Firozpur

Firozpur or Ferozepore, city (1991 pop. 78,738), Punjab state, NW India, on the Sutlej River. It is a transportation hub and district administrative center, lying near the Pakistani border. Cotton and grain are traded, and there is some light manufacturing. The city, which also has three colleges, was founded by Firoz Shah Tughluk (reigned 1351-88), sultan of Delhi.

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Firozpur

Firozpur (or Ferozepur, Ferozepore, फिरोज़पुर ) is a city in Firozpur District in Punjab, India. Founded by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-88) on the banks of the Sutlej River, Ferozpur today is a transportation and administration center and an ancient city located on the banks of the Sutlej River, in the state of Punjab, India. It is a border town on the Indo-Pakistan border with memorials to India's freedom fighters. Three heroic martyrs in India's struggle for freedom, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, were hanged in Lahore for their revolutionary activities against the British Government on March 23, 1931. They were cremated and their Samadhi is located in Hussainiwala on the Sutlej river bank.

Ferozepur also holds a historic place in Indian history as it was here that British Raj established control over much of North-West India as well as what is now Pakistan through the Anglo-Sikh Wars that were fought in this region. Today it is the headquarters of a brigade of the Northern Corps of the Indian Army. Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engg. and Technology is located at Moga road in Ferozepur. It is a Government Engg. College and has an excellent reputation. Firozpur Cantonment is adjacent to and south of the city, during British times it was one of the largest Cantonments in the country.

Ferozepur has easy access by road and rail to other places such as Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Delhi, and Chandigarh, the city is a center of numerous holy shrines and historic places. At the nearby city of Zira a beautiful Jain Swetambar Temple with ancient brass icons and beautiful wall murals is located.

In addition to cotton and grain cultivation and agriculture-related services, Firozpur has some light manufacturing. Commercial progress has been restricted by its vicinity to the tense border with Pakistan. Normalizing relations between the two nuclear nations promise to raise the city's profile as a potential trade hub. Ferozepur is the oldest British district of the Punjab established in 1833 as district headquarters even well before Ludhiana and Amritsar became districts. Ferozepur district even after Partition included many areas which were later reorganised to be a part of the Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar and Bathinda Districts. The per hectare wheat yields of this district are comparable to best in the world and it matched wheat yields per hectare of Ontario Province in Canada

Location

Ferozepur city is to the South-West of Amritsar city and located some 109 km from Amritsar. Another nearby city to the North of Ferozepur is Tarn Taran. To the East is Ludhiana about 135 km away. In the West it has Kasur and Lahore in Pakistan across the International Border. Other nearby cities include Fazilka, Abohar, (located to the South-West of Ferozepur) to the North-East of Ferozepur are Nakodar, Kapurthala and Jalandhar, (located North-East of Ferozepur). The cities of Muktsar and Faridkot are South of Ferozpur.

Recent history

Prior to the Partition of India, Ferozpur had a large Muslim majority. According to the Partition Plan, all Muslim majority regions were to accede to Pakistan and all Hindu and Sikh majority regions to India. However, allegedly pro-Indian Lord Mountbatten changed the original partition map, drawn by Sir Radcliffe, handing over Gurdaspur, Ferozpur,Ambala and Mansa district to India. During the first week of partition massive violence erupted in Ferozpur, resulting in the slaughter of thousands of Muslims by Sikhs and Hindus. After the Partition a lot of movement had occurred from both sides of the Border. Today, Ferozpur has a Sikh and Hindu majority with a virtually non-existent Muslim population, as a result of the wide-scale massacres and immigration. There are a couple of Muslim families resided on the border side of Ferozpur and Pakistan, but have changed there faith to Sikhism and adapted the Sidhu surname.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Ferozpur had a population of 95,451, which increased from 78,738 in 1991. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Ferozpur has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 68%. In Ferozpur, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. Ferozpur is the only district which Sikhs do not have a big majority making up only 61% of the population. Ferozpur is dominated by the Sidhu jat clan and Brar.

Education

The key schools in the city and the adjoining Cantonment are :-

D.C. Model Senior Secondary School - Cantt
Manavta Public Sr.Sec School Firozpur City
D.C. Model School- City
Dev Samaj Model School - City
Army Public School - Cantt
Kendriya Vidyalaya - Cantt.
B.S.M. Sr. Secondary School - City,
S D Higher Secondary School - City
Arya Girls Higher Secondary School - City
D.A.V. Public School - City
H. M. Senior Secondary School - City
Doon Valley Cambridge School, Zira
St Joseph's Convent School

Colleges in area :-

RSD College - City
Dev Samaj College for Women - City
Guru Nanak Dev College - Cantt
DAV College for Girls - Cantt

Professional College:-

Shahid Bhagat Singh College of Engineering & Technology
Genesis Institute of Dental Sciences & Research
Government Polytechnic College
Government Industrial Training Institute

Places of Interest

The Saragarhi Gurudwara was built here as most of the soldiers in the Battle of Saragarhi were from the Ferozepur district.

Hussainiwala - Apart from a lake, it is also the location of Bhagat Singh and his colleagues' Samadhi.

The Indo-Pak Border crossing and the change of guards ceremony each evening.

Harike waterworks and barrage and its adjoining wetlands.

Ferozeshah, a village some 22km from Ferozepur still has a Memorial raised by the British to pay respect to the soldiers killed in the Anglo-Sikh Wars fought there. Ferozshah also houses a very well kept and well preserved Museum which reminds one of the valour and bravery of the forces that fought there.