One of the oldest cities of the princely state of Punjab, Jalandhar is situated on the intensively irrigated plain between the Beas and Sutlej rivers. The city got its name after the famous demon Jalandhar, who finds a mention in the great Indian Epic Mahabharata and Puranas. According to another legend, Jalandhar was the capital of the kingdom of lav, son of Rama and there is also another version, which states that Jalandhar have derived its name from the vernacular term `Jalandhar’, which means area inside the water. Situated on the Grand Trunk Road, it is a major rail and road junction, and is 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh. The city was known as Prasthala in the time of the Mahabharta and as Jullundur in British India. It also is the 2nd largest seller of vehicles in the State. Geography and Climate Spread over a huge area of 3,401 sq. km, Jalandhar is situated between the fertile agricultural land of River Beas and Sutlej. The city is located between 71º 31' east latitude and 30 º 33 north longitudes, which is characterized as the dry weather belt and is suitable for cultivating wheat and sugar cane. The city has a humid subtropical climate with chilly winters and hot summers. Summers start from April and lasts till June, while winter season is from November to February. Temperatures in the summer vary from average highs of around 48 °C (118 °F) to average lows of around 25 °C (77 °F). Winter temperatures vary from highs of 19 °C (66 °F) to lows of −5 °C (23 °F). The climate is dry on the whole, except during the brief southwest monsoon season during July and August. The average annual rainfall is about 70 cm. Demographics As per provisional reports of Census India, population of Jalandhar in 2011 is 862,196; of which male and female are 458,015 and 404,181, respectively. The total number of literates in Jalandhar city is 665,625 of which 363,500 are males while 302,125 are females with an average literacy rate of 85.50% of which male and female literacy is 87.98% and 82.69%, respectively. History of Jalandhar The earliest historical mention of Jalandhar takes place during the reign of Kanishka, the Kushan King of northern India in whose time, a council of Buddhist theologians was held near Jalandhar c.100 A.D. to collect and arrange the sacred writings of Buddhism and to bring about reconciliation between its various sects. This makes Jalandhar along with Multan the oldest surviving city of the Punjab region. The Jalandhar Doab (the region surrounding the city between Beas and Sutlej rivers) also marked the easternmost territory of the empire of Alexander the great. He erected giant altars in this area to mark the eastern most extent of his empire and also founded a city named Alexandria in the vicinity and left many Macedonian veterans there. In ancient time, the district or Kingdom of Jalandhar comprised the whole of the Upper Doabas from the Ravi to the Satluj. According to the Padama Purana, the city gets its name from the great Daitya King Danava Jalandhara the son of shiva he was born when lord shiva's third eye had opened out of anger and had fallen in the ocean in the form of fireball. From the later half of the tenth century up to 1019, the district was included in the Hindu Shahi Kingdom of the Punjab and Jalandhar was an important city in the region, of this Great Hindu Shahi Dynasty. In 1766 AD Jalandhar fell into the hands of the Sikh Misal of the Faizullapuria, then under Khushal Singh. His son Budh Singh, who succeeded him, built a masonry fort in the city, the site of which is now occupied by Killa Mohalla while several of the other leaders built forts of bricks. In 1811, Diwan Mohkam Chand was sent by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to annex the Faizullapuria possession in the Jalandhar Doaba. In the first Anglo Sikh War (1845-46 AD), there was no significant military event in Jalandhar Doaba. The army of Sardar Ranjodh Singh Majithia marched through Doaba and was joined by the troops of Ahluwalia chief. After the battle, the region between Sutlej and Beas River was ceded to the British. The modern history of Jalandhar District recalls that John Lawrance was appointed commission of Jalandhar Doaba on its annexation in 1846. Cantonments were built at Jalandhar, Phillaur, Nakodar and Kartarpur. Further, railway line from Beas to Jalandhar was opened in 1869 and was completed up to Phillour by next year. The Doaba was linked to the rest of Punjab by railway bridges, constructed over Beas in the year 1869 and over Sutlej in the year 1870. With a view of stimulate political activity, the District Congress Committee was formed in 1917. It was affiliated to the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee. The Delegates of the District Congress Committee, Jalandhar attended the Provincial Political Conference held at Lahore in 1917. The Rowlatt Act was passed in March 1919. In early 1920, the Khilafat Movement started in the city of Jalandhar to pressurize the British government to change their policy towards Turkey. Mahatma Gandhi extended sympathy and support to this movement. Jalandhar District was declared `Proclaimed Area` under the Seditious meetings Act. After the independence of the country, however the district was affected by riots and exodus of communities from both sides of the border, owing to the partition of India and Pakistan. Tourist Destinations in Jalandhar The city of Jalandhar is a must-visit destination of India that offers an array of historic monuments that narrate the saga of the past. Besides historical monuments, there are a number of temples and Gurudwaras that are worth visiting. Some of the prominent attractions are: Devi Talab Mandir Imam Nasir Mausoleum and Jamma Masjid Shiv Mandhir Sodal Mandir Tulsi Mandir Gurdwara Chhevin Pathshahi Singh Sabha Gurdwara-Model Town Gita Mandir(Model Town) Gurdwara Talhan Sahib St Mary's Cathedral Church ( Jalandhar Cantt. ) Gurdwara Nauwi Patshahi Pushpa Gujral Science City Fun City Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Bhagat Museum Khatkar Kalan Company Bagh Niku Park, Model Town Rangla Punjab Haveli (Jalandhar) Wonder Land Transportation Air The nearest airport is Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport at Amritsar, located about 75 km (47 mi) north-west of Jalandhar. The airport is connected to other parts of the country by regular flights. Several airlines operate flights from abroad, including Birmingham, Dubai and Doha. The airport now handles as many as forty-eight (48) flights every week. Rail Jalandhar City railway station is on the Delhi-Amritsar Railway line, which is connected with direct trains to Delhi, 375 km (233 mi),Garib rath, Calcutta, Mumbai, Puri, Nagpur, Jammu Tawi and Deluxe Express to Mumbai, Shatabadi Express to Delhi, Utkal Express to Puri and Howrah Mail to Calcutta. Road There is a vast network of bus services of Punjab, Himachal, Delhi, Haryana, Pepsu, Chandigarh, U.P., J&k, Rajasthan State Roadways, apart from private operators. Important destinations include Delhi, Shimla, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jaipur and Ganganagar and travelers can as well opt for luxury coaches. Besides this, city buses are available that ply within the city along with cycle rickshwas, taxis and auto rickshwas.
