Sunam

Geography

Sunam is located at 30.13°N 75.8°E / 30.13; 75.8. It has an average elevation of 231 metres (757 feet. Sunam falls under the district of Sangrur.

Demographics

As of 2011 India census, Sunam had a population of 334,641. Males constitute 53.3% of the population and females 46.7%. Sunam has an average literacy rate of 75.6%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 79.6%, and female literacy is 71%. In Sunam, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Shaheed Udham Singh

Sunam is the birthplace of Shahid Udham Singh, who shot former British Indian governor Michael O'Dwyer in revenge for his support of the notorious Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Samadh Baba Bhai Mool Chand Sahib Ji

This is one place in Sunam where people from all religions/communities come to pay homage to a great saint of the 17th century. Descendants of his legacy are known as 'Bhaike' as they all are from a small village near Sunam named 'Bhai Ki Pishour'.Once every year they congregate in this ancestral village naned ' chhajjli' app. 10 km from Sunam, of theirs in a social gathering known as 'Babe Mitti'.Now some of them are settled in Sunam mostly known by their surname 'Moudgil Joshi'. This is by far the most visited place in Sunam.

Other famous religious places in Sunam:

Sitasar

It is an ancient tank spread over 80 bighas. It is said that Sita, wife of Lord Rama, washed her hair in this tank when she was turned out of the house by Rama. Even now the widows of the surrounding area come here and wash ltheir hair. It is also said that at one time kumb fair of the Punjab was held here. The tank is, now, not in good condition. Shiv Mandirs have been built in the south west and north of the tank. A small Shitla Mata Mandir has also been built in the south of the tank in which an ancient idol of Mata has been installed. This tank, it is said, was filled with the water of River Saraswati. In The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient And Mediaeval India 1927) The Mubarak Shahi gives us some idea of Firuz Shah’s canal digging activity during this period. The river Sarsati (Saraswati) comes from the great mountains and falls into the Sutlej. An earthen hillock near a place called Barwar, Firuz was informed, separated the River Saraswati from the Salima canal (of Firuz Shah). If this hillock was dug up, the water of the Saraswati would flow into the canal which could then be taken to Sahrind or Sirhind, Mansurpura and further on to Sunam. Firuz went to the place and began digging up the hillock.

Gurudwaras

There are number of Gurudwaras in Sunam. The most well known is the Gurdwara of the first Guruji Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Gurudwara Pehli Patshahi well known as Wadda Gurudwara where Guruji stayed for a night.

Muslim community

Before Partition of Punjab Sunam's population was predominantly Muslim, legend has it that if there would have been 1 more peer it would have been the first 'Peergah' (Makka) in the region with 100 peers but that did not happen as 1 peer lies just outside the boundary of the city and now Muslim Community constitutes about 15 families in Sunam. Peer Banna Banoi is an Islamic shrine in Sunam. People of all faiths pay homage as Peer Banna Banoi was a God fearing and a true Muslim who sacrificed his life on the day of his marriage to save the Hindu & Sikh girls from being kidnapped by the armed goons.

Hindu Sabha High School, Sunam

This is one of three oldest public high schools of Sunam. Hindu Sabha High School Sunam was started on 19 February 1948. The school celebrated its silver jubilee in 1973 and Education minister Umrao Singh inaugurated school's biggest assembly hall. This school is a non-profit and semi-government school. Later the school was upgraded to Senior Secondary school. Also Hindu Sabha College for Women was started for Arts and other subjects.

Shaheed Udham Singh Government College

The College offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science (Medical and Non Medical), Bachelor of Computer Applications, Master of Arts in History, Master of Science in Information Technology, Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications, Post Graduate Diploma in Dress Designing and Diploma in Hardware and Software Networking courses.

Hindu Sabha Women's College, Sunam

This college was established for girl students so that they can also study. This college offers Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts in all subjects to girl students.

Industries and trade

Sunam has a Grain Market, wholesale cloth market and a Sarafa Bazar in Town Side area of Sunam. Naya bazar and peeran wala Gate is the main bazzar of Sunam.