Ludhiana - The Manchester Of India

tags:Travel Guide

Ludhiana, the site of a great battle in the First Sikh War (1845) is now Punjab's most populated metropolitan city. This city situated on the banks of the Sutlej River, was founded in 1480 by Lodhi princess from Delhi. It is a major textile and light engineering centre. Its hosiery goods are in great demand in all the markets of the east and the west.

Ludhiana exports woolen garments, machine tools, dyes, cycle parts, mopeds, sewing machines and motor parts to all over the world. The famous Punjab Agricultural University is situated on the outskirts of Ludhiana. It has a large grain market and is famous for rural Olympics.

From being a small village called Meer Hota in 1481 to later Lodhiana and now Ludhiana, the city has never been caught napping. Under the Yodhas from the first to the fourth century, it later came under the rule of Samudragupta. But the Original Ludhianavis settled here much later in the ninth century. There were the Rajputs from the ninth century. There were the Rajputs from the south and then the Turks and the Afghans who took the Bet area of Sutlej on lease from Mohammad Gami. Later, the Sidhus, Gills, Sandhus and the Grewals came from the jungles of Jagraon and camped here.

Early Settlers: Sikandar Lodhi sent Yusaf and Nihang to stop the approaching Baloachs. They crossed Sutlej and after defeating Khokhars of Doaba, established Sultanpur Lodhi. Nihang stayed back at village Meer Hota as Naib. He was the one who changed the name of the village to Lodiana. Later, his grandson, Jalal Khan, built the Lodhi Fort there. His two sons Aloo Khan Khijar Khan divided among themselves the area around the fort but were dethroned by Babur who even demolished Nihang's tomb. That didn't end the travails of this town. During Akbar's reign, it was a tehsil along with Tihara.

Not many of us know that Guru Gobind Singhji travelled through Jharsahib, Machiwara, Kanech, Alamgir, Lama Jatpura and Lakha and finally at village Dina and wrote the famous Zafarnama in 1806. Maharaja Ranjit Singh also came to Ludhiana twice.

February 1921 saw Mahatma Gandhi at Daresi Ground in the city. At the end of the year, 3,000 freedom fighters from Ludhiana arrested and sentenced to prison. Another 475 joined the Quit India Movement. Politically, Ludhiana has contributed five chief ministers, namely Bhim Sen Snahan, Justice Gurnam Singh, Gian Singh Rarewala, Lachaman Singh Gill and Beant Singh. The Goa War took 87 of its young soldiers.

The City

Primarily an industrial town, Ludhiana is the center of most commercial activity in Punjab. The prosperity of the place can be attributed to spirit of enterprise and business sense displayed by the people here. It is renowned world over for its hosiery goods which form a major part of exports to Canada and Russia. Other major items of exports are machine tools, motor parts, dyes, mopeds, cycle parts and sewing machines. Its satellite town Khanna is the biggest grain market in Asia.

How To Reach

Ludhiana city is easily accessible through air, road and rail from the other major Indian cities and states.

By Air:
The nearest operational airport from Ludhiana is one in the state capital Chandigarh, 100 km away & the another one in the Holy City Amritsar.

By Rail:
There are regular trains for New Delhi and Amritsar from Ludhiana Railway Station. (See Railway Time Table)

By Road:
Ludhiana is situated on the Amritsar-Delhi Grand Trunk Road. New Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh and other major cities in Punjab are well linked with Ludhiana through road. The city lies about 305 km northwest of Delhi and is 100 km away from Chandigarh.

Places To Visit

Gurudwara Shrimanji Sahib Alamgir

Situated 10 Km from Ludhiana, the gurudwara commemorates the place where the Muslim devotees Nabi Khan and Ghani Khan had carried Guru Gobind Singh to safety during the battle. Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the last of the Sikh Gurus, transformed the pacifist Sikh sect into a martial community. He introduced rites of initiation into well-organised Sikh army known as the 'Khalsa'. There is a tank where it is believed that the Guruji had shot an arrow into the parched earth to pierce a sub-terrain stream of water. A fair is held there in every December.

Pir-I-Dastgir shrine

The fort to the north-west of Ludhiana includes the shrine of Pir-I-Dastgir, also known as Abdul Kadir Galani which draws both Hindu and Muslim pilgrims.

Phillaur Fort

The fort was designed by Dewan Mohkam Chand, the brave general of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is police training center now.

Punjab Agricultural University Museum

The world famous, Punjab Agriculture University founded in 1962 is situated on the outskirts of the city. It is patterned after the Land.

Grant College of America.

The Museum of Rural history of Punjab is on the University campus. The museum building resemble the traditional houses of rural Punjab. A 100 yard long path, flanked on both sides by water channels, leads to the finely carved doors of the museum. There are exhibits of old bronze utensils, farming equipment etc

Open from 9 am to 1.00 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm.

Christian Medical college

Established in 1895, Christian Medical College was the first school of medicine in Asia. This college has a partnership with CMC in Vellore. Both these colleges together form one of the South Asia's major teaching and research hospitals.

Bilwanwali Masjid

Mosque of Kamal-ud-din Khan/Sarai Doraha on the main highway, dates back to Emperor Jahangir's time. Rectangular in shape it has rooms and varandahs on all sides. Two great double storied gates are profusely decorated with coloured tiles and intricate brick carvings
Bhir has the famous mosque built by Mohammad Ghori in 1911.

Famous Tombs

Mausoleum of Alawal Khan built during Shah Jehan's reign is octagonal in shape, surmounted by double pear shaped dome.
The tomb of Bahadur Khan has sloping walls
Tomb of Husain Khan is 2 storied tomb.

Gurudwara Charan Kamal

This Gurudwara situated in village Machhiwara, 35 km from Ludhiana, commemorates the place where Sri Guru Gobind Singh had rested while fighting a guerrilla war against a massive Mughal force.

Gurudwara Nanaksar Jagraon

It is located 38 km from Ludhiana, a remarkable memorial of the Sikh Saint, Baba Nand Singh Kaleranwale. A five days fair is held here in his memory in August every year.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum

Then there is the other tourist attraction of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum. The foundation of this museum was laid in 1990. The museum was planned to create general awareness about the defence services, not only for its role in defending the country but also in strengthening the bonds of national integration and unity.

The museum, though not yet complete, has regular shows in a light and sound hall. This presentations showcase the stories of bravery of Indian especially Punjabi soldiers in upholding the pride of the motherland.

Weekend Trips/Excursions

Macchiwara

In the village Machhiwara about 35 km from Ludhiana, is the Gurudwara Charan Kanwal named after the Guru's feet that are compared to the lotus flower. When Aurangzeb's army attacked the fortress of Chamkaur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh successfully resisted their onslaught and slipped away into the forests of Machhiwara. The Mughal forces got wind of his whereabouts and Guru Gobind was saved by two of his Muslim devotees who disguised him as their Muslim prophet. The place where the Guru rested is where the Gurudwara stands today.

Killa Raipur

Twenty kilometres away from Ludhiana is Killa Raipur, which is famous for the Rural Olympics held there. Here, the local population comes to watch the village youth display their sporting skills. The event is held in mid-February.The competitions are essentially of three types in the rural meets. Purely rural games are kabaddi, wrestling, and weight lifting. The performing sports are acrobatics, twisting an iron-rod by placing it on the Adam's apple, passing a tractor over the rib cage, cracking a big stone slab by place it on the chest. There are even more off beat feats, as seen where a young lad applied surma (kohl) on his eyes, with a knife held between his legs. And then there are the modern sports like athletics, hockey, football, volleyball, handball, cycling.

PLACES TO STAY

Hotel City Heart
G.T Road, Near Clock Tower, Ludhiana-141008
Phone: 0161 - 2740235 / 36, 2740240 / 41 / 42, Fax: 0161 - 2740243

New Capital Hotel
Bhadaur House Post Office Road Ludhiana-141008
Phone: 0161-2743946

Shilon Resort
Madhok Business Ctr Ferozapur Road Ludhiana-141001
Phone: 0161-2405668

Shri Devi Resorts
Nr Main Bus Station Jawahar Nagar Ludhiana-141001
Phone: 0161-2456999

Spring Field Resorts
Ferozepur Road Ludhiana
Phone: 0161-2804259

Standard Hotel And Restaurant
Clock Tower Ludhiana-141008
Phone: 0161-2740010

Hotel Som
Opp.Clock Tower Ludhiana-141008
Phone: 0161-2726332

Hotel Taj Mahal
14 Near Clock Tower Bhadaur House Ludhiana-141008
Phone: 0161-2741120

Hotel Vikrant
Bhadaur House Ludhiana-141008
Phone: 0161-2742933