CHAPTER- III

FORTS IN THE DOABA REGION

Also classified under Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh plains and the plains of Jalandhar

region, the Doaba region comprises of four districts- Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar Kapurthala
and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshehr). The Shivalik hills separate the Doaba
region from Himachal Pradesh in the north and north-east, and to its south are
Ferozpur, Ludhiana and Rupnagar districts. The people of Doaba region are called
„Doabi‟. A large part of the Doaba region is flat but the eastern part is hilly as it is
covered by the Shivaliks along the Himachal border. Topographically the Doaba region
can be classified into four physiographic regions: the Shivalik hills in Balachaur (now
in Nawanshehr district) and Garhshankar (now in Hoshiarpur district) are called „Katar
Dhar‟,1 the choe ridden belt is called „kandi’ which is a gentle slope leading from the
base of a mountain to a region of flat land and is formed by the coalition of alluvial
soils resulting from the deposition of sediments of choes at the foothills. To the west of
kandi is „dhaiya’ which is a flat alluvial plain formed by Beas and Sutlej rivers and is
composed of clay, silt, sand and nodules of lime. And lastly, the „khadar‟ region, which
is the food-plain or „bet‟ of river Beas and Sutlej which is a flatland and is prone to
annual floods. Climatically, the Doaba is a continental monsoon type where summers
are hot and winters are cold.

DISTRICT HOSHIARPUR

Situated at the eastern and north-eastern margins of Punjab, Hoshiarpur is

located between the plains of central Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The Shiwalik hills
run throughout the length of Hoshiarpur district. On the west it shares its borders with
Gurdaspur district, on the southwest with Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts and on the
south with Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. It constitutes four tehsils of Hoshiarpur,
Dasuya, Garhshankar and Mukerian. There are two different versions regarding the
origin and nomenclature of the district. Firstly, it is said to have been founded by

1
To the east of Garhshankar, the hills take the form of a plateau which is called „Beet Mansawal‟ and in
addition the eastern and western slopes of the Shivalik range in this part of the state is dissected by
numerous ‘choe’s’ and ‘khads’.

77
Hargobind and Ram Chand the diwans of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq (1325-51AD). 2
Secondly, it is said to have been founded by Hoshiar Khan, a resident of the Bajwara
area.3

The supply of perennial water from the hills on the east and Sutlej and Beas
resulted in productive agricultural lands hence it was inhabited since early times as
evidenced by the stone age sites discovered at Atbarapur, Rehmanpur and Takhni
where hand-axes, stone implements, chopping tools etc. have been found. 4 Several
places also find mention as ancient sites in literature, such as Dasuya is mentioned in
Mahabharat as the seat of king Virata where the Pandavas stayed for thirteen years
during their exile. 5 Before the Muhammadan conquests, the area was dominated by
Chandrabans Rajputs.6 Later, the area was occupied by Tilabharas or Tilakhalas. 7 In
1192 A.D. the area along with other parts of Punjab was subjugated by Muhammad
Ghori who went further to Delhi and entrusted his Indian dominions to his slave general
Qutb-ud-Din-Aibak. 8 In 1398-99, Timur passed through areas such as Bajwara and
Dasuya when the Kokhars were powerful in the district.9 For the Sultans Delhi was of
much more importance but in 1520-24 the peace of Punjab was again disturbed when
the first Mughal ruler, Babar started his expeditions against India.10 After Aurangzeb in
1707, Punjab was divided into six Doabs.

The decline of the Mughal Empire lead to the growing power of the Sikhs. The
first five Gurus of the Sikhs had no connection with the district but the sixth Guru,
Hargobind Singh is said to have visited Mukerian for the recruitment of able persons to
avenge his father‟s death against the Mughals.11 The Guru himself died at Kiratpur in

2
They were two brothers. Singh Mandeep and Kaur Harvinder, Punjab Today, Deep and Deep
Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2005, p. 23.
3
Ralhan, O.P, Flame of freedom and Hoshiarpur District, Vol. 1, Research India Publications, New
Delhi, 1992, p. 1.
4
The Tribune, Chandigarh, August 10, 1977.
5
Wood, Michael, In the Footsteps of Alexander The Great- A Journey from Greece to India BBC Books,
London.
6
They traced their genealogy to Susarma Chandra who owned Multan and took part in the Mahabharata
and after the war lost their country and migrated to Jalandhar Doab under Susarma Chandra. Lucas,
Edmund De Long, The Economic Life of a Punjab Village, Civil and Military Gazette, Kabirpur, India,
1920, p. 129.
7
Prakash, Buddha, Glimpses of Ancient Punjab, Patiala, 1966, p. 35.
8
Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh, Punjab under the Sultans 1000-1526 AD, Delhi, 1968, p. 30.
9
Ibid, p. 71.
10
Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh, Punjab under the Great Mughal’s 1526-1707 AD, Bombay, 1968, p. 14.
11
Earlier, Kiratput Sahib and Anandpur Sahib were a part of Hoshiarpur district but now they are in the
Rupnagar district. Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikh Gurus, New Delhi, 1973, p. 120-21.

78
1644. Later, after the downfall of the Mughal Empire and withdrawal of the Afghan
Ahmed Shah Abdali, the Sikh confederacies began fighting against one another for
power. The Ahluwalia Misl, the Ramgarhia Misl and the Kanhaya Misl in particular
stood against each other for this region. Under the leadership of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
the fort of Dalewal was built in 1743 on the banks of Ravi. In 1776, there was a clash
between the Ahluwalias and the Ramgarhias. However, with the assistance of
Sukerchakias, Kanhayas and Bhangis, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was defeated and fled to
Hoshiarpur (Hariana) (d. 1783). 12 After the death of Adina Beg in 1758 the Sikhs
started bringing up parts of Punjab under their control. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia along
with Kanhayas occupied parts of Hoshiarpur and Amritsar.13 Later in 1763, Jai Singh
Kanhaya 14 the head of the Kanhaya misl in alliance with Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
removed Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and drove him out to the wastes of Hansi and Hissar.
Further, the Kanhayas were taken down by maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1811, although the
maharaja did not remain connected with the district and he went on to conquer the hilly
regions thereafter.15 Krora Singh, one of the founders of Krora Singha misl conquered
Hariana and Sham Chaurasi.16 The district was annexed by the British at the close of
the First Anglo-Sikh War and Lord Lawrence became the first commissioner of the
Trans-Sutlej states in March 1846.17

DASUYA FORT: Dasuya is known as ‘Virat Ki Nagri’ since it is said to have

been the capital of raja Virat as mentioned in the Mahabharata and where the Pandavas
are said to have stayed during their thirteen years of exile. There is a fort to the north of
the town which was demolished in 1848 and also remained one of the strongholds of
the Ramgarhias.18 Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupied it in 1818 AD and kept it for 14
years and later gave it to Tara Singh Ghaiba.19 A Government Girls high school has

12
Chhabra, G.S., The Advanced study in History of the Punjab, Vol. 1, Jalandhar, 1960, pp. 467-69.
13
Sharma, Baldev Raj, Hans, Jagmohan Singh, Punjab District Gazetteers: Hoshiarpur, Revenue Dept.,
Punjab, 1997, p. 21.
14
Jai Singh was a son of Sandhu jat named Khushali, a native of Kanha village. www.sikh-history.com
15
Cunningham, Joseph Davery, A History of the Sikhs: From the origin of the nation to the battles of
Sutlej, Oxford University Press, 1918, p. 118.
16
Punjab District Gazetteers Jullundur, Controller of Print and Stationery, Punjab, 1981, p. 35.
17
Ralhan, O.P., Flame of freedom and Hoshiarpur District, Vol. 1, Research India Publications, India,
1992, p. 9.
18
Imperial Gazetteer of India: Provincial Series, Vol. 21, Superintendent of Government Print, Great
Britain, 1908, p. 406.
19
Punjab District Gazetteers: Supplement Controller of Print and Stationery, Punjab, 1981, p. 34.

79
been made there (fig. 35). Nothing remains of the fort now except a bastion which has
arrow-holes and a bay window, now in a bad condition (fig. 36).

Fig. 35. The Government School being run inside the Dasuya Fort, District Hoshiarpur.

Fig. 36. The only remaining bastion of Dasuya Fort, District Hoshiarpur.

80
BAJWARA FORT: The town of Bajwara is said to have been founded by Baiju
Baora, an immigrant from Ghazni, renowned as a singer and who gave the town its
name.20 Later, it was held by Sardar Bhup Singh Faizullapuria, later ousted by Raja
Sansar Chand in 1801 who built the fort here, which was then occupied in 1825 by
Maharaja Ranjit Singh. 21 During the British rule the fort was utilized as a military
prison and was later dismantled. Currently, only two bastions of the fort survive.22 It is
said that the ruler Sher Shah Suri was born here in 1486.23 Once having seven minarets,
only two bastions one on the south and other on the east sides survive. These are
connected by a part of the enclosure wall (fig. 37). Two tunnels are said to have run
through the bastion on the south, one of them led to Jaijon and the other to Allahabad.

Fig. 37. The remaining two bastions of Bajwara Fort, District Hoshiarpur.

From the remains it can be judged that the fort might have had a square plan,
and the remains of the burj suggests that they were octagonal with arrow holes. The
wall joining both the bastions has round arched niches (fig. 38). Made in brick, once an
imposing structure it is falling into ruins.

20
Punjab District Gazetteers: Gurdaspur, Controller of Print and Stationery, 1980, Punjab, p. 432.
21
Singh, Varinder, “A fort in state of decay”, The Tribune, Chandigarh, Thursday, November 9, 2000.
22
Sanjnani, Manohar, Encyclopedia of Tourism Resources in India, Vol. 1, Kalpaz Publications, New
Delhi, 2001, p. 258.
23
Puri, B.N., A Comprehensive History of India: Medieval India, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New
Delhi, 2003.

81
Fig. 38. Wall joining both the bastions comprising round arched niches,
Bajwara Fort, District Hoshiarpur.

MUKERIAN-ATALGARH FORT: Mukerian is a seat of the Thiwar or Kahar Sikhs

and their descendants were associated with the Kanhaya misl under Jai Singh and
Gurbaksh Singh, who in fact awarded them Mukerian for their faithful services.24 After
Gurbaksh Singh his wife Sada Kaur, the mother-in-law of Maharaja Ranjit Singh,
played an important part in the history of the Sikhs and Raldu Ram, her minister, (d.
1848) continued his service under her.25 Sada Kaur‟s daughter Rani Mahtab Kaur, gave
birth to Sher Singh at Mukerian and Raldu Ram was given charge of the infant. 26 His
son Bur Singh (d. 1892) was the personal attendant of Rani Mahtab Kaur.27 Bur Singh‟s
brother Budh Singh was murdered in 1843 with Maharaja Sher Singh. Later, Bur Singh
served Maharani Jindan, the mother of Dalip Singh, whereas his brother Sudh Singh (d.
1888) served Maharaja Dalip Singh at Lahore. 28 Bur Singh was a sub-Registrar of
villages around Mukerian and a Hononary Magistrate and was honoured with the title

24
Harsat, Bikrama Jit, Life and times of Ranjit Singh: A Saga of benevolent Despotism, V.V. Research
Institute Book Agency, India, 1977, p. 26.
25
Gandhi, Surjit Singh, Sikhs in the Eighteenth Century: Their struggle for survival and supremacy,
Singh Bros. Punjab, p. 476.
26
Massy, Charles Francis, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Delhi, Jalandhar, Peshawar and Derajat
Divisions of the Panjab, Pioneer Press, Panjab, 1890, p. 349.
27
Ibid.
28
Gill, Avtar Singh, Lahore Darbar and Rani Jindan, Central Publishers, Punjab, 1983, p. 47.

82
of Sardar Bahadur by the Government of India in 1888.29 His sons predeceased him and
he was succeeded by his grandsons Harman Singh (d. 1870) who inherited the title of
Sardar from his grandfather, and who was an Honorary Magistrate, the President of
Municipal Committee and Sub-Registrar of Mukerian like his grandfather. 30 At
Mukerian is the fort of Atalgarh which Ranjijt Singh occupied in 1819. The fort is now
in ruins except for the foundations (fig. 39). A gurdwara has been built on the ruins of
the fort. There is a well inside the premises of the fort, the time period of which is not
known (fig. 40).

DISTRICT JALANDHAR

The Jalandhar district lies almost in the center of Punjab state while sharing its north-
eastern borders with Hoshiarpur district and north western and eastern border with
Kapurthala district and the southern border with Moga and Ludhiana districts. It has 4
tehsils- Jalandhar, Nakodar, Phillaur and Shahkot. Regarding the nomenclature of the
district there are different versions. According to one it is believed that the place is
named after Jalandhar, a demon king.31 According to another version it is believed that
the district is named so due to its location between the rivers Sutlej and Beas, that is
land between waters.32

The earliest mention of Jalandhar occurs during the rule of the Kushana king
Kanishka as during this time a council of Buddhist theologians was held near Jalandhar
in about 100 AD. 33 During the 7th century when the Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang
visited India. The kingdom of Jalandhar was under raja Utito in the reign of
Harshavardhan.34 From about 11th century the district came under the rule of the Shahi

29
Griffin, L.H, Cornan, W.L, Craik, Sir Henry, The Punjab Chiefs, sang-e-meet, Punjab, 1993, p. 141.
30
Ibid.
31
The demon Jalandhar was the son of Ganges from the ocean. At his birth the earth tremored and seeing
his powers, Brahma bestowed him with his favour to enjoy the three worlds. Kannedy, Vans Researches
into the nature and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu phytology, Langman Press, London, 1831, p. 470.
32
Hence, the vernacular term meant „Inside the Water‟ Jal + Andar. Kramrisch, Stella, The Presence of
Siva, Princeton University Press, U.K., 1898, p. 389.
33
Sharma, Baldev Raj, Hans Jagmohan Singh, Punjab District- Gazetteers: Jalandhar, Revenue Dept.,
Punjab, 1996, p. 14.
34
During this time Jalandhar extended upto an area of 268 km from east to west and 213 kms from north
to south. Jalandhar had been an important part of the Rajput rulers unit the 11 th century. Chaitanya,
Krishna, A History of Indian Painting: Rajasthani Traditions, Abhinav Publications, N. Delhi, 1892,
p. 47.

83
kings.35 According to Diwan-i-Salman36 , Jalandhar was captured by the Ghaznavide
ruler Ibrahim Shah. Consequently, the present area of Jalandhar district remained under
Muslim rule for a long time. It came under the control of the Khiljis, under Ala-ud-Din-
Khilji and later the Tughlaks where after Timur sacked Delhi in 1398. 37 It also
remained a part of the Sayyid and later the Lodhi empires. During Mughal rule, Akbar
took up his residence at Jalandhar. 38 Jalandhar also has a connection with the Sikh
Gurus. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth guru of the Sikhs founded the town of Kartarpur
(currently in Jalandhar district) in 1539. 39 During the reign of Jahangir (1605-27)
Jalandhar was of much importance as his wife Nur Jahan was associated with
Nurmahal, as not only was it named after her but she also got a huge serai built there.40
His successor Shah Jahan founded many places in Jalandhar region, Phillaur being of
them. The site was selected for the construction of a serai on the road from Delhi to
Lahore.41 His contemporary, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru married Mata
Gujri, the daughter of Lal Chand who was a Khatri resident of Kartarpur in 1632 A.D.42
During the 17th century, Jalandhar remained attached to the Mughal empire. Later
Banda Bahadur, the ardent follower of Guru Gobind Singh the tenth guru helped the
peasants of the Jalandhar Doab rise up against the Mughal fauzdar Shams Khan of
Jalandhar.43

During the invasion of Nadir Shah, Adina-Beg was appointed the governor of
Jalandhar Doab. But in 1748, Nadir Shah was defeated near Sirhind and Mir Mannu
(Muin-Ul-Malik) became the Governor of Punjab and ruled from 1748 to 1752.44 After

35
Mavi, Harpal Singh, Geography of Punjab, National Book Trust, 1993, p. 73.
36
It is a series of poems in praise of the Ghaznavide rulers by Khwajah Masud bin Sa‟dbin Salman. Pant,
Ashok, The Truth of Babri Mosque, Bloomington, USA, 2012, p. 268.
37
Schimmel, Annemarie, Islam in the Indian Sub-Continent, Vol. 4, Part 3, E. J. Brill, Leiden,
Netherlands, 1980, p. 39.
38
During the rule of Akbar, copper coins were minted in Jalandhar. Princep, James and Thomas,
Edward, Indian Antiquities: Historic Numismatic and Paleographic, John Murray, London, 1858, p. 22.
39
Gandhi, Surjit Singh, History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E, Vol. II, Atlantic Publishers and
Distributors, New Delhi, 2007, p. 569.
40
Mukherjee, Soma, Royal Mughal Ladies and their contributions, Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi,
2001, p. 240.
41
Ross, David, The Land of the Five Rivers and Sindh: Sketches Historical and Descriptive, Chapman
and Hall, Limited, California, 1883, p. 221.
42
Johar, Surinder Singh, Guru Tegh Bahadur: A Biography, Abhinav Publications, New Delhi, 1975, p.
50.
43
Shams Khan was defeated in battle with Sikhs in Rahon. Gupta Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs:
Evolution of Sikh Confederacies, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi, 1999, p. 16.
44
Adhina Beg, who was appointed by Nadir Shah as the Governor of Jalandhar was also against Nadir
Shah. Mir Mannu appointed Adina Beg Deputy Governor of the Jalandhar Doab. Gupta, Hari Ram,

84
the death of Adina Beg the Sikh misls saw their opportunity to seize control of the area.
The Kanhayas held the upper tract of the doab but were driven out by the Ramgarhias.
Later Ranjit Singh of the Sukerchakia misl became the master of the Upper Doab.45
Lehna Singh, the leader of the Bhangi Misl was born in Mustafapur, near Kartarpur of
Jalandhar district.46 Karora Singh, the founder of the Karora Singhia Misl, who was
earlier of the Faizullapuria confederacy, captured areas north of Jalandhar. 47 Ahmad
Shah Abdali during his sixth invasion defeated the Sikhs in the great massacre or the
Vada Ghallughara in 1792 leaving Saadat Khan as the Governor of Jalandhar. 48 But the
next year the Sikhs defeated and killed Zain Khan 49 near Sirhind and asserted their
independence. 50 The Dallewalia Chief was on good terms with the head of the
Phulkian family Amar Singh whose daughter Bibi Chand Kaur was married to his son
Dasondha Singh. 51 In 1811, Diwan Mohkam Chand on the part of Maharaja Ranjit
Singh, aided by Ramgarhias and Ahluwalias, took Jalandhar.52 After Diwan Mohkam
Chand‟s death in 1814, Moti Ram succeeded him and after him Kirpa became the
governor of Jalandhar. 53 In the first Anglo-Sikh war (1845-46), Brigadier Wheeler
crossed river Sutlej in pursuit of the Sikhs and advanced to Phillaur and occupied the
fort whereon the British marched to Jalandhar and occupied the country between Sultej
and Beas. 54 After the annexation of Jalandhar Doab in 1846 John Lawrence was
appointed as the Commissioner and cantonments were built at Jalandhar, Phillaur,
Nakodar and Kartarpur.55

History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Common Wealth or Rise and Fall of Sikh Misls, Munshiram Manoharlal
Publishers, New Delhi, 1978, p. 277.
45
Griffin, L.H., Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Barrier between our growing empire and Central Asia,
Clerendon Press, Oxford, 1905, p. 82.
46
Punjab District Gazetteers: Jalandhar, Revenue Department, Punjab, 1996, p. 21.
47
Griffin, L.H, Ranjit Singh, Clarendon Press, India, 1892, p. 81.
48
Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Common-wealth or Rise and fall of Sikh Misls,
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi, 2001 (Reprint), p. 28.
49
After having known about the turbulence in Kabul, Afghanistan, Ahmed Shah left Lahore in 1762
A.D. thereby appointing Zain Khan as the Governor of Lahore and Sirhind. Singh, Raj Pal, The Sikhs:
Their Journey of Five Hundred Years, Bhavana Books and Prints, New Delhi, 2003, p. 116.
50
Jain, Harish, The Making of Punjab, Unistar Books, Chandigarh, 2003, p. 289.
51
Punjab District, Gazetteers – Vol. 4, Controller of Print and Stationery, Punjab, 1996, p. 22.
52
Saggar, Balraj, Who’s who in the history of Punjab, 1800-1849, National Book Organization, India,
1995, p. 263.
53
Ram, Diwan Kirpa, Gulabnama of Diwan Kirpa Ram: A History of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu
and Kashmir, Light & Life Publishers, Jammu & Kashmir, 1977, p. 32.
54
Singh, Jagmohan Singh, Punjab State Gazettee, Vol. 2, Revenue and Rehabilitation Dept., Punjab,
2000, p. 1643.
55
Aitchison, Charlesy Umpherston, Lord Lawrence and the Reconstruction of India under the British
Rule, Cosmo Publications, New Delhi, 2001, p. 211.

85
KARTARPUR FORT: Kartarpur was founded by the fifth guru of the Sikhs, Arjun
Dev who visited it in 1598 and stuck his walking-stick in the ground and exclaimed.
“This shall be the support of our faith!” 56 Slowly under his protection, the place
flourished and is currently a considerable town. Guru Arjun‟s walking stick made of
sandal-wood is still there and is known as tham. In 1833 Maharaja Ranjit Singh granted
more than one Lakh rupees for the erection of a fine building known as Thamji in
which the stick reposes.57 Near tham ji, is a well dug by Guru Arjan named Gangasar
where legend has it that the river Ganga flows through an underground channel.58 In
1604 Guru Arjan Dev started compiling the saying of his predecessor Gurus and Saints
and this bir now rests at Kartarpur in the Shish Mahal and is opened for public view
during day of the full moon (sangrand). The Sodhi‟s of Kartarpur are direct
descendants of Guru Nanak, the first Guru.59 Guru Hargobind the sixth Guru and fifth
generation of Guru Nanak died in 1614, leaving behind five sons out of whom the
eldest son Baba Gurditta had two sons Guru Har Rai (who became the seventh Guru of
the Sikhs) and Guru Dhir Mal (d. 1677). The latter had two sons Guru Bahar Singh and
Guru Ram Chand who was the great grandfather of Guru Gulab Singh (d. 1806). He
was succeeded by Sadhu Singh (d. 1861) who had two sons Suchet Singh and Guru
Jawahar Singh (d. 1882) of whom the latter succeeded Sadhu Singh. Guru Nao Nihal
Singh (b. 1881) was born just before his father‟s death due to which the charge was
given over to the Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar. Nao Nihal Singh had two sons
Atma Singh (b. 1902) and Sardul Singh (b. 1903).60 The fort at Kartarpur was erected
by Guru Gulab Singh in 1783. The fort has been dismantled and a modern residence
has been put up in its place, but still remnants of the old construction can be seen.61

The fort can be entered through a rectangular opening to the left of which is an
octagonal structure rising up to a height of two storeys above which is an overhanging
balcony of the same shape surrounded by a railing (fig. 41). The structure is roofed by a
tin shed supported on thin pillars. Moving beyond the rectangular entrance to the left is

56
Griffin, L.H, Chiefs and Families of note in the Punjab, p. 146.
57
Singh, Kartar, Sikh Itihas (Punjabi), Amritsar, 1968, pp. 202-203.
58
That river Ganga flows beneath it was proved by Guru Arjan during his time when one of his followers
told him that while having visited Haridwar, he lost his brass lota while bathing. The Guru assured him
that he will find his lota here at Gangasar, amidst the huge gathering, the disciple let himself down into
the well with the help of a rope and came back joyfully with a lota in his hand. Gupta, Hari Ram, History
of the Sikhs: The Sikh Gurus, 1469-1708, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi, 1984, p. 132.
59
See Appendix 1.
60
Gazetteer of the Jullundur District, Sang-e-Meet Publications, Jalandhar, Punjab, 2000, p. 107.
61
Lafont, Jean Marie, Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Lord of the Five Rivers, Oxford University Press, 2002,
p. 181.

86
a multi-cusped arched entrance set in a rectangular panel (fig. 42) which leads to the
passage flanked by guard rooms and comprising of round arches (fig. 43). Ahead of the
guardrooms to the right are a few steps which lead to the open courtyard, to the right is
a conjoined circular structure, called the Rani Mahal, which is two-storeyed with
projected eaves on both the storeys and at present is being reconstructed (fig. 44). The
lower storey has square windows at regular intervals with wooden doors (fig. 45) which
have been embellished with carved floral patterns in varying rectangular panels, while
the upper storey has rectangular windows set in multi-cusped arched recesses at regular
intervals. The original Adi Granth compiled by Arjan Dev, the sword of Guru
Hargobind, the Tegha Sahib, Guru Nanak‟s Cap-seli, has been preserved in the
gurdwara of the fort (fig. 46).

Fig. 41. Entrance to Kartarpur Fort, District Jalandhar.

Fig. 42. Multi-cusped arched entrance leading to the guardrooms, Kartarpur

Fort, District Jalandhar.

87
Fig. 43. Round arches in the passage flanked by guardrooms, Kartarpur Fort,
District Jalandhar.

Fig. 44. Conjoined circular buildings referred to as Rani Mahal, Kartarpur Fort
District Jalandhar.

Fig. 45. Wooden doors of the Rani Mahal, Kartarpur Fort, District Jalandhar.

88
Fig. 46. Gurdwara inside the Kartarpur fort, District Jalandhar.

ALAWALPUR FORT: Constructed in the 18th century, the history of the descendants
of Alawalpur goes back to Chadhuri Gulab Rai, a Bains Jat of Mahalpur, 62 Hoshiarpur
who participated in the conquest of Sirhind in 1759 and attained the village of Jala,
hence the title Jalawalias. 63 Later their territories were incorporated by the Nabha
Chiefs and Gulab Rai‟s son and successor Himmat Singh (d. 1826) represented Nabha
during the Treaty of 1809 when the territories of the Cis-Sutlej and Trans-Sutlej areas
were demarcated.64 Maharaja Ranjit Singh offered him to make Himmat Singh a wazir
in 1812 which he accepted and continued to hold the post until his death in 1826.65 As a
result of his acceptance of the post offered by Ranjit Singh he and his brother were
given the Alawalpur area in Jalandhar District.66 He was succeeded by Achal Singh (d.
1857), his grandson because his son Albel Singh (d. 1825) had died earlier while
fighting on the banks of Jhelum on the side of Ranjit Singh.67 In 1832, the estates were
divided between his younger son Kishan Singh and grandson Achal Singh, known as
Alawalpur and Dhogri. After the death of Kishan Singh, Achal Singh became the head

62
See Appendix 2.
63
The town is called after Alawal Khan an Afghan of the Dhogri family which was confiscated by Ranjit
Singh and given over to the Jalawalias.
64
Saggar, Balraj, Who’s who in the history of Punjab, 1800-1849, National Book Organization, India,
1993, p. 153.
65
Singh, Harbans, The Encylopedia of Sikhism, Punjabi University, Punjab, 1998, p. 272.
66
Saggar, Balraj, Who’s who in the History of Punjab, National Book Organization India, 1993, p. 153.
67
Gazetteer of the Jullundur District, Sang-e-Meet Publications, Jalandhar, 2000, p. 109.

89
of the family since the former‟s son was a minor. The estates of Kishan Singh were
transferred to Ram Singh, the nephew of Himat Singh. 68 Achal Singh‟s sons Partap
Singh and Ajit Singh helped the British in the Mutiny and Ajit Singh was appointed the
Sub-Registrar at Alawalpur in 1875, Honorary Magistrate in 1881 and was also
conferred with the title of Sardar Bahadur in 1888.69 Partap Singh had two sons Achar
Singh (b. 1876) and Jowala Singh (b. 1881). Achar Singh had one son Sant Parkash (b.
1890) and the latter had two sons Mohendra Singh (b. 1902) and Hardayal Singh (b.
1906). 70 S. Bahadur Ajit Singh had one son Bhagwan Singh (d. 1897) and two
grandsons Gurbachan Singh (b. 1891) and Gurcharan Singh (b. 1895).71

The current residents of the fort are S. Atam Parkash Singh, the son of Sant
Parkash, and his wife Simrat Kaur. There are the remains of an unfinished fort called
Theh Lakhman, with an entrance on the north side and the rooms on the either sides of
the doorway that had been used as temporary jails. The arched entrance, nearly 10 feet
in height has wooden doorways with iron spikes arranged in four rows (fig. 47). The
rooms above the doorway have three jharokhas set in rectangular panels. The archway
leads to the rooms that were used as courtrooms (fig. 48). Further on the right are the
residential rooms of the current owners of the fort. The residence is arranged in such a
way that in the center is a lawn which is surrounded by rooms on all four sides. The
main residence is a two storeyed structure with around 16 rooms on both the storeys
modified according to current requirements of the family (fig. 49). Right in front of the
main entrance is an old structure where the domestic helpers of the fort live with their
families (fig. 50) and to the right is a huge two storeyed structure, perhaps used as a
Darbar Hall, with round arches and doors, now out of use and in ruins (fig. 51).

The fort is in a bad shape although efforts have been made now and then to re-
construct and re-erect portions of it yet everything except the main residential area is
crumbling down.

68
This Dhogri Jagir was exchanged with Maharaja Ranjit Singh for the same value in Gurdaspur but it
lapsed on the death of Ram Singh‟s son Alam Singh. Massy, Charles Francis, Chiefs and Families of
Note in the Delhi, Jalandhar, Peshawar and Derajat Divisions of the Punjab, Pioneer Press, Park Plaza,
1890, p. 309.
69
Griffin, L.H, Conran W.L., Criak, Sis Henry, The Punjab Chiefs, Sang-e-Meet, Punjab, 1993, p. 156.
70
Sant Parkash was the first IG of Punjab after partition, McDowell, From the Diplomatic Bag,
Published by Memories, Gloucestershire, 1995, p. 94.
71
Griffin, L.H, Chiefs and Families of note in the Punjab, p. 208.

90
Fig. 47. Entrance to Alawalpur Fort, District Jalandhar.

Fig. 48. The Courtrooms, Alawalpur Fort, District Jalandhar.

Fig. 49. The renovated area for residence of the owners of the Alawalpur Fort,
District Jalandhar.

91
Fig. 50. An old structure within the fort, Alawalpur Fort, District Jalandhar.

Fig. 51. The two-storeyed structure with round arches, Alawalpur Fort,
District Jalandhar.

PHILLAUR FORT: The Phillaur Fort is situated on the Grand Trunk Road. The town
of Phillaur owes its origin to a Sanghera Jat, Phul who initially named it Phulnagar. It
was during the rule of the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (1627-58) an imperial Mughal
serai was built at Phillaur.72 Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1799-1839) signed a treaty

72
Before the advent of automobiles, people used oxen, bullock carts, camels or horses for transportation.
Since the towns and cities were located at considerable distance, people used to move in groups called
caravans because in addition to the distance, marauders were a constant menace. Mostly, people could
travel about 8kos or 32 kilometers in a day and after a tiring journey secure places for night stay was a

92
with the British in 1809 where in he agreed and accepted Sultej to be the eastern border
of his kingdom and hence Ranjit Singh erected a fort a Phillaur which was the site of
the Mughal serai of Shahjahan which his Diwan Mohkam Chand had possessed from
Megh Singh, the successor of Tara Singh Ghaiba of Dallewalia Misl.73 The Maharaja‟s
Italian Generals namely Allard and Ventura helped convert the serai into a fort by
adding an advanced parapet before the main rampart and creating a chemin de rondes,
ditch and bastions. 74 After defeat in the first Anglo- Sikh War in 1846, the Sikh
garrison was withdrawn from the fort and it came under British control. 75 After the
Mutiny of 1857 it was made an artillery arsenal until 1883. In 1891 the fort was handed
over to the Police Department and converted it into a Police Training School on 1 st
January 1892 and is serving its purpose till date.76

Since the Phillaur fort was built on the site of a Mughal serai parts of the
original structure of the serai still exist. The two gateways of the fort were named
according to their orientation towards the two great Mughal cities of Delhi and Lahore.
The one facing east was named the Delhi Gate and the other facing west was named the
Lahori Gate (fig.52). These gateways are majestic three storied structures 13.35 meters
broad and deep and the archway is 3.7 m broad.77 On the front wall of each gateway are
projecting eaves or chajja and the walls of the facade are lined with multiple blind
niches in parallel rows.78

must so that they could hasten their animals at a safe place and at the same time be sure of food and
water. So, during the Mughal period Caravan serais were built at intervals of a day‟s journey. These
serais were built all along the Agra-Lahore highway and Phillaur lies midway between Lahore and Delhi.
These serais were mostly square or rectangular with enclosing walls which were provided with a bastion
at each corner which was usually octagonal which made them look like forts. They had the four ivan plan
which developed during the Sultanate period in the 11 th & 12th centuries. Centrally, the structure used to
be open to sky and accommodations were constructed on the sides. The doorways were big enough to let
goods-laden animals like camels and horses to enter which could be either tied in the central area of the
Serai or sometimes they could also separate stables built for them. Parihar Subhash, “Phillaur Fort :
Historical and Architectural Perspective”, apnaorg.com
73
Goswamy, B.N., “A sense of History, Sunday spectrum, The Tribune, Chandigarh, July 3, 2011.
74
Aujla, G.S., “Holding Fort”, Sunday Spectrum, The Tribune, Sunday, November 29, 2009.
75
Goswamy, B.N., “A sense of History”, Sunday spectrum, The Tribune, Chandigarh, July 3, 2011.
76
Singh, Jupinderjit, “Maharaja‟s Fort lies forgotten amid the din of celebrations”, The Tribune,
Chandigarh, Monday, November 19, 2001.
77
Parihar, Subhash, “Phillaur Fort : Historical and Architectural Perspective, apnaorg.com
78
Ibid.

93
Fig. 52. Main entrance to the Phillaur Fort, District Jalandhar.

The Mughal serais also generally had a Mosque inside the structure but this
particular serai did not have one, the reason being, the mosques in India are oriented
towards the west and if a mosque was erected in this serai it would have to be
diagonally placed, breaking the symmetry. So, instead a mausoleum of a Muslim saint
named Pir Baba Abdullah Shah was erected in the north-eastern corner of the fort.79.
Moats were dug around them and the outer walls were slightly inclined to defeat the
attack of a cannon ball.80 Currently the Phillaur fort houses the offices of the academy,
an imposing mansion as the Director‟s residence, a fingerprint bureau and firearm
bureau. The rampart encircling the whole structure has one entrance on the western side
which is a huge arch- shaped doorway with spandrels on both sides and flanked by
hexagonal towers on both sides with domical roofs (fig. 53). Post the independence in
1947, the national emblem was added inside the rampart.

79
Legend has it that while Maharaja Ranjit Singh was getting the fort constructed, the wall would
collapse which effected the work. One day the Maharaja was advised by religious heads that the wall
could be constructed successfully only if a male person belonging to the Brahmin category, the only son
of a widow sacrificed his life. A Brahmin Boy of Phillaur was brought in front of Ranjit Singh who
fulfilled the conditions. His mother lamented and Pir Abdullah Shah who lived nearby got her attention
and instead offered himself for sacrifice in front of the Raja, to which Ranjit Singh agreed and the boy
was released. Pir Abdullah Shah was then buried alive on the north-eastern wall of the fort and the
construction of the fort went uninterrupted.
80
Singh, Jupinderjit Singh, “Maharajas fort lies forgotten amid the din of celebrations, The Tribune,
Chandigarh, Monday, November 19, 2001.

94
Fig. 53. A model of the layout of the Phillaur fort, District Jalandhar.

Fig. 39. Foundations of the Atalkarh Fort, Mukerian, District Hoshiarpur.

Fig. 40. Well inside the Gurdwara, Mukerian, District Hoshiarpur.

95
DISTRICT NAWANSHEHR

Before being declared as a separate district in 1995, Nawanshehr formed a part

of Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur districts and hence it shares its history with these two
districts. Jalandhar, the area comprising the two major rivers Beas and Sutlej, was
called Jalandhar doab and Nawanshehr was a part of the Doab Territory. 81 Today
Nawanshehr is a separate district, also called as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, it shares
its borders with Hoshiarpur district in the north, Ludhiana district in the south,
Rupnagar district in the south and east, Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts in the west.
The area comprising the Jalandhar Doab was a fertile piece of land and had perennial
sources for the supply of water which ensured quality agricultural land and artefacts
found from this area include hand-axes, stone tools and chopping tools etc. which
indicate that it was a place occupied by the people of Indus Valley Civilization. 82 The
places in Nawanshehr district such as Bairsian, Charan Maahliana, Nurpur, Rahon,
Sujjan, Taharpur have been named in the list of places that are said to have been
populated by the people of Indus Valley Civilization. 83 The earliest mention of
Nawanshehr occurs during the rule of the Kushana king Kanishka who is said to have
held Council of Buddhist teachers in about 100 A.D. 84 Later, the present area of
Nawanshehr, then included in the Jalandhar area came under the control of Susarma
Chandra, a Rajput of Somavamsi descent.85 When the famous Chinese traveller Hieun
Tsang came to India in the 7th Century, Harsha Vardhana was the ruler of India. 86
Hindu rulers that included raja Tirlochanapala ruled here until 11th century and were
defeated by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1019.87 His son Bhimapala succeeded him but was
not as able as his father and after his death in 1026 AD, the might of the Hindushahis
came to an end in the region.88

81
Nijjar, B.S., Indian Punjab, 1947-1966, ABS Publications Kolkata, 1985, p. 8.
82
The Tribune, Chandigarh, 10th August, 1977.
83
Lal, B.B. and Gupta, S.P., Frontiers of the Indus Civilization, Books and Books, New Delhi, 1984, p.
526
84
Grunwedel, Buddhist Art in India, Bernard Quaritch, London, 1901, p. 18.
85
He fought on the side of Duryodhana during Mahabharata and during that time Jalandhar was better
known as Trigrtta - meaning - a country watered by three rivers - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi. Cunningham,
Alexander, Archaeological Survey Reports, Vol. V, p. 148.
86
Sen, Sailendranath, Ancient Indian History and Civilization, New Age International Publishers, New
Delhi, 1999, p. 88.
87
Raja Tirlochanapal died in 1021 AD. Ellis, Henry, The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the
Numismatic Society, Volume 6, John Wertheimer and Co., London, April 1843-January, 1844, p. 30.
88
Shrivastava, Ashirbadi Lal, The Sultanate of Delhi: 711-1526 A.D., Agra, 1971, p. 55.

96
After Mahmud occupied Punjab, he established a Ghaznavid empire under
whose domain also came the present Nawsnshehr area and this is how Nawanshehr
came under the Mohammadan rule and was later taken by Ibrahim Shah, the
Ghaznavide.89 The area of Nawanshehr district which earlier was part of Jalandhar and
Hoshiarpur districts came under the rule of several kings such as the Tughlaqs, and Abu
Bakar, who murdered Ghias-ud-Din Tughluq in 1389 to capture the throne of Delhi.90
Later, Mubarak Shah (1421-34), Muhammad Shah (1434-45), Alauddin Alam Shah
(1445-51) of the Sayyid dynasty also ruled over this area.91 Under the Mughals, the
area was occupied by Babar in his fourth invasion of India in 1524 AD.92 During the
rule of Akbar, Jalandhar was one of the mint cities where copper coins were minted.93
During the 17th century, the Jalandhar Doab, which includes present day Nawanshehr
was attached with the Empire of Delhi.94 The Sikh Guru, Hargobind is said to have
been associated with this part of the Jalandhar Doab during the battle between the Guru
and his soldiers and Emperor Shahjahan, represented by Painda Khan and Qutub Khan,
the then Governors of Jalandhar.95 The Guru's sons Guruditta and Tyag Mal were also
active participants of the war where after seeing the skills of his younger son Tyag Mal,
the guru renamed him Teg Bahadur who later became the ninth guru of the Sikhs.96
Although Painda Khan was killed in the battle yet the Mughals continued to chase the
Sikhs whereby another battle was fought between them in Phagwara on 29th April 1635
which was a long drawn battle and the Guru went to Ropar (now Rupnagar) through
Nawanshehr district to cross river Sutlej.97 Later, after the persecution of the sons of
the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, Banda Bahadur from the Deccan arrived with a mission
to punish the persecutors and during that time the Jalandhar Doab, which consisted of
the present day Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshehr and Kapurthala remained the main
center of exploits till 1710.the Sikhs under Banda Bahadur fought against Shamas

89
Aziz, Khursheed Komal, Rahmat Ali: A Biography, Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden, Germany, 1987, p. 35.
90
Nijjar, Bakhshish, Punjab under the Sultans, (1000-1526 AD), New Delhi, 1968, p. 56-60.
91
Singh, Fauja, History of Punjab, 1000-1526 A.D., Vol. III, Patiala, 1972, pp. 220-21.
92
Singh, Bakhshish, Punjab under the Great Mughals (1526-1707 A.D.), Bombay, 1968, pp. 14-15.
93
Thomas, Edward, The Chronicles of the Pathan Kings of Delhi: Illustrated by Coins, Inscriptions and
Other Antiquarian Remains, Trubner and Co., London, 1871, p. 428.
94
Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh, Indian Punjab 1947-66, ABS Publications, Jalandhar, 1985, p. 8.
95
Singh, Dr. Gopal, A History of Sikh People 1436-1988, World Sikh University Press, New Delhi,
1979, p. 230
96
Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs, vol. I. The Sikh Gurus 1469-1708, New Delhi, 1984, p. 170.
97
Ibid.

97
Khan.98 The Sikhs gathered in full force near Rahon and occupied some old brick kiln
mounds and used it as a guard from the Mughals.99 Being outnumbered by the imperial
army the Sikhs took defensive position in the Rahon fort where they were besieged for
several days but the Sikhs attacked the Mughal army and slipped from their
entrenchments. 100 Shamas Khan returned to his headquarters at Sultanpur while
stationing his army there and having known about it, the Sikhs came back again and
defeating the imperial army reoccupied the fort. They won the Battle of Rahon in 1710
and became the masters of Jalandhar Doab.101

After the decline of the Mughal Empire and the withdrawal of the Afghan
leader Ahmed Shah Abdali, the area of Punjab was divided into various tracts which
were ruled by different misls or confederacies. Various misls remained associated with
the Nawanshehr district, one of them being the Ahluwalia Misl that, under the
leadership of Jassa Singh plundered Nadir Shah in 1739 when the latter was on his way
back. 102 While Jassa Singh fled the scene, the Sikhs continued to be persecuted to
which Jassa Singh retaliated in 1747 by capturing extensive territories of Punjab. Out
of the twelve misls, the Dallewalia Misl was founded in the Jalandhar Doab by Tara
Singh Ghaiba. 103 The confederacy derives its name from village Dala (now in
Kapurthala District) but it is said that the origin of the confederacy was in village Kang
of Nakodar Tehsil, now in Jalandhar district.104 In 1807, when Ranjit Singh crossed the
Sutlej, Tara Singh accompanied him to lay siege on the Rajput fort of Naraingarh in
Ambala district but died on his way back home.105 His last rites were performed at
Rahon whereby later his wife Rani Rattan Kaur took up the sword since now Ranjit
Singh wanted to possess the belongings of his ally, to which she finally agreed.106

98
Deol, G.S., Banda Bahadur, New Academic Publishing Co., Jalandhar, 1972.
99
Ibid.
100
Ibid, pp. 68-69.
101
Chhabra, G.S., The Advance Study in History of the Punjab, Vol. I., Jalandhar, 1960, p. 331.
102
Grewal, J.S., The Sikhs of the Punjab, Cambridge University Press, 1998, p. 90
103
Ambala Regular Settlement Report, Southern Parganahs, p. 13.
104
Tara Singh Ghaiba was a goat herd and became a robber after his goats were robbed by Suleman, the
Gujar robber. Slowly, he rose to eminence, started capturing the nearby places, occupied Nawanshehr
Doab which included Rahon and made it the seat of his govt. Punjab District Gazeteer: Nawanshehr,
Controller of Print and Stationary, Punjab, 2006, p. 40; Punjab District Gazetteer: Jullundur, Controller
of Print and Stationery, Punjab, 1981, p. 37 and Latif, Syed Muhammad, Maharaja Ranjit Singh:
Builder of a Commonwealth, National Book Shop, New Delhi, 2002, p. 36.
105
Sharma, Baldev Raj and Hans, Jagmohan Singh, Punjab District Gazetteers: Jalandhar, Revenue
Department, Punjab, 1996, p. 23.
106
Cunningham, J.D., A History of the Sikhs, London, 1849, p. 144.

98
In 1752 while Adina Beg was the incharge of the Jalandhar Doab, the founder
of the Ramgarhia Misl, Jassa Singh served under him and he became the master of a
large part of what is now Nawanshehr district. 107 After Adina Beg was driven out by
Timur, the major part of the north-western territory of Jalandhar Doab fell into the
hands of Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.108 His son Jodh Singh succeeded him in 1803 and in
1805 he assisted the British under Lord Lake against the Marathas led by Holkar,
despite which the British intervened and seized their territories.109 During the reign of
Ranjit Singh the charge of the Doab was given to a Nazim, Diwan Mohkam Chand
being the first one. 110 He was succeeded by his son Moti Ram in 1814, who was
succeeded by his son Kripa Ram in 1819, but Ranjit Singh took the post of Nizam from
him and handed it over to Fakir-Aziz-ud-din.111 He was followed by Sheikh Ghulam
Muhi-ud-din but due to his oppressions the people rebelled and he was replaced by
Misr Rup Lal who was considered one of the best Governors by the people. He had his
headquarter at Balachaur, now in Nawanshehr.112 After the demise of Maharaja Ranjit
Singh, the Jammu family under Raja Dhian Singh again appointed Ghulam Muhi-ud-
Din as Govrnor in 1842 A.D..113 In 1846, after the First Anglo-Sikh war the areas
between Sutlej and Beas were occupied by the British.114 After the uprising of 1857
several freedom movements emerged, like the Namdhari Movement founded by Baba
Ram Singh on April 12, 1857, popularly known as the Kuka Movement that launched a
campaign against social evils like sati, child marriage, female foeticide etc.115 During
various movements such as the Ghadar, Non-Cooperation and Babbar Akali, the people
of Nawanshehr played an important part. 116 During the first Civil Disobedience
Movement started by Gandhiji on 12th March 1930, which focused on boycotting

107
Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs, Vol. I, p. 291
108
Dhavan, Purnima, When Sparrows, Became Hawks: The making of the Sikh warrior tradition, 1699-
1799, Oxford University Press, New York, 2011, p. 82.
109
Gandhi, Surjit Singh, Struggle of the Sikhs for Sovereignty, Gur Das Kapur, Punjab, 1980, p. 320.
110
Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Lion of Lahore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh 1799-1839,
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi, 1991, p. 130.
111
Saggar Balraj, Who's who in the History of Punjab, 1800-1849, National Book Organisation, New
Delhi, 1993, p. 269.
112
Gill, Avtar Singh, Blood Bath after Ranjit Singh, Jaswant Printers, Punjab, 2006, p. 47.
113
Griffin, L.H., Cornan, WL and Craik, Sir Henry, The Punjab Chiefs, p. 26.
114
Sidhu Amarpal Singh, The First Anglo-Sikh War, Amberley Publishing, Gloucestershire, Electronic
Edition, 2013.
115
Chhabra, G.S., The Advance History of the Punjab, Vol. II, Ludhiana, 1962, pp. 368-70.
116
Singha, Gurucarana, Babbar, Akali Movement - A Historical Survey, Aman Publications, Punjab,
1993, p. 88.

99
foreign trade goods, Balachaur Tehsil, then a part of Hoshiarpur actively participated in
the initiative.117

NAWANSHEHR FORT : Two different reasons are given to how the headquarter
Nawanshehr's nomenclature came about. One, it is said that the city was founded by
the Afghan Nausher Khan during the rule of Ala-Ud-din Khilji (1295-1316) and that he
named the place after himself and second, that the name Nawanshehr is a Punjabi
translation of the term 'The New City' given as the people of Rahon began to shift to
this new place.118 A fort was built hereby Tara Singh Ghaiba of Dallewalia Misl after
he captured the place around 18th century but no remains of the fort exist now.

RAHON FORT: Rahon is said to have been founded by Raja Raghab who called it
Raghupur.119 Several rulers such as the Gujaras, Mahtons and Ghorewala Rajputs ruled
during the time of Muhammad Ghori (d 1206 AD). Legend has it that the leader of the
Rajputs Rana Rajpal named it 'Rahon' after the name of a lady called 'Raho'. 120 Later,
Rana Udho, the Raja of Machhiwara, was given the control of Rahon keeping in mind
his services towards Akbar. 121 The fort which stands in shambles today was built
during the time period of Aurangzeb (1658-1707).122 In 1759, it was occupied by Tara
Singh Ghaiba, the head of the Dallewalia misl and after his death it was given over to
Ranjit Singh.123 The fort is said to have been built by Raja Raghab as a kutchi garhi
(mud fort), and Raja Rana Udho converted it into a masonry structure. Today the fort
consists of a senior secondary school (fig. 54), a police station (fig. 55), a mosque from
the period of Aurangzeb (fig. 56), Roza Baba Roshan Shah Bali Ji and a Laxmi
Narayan Mandir and Dharamsala. The mosque is a single-storey domed structure and
the dome rests on an octagonal base. The lower storey of the mosque is painted in green
while the dome is painted in white and green stripes.

117
The Tribune, Lahore, 21 March, 1930.
118
Nijjar Bakhshish Singh, Punjab Under the Sultans, 1999-1526 A.D., Sterling Publishers, New Delhi,
1968, p. 195.
119
Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh, History of the Babbar Akalis, ABS Publications New Delhi, 1987, p. 485
120
Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh, Punjab Under the Late Mughals, 1707-1759, New Academic Publishing
Company, Punjab, 1972, p. 52.
121
He assisted Akbar in conquering Delhi from the rebellions Bairam Khan. Hans, Jagmoha, Punjab
State Gazetteers, Vol. 2, Revenue and Rehabilitation Dept., Punjab, 2000, 1645.
122
Punjab District Gazetteers: Nawanshehr, Controller of Print and Stationary, Punjab, 2006, p. 446.
123
Latif, Syed Muhammad, Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Builder of a Commonwealth, National Book Shop,
New Delhi, 2002, p. 36

100
Of all the remaining structures, the Laxmi Narayan Mandir and Dharamsala is
of considerable aesthetic appeal. It is a double storeyed structure constructed in
nanakshahi bricks and lime mortar. The entrance facade in the center protrudes with the
wooden doorway in the center. The single doorway is painted grey with wooden
embellishments on its leaves (fig. 57). The doorway is flanked by two arched niches on
both sides and some niches above it as well.

Fig. 54. The School inside the premises of the Rahon Fort, District Nawanshehr.

Fig. 55. The Police Station and the mosque inside the premises of the Rahon Fort,
District Nawanshehr.

101
Fig. 56. Roza Baba Roshan Shah Bali Ji inside the premises of the Rahon Fort,
District Nawanshehr.

Right above the entrance doorway are three recessed rectangular windows
enframed within a semi-circular pediment. The entrance doorway and the windows
above it are framed within a recessed multi-foil archway, pointed at the apex (fig. 58).
On the spandrels are foliage patterns in scroll design. Underneath the arch in the recess
are mural paintings with floral and scroll designs which continue in the space between
the three windows and the dome above it. Above the archway are three blind niches
with a round arched and pyramidal apex.
The archway is flanked by two vertical panels rising up to the total height of the
façade on each side. It is embellished with some blind as well as arched niches which
bear stone jali‟s and floral patterns in relief (fig. 59). The vertical panels are separated
with vertical uprights which bear scroll and floral patterns too.

Fig. 57. Entrance façade, Laxmi Narayan Temple and Dharamsala Rahon Fort, District
Nawanshehr.
102
Fig. 58. The recessed multi-coiled archway, Laxmi Narayan Temple and Dharamsala,
Rahon Fort, District Nawanshehr.

Fig. 59. Stone jali‟s and floral patterns in relief, Laxmi Narayan Temple and
Dharamsala, Rahon Fort, District Nawanshehr.

On the either side of the second storey are five arched rectangular panels some
of which are bricked while others have wooden windows and jali’s. The one is the
center has a pyramidal apex while the two flanking it on either side have domical apex
and all are framed by pilasters on each side (fig. 60).

103
Fig. 60. Five arched rectangular panels on the second storey, Laxmi Narayan Temple
and Dharamsala, Rahon Fort, District Nawanshehr.

Adjacent to the temple on the right is the Darbar Gugga Jaahar Pir Ji, in all
probability a later addition (fig. 61).

Fig. 61. Darbar Gugga Jaahar Pir Ji, Rahon Fort, District Nawanshehr.

It is evidently a very old town, and from its commanding situation on an

eminence overlooking the river Sutlej, must have been a place of great importance.

In the Doaba region eight forts have been covered in districts Hoshiarpur,
Jalandhar and Nawanshehr. Literary and textual sources refer to about eighteen forts in
this region which would have been important but other than the forts mentioned, about
ten of them don‟t survive at all. In this region among the surviving ones are two
residential forts, two defensive forts, one fort used as military prison, one mud fort later

104
converted into pakka fort and two forts whose minimal or no remains are found.
Majority of forts in this region were made between the 17th to 19th centuries. The
earliest surviving fort of the region is Dasuya fort. Although the exact time period of
the fort is not known, yet if legend is to be believed, it is said to have been mentioned
in the Mahabharata and was later occupied by several Sikh misls and chiefs like the
Rangarhias, maharaja Ranjit Singh and Tara Singh Ghaiba. Hence, the fort architecture
would have exhibited a composite influence drawn from its conquerors. Phillaur fort in
district Jalandhar is the latest surviving fort in the region that was converted from a
serai to a defensive fort in the 19th century by maharaja Ranjit Singh. Built by the
Kangra ruler Sansar Chand in 1801 A.D. and later occupied by maharaja Ranjit Singh
in 1825 A.D., the Bajwara fort is in a dilapidated condition where only fragments of
two bastions and a wall connecting them can be seen, so the influence on its
architecture is uncertain. In the majority of forts in the Doaba region nanakshahi bricks,
mud or lime plaster is used for construction of the forts.

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