Fatehgarh Sahib District

Fatehgarh Sahib District, an administrative district of Punjab, came into existence on 13th April, 1992. This district derived its name from Sahibzada Fateh Singh, youngest son of Guru Gobind Singh. Fatehgarh Sahib District is bounded by Ludhiana and Ropar in the north, Patiala in the south, parts of Ropar and Patiala in the east and parts of Ludhiana and Sangrur in the west. It is situated between 30 degree 38 minutes north 16 degree 27 minutes east and is 50 kms towards the west of Chandigarh.

The soil of Fatehgarh Sahib District is mainly alluvial type but it also has loam to heavy loam and sandy loam soils in certain parts of the district. The climate of the district is extreme being very hot in summer and cold in winter. The temperature ranges from 45 degree Celsius in May and June to 4 degree Celsius in December and January. It has a sub-tropical continental monsoon climate. The rainfall in the district is mostly satisfactory. The district is well irrigated with tube wells and canal irrigation being the main sources of irrigation. Wheat and Rice are the main crops sown in the district.

There are around 450 Government Primary Schools in Fatehgarh Sahib District, 412 of them being in the rural areas and 38 in the urban areas. Moreover, there are almost 148 Government Private aided, middle, high and senior secondary schools in the district, of these 135 are located in the rural and 13 in the urban areas. As far as the higher education is concerned, the district has a good spread out of degree colleges.

Tourism in Fatehgarh Sahib District means a real enriching and pleasurable experience for the travellers. There are various places of tourist interest having religious and historical importance. People from all parts of the country visit this district and explore its various tourism offerings.

Details of some of the major attractions of Fatehgarh Sahib District are mentioned below -

Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib: To commemorate the martyrdom of younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh this magnificent Gurudwara has been constructed. It marks the conquest of the Sikhs in 1710 when under the leadership of Banda Bahadur the Sikhs ran over the area and razed the fort (built during Balban`s rule) to the ground. The main entrance to the Gurudwara was built by Maharaja Yadvindra Singh of Patiala in 1952. Gurudwara Burj Mata Gujri and Gurudwara Shahid Ganj are also located in the main complex of Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib.

Aam Khas Bagh: The Aam Khas Bagh was built for the public and also for exclusive use of Emperor Shah Jahan. There were adequate numbers of palaces for the comfortable stay of the Mughal Emperors.

Sanghol: This is an ancient site of Harappan culture and is being maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. This site is located on Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road and is in Khamano block of the district. The present building of the Sanghol Museum was inaugurated on April 10, 1990. Excavations at Sanghol yielded archaeological treasures of great significance indicating a long history of the cultural heritage of Punjab. A vast treasury of about 15000 antiquities has been collected by the department through various archaeological excavations and explorations at Sanghol. It comprises antiquities like sculptures, pottery, seals, coins, ivory carvings, precious stones and other art objects. The ground floor gallery exhibits the most important items of antiquities other than the stone sculptures. The pride of the Sanghol Museum that are the stone sculptures, are displayed in the upper gallery. In the first floor gallery are displayed the mottled red sandstone sculptures discovered from Sanghol. The sculptures represent the Kushan style of the art of Mathura of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The collections on display are only of the selected objects. Art lovers can have an access to the other art objects preserved in the reserve collection by obtaining prior permission of the appropriate authority.

Floating Restaurant Sirhind: Floating Restaurant constructed over the Sirhind Canal is an important tourist spot of Fatehgarh Sahib District. It is at a distance of 5 kms from Sirhind. It attracts a large number of tourists, especially during the summer season. There is also a provision for overnight stay. Built in the middle of the canal, it presents a picturesque view to the visitors. The Channel on which the floating restaurant is built supplies water to the states of Haryana and Rajasthan.

Ustad Di Mazar: It is said that this tomb was raised as a memorial to the great architect and builder Ustad Syad Khan. The tomb of Ustad is situated at a distance of about two and a half kilometers from the Rauza Sharif.

Shahgird Di Mazar: At a short distance from the tomb of Ustad, there is another beautiful tomb. This is the tomb of Khawaja Khan, Shagird or assistant of Ustad Syad Khan. He too had attained great proficiency as a builder. Besides the architectural difference between the two tombs, this tomb once bore beautiful paintings most of which have now been lost. However, the surviving paintings reveal the high quality of art of painting during the medieval period. Known as the "Talanian Maqbaras" these tombs represent the typical Muslim style of architecture and in fact, resemble Humayun`s tomb in Delhi, in its outlook.

Mata Chakreshvri Devi Jain Temple: This ancient temple is believed to be 1000 years old and is situated in village Attewali on Sirhind-Chandigarh Road.

Mosque of Sadhana Kasai at Sirhind: This mosque is situated in the North-west of Sirhind-Ropar Railway Line. This historical monument is under the control of Archaeology Department. It is made of `Sirhindi Bricks`.

These tourist attractions of Fatehgarh Sahib District offer the opportunity of exploring its rich past.