Fatehgarh Churian
| Fatehgarh Churian | |
|---|---|
| city | |
| Country |
 |
| State | Punjab |
| District | Gurdaspur |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 15,879 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Punjabi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
Fatehgarh Churian is a city and a municipal council in Gurdaspur district in the state of Punjab, India.
Demographics
According to the census of India 2011[1], Fatehgarh Churian has a total population of 13,070 of which 6,881 are males, while 6,189 are females. The religion data of census shows 42.10% of the population as Hindus, 41.10% of Sikhs, 16.6% of Christians and .20% as others. The population of Children with ages of 0-6 is 1,351, which is 10.34 % of total population of the town. The literacy rate of Fatehgarh Churian is 85.46 % higher than the state average of 75.84 %. In Fatehgarh Churian, male literacy is around 89.09 %, while female literacy rate is 81.46 %.
History
Before the 18th century it was Bandesha Jats dominant area. Bandeshas' also called Bandechha ruled this region in the 17th century. During the 18th century, the Khaniya Misl, founded by Jai Singh, established themselves in Sangatpura; a village 7 km from Fatehgarh Churian. After that they vigorously took control of the whole area from Bandeshas'.
Kharak Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was married to Chand Kaur, daughter of Sardar Fateh Singh in this village. Rani Chand Kaur built an attractive temple, a jewel of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign, Panj Mandir, here with a Pucca tank, which still stands.[2] The 180 years old temple carries the profound legacy of Punjab in the form of unique frescoes adorning monuments. Unfortunately, due to the dire neglect of concerned authorities, it is sinking in the oblivion. After the visit of two member ASI team in 2011 and sanction of Rs 3 crores for restoration, it is still waiting for any action.[3] It is said that there was a pucca tunnel linking the temple and the Fort, built for the convenience of Rani Chand Kaur to go to the temple every day for worship. Before 1947 the town had presence of Muslim population including Shias and Sunnis. This is evident from the numerous old mosques, which were converted into Gurudwaras. The Sunni and Shia Muslims were roughly in equal numbers.
After the partition of India, a number of Hindu and Sikh migrants from newly formed Pakistan settled here.
Notable People
Dinesh Khanna - Indian national badminton champion in 1966 and a recipient of Arjuna award in 1965.
Description
Situated on the boundary between Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts, it is the last village in Gurdaspur district although it is closer to Amritsar than Gurdaspur. It is well connected to other towns by the road network. It is surrounded by towns like Amritsar (26 km), Batala (25 km), Ajnala (21 km), and Dera BaBa Nanak (19 km). It is on the railway line between Amritsar and Dera Baba Nanak.
Fatehgarh Churian is divided into thirteen different wards. The area is roughly 55% Hindu and 45% Sikh along with Christians in a small number.
Notable places
Famous religious places are Gagranwala Mandir, Tahli Sahib Gurudwara,Panj Mandir, Githi Das Mandir, Talab Wala Mandir, and Gurudwara Takhia Wala. Recently a church has been constructed by Catholic Missionaries near St. Francis Convent school. In addition to these, Puran Shah's Haveli is another landmark of the town.
Most of the religious days are celebrated by the people of town collectively as a community.Many local clubs and societies of religious nature also help in the celebrations.Organizing Sant Samelans, gathering of seers and saints, and Shoba Yatras are now tradition of the town.
How to reach
By air: Fatehgarh Churian is located 27.6 km from Amritsar airport (Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport)
By rail: Fatehgarh Churian has its own railway station.
By road: Fatehgarh Churian town is located on the "Amritsar-Dera Baba Nanak Road".