Jalandhar (IPA: ) is a city in the state of Punjab in India. With a considerable population, it ranks as the third most-populous city in the state and is the largest city in the Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the historical Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected junction for both rail and road networks. The National Highway 1 (NH1), crosses Jalandhar, further enhancing its connectivity.
The city is located northwest of the state capital Chandigarh, southeast of the city of Amritsar, and north of Ludhiana. The national capital, Delhi, is approximately .
History
The history of Jalandhar District comprises three periods — ancient, medieval and modern.
Ancient
The city may be named after
Jalandhara, a
Nath Guru who was from here. The city was founded by Devasya Verma as mentioned in the
Vedas. Other possibilities include that it was the capital of the kingdom of Lava, son of
Rama or that the name derives from the vernacular term
Jalandhar, meaning area inside the water, i.e., tract lying between the two rivers
Sutlej and
Beas City.
The whole of Punjab and the area of present Jalandhar District was part of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Harappa and
Mohenjo-daro are the sites where remains of the Indus Valley civilisation have been found extensively. The archaeological explorations made during recent years have pushed the ancient times of Jalandhar District of the
Harappa period. Jalandhar was known as
Prasthala during the
Vedic period and it was the capital of the
Trigarta Kingdom.
[Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Ancient Communities of the Himalaya, p.45]
Medieval
Jalandhar and the
Doaba may have been conquered around 1070 by the
Ghaznavids during the reign of Ibrahim of Ghazni.
[John Hutchison, Jean Philippe Vogel, History of the Panjab Hill States, Asian Educational Services, 1994 - Punjab Hill States (India), p.122] The city was conquered by Raja
Jasrat in 1431.
It later formed part of the province of
Lahore during the
Delhi Sultanate and
Mughal Empire. The 18th century saw upheaval in Jalandhar amidst an anarchy caused by the disintegration of the Mughals and power struggles involving Persians,
Durrani Empire and
Sikhs. It was captured by the
Singhpuria Misl in 1766, and in 1811 Maharaja Ranjit Singh incorporated it within the
Sikh Empire.
[Parminder Singh Grover Moga, Davinderjit Singh, Discover Punjab: Attractions of Punjab, Parminder Singh Grover, 20 May 2011]
In 1849, following the annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company, the city of Jalandhar, written in English as Jullundur by company officials, became the headquarters of the division and District of the same name. In 1858, company rule in India ended and the city became part of the British Raj. In the mid to late 19th century, the Punjab administration regarded Jullundur as too densely populated and farmed to capacity. This led to the district being a chief recruitment area for settlers to colonise the newly irrigated Punjab Canal Colonies, in western Punjab.[Tom G. Kessinger, University of California, Berkeley. Center for South and Southeast Asia Studies, Vilyatpur, 1848-1968: Social and Economic Change in a North Indian Village, University of California Press, 1 January 1974, p.16]
Modern
The Khilafat Movement started in the district in the early 1920s to bring pressure on the government to change their policy towards
Turkey.
Mahatma Gandhi extended sympathy and support to this movement, however in response, the District was declared a 'Proclaimed Area' under the Seditious Meetings Act. In 1924, Pakistani general and military dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was born in the city.
Prior to the partition of India, Muslims were in plurality in Jalandhar district. According to the 1941 census, Muslims made up 45.2% of the population, compared to Hindus and Sikhs being 27.6% and 26.5% respectively. Within a period of 10 years, from 1941 to 1951, the Muslims population in Jalandhar district reduced from 45.2% to 0.2%.
Geography
Climate
The city has a hot semi-arid climate with cool winters and long, hot summers. Summers last from April to June and winters from November to February. Temperatures in the summer vary from average highs of around to average lows of around . Winter temperatures have highs of to lows of . The climate is dry, except during the brief southwest monsoon season during July and August. The average annual rainfall is about . In 2018, Jalandhar witnessed unusually heavy rainfall, with an over 20% increase from average rainfall levels.
Since it is located in the northern plains, the area feels quite cold during winters and very hot during summers.
Rainfall
The city receives an average annual rainfall of approximately . However, fluctuations are not uncommon, as observed in 2018 when Jalandhar experienced a significant increase in precipitation. The city registered over a 20% increase from its average rainfall that year, which marked it as a year of heavy rainfall.
Despite the variations in climate across seasons, one thing remains constant: the extremity of temperatures, with winters feeling notably cold, and summers, feelings markedly hot due to Jalandhar's location in the northern plains.Jalandhar has been ranked 39th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 2 3-10L Population cities) in India.
Demographics
Population
As per the 2011 census, Jalandhar had a population of 868,929, of which 460,811 were male, and 408,118 female. The literacy rate is 86.20%: for males are 88.81% and females 83.26%. Children of 0-6 years are 90,044 (10.36%), with a sex ratio of 867 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes are 27.26% of the population.
Religion
As per the census of 2011,
Hinduism is the predominant religion in Jalandhar city, with adherents of
Sikhism being a significant minority.
+ Religious groups in Jalandhar City (1868−2011)
! rowspan="2" | Religious group
! colspan="2" | 1868
! colspan="2" | 1881
! colspan="2" | 1891
! colspan="2" | 1901
! colspan="2" | 1911
! colspan="2" | 1921
! colspan="2" | 1931
! colspan="2" | 1941
! colspan="2" | 2011 |
|
Islam | 33,601 | | 31,326 | | 38,994 | | 40,081 | | 40,903 | | 42,261 | | 52,577 | | 80,242 | | 12,744 | |
Hinduism | 15,921 | | 18,514 | | 23,085 | | 24,715 | | 23,383 | | 24,253 | | 30,833 | | 48,375 | | 650,863 | |
Sikhism | 468 | | 363 | | 2,274 | | 901 | | 3,636 | | 2,686 | | 3,003 | | 4,676 | | 185,869 | |
Christianity | 77 | | | | 1,569 | | 1,543 | | 1,440 | | 1,322 | | 1,533 | | 977 | | 8,889 | |
Jainism | | | 373 | | 347 | | 471 | | 438 | | 477 | | 1,014 | | 768 | | 3,203 | |
Zoroastrianism | | | | | 3 | | 22 | | 18 | | 9 | | 70 | | | | | |
Buddhism | | | | | 0 | | 0 | | 0 | | 0 | | 0 | | | | 1,407 | |
Others | 0 | | 1,543 | | 0 | | 2 | | 0 | | 0 | | 0 | | 245 | | 5,954 | |
|
At the time of the 2011 census, 81.48% of the population spoke Punjabi language and 15.63% Hindi as their first language.
Economy
Jalandhar is notable for its sports goods industry. With an employment of 60,000 to 70,000 people, it is estimated to be 1,700
crore industry, with 400 crore export and 1,300 crore domestic supply.
In 2022, the Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association in Jalandhar, with collaboration from local self-help groups, started an initiative to train 1,500 women in stitching soccer balls, ensuring financial development and welfare in the district.
Another significant contributor to Jalandhar's economy is its leather industry, having a turn over of 1,200 to 1,500 crore, and 400 crore export.
Smart City Project
In the second phase of the Indian Government's Smart City Project, Jalandhar has been selected to participate, marking a pivotal shift in the city's development.
Transport
By air
The nearest airport is
Adampur Airport, northwest of Jalandhar, which currently only handles scheduled operation on maiden flights of the private carrier
Spicejet, to
Delhi,
Mumbai and
Jaipur. The nearest fully-fledged International Airport is Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, in
Amritsar. It is the second busiest airport in North India, and is connected to other parts of the country by regular flights. Several airlines operate flights from abroad, including London Stansted,
Birmingham,
Dubai,
Singapore,
Kuala Lumpur, and
Doha. The airport handles as many as 48 flights every week up from the occasional, intermittent ones some years ago.
By rail
Direct train service is available for other major cities like
Mumbai,
Calcutta,
Chennai,
Patna,
Guwahati,
Pune,
Haridwar,
Varanasi,
Jaipur,
Jhansi,
Gwalior,
Bhopal and Jammu Tawi. Some prestigious trains that halt in Jalandhar City railway station include the Howrah Mail, Golden Temple Mail (Frontier Mail), New-Delhi Amritsar Shatabdi Express, and the
Paschim Express. Now, many trains of Jammu route are extended up to Mata Vaishno Devi-Katra.
Jalandhar City Railway Station is well-connected to other parts of the country. Jalandhar City is a major stop between the Amritsar-Delhi rail link, which is serviced by Shatabdi Express, Intercity Express, among others.
Direct Services to major cities such as Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Patna, Guwahati, Pune, Haridwar, Varanasi, Jaipur and Jammu Tawi are available. There are prestigious services such as the Howrah Mail, Golden Temple Mail (Frontier Mail), New-Delhi Amritsar Shatabdi Express, Paschim Express.
By road
There is one of the largest networks of
bus services of Punjab at Shaheed-e-Azam, Sardar Bhagat Singh ISBT (Jalandhar),
Himachal Pradesh,
Delhi,
Haryana, Pepsu,
Chandigarh,
Uttar Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir,
Uttarakhand,
Rajasthan State Roadways, apart from private operators.
Religious places
-
Shri Paramhans Adwait Matt Ashram, Shri Anandpur Wale, St. No. 3, Central Town (organized by Shri Shabad Punitanand ji (Veena Bai ji)
-
Historical temple of Shri Bawa Lal, Dayal Mandir, Partap Bagh
-
Shaktipeeth Mata Tripura Malini ji Dhaam
-
Church of Signs and Wonders
-
Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib Dham
-
Gurdwara Guru Ravidass Dham
-
Devi Talab Mandir
-
Dera Baba Murad Shah
-
Gurdwara Guru Ravidas, Guru Ramdas Nagar
-
Dera Sach Khand
-
Gurdwara Singh Sabha
-
Gurdwara Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar
-
Geeta Mandir Jalandhar
Leisure
-
Niku Park
-
Prithvi's Planet
-
Smmash
-
Wonder Land
Media
Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar is an Indian television station in Jalandhar, owned and operated by state-owned
Doordarshan, the television network of
Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India).
It was established in 1979 and produces and broadcasts the 24-hour
Punjabi language TV channel,
DD Punjabi, which was launched in 1998 and covers most of the state of Punjab, India.
The city is the region's headquarters for newspapers, national television and radio stations. These include Daily Ajit, Jagbani, Punjab Kesari, Dainik Bhaskar, Dainik Jagran, Hindustan Times, The Tribune, Truescoop News, Hind Samachar, etc.
State-owned All India Radio has a local station in Jalandhar that transmits programs of mass interest. FM local radio stations include:
-
Radio city 91.9 MHz
-
BIG FM 92.7 92.7 MHz
-
94.3 FM-My Fm- 94.3 MHz
-
Radio Mirchi 98.3 MHz
-
All India Radio 102.7 MHz
Healthcare
The Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar claims that the city has over 800 hospitals,
making it the city with the highest number of hospitals per capita in Asia. Three new Health Centres were set up in Jalandhar on 9 September 2020.
Sports
Cricket
Cricket is very popular in the grounds and streets of Jalandhar. There is an international-standard stadium at
Gandhi Stadium, formerly known as Burlton Park. The Indian cricket team played a Test Match against the Pakistan cricket team on this ground on 24 September 1983.
Kabaddi
Major
Kabaddi matches are usually held at Guru Gobind Singh Stadium.
Guru Gobind Singh Stadium
Guru Gobind Singh Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Jalandhar. It is usually used for football matches and served as the home stadium of
JCT FC.
People can be seen jogging, playing soccer, weight-lifting, etc. in the stadium most of the time. The Punjab government has started new projects at the stadium.
Surjit Hockey Stadium
Surjeet Hockey Stadium is a field hockey stadium in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. It is named after Jalandhar-born Olympian Surjit Singh. This stadium is home of the franchise
Sher-e-Punjab of the World Series Hockey.
Sports college
There is a Government
Sports College in the city and it is a focus for many of the National Sports Councils. In this college, many sports are played like
cricket,
field hockey, swimming,
volleyball and
basketball.
Education
Higher education institutions in Jalandhar include;
Universities
-
D.A.V. College, Jalandhar
-
DAV Institute of Engineering & Technology
-
DAV University
-
Doaba College
-
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar
-
GNA University
-
Guru Nanak Dev University
-
I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University
-
Lovely Professional University
-
Kanya Maha Vidyalaya
-
Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women
-
Lyallpur Khalsa College
-
Mata Gujri Institute of Nursing
-
Mehr Chand Polytechnic College
-
Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences
Schools
-
St. Joseph's Boys' School, Jalandhar, Defence Colony
Jalandhar Cantonment
Notable people
File:DrJahangirKhan.png|Jahangir Khan – first-class cricketer and javelin thrower
File:Ahmad Raza Khan.png|Ahmed Raza – Civil servant and first-class cricketer
File:WajidBurki.jpg|Wajid Ali Khan Burki – Pakistani ophthalmologist and Army Medical Corps general
File:JamshedBurki1962.png|Jamshed Burki – Pakistan Army Captain and Interior Secretary of Pakistan
File:Inder Kumar Gujral 071.jpg|I. K. Gujral – 12th Prime Minister of India
File:General Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq.jpg|Zia-Ul-Haq – 6th President of Pakistan and 2nd Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)
File:Khalid Mahmud Arif.jpg|Khalid Mahmud Arif – Vice Chief of the Army Staff (Pakistan)
File:Diljit Dosanjh during Soorma promotion 05.jpg|Diljit Dosanjh
File:Sugandha mishra.jpg|Sugandha Mishra
File:Amrish Puri.jpg|Amrish Puri
File:Harbhajan Singh bowling.jpg|Harbhajan Singh
File:Rannvijay Singh (2).jpg|Rannvijay Singh
File:Fzdfs.jpg|Dharam Singh Uppal
|
|
| Producer/Director |
Director, Producer, Writer |
Actor, Singer |
24th Chief of Naval Staff of Indian Navy |
Sugarcane Researcher, Director of Research (Agriculture) PAU, Director of Research Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University[Ranbir Singh Kanwar] |
Expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer |
Winner of Miss India Femina 2012 |
Actor |
Actor/Singer |
Actor |
Singer |
Singer |
Singer |
Singer |
Singer |
Karan Mehra | Actor |
Singers |
Singer |
Singer |
Singer |
Indian former shot putter who won gold medal |
Chief of Army Staff, fourth Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan |
Revenue and Chief Minister of Kapurthala State |
Writer and poet |
Head of Sidhant Sant Samaj or Gurbani |
NRI President, first Indian candidate for the British Political Party |
Hockey Player |
Bodybuilder, Wrestler and Punjabi Film Actor |
Hockey Player |
Hockey Player |
Former Prime Minister of India |
Cricketer |
Two-time Acting President of Pakistan, Ex-Chairman of Senate |
Former Chief Justice |
Surveyor General |
Cricketer |
Swimmer |
Freedom fighter and founder of Punjab Kesri |
Ambedkarite |
One of the six Grand Ayatollahs |
Cricketer |
Politician |
Hockey Player |
Actress |
Hockey Player |
Actress |
Football player |
Journalist, Politician (MP-Karnal) |
Writer |
Writer |
Poet |
Freedom fighter and Writer |
Writer |
Writer and Army General |
Writer |
Writer |
Writer and novelist |
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan |
Indian educationist and an Arya Samaj missionary |
Cricketer |
Indo-Canadian journalist |
Politician, author, and journalist |
Social Worker |
Writer and poet |
Singer. Father of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan |
Athlete |
Hockey Player |
Cricketer |
Actress |
Actor |
Singer, Anchor, Comedian |
Poet, Writer |
State Minister in Union Govt |
Minister in Punjab Govt |
Indian Actor |
Ex-Home Minister of India |
Punjabi Musician, Singer |
Former highest run scorer in Ranji Trophy (Cricket) |
Indian Actor |
Surbhi Jyoti | Indian Actress |
Playback singer, appeared in several reality TV shows |
Lord Wilberforce | British Judge |
Singer |
Manpreet Singh | Hockey Player |
Singer |
Akhil | Singer |
Jasmine Sandlas | Singer |
Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota | Former DGP and State Police Chief of Punjab |
Mohinder Singh Kaypee | Former Member Parliament and Cabinet Minister |
Santokh Singh Chaudhary | Former Member Parliament |
Darshan Singh Kaypee | Former Cabinet Minister who was shot dead by Khalistani terrorists |
Som Parkash | Former Union Minister, Government of India |
Jagjit Singh (politician) | Former Cabinet Minister, Punjab |
Sarwan Singh Phillaur | Former Cabinet Minister of Punjab |
Avinash Chander | Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Punjab |
Rajinder Johar | Philanthropist with quadriplegia |
Rachel Gupta | Model and Miss Grand International 2024 |
Notes
External links