City Of Jalandhar

LOCATION AND AREA 


The district is centrally located in the present physical layout of the reorganised State. Geographically, it forms an irregular
triangle, bounded by Hoshiarpur District in the North-East Kapurthala and Nawashahr in the east, Kapurthala District in the
West and Firozpur and Ludhiana districts in the South. The Sutlej river forms its natural southern boundary, separating it from
Ludhiana and Firozpur districts. It lies in the apex of the Bist Doab, the territory lying between Sutlej and Beas rivers.
Alongwith Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts, it forms Doaba region in the state.



The district is named after, Jalandhara, a demon king, who finds a mention in the Puranas and Mahabharta. According to
another legend Jalandhar was the capital of the Kingdom of Lava, son of Rama. According to yet another version, Jalandhar is
said to have derived its name from the vernacular term (Jalandhar), i.e., the tract lying between the two rivers Sutlej and Beas,
still another name of Jalandhar had been Trigeartta, as it was watered by three rivers Sutlej, Bies and Ravi. 


Total area of the district is 2639 sp. Kms. The district headquarters is located at Jalandhar. 


HISTORY


After the Mutiny, nothing of importance has occurred in the district. In 1858-59, the portion of the Grand Trunk Road between
Sutlej 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 railway bridges over
the Beas and the Sutlej 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 forest constituted. The district shared with the rest of the country the
benefits of settled regime and administration. Jalandhar was one of the nine districts forming Revenue Commissioner's Division
of Jalandhar before partition of the country. After independence, its Divisional Commissionership comprising six districts
namely Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, kapurthala and Firozpur was re-constituted. During 70's Firozpur district
of Jalandhar division was transferred to a newly created Firozpur division. 


In the year 1996, the Nawashahr tehsil split from this district and formed a new district with the combination of adjoining
Balachaur tehsil of Hoshiarpur district.


LANGUAGES AND RELIGION


Main languages spoken in the district are Punjabi and Hindi. Religion-wise breakup of population of undivided district of
Jalandhar is indicated below as per 1991 census: 


Hindus : 898327, Muslims : 7245, Christians : 14675, Sikhs : 712430, Buddhists : 12122 Jains : 2011,Other religions and
persuasions : 132, Religion not stated : 1012.


GEOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL FEATURES


The land of the district is alluvial and its soil at different places consists of varying degrees of clay loam and sand. The only
mineral found here is Kankar, (Calcarious nodules) which is used for road making or is burnt into lime. 


The district has three natural sub-divisions namely, the Sutlej low land comprising Bet area of Nakodar and Phillaur tehsils, the
uplands east of the main stream and uplands west of the Bein stream. The uplands of the district give the appearance of the a
continuous plain, except for parts west of Nakodar, were low sand ridges and found.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS


Harballabh and mela Baba Sodal of Jalandhar city, Baisakhi of Kartarpur town, Holi of Gorraya, mela Chauki of Goraya, Dog
races of Phillaur town, mela Guru Arjan Dev of Mau, Shivratri of Nurmahal town, mela Bhagat Ram Parkash of Nurmahal
town, Chaukian fair of Mukandpur, Chhinj of Shankar, Krishan lila of ghuman and Ram Lila of Kot Badal Khan are the
important fairs/melas of this district. Other melas/fairs organised in different parts of the district are Beas Puja, Baisakhi, mela
Bhagat Jamma Dass, Santan Ka Mela, Gugga Naumi, mela Baba Mati, Chhinj, Sain Major Shah fair, mela Pir Sain ditta Shah,
mela Mian Sikander Shah Pir, Brahchari fair, Baba Saidana fair, Holi, mela Shivratri, Shv Chandush, mela Mahi Ghali, mela
Baba Sah, Puranmashi, Amavas, Dussehra, Jhanda Sahib, Chet Chandesh, Cattle fair, Rakhri and fair Gudian.