Bhogpur, Kartarpur, Goryan and Nurmahal. The district is divided into 10 development blocks, viz, Jalandhar East, Jalandhar West, Bhogpur, Adampur, Nakodar, Shahkot, Phillaur, Nurmahal, Lohian and Rurka Kalan. According to 2000-2001 figures of District Statistical Office, the district has 956 inhabited villages.

History

The city Jalandhar is named after Jalandhar, a demon king, who finds a mention in the Puranas and Mahabharta. According to another legend, Jalandhar was the capital of the kingdom of lav, son of Rama. According to yet another version Jalandhar is said to have derived its name from the vernacular term `Jalandhar’ means area inside the water, i.e. tract laying between the two rivers Satluj and Beas, still another name of Jalandhar had been Trigartta, as it was waters by three rivers, Satluj, Beas and Ravi.

In ancient time, the district or Kingdom of Jalandhar comprised the whole of the Upper Doabas from the Ravi to the Satluj.

The whole of Punjab and the area of present Jalandhar District was part of the Indus Valley Civilization.

The earliest historical mention of Jalandhar occur in the region of Kanishka, the Kushan King of northern India in whose time a council of Buddhists theologians was held near Jalandhar about 100 AD 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 Hiuen Tsang visited India during the reign of Harsha Vardhana, the Kingdom of Jalandhar or Trigartta under Raja Utito (Whom Alexender Cunningham identifies with the Rajput Raja Attar Chandra). It was said to have extended 167 miles (about 268 kms) from east to west and 133 miles (about 213 kms) from north to south, thus including the hill states of Chamba, Mandi and Suket (Himachal Pardesh) and Satadru or Sirhind in the plains. Raja Utito was a tributary of Harsh Vardhana. The Rajput Rajas appear to have continued to rule over the country right upto the 12th century, interrupted some time or the other, but their capital was Jalandhar and Kangra formed and important stronghold.

Jalandhar gave rise to the Nath Movement between the eighth and tenth century A.D.

It was taken by Ibrahim Sah of Ghor, in A.D., 1179-80 and was a place of considerable importance in the struggle between Jasrath Khokar and the Muhammedan governors in 1422-42.

The last Mohammedan governor was Adina Beg, whose intrigues with the Sikhs and Marathas have already been noticed. Governer Adina Beg died in 1758, having in the previous year allowed Guru Badbhag Singh of Kartarpur, to burn Jalandhar in revenge for the destruction of Katarpur by Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1756.

In A.D. 1766 Jalandhar fell into the hands of the Sikh Misal of the Faizullapuria, then under Khushal Singh.

In 1811, Diwan Mohkam Chand was sent by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to annex the Faizullapuria possession in the Jalandhar Doab and Sardar Budh singh fled to his protected possession across the Satluj. His troops put some resistance, but gave up in Jalandhar in October. From this time , it was the capital of the possessions of the Lahore State in the Jalandhur Doab until annexation to the British dominions after the First Anglo Sikh War, 1845-46.

It came under British rule in 1846.

Jalandhar was the capital of Punjab from India's independence (1947) until Chandigarh was built in 1953.

Politics

Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2008

30 Phillaur Vidhan Sabha Constituency (SC) - KCs Phillaur, Lasara, Apra, Gorayan, Rurka Kalan, Bara Pind, Partap Pura, Gorayan (NP) & Phillaur (MCl) of Phillaur Tehsil.

31 Nakodar Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs Mahem, Bir Pind, Allowal, Nakodar-1,2,3, Sidhwan of Nakodar KC; KCs Sarih, Gohir, Uggi, Gill, Nakodar (MCl) of Nakodar Tehsil; KCs Bilga, Nurmahal, Talwan & Nurmahal (MCl) of Phillaur Tehsil.

32 Shahkot Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Shahkot Tehsil; PCs Aulak, Maheru, Pandori Khas of Nakodar KC; KCs Mehatpur & Umrewal Billa of Nakodar Tehsil.

33 Kartarpur Vidhan Sabha Constituency (SC) - PC Sheikhe Pind of Jalandhar KC of Jalandhar-I Tehsil; KCs Reru, Wariyana, Lambra, Naugajja, Kartarpur, Kahlwan, Pachranga, Kartarpur (MCl) & Bidipur on Amritsar Road (OG) Ward No. 56 of Jalandhar-II Tehsil.

34 Jalandhar West Vidhan Sabha Constituency (SC) - Ward Nos. 18 to 21, 33 to 35, 37 to 39 & 41 to 44 in Jalandhar (M Corp.) of Jalandhar-I Tehsil.

35 Jalandhar Central Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Ward Nos. 22 to 32, 40 & 48 to 53 in Jalandhar (M Corp.) of Jalandhar-I Tehsil .

36 Jalandhar North Vidhan Sabha Constituency - Ward Nos. 1 to 17 in Jalandhar (M Corp.) of Jalandhar-I Tehsil.

37 Jalandhar Cantt. Vidhan Sabha Constituency - KCs Jamsher, Pholriwala, Sansarpur (CT) Ward No-1, Jalandhar Cantt. (CB), Ward Nos. 36, 45 to 47, 54 & 55 in Jalandhar (M Corp.) & Khambra on Nakodar Road (OG) - Ward No.57, Alipur adjacent to Village Mithapur (OG) - Ward No.58, Nangal Kararkhan adjacent to Master Mehnga Singh Colony (OG) - Ward No.59 in Jalandhar (M Corp+OG) of Jalandhar-I Tehsil & KC Jandiala of Phillaur Tehsil.

38 Adampur Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Punjab (SC) - KCs Bhogpur, Nangal Fida, Bhogpur (NP) of Jalandhar-II Tehsil; KCs Patara, Alawalpur, Adampur, Kalra, Adampur (MCl) & Alawalpur (MCl) of Jalandhar-I Tehsil.

Places of interest

Devi Talab Mandir, Tulsi Mandir, Pushpa Gujral Science City, Gurdwara Chhevin Padshahi, Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Museum, St Mary’s Cathedral, Mausoleum of Imam Nasir, Phillaur fort, Shiv Mandir, Jalandhar, Tombs at Nakodar, Sarai at Nurmahal, Gurudwara at Kartarpur