Firozpur district Firojpur district | |
|---|---|
 Memorial gurudwara forBattle of Saragarhi inFirozpur | |
.svg) Location in Punjab | |
| Coordinates:30°56′24″N74°37′12″E / 30.94000°N 74.62000°E /30.94000; 74.62000 | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Punjab |
| Founded by | Firoz Shah Tughluq |
| Named after | Firoz Shah Tughluq |
| Headquarters | Firozpur |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,406.84 km2 (929.29 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 230th |
| Population (2011)[‡] | |
• Total | 1,001,931 |
| • Density | 416.285/km2 (1,078.17/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Punjabi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Postal codes | City – 152001, Cantt – 152002 |
| Vehicle registration | PB 05 |
| Literacy | 69.80% |
| No. of villages | 639 |
| Lok Sabha constituency | 1 |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | 4 |
| Website | ferozepur |
Firozpur district, also known asFerozepur district, is one of the twenty-threedistricts in the state ofPunjab, India.[note 1] Firozpur district comprises an area of 2,190 km2 (850 sq mi).
Firozpur (Ferozepur) is the capital city of the district. It is situated inside ten gates—Amritsari Gate, Wansi Gate, Makhu Gate, Zira Gate, Bagdadi Gate, Mori Gate, Delhi Gate, Magjani Gate, Multani Gate, and Kasuri Gate.
In the 18th century, religious persecution led the Sikhs to form strong warrior groups called Misls, united in resisting Mughal rule. In 1760, they defeated the Mughal Governor of Lahore. In 1763, Hari Singh of theBhangi Misl sackedKasur, and his commanderGujjar Singh crossed the Sutlej to capture Ferozepur, handing it over to his nephew Gurbakhsh Singh. Though the Dogars resisted, Gurbakhsh Singh subdued them and expanded his territory on both sides of the Sutlej. Around 1792, he gaveFerozepur to his second son, Dhanna Singh, who proved to be a weak ruler. Facing rebellion, Nihal Singh Atariwala, a Favourite Sardar ofMaharaja Ranjit Singh, crossed the Sutlej and surrounded his lands. At this time, the British East India Company began offering protection to Trans-Sutlej chiefs. Dhanna Singh accepted British protection, preventing Ranjit Singh from expanding eastward.
Dhanna Singh died in 1818–19, and his widow Lachhman Kaur succeeded him. She died in 1835 without an heir, after which the British took control ofFerozepur Jagir.[1]
TheFirst Anglo-Sikh War was mainly fought in Ferozepur district. The Sikh leadership was divided and could not properly guide theKhalsa Army of Ranjit Singh. The Sikhs crossed the Sutlej River to fight the British but were often let down by their commanders.
The firstbattle was at Mudki, where victory was close, but Sikh commanderLal Singh abandoned his troops. AtFerozeshah, another Sikh leader,Teja Singh, fled when victory was near, saving the British from defeat. Later, Sikh commanderRanjhor Singh won atBaddowal but lost atAliwal. At the decisivebattle of Sobraon, Gulab Singh betrayed the Sikhs by giving the British their battle plans three day before the battle. During the fight,Teja Singh again fled, causing a Sikh defeat.[2]
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TheTreaty of Lahore was signed in 1846, and as a result, the British took control of all the land east of the Sutlej River. This land was divided among the districts of Ferozepur, Badhni, and Ludhiana. Ferozepur district received the areas of Zira, Mudki, Khai, and parts of Kot Kapura, Guru Har Sahai, Jhumba, Kot Bhai, Bhucho, and Meharaj. In 1847, the Badhni district was dissolved, and its areas—Mallanwala, Makhu, Dharmkot, Kot Isa Khan, Badhni, Chuhar Chak, Mari, and Sada Singh Wala—were added to Ferozepur district. Sultankhanwala was also taken fromFaridkot State in exchange. In 1852, parts of Muktsar and Kot Kapura were added to Ferozepur. In 1855, the area ofChirk was returned toKalsia State.[3]
In 1856, theNawab of Mamdot was removed because of his and his son's wrongdoings, and his lands were added to Ferozepur district. In 1884, Sirsa district was divided, and the western part, including Fazilka tehsil and about 40 villages of Dabwali tehsil, became part of Ferozepur district.[3]
_(cropped)_Jhumba_Estate.jpg)
The Guru of Guru Har Sahai and the Bhai of Jhumba and Bhai of Arnauli, in the Kot Bhai area, were given the title of jagirdars when Punjab was annexed by the British in 1846. They continued to collect their share of revenue in the form of crops until the 1872 land settlement.[4][5]
Mahraj Ilaka was a group of 38 villages that formed a British-administered exclave of Ferzopur district, entirely surrounded byPhulkia &Faridkot State during the British era.[6] TheCharik Ilaka a group 7 villages was an enclave within the district and an exclave ofKalsia State.[7]
Following thePartition of Punjab Province, Ferozepur district became part of India. Amid the communal violence and mass migrations, a total of 349,767 sikh, hindu refugees from areas that became part of Pakistan settled in Ferozepur district, by 1951 Census. Much of this refugee population hailed fromBahawalpur State and the districts of Montgomery, Sheikhupura, Lyallpur, and Lahore, crossing the border into Ferozepur.[8]
Faridkot State, accepted dominion of the Indian Union and became a tehsil ofBathinda district. Bathinda district itself became part of thePEPSU in 1948, which was later merged into the state of Punjab in 1956.[9]: 4 While theCharik area—an exclave ofKalsia State and an enclave of Ferozpur'sMoga tehsil—also became part ofBathinda district, it was transferred to Moga tehsil of Ferozepur district in 1950 by Absorption of Enclaves Order.[10] Additionally, the Maharaj-Nathana ilaqa, a group of 38 villages that formed an exclave of Ferozepur District and was transferred toBathinda district in 1959.[11][12]
In 1960, two villages—Mohd. Yar Chishti and Chak Mohd. Usman—of Fazilka tehsil in Ferozepur district were completely transferred to Pakistan, along with parts of 12 other villages that had no population.[13] Later, in 1970, Jhumba along with seven villages was transferred toBathinda district.[14]
In 1972, a new Faridkot district was created by combining Faridkot tehsil (from Bathinda district) and the Moga and Muktsar tehsils (from Ferozepur district).[15] Later, in 1995,Moga &Mukatsar ofFaridkot district was carved out to form the new Moga district. In 1999, Moga district expanded by gaining the Dharamkot block from Zira tehsil of Ferozepur district.[16]This included 45 villages from Zira tehsil and 47 villages from Makhu sub-tehsil, along with the entire Dharamkot sub-tehsil of Zira tehsil of Ferozepur district.[17]
Later, in 2011, Ferozepur district had six tehsils: Fazilka, Abohar, Jalalabad, Ferozepur, Zira. From these, Abohar and Fazilka tehsils, along with a part ofJalalabad tehsil, were separated to form the newFazilka district. The remaining portion of Jalalabad tehsil was reorganized to create the newGuru Har Sahai tehsil within Ferozepur district.[18]
The district is administratively into the following tehsils & block[19][20]
According to the2011 Census the undivided Firozpur district had apopulation of 2,029,074.[20] This gives it a ranking of 230th in India (out of a total of640). The district has a population density of 380 inhabitants per square kilometre (980/sq mi). Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 16.08%. Firozpur has asex ratio of 893females for every 1000 males, and aliteracy rate of 69.8%. (This data is before the creation of Fazilka district.)[21]
After bifurcation of Fazilika district, the residual district has a population of 1,001,931. Scheduled Castes made up 42.85% of the population.[22]
The table below shows the sex ratio of Firozpur district through decades.
| Census Year | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex Ratio | 826 | 778 | 802 | 814 | 810 | 835 | 840 | 876 | 884 | 895 | 885 | 893 |
The table below shows the child sex ratio of children below the age of 6 years in the rural and urban areas of Firozpur district.
| Year | Urban | Rural |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 838 | 845 |
| 2001 | 813 | 825 |
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sikhism | 68.59% | |||
| Hinduism | 28.83% | |||
| Christianity | 1.83% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.75% | |||
| Religious group | 2011[25] | |
|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | |
Sikhism | 1,090,815 | 53.76% |
Hinduism | 906,408 | 44.67% |
Christianity | 19,358 | 0.95% |
Islam | 6,844 | 0.34% |
Jainism | 1,143 | 0.06% |
Buddhism.svg) | 454 | 0.02% |
| Others | 4,052 | 0.2% |
| Total Population | 2,029,074 | 100% |
| Religious group | 1881[26][27][28] | 1891[29] | 1901[30] | 1911[31][32] | 1921[33] | 1931[34] | 1941[35] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Islam | 310,552 | 47.74% | 404,977 | 45.67% | 447,615 | 46.72% | 418,553 | 43.61% | 482,540 | 43.94% | 515,430 | 44.56% | 641,448 | 45.07% |
| Sikhism | 168,816 | 25.95% | 226,361 | 25.53% | 228,355 | 23.83% | 262,511 | 27.35% | 302,761 | 27.57% | 388,108 | 33.55% | 479,486 | 33.69% |
| Hinduism[b] | 168,645 | 25.92% | 252,200 | 28.44% | 279,099 | 29.13% | 273,832 | 28.53% | 306,350 | 27.89% | 244,688 | 21.15% | 287,733 | 20.22% |
| Christianity | 1,686 | 0.26% | 1,738 | 0.2% | 1,908 | 0.2% | 3,342 | 0.35% | 5,365 | 0.49% | 7,070 | 0.61% | 12,607 | 0.89% |
| Jainism | 811 | 0.12% | 1,381 | 0.16% | 1,090 | 0.11% | 1,401 | 0.15% | 1,211 | 0.11% | 1,411 | 0.12% | 1,674 | 0.12% |
Zoroastrianism | 9 | 0% | 17 | 0% | 4 | 0% | 18 | 0% | 15 | 0% | 24 | 0% | 28 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 6 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 1 | 0% |
Judaism | — | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 13 | 0% |
| Others | 0 | 0% | 2 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 86 | 0.01% |
| Total population | 650,519 | 100% | 886,676 | 100% | 958,072 | 100% | 959,657 | 100% | 1,098,248 | 100% | 1,156,732 | 100% | 1,423,076 | 100% |
| Note:British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historicPunjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. | ||||||||||||||
| Religion in theTehsils of Firozpur District (1941)[35] | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehsil | Hinduism[b] | Islam | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others[c] | Total | |||||||
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Firozpur Tehsil | 53,520 | 18.44% | 160,371 | 55.25% | 70,782 | 24.38% | 3,847 | 1.33% | 745 | 0.26% | 1,021 | 0.35% | 290,286 | 100% |
| Zira Tehsil | 18,863 | 8.95% | 137,586 | 65.26% | 50,209 | 23.82% | 3,801 | 1.8% | 349 | 0.17% | 11 | 0.01% | 210,819 | 100% |
| Moga Tehsil | 30,531 | 10.91% | 66,855 | 23.9% | 181,454 | 64.86% | 823 | 0.29% | 32 | 0.01% | 68 | 0.02% | 279,763 | 100% |
| Muktsar Tehsil | 46,169 | 17.13% | 115,350 | 42.79% | 106,270 | 39.42% | 948 | 0.35% | 313 | 0.12% | 529 | 0.2% | 269,579 | 100% |
| Fazilka Tehsil | 138,650 | 37.21% | 161,286 | 43.28% | 70,771 | 18.99% | 1,612 | 0.43% | 235 | 0.06% | 75 | 0.02% | 372,629 | 100% |
| Note1:British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historicPunjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2:Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" oncensus. Does not includeAnglo-Indian Christians orBritish Christians, who were classified under "Other" category. | ||||||||||||||
| Tehsil | Hinduism | Islam | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others[d] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Firozpur Tehsil | 56,486 | 25.47% | 115,506 | 52.09% | 46,535 | 20.99% | 2,655 | 1.2% | 534 | 0.24% | 21 | 0.01% | 221,737 | 100% |
| Zira Tehsil | 27,037 | 16.25% | 105,123 | 63.19% | 33,296 | 20.01% | 628 | 0.38% | 289 | 0.17% | 0 | 0% | 166,373 | 100% |
| Moga Tehsil | 41,074 | 19.6% | 50,188 | 23.95% | 117,503 | 56.07% | 767 | 0.37% | 26 | 0.01% | 0 | 0% | 209,558 | 100% |
| Muktsar Tehsil | 54,266 | 25.88% | 88,029 | 41.99% | 66,408 | 31.68% | 603 | 0.29% | 339 | 0.16% | 0 | 0% | 209,645 | 100% |
| Fazilka Tehsil | 127,487 | 43.82% | 123,694 | 42.52% | 39,019 | 13.41% | 712 | 0.24% | 23 | 0.01% | 0 | 0% | 290,935 | 100% |
| Note:British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historicPunjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. | ||||||||||||||
At the time of the 2011 census, 93.01% of the population spokePunjabi and 5.67%Rajasthani as their first language.[36]
The table below shows the number of road accidents and people affected in Firozpur district by year.
| Year | Accidents | Killed | Injured | Vehicles Involved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 155 | 134 | 55 | 155 |
| 2021 | 179 | 152 | 68 | 124 |
| 2020 | 150 | 119 | 64 | 123 |
| 2019 | 163 | 136 | 36 | 126 |
| No. | Constituency | Name of MLA | Party | Bench | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | Zira | Naresh Kataria | Aam Aadmi Party | Government | |
| 76 | Firozpur City | Ranveer Singh Bhullar | Aam Aadmi Party | Government | |
| 77 | Firozpur Rural (SC) | Rajnish Dahiya | Aam Aadmi Party | Government | |
| 78 | Guru Har Sahai | Fauja Singh Srari | Aam Aadmi Party | Government | |
Shajjra Nasb (also known asKursee Nama[note 2]) records of some villages of Firozpur district from 1887–1958 have been digitized by theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints viaFamilySearch and are available for online viewing.[38] These records detail land ownership pedigrees for families of the village.[39][40] The genealogical importance of such records for the purpose of family history research was raised byGurcharan Singh Gill of Moga.[41] Gill discovered in 1986 that tax-records in the district were attached to a genealogical pedigree going back four generations.[41] These records have been described as being one of the few surviving records of Punjabi genealogy, ascensus records in India were rarely preserved.[41] The more recent records were written in Punjabi using Gurmukhi script and the older records were written in Urdu in Nastaliq script.[41] The names of more than 250,000 individuals have been extracted from the records by Gill.[41]
Places adjacent to Firozpur district | |
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