Malerkotla

Coordinates: 30°31′00″N 75°53′00″E / 30.5167°N 75.8833°E / 30.5167; 75.8833
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Malerkotla
City
UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
148023
Vehicle registrationPB-28
Websitewww.malerkotla.nic.in

Malerkotla is a city and the district headquarters of

Indian state of Punjab. It served as the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj. The state acceded to the union of India in 1947 and was merged with other nearby princely states to form the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU)
.

When PEPSU was reorganised in 1956, the territories of the erstwhile state of Malerkotla became part of Punjab.[2] It is situated on the Sangrur-Ludhiana State Highway (no. 11) and lies on the secondary Ludhiana-Delhi railway line. It is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Ludhiana and 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Sangrur.

In 2021, the city along with some adjoining areas were carved out of Sangrur district to form the Malerkotla district.[3]

History

Main article: Malerkotla State

Malerkotla, a Muslim majority state was established in 1454 by Sheikh Sadruddin-i-Jahan from Afghanistan,[4] and was ruled by his Sherwani descendants. The State of Malerkotla was established in 1600 A.D. During the 1947 riots when Punjab was experiencing heavy amounts of communal violence, the State of Malerkotla remained relatively peaceful.[4]

The roots of communal harmony date back to 1705, when

Sirhind Wazir Khan. While his close relative, Sher Mohammed Khan, Nawab of Malerkotla, who was present in the court, lodged a vehement protest against this act and said it was against the tenets of the Quran and Islam. Wazir Khan nevertheless had the boys bricked into a section of wall whilst still alive. At this, the Nawab of Malerkotla walked out of the court in protest. Guru Gobind Singh on learning of this approach had blessed the Nawab and the people of Malerkotla that the city will live in the peace and happiness. In recognition of this act, the State of Malerkotla did not suffer significantly during the Partition of India, in which communal violence permeated throughout Punjab.[4]

Under British colonial rule, a Namdhari uprising was suppressed, and the colonial government ordered execution of 65 captured rebels and those thought to be involved with the rebellion. Cowan (the Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana) and Forsyth (the Commissioner of Ambala) ordered the Namdharis to be executed with cannons, without any trial, on 17 and 18 January 1872.[5]

During the partition of India, there were no riots or bloodshed in any part of Maler Kotla State. The last Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan of Malerkotla maintained calm and harmony during the turbulent period. He remained in India and died in the year 1982. His tomb is located in Shahi grave yard situated at Sirhandi gate, Maler Kotla. Many also attribute this peace to the presence of the shrine of Baba Haidar Sheikh, the Sufi saint, who founded the town of Malerkotla more than 500 years ago.[6][7]

A part of the ruling family of Sheikh Sadr-ud-Din Sherwani migrated to Pakistan and lived mostly in Model Town, Lahore, Muzzafargarh, Khangarh.[8]

Malerkotla is famous for its vegetables and badge-making industry,[9] besides its poets and monuments.[10]

Demographics

See also:
List of cities in Punjab and Chandigarh

As per provisional data of 2011 census Malerkotla urban agglomeration had a population of 189,424, out of which males were 82,376 and females were 64,048 . The literacy rate was 70.25 per cent.[11]

Malerkotla is the only Muslim-majority city of Punjab.[12]

Religion in Malerkotla[13]
Religion Percent
Islam
 
 68.50%
Hinduism
 
 20.71%
Sikhism
 
 9.50%
Jainism
 
 1.11%
Others
 
 0.19%
Religious groups in Malerkotla City (1881−2011)[a]
Religious
group 		1881[15][16]: 520 [17]: 250  1891[18]: 68 [19] 1901[20]: 44 [21]: 26  1911[22]: 23 [23]: 19  1921[24]: 25 [25]: 21  1931[26]: 26  1941[14]: 32  2011[27]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam 14,468 70.16% 15,520 71.34% 15,056 71.28% 15,666 65.6% 16,599 67.57% 18,449 73.09% 22,296 76.04% 92,765 68.5%
Hinduism 4,584 22.23% 4,961 22.81% 4,673 22.12% 5,801 24.29% 6,701 27.28% 5,246[b] 20.78% 6,270[b] 21.38% 28,044 20.71%
Jainism 1,242 6.02% 1,227 5.64% 1,331 6.3% 1,244 5.21% 583 2.37% 1,240 4.91% 259 0.88% 1,499 1.11%
Sikhism 324 1.57% 37 0.17% 51 0.24% 1,155 4.84% 668 2.72% 269 1.07% 456 1.56% 12,864 9.5%
Christianity — — 9 0.04% 11 0.05% 14 0.06% 13 0.05% 36 0.14% 39 0.13% 172 0.13%
Buddhism — — 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% — — 26 0.02%
Others 3 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 0% 54 0.04%
Total population 20,621 100% 21,754 100% 21,122 100% 23,880 100% 24,564 100% 25,240 100% 29,321 100% 135,424 100%

Education

Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan Institute of Advanced Studies, Malerkotla

Urdu is taught alongside Punjabi in Malerkotla schools due to the local Punjabi Muslim majority.[citation needed]

Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan Institute of Advanced Studies in Urdu, Persian and Arabic is part of

PhD
level and additionally runs classes for M.A. (Persian), Certificate courses (Urdu, Persian and Arabic), MSc (IT) two years, MSc (IT) lateral entry, PGDCA (one year), CCA (six months) and M.A (psychology).

There are many schools and institutes including Learning Cottage Of Commerce. There are other schools like Sohrab Public Senior Secondary School, Al Falah Public senior secondary School, the town school, Sahibzada Fateh Singh senior secondary public school, Sita grammar school, Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir, Modern Secular school, DAV public school and many more. Almighty Public School on Almighty School road, Jamalpura, Malerkotla is a co-education, English Medium Sr. Secondary School. This school provide Education about Islam for Muslim students.

Transportation

Rail

Malerkotla is situated on Delhi-Jakhal-Dhuri-Ludhiana Railway line. The nearest railway junctions are Dhuri (18 km [11 mi]) and Ludhiana 45 km [28 mi]).

Air

The nearest airports to Malerkotla are:

  • Chandigarh Airport, also known as Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Mohali (about 120 km (75 mi) away)
  • Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport
    , Amritsar (about 250 km (160 mi) away)
  • Sahnewal Airport (IATA: LUH, ICAO: VILD), also known as Ludhiana Airport (about 49.8 km (30.9 mi) (66min) away)

Notable residents

Gallery

  • Gurudwara Sahib Haaw Da Naara
    Gurudwara Sahib Haaw Da Naara
  • Mubarak Manzil Palace
    Mubarak Manzil Palace
  • Qila
    Qila
  • Railway station
    Railway station
  • Eidgah
    Eidgah

Notes

  1. ^ 1881-1941: Data for the entirety of the town of Malerkotla, which included Malerkotla Municipality and Malerkotla Civil Lines.[14]: 32 
  2. ^ a b 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis

References

  1. ISSN 0971-751X
    . Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  2. ^ Malerkotla Punjab at www.india9.com.
  3. ^ "District Malerkotla, Government of Punjab | Welcome to District Web Portal of Malerkotla | India". Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  4. ^
    The Tribune
    . Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  5. ^ Rebels Against the British Rule (1995). Bhai Nahar Singh & Bhai Kirpal Singh. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors; Page XXI
  6. ISBN 978-0-8026-0761-4
    .
  7. The Tribune
    . Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  8. ^ Malerkotla Muslims.. Archived 2 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine The India Express, August 14, 1997.
  9. The Tribune
    . Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  10. The Tribune
    . Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  12. ^ "Explained: Why is Malerkotla special for Punjab, and Sikhs?". The Indian Express. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Malerkotla City Population Census 2011 - Punjab".
  14. ^ a b "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB". Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  15. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057656
    . Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  16. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057657
    . Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  17. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057658
    . Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  18. JSTOR saoa.crl.25318666
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  19. JSTOR saoa.crl.25318669
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  20. JSTOR saoa.crl.25352838
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  21. JSTOR saoa.crl.25363739
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  22. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393779
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  23. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  24. JSTOR saoa.crl.25394121
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  25. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165
    . Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  26. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1931 VOLUME XVII PUNJAB PART II TABLES". Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  27. ^ "C -1 POPULATION BY RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY - 2011". census.gov.in. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Urdu academy for Malerkotla". The Indian Express. 20 January 1999.[permanent dead link]

Further reading

  • Kinship and the Political Order: The Afghan Sherwani Chiefs of Malerkotla (1454–1947), Contributions to Indian Sociology, Vol. 28, No. 2, 203–241 (1994).

External links


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