Gurdaspur

Demographics

According to the 2011 India census, Gurdaspur had a population of 2,299,026 (1,212,995 males and 1,086,031 females). There was a 9.30% increase in population compared to that of 2001. In the previous 2001 census of India, Gurdaspur District had recorded a 19.74% increase to its population compared to 1991.

The average literacy rate of Gurdaspur in 2011 was 81.10%, compared to 73.80% in 2001. The male and female literacy rates were 85.90% and 75.70%, respectively. For the 2001 census, the rates were 79.80% and 67.10% respectively. The total literate population was 1,668,339, consisting of 928,264 males and 740,075 females. Sex ratio is about 895 females per 1000 males. Population Density was 649 per square km.

History

Gurdaspur, a major city of Punjab, was founded by Guriyaji Mahant in the 17th century. The place forms the northernmost part of the state. Resting within Jalandhar division, and flanked by the rivers Beas and Ravi, it shares its boundary with the districts of Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Amritsar and Pathankot.

Guriyaji laid the foundation of the city on land that he had bought from the Jats. Almost no evidence of the ancient history of the place is available, so not much is known about it. For a long period it was under the rule of the Shahi dynasty. A ruler named Jasrath Khokhar was defeated by Malik Sikander. With the fall of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the supremacy of the Sikh gurus. The place is linked to many eminent Sikh Gurus including Guru Gobind Singh, Guru Hargobind and Guru Nanak Dev. Maharaja Ranjit Singh made it one of his strongholds. After partition, a major portion of the city was ceded to India.

Seven kilometres to the west of the city, is Gurdas Nangal, a holy place linked to the heroic battle of Banda Bahadur with the Mughal armies . A gurudwara, a place of worship, whose entrance has an inscription describing the famous battle, is located here. It lies 10 kilometres from the city and was the site of a great massacre of Sikhs in 1746.

During the Misl period, Gurdaspur remained the centre of activity of Kanheya Misl and Ramgharia Misl. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Ramgharia Misl in 1808, and Kanheya Misl in 1811, so they became a part of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire.

The British East India Company annexed Punjab on 29 March 1849, after the second Anglo-Sikh war of 1839-49. After annexation, a need arose for recognition of districts for administrative purpose. As a result, Gurdaspur district was formed on 1 May 1852. The district of Adinanagar was renamed to Gurdaspur. So, from a tiny village, Gurdaspur became a district headquarters.

The mutiny of 1857 also affected Gurdaspur. The mutineers from Sialkot proceeded towards Gurdaspur. The British forces intercepted these mutineers at Trimmo Patan and defeated them in the battle of Trimmo Patan (12–16 July 1857). The prisoners were hanged in Bole Wala Bagh, situated behind Government College Gurdaspur.

Partition of 1947

During the partition of India in 1947, the future of Gurdaspur could not be decided for many days, as the majority of the population of this district, 51.14% was Muslim (mostly from the Ahmadiyya community whose headquarters were located at Qadian in Gurdaspur District). The Radcliffe boundary awards transferred only Shakargarh Tehsil of the Gurdaspur district to Pakistan. The rest of the district was transferred to India as the Muslim majority had moved west. The Muslim population migrated to Pakistan. Many refugees, the Hindus and the Sikhs of Sialkot and Tehsil Shakargarh, migrated to Gurdaspur after crossing the Ravi bridge. They settled and spread throughout Gurdaspur district.

The transfer of Gurdaspur to India soon proved to be advantageous to India. It offered the only viable road route into the state of Jammu & Kashmir which proved helpful for India to expel Pakistani raiders who had invaded the western regions of the state.

At the time of partition, Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, a famous Sikh heritage site went to Pakistan.

Rail

Gurdaspur railway station is connected with the nearest station Pathankot and Amritsar. From Gurdaspur there are many trains to Pathankot and Amritsar. There are two mail trains: Jammu Tawi (Jammu to Tata Nagar) and the Pathankot-Delhi express.

There is a daily train from Dera Baba Nanak to Amritsar.

Road

Gurdaspur is well connected to the road network National Highway 15 (NH 15). It is a major national highway in Western and Northwestern India. NH 15 connects Kandla in Gujarat with Gurdaspur in Punjab. This 1,526 km (948 mi)-long highway passes through: Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran Sahib, Zira, Kotkapura, Bhatinda, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer. At Bikaner the National Highway 11 terminates at this highway.

With a total length of 1,526 km (948 mi), the NH15 traverses 350 km (220 mi) in Punjab, 906 km (563 mi) in Rajasthan, and 270 km (170 mi) in Gujarat. It also connected Gurdaspur to Jammu through bmial, Kathua, and with NH 1A through Gurdaspur, Mukerian and Gurdaspur Shri Hargobind State Highways.

Media

Gurdaspur has an All India Radio relay station known as Akashvani Gurdaspur. It broadcasts on FM frequencies.

Central Jail Gurdaspur

Central Jail Gurdaspur (kendri Sudhar Ghar) is situated in the Center Of city on Jail Road which is connected with Dinanagar and Pathankot District from One Side. Contol Room Number Of jail is 01874-244316. Time of Visitors to meet with there Prisoners Relatives is 9 to 2 . after proper checking and inquiry they can meet with prisoners .

Education

Gurdaspur has many elementary and secondary level schools and has 13 degree level and engineering colleges. Beant College of Engineering & Technology Gurdaspur is among them, founded by then Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995. A nationally accredited body by Ministry of Tourism (India) Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition is also located in Gurdaspur.

Notable people