The Urban History of Dinanagar (1849-1947)
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Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education Vol. III, Issue-V, January-2012, ISSN 2230-7540 The Urban History of Dinanagar (1849-1947) Abhay Singh Research Scholar, Singhania University, Rajasthan, India ---------------------------♦---------------------------- OVERVIEW which got abolished by the absorption of Hasli in the Bari Doab Cannal. Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s ladies apartments The small sleepy town : Dinanagar in the district and tehsil are now utilized as on office for the Municipal Committee of Gurdaspur (Punjab) is situated in 32º.8’ K and 75º.28’E and the house occupied by General Venture is now used on the Amritsar Pathankot Branch of Northern Railway, 20 as I.I.D. rest house. Kilometers from Pathankot. After the name of its founder Adina Beg, who is said to have founded it in 1730 A.D., the After the annexation of the Punjab with the British territory town was originally named as Adinanager. Adina Beg built in April 1849, a new district of Adinanagar was ordered. it up his residence and cantonment on the banks of Hasti Adinanagar was selected as the head quarter. Then or Shah Nahar, when he was in growing stage of his Adinanagar district included the whole of the present political carrier. He seems to have exercised his Gurdaspur tehsil and the 181 villages in Pathankot Tehsil. government mainly from this town, when later on he was In July, 1849, the civil officers and the military escort were made the Governor of Behrampur and subsequently transferred to Batala as Adinanagar was thought to be placed in charge of Jullundur Doab by Zakriya Khan, unhealthy. In the autumn, Batala was considered to be too Subedar of Lahore. much exposed to floods, these officers were, therefore shifted to Gurdaspur on Ist May 1852. So for three months That was the period when the Sikh chiefs were trying to Dinanagar remained the District headquarter. establish their power. Adina Beg during the tenure of applied a check over the activities of the Sikhs. It was in Dinanagar was a walled city. The wall was constructed by 1758, when after having been seized by colic, beg died at Adina Beg. There were six strong gates of the city. Mugrali Batala, that the obstacle in the way of growing power of gate, Awianwala gate, Marhianwala gate, Awankh gate, Sikhs got removed. The Sikh Ramgarhia confederacy Taragarh gate and Paniari gate. Through these gates, the under Jassa Singh then occupied Dinanagar, Batala, town was connected with surrounding hinter land and the Kalanour, Gurdaspur and other places, the rest of Bari more distant towns and cities. Mugrali gate led to the Doad South of Dinanagar falling into the hands of village Mugrala and other adjoining villages._ Paniari gate Kanhayas, while in the west of Ravi, Bhangi confederacy led to the village Paniar, Awankh gate led to the village rose to power. The Rival confederacies soon fell out and a Awankha, Marhianwala gate led to the Marhian of funeral struggle for supremacy ensued between Ramgarhias and grounds. Taragarh gate led to the village Taragarh, and its Kanhayas in this part of Doab. The power of former was adjoining villages. broken in 1808 and of the later in 1811 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who thus assumed away over the whole district by Muslims were living both in Pacca and Kachha houses. confiscating all the possessions of Ramgarhias and Some of the Muslim Shahukaras built very good houses ; Kanhyas. Maharaja used Dinanagar as his favorite Jaffar and Mumuka built a very good house, which was summer resort. With its pleasant mango gardens and just like houses of present days. This is now occupied by canal, It attracted Maharaja so much that, till his death, he Mahajans . The main features of Muslim Mohallas was used to spend his summer here only. that, these were well attached with a mosque and a well, which are still seen. Dinanagar was one of the 55 cantonments built up by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Cantonment had on artillery unit Hindus lived in the heart of the city. There were 8 Hindu (Topkhana) and 200men infantry unit. The beautiful Mohallas named after their caste and occupations. These residence for General Ventura was built, who was the first Mohallas were Bania Mohalla, Mohalla Chadyan, Mohalla Buropoan General of Maharaja. The Hasli flowed close by Chakun, Mohalla Ohrian, Mohalla Bhatan, Mohalla Kansra, and baradari was built on its bank in the middle of shady Mohalla Sarafan, Mohalla Mochian. Hindus were mango groves. Bathing Ghats used to extend its banks landlords, shopkeepers, bankers, shahukers and traders. Available online at www.ignited.in Page 1 E-Mail: [email protected] Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education Vol. III, Issue-V, January-2012, ISSN 2230-7540 In the beginning of our period (1849), some Sikh families dwaras. One such Devidwara which was very old Mandir were living along Grand Trunk Road in front of was under the supervision of Sandhu Bharpur Nath, Chela Marhianwala gate. Some Sikhs lived in Gurdwara Gali. Itbar Nath. By the orders of Punjab Government under the They all were carpenters. section 134 it’s land revenue was exempted for over on 18 April 1857. Among the Muslims, Sayyads and Shaikhs, Dinanagar was surrounded by gardens and garden Faqirs and Pirs were guardians of religious establishment houses. There was a garden of Nathumal on the left side like takias, khankahs and mosques, were religious of Amritsar Pathankot road. Other gardens along the education was also imparted. Amritsar Pathankot road belonged to Harlal and Jothumal. Garden of Wanhawa Shah was along Taragar Road. In Outside the town, there were dhabs and pools used for the front of Mugrali gate there was a garden which belonged to sundry purposes. There was a tank on Amritsar Pathankot Gauran. There was garden of Fateh Chand between the Road near Abadi Jattan. Awankhi Bazar and Circular Road. In the west of the town along the Circular Road was a garden of Khadim Ali, Son People of Dinanagar from time to time gave response of Mohammad Ali. Close to this garden, there was mango towards National Politics. As a mark of protest against the garden belonged to Faqir Hussain. In the west of the town Rowalatt Act, Gandhiji announced general hartal, i.e. near Railway Station there was another garden belonged suspension of business activities, accompanied by fasting to Khan Bahadur. Another garden belonged to Tajuddin prayers and meetings all over the country on 6th march was situated in the east of the town, attached with Persian 1930. A complete hartel was observed at Dinanagar. well. Opposite of Talwandi Village on the banks of Nikasi Public meetings for the promotion of Swadeshi movement was a garden called Bagh Nabhi Baksh, attached with a were also organized at Dinanagar, Behrampur and well called Khumiar Khuh. An other mango garden of Lala th Dev Dutt on the Mugrala Road was known as Ohrian Pathankot. On the arrest of Gandhiji on 5 May 1930, a Bagh. All these gardens belonged to Muslims except complete hartal was observed at Dinanagar. On June 8, Ohrian Bagh, which belonged to Hindus. All these 1930 a ladies Congress Committee was established at gardens were mango gardens and the Muslims were doing Dinanagar and women were exhorted to take part in the trade in mangoes in the Punjab. National Struggle and to be ready to suffer for the country. Therefore women also started participating in the A part from the gardens, there were many structure in the Satyagrah movement. town which were religious in character. There were four Takias. One Takin was on the west of railway station, Dinanagar commonly known as the sleeping town of another was in front of the Taragarh gate. This was under Punjab along with Batala, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, the supervision of Jana Shah, Garib Shah. It was very old Kalanour, Kahnuwan, Dera Baba Nanak, Sri Takia. Under the order of Punjab Government through Hargobindpur, Sujanpur, Fatehgarh Churian, Narot Jaimal D.C. Gurdaspur dated 5 April 1857, Fateh Shah was Singh Behrampur and Qadian is situated in the Upper Bari appointed the controller of Takia. In an other dated Ist Doab in the Punjab. Dinanagar expanded in all directors June, 1890, the order of land revenue exemption was after partition. Before partition the town remained stagnant, confirmed. Another Takia was on the left side of Awankhi Colonial rulers did not construct much buildings at gate. Other religious places of the town were Bhutnath Dinanagar for administrative purposes. After partition many Mandir, Kali Mata Mandir, Sheetla Mandir, Shivala Bhaiya, government and private structures came up to meet the built by Munshi Jai Krishan Das in 1844. It was situated increasing socio-cultural and economic needs of the outside Awankhi gate. Its importance lies in the fact that people. Gradually a number of localities came into one lady died on the funeral pyres of her husband. Other existence to accommodate the growing population of the religious places were Shiva Mandir Baba Gokal Nath, town. Shahan da Shivala built by Lala Shankar Das and Anant Ram in the memory of his father of Shive Dayal, Mandir The wall constructed by Adinabeg was demolished by the Baba Chhotu Ram and Bal Mata Mandir. There was a British. Circular Road outside the wall was constructed by mosque near Awainwala gate known as Idgah. which the whole circumference of the town could be traversed without going inside the wall. The circular Road In fact, number of Bairangi’s, the Vaishnavas and was mottled in 1934. The gate built during the Sikh rule Sanyasis, Jogi’s Shaives and other Sadhs enjoyed were not preserved by the British.