Menu Toggle
More
    Close

    History

    SESSIONS DIVISION SANGRUR

    Brief History
    Sangrur was Capital of Erstwhile Jind State and Raja Raghbir Singh kept his residence here. His elevation as Chief of State took place on 31.3.1874. It was he, who built a beautiful town constructing a bazaar on the pattern of famous pink city Jaipur with pucca shops. In those days there used to be located gates, temples and Gurudwaras on all four corners of city. At the time of independence, Raja Ranbir Singh was ruler of Jind State. It remained a part of Pepsu State. Thereafter, the place was given status of District in 1948.
    District Sangrur draws its name from its city Sangrur which is headquarter. Sangrur is bounded by Ludhiana, Moga, Bathinda and Patiala Districts of State of Punjab and by Hissar District of State of Haryana. It is directly linked by road with Chandigarh (127 Kilometer), Ludhiana (80 Kilometer), Bathinda (100 Kilometer) and Delhi (257 Kilometer). It falls on Ludhiana-Jakhal railway track. From the administrative point of view, District Sangrur is divided into four Tehsils i.e. Sunam, Moonak, Dhuri and Malerkotla (now Malerkotla is a separate District only on the Administrative side).
    There is an ancient Temple of Maha Kali Devi Ji built in 1867 where the people of area regularly pay obeisance. There is a unique institution known by the name of ‘Nagan Baba Ki Samadh’. It houses a Samadh, a Temple as well as Gurudwara and large number of the devotees visit the place daily. There is a Darbar Hall built in or around 1865 still exists and is used as Museum”. Takhat constructed in the Hall for sitting of Raja is still there and it looks as if the same has been recently built. Adjoining the Darbar Hall, there is a ‘Banesar Bagh’ in which marble baradari is surrounded by a big water channel.

    SUB DIVISION SUNAM

    Earlier city Sunam was District Headquarter of Patiala State and District and Sessions Judge along with other subordinate Courts used to sit at Sunam till the partition of country. Courts were housed in old fort. After partition, Princely states were united as Pepsu and Sangrur was declared headquarter and Sunam became a Sub Tehsil.

    SUB DIVISION DHURI

    Judicial Courts at Dhuri were established and functioning since the year on or about 1910 by the then Maharaja of Erstwhile Patiala State.

    SUB DIVISION MALERKOTLA

    The town of Malerkotla is a separate District on Administrative side, situated on Ludhiana-Sangrur road, but still it is Sub Division for District Sangrur on Judicial side. It is also connected with rail link on Ludhiana-Jakhal track. Malerkotla is divided into two portions, Maler, the older Part, built by Sadar-ud-din in 1466, while Kotla owe its origin to Nawab Beyazid Khan in the year 1656. Malerkotla was a Mohammaden Pathan State. Its Ruler was of Afgan Descendants of the Sherwani family. Their ancestor, Sheikh Sadar-ud-din traveled from Kabul to Delhi and settled near present Malerkotla in 1450. Bahlol Khan Lodhi, the Governor of Lahore and Sirhind was passing by and decided to spend a night there. He got impressed by the piety and personality of Hazrat Sadar-ud-din and promised that if he becomes the King of Delhi, he would give his daughter’s hand in marriage to Hazrat Sadar-ud-din.Bahlol Kan Lodhi took over the reins of Delhi Sultanete in 1451 and became the first Afgan Ruler of Delhi. He fulfilled his promise and gave 56 villages to his daughter as a wedding gift.
    It was Hazrat Sadar-ud-din who built the old city called Maler. His family flourished and ruled the State. Five generations later, the State was ruled by Beyazid Khan. The Rulers of the State quarreled with the neighboring six States of Patiala and Nabha. Later on entered into a treaty with those States.
    When younger Sahabzadas of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and last Sikh Guru were ordered to be bricked alive by Wazir Khan, Governor of Sirhind; Nawab of Malerkotla named Sher Mohammad Khan who was present in the Court lodged vehement protest against the in-human act. But, Wazir Khan did not agree and Nawab of Malerkotla walked out of the court in protest. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji on learning about this, profusely thanked the Nawab of Malerkotla and blessed him. In 1947 when riots broke out through out the country, no incident occurred in Malerkotla due to the blessings of the Guru.
    After the fall of Kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, several movements were started to reform Sikhism. One of them was “Namdhari Movement’ also known as Kuka Movement. This name is derived from the way these people recite Gurbani. The movement was spear- headed by Baba Ram Singh. They were against the British Rulers. In 1872, a group of Kukas attacked Malerkotla. 68 Kukas were captured out of which 66 were blown after tying them to the cannons at Malerkotla. In their memory a beautiful Kuka memorial has been built.
    Further after the Independence in 1947, Nawab Ikhtiar Ali Khan who was the Ruler of the State merged it with other nearby Princely States to create ‘The Patiala and The East Punjab States Union’. Later on it became a part of the Punjab. The Sub Division of Malerkotla consists of 199 villages having three towns i.e. Malerkotla, Mandi Ahmedgarh and Amargarh. Malerkotla town is the only town in the State of Punjab where there is a huge population of Muslims. The main occupation of the people is agriculture having a main crop of paddy and wheat. Of late, there is industrial activity in this Sub Division. There is Dargah of Hazrat Haider Sheikh, where both Muslims and Hindus equally pay obeisance. Malerkotla has been native place of many legal luminaries.

    SUB DIVISION MOONAK

    Moonak remained part of princely State of Patiala till 20.8.1948 i.e. till the formation of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). Babu Brish Bhan Ji was a great freedom fighter, an intelligent Civil and Criminal lawyer, honest and upright politician and remained Pioneer of Parja Mandal Movement and fought against Imperialism, Feudalism, British Empire, Rulers, Rajas and Maharajas, a great man who had grave concern for the plight of small farmers and remained Chief Minister of PEPSU from 1953 to 1956 and during the tenure of Babu Brish Bhan Ji as Chief Minister PEPSU Legislation ‘PEPSU Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act’ was enacted for the welfare, protection and security of tenants especially small tenants. Later on Babu Brish Bhan Ji also remained as Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab after the abolition of PEPSU and merger of PEPSU in Punjab. Moonak is the ‘Karam Bhoomi’ of Babu Brish Bhan Ji and Moonak is famous by the name of Babu Brish Bhan Ji.