Gurdaspur a tourist spot! Why not?
Namrata Sharma

PUNJAB is replete with a number of historical, archaeological, religious and scenic places which could be promoted to attract both domestic and international visitors. There are many such sites in Gurdaspur district which, though quite ancient and associated with history, have neither been included in tourist circuits nor mentioned adequately in tourist literature.

Gurdaspur along with its neighbouring districts has been witness to the exploits of Alexander, who had come as far as the Beas. The last camp of Alexander before he commenced his return march is supposed to have been on the bank of the Beas, probably in this district.

Gurdaspur, which has derived its name from Mahant Guriaji who had bought this village, is somewhat like a gun in shape. The Beas and the Ravi pass through it.

Gurdaspur is known for its Jhulna Mahal, which moves considerably on being shaken by anyone sitting on top of it. Six km from the town, lies the old village of Gurdas Nangal, known as Bande wali Theh, where Banda Bahadur put up his last fight against the Mughals in 1715.

Situated on the left bank of the Ravi, Dera Baba Nanak is one of the famous places associated with the life of Guru Nanak Dev, who after his long travels came to Pakhoke village, where his father-in-law Mul Chand lived. This very place was later selected as the site for founding the town of Dera Baba Nanak, where Guru Nanak spent 12 years of his life, with his sons. A gurdwara has been erected on the site where Guru Nanak used to sit in meditation. Known as Gurdwara Chola Sahib, it contains the precious robes of Guru Nanak, which were presented to him when he visited Mecca. The interior of the shrine has been adorned with sculptures of Hindu deities. The walls have been decorated with frescoes and studded with mirrors. Thousands of pilgrims visit this place on the eve of Maghi in the second week of January every year.

Kalanaur: Abode of Lord Shiva

Twentysix km from Gurdaspur, Kalanaur is known to be one of the abodes of Lord Shiva. It has a gigantic lingam in a temple constructed by Maharaja Kharak Singh, son and successor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. An old proverb says, "He who has not seen Lahore, let him see Kalanaur".

Akbar was at Kalanaur when he received news of the death of his father, Hamayun. He was proclaimed Emperor by Bairam Khan on February 14, 1556. The coronation ceremony was performed on a platform, now known as Takht-i-Akbari, 2 km from the village. The Akbari Masjid nearby is also worth a visit.

This historic town, 38 km south of Gurdaspur, was founded by Guru Hargobind after he fought a fierce battle here against the Mughals. The three-storeyed Gurdwara Damdama Sahib has been built to commemorate the visit of the Guru here.

An obscure and ancient village before 1947, Pathankot today is a major tourist centre for thousands of domestic and international tourists visiting J&K, Dalhousie, Kangra valley and other places of Himachal Pradesh. Its importance also lies in being the only link between J&K and the rest of the country. The town from where the ascent to the hills start has a distinct scenic charm of its own. It has a number of attractive picnic spots such as Malakpur, Madhopur and Shahpur Kandi. Madhopur, commands a panoramic view of a reservoir silhouetted against the Shivalik hills. Shahpur, originally known as Shardpur, was renamed to please Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan on his visit to this place. There are remains of a fort here, which was constructed by Rajput chief Jaspal Singh Pathania, who made it his capital to gain control over the Kangra and Nurpur regions. The fort now houses a tourist bungalow, which offers a grand view of the picturesque landscape.

Some 8 km above Shahpur, the ancient rock temples at Mukteshwar are said to date back to the time of the Pandavas. You have folk tales about the visit of Arjuna and Draupadi to this place: a long cleft in a rock little way up the Ravi river is known as Arjun’s chula.

Among the other places of interest is Talibpur Pandori, a hermitage of significance, built on a scenic site not far from the Beas.

The small town of Qadian in the district — the abode of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the holy founder of the Ahmadiya Muslim Jammat — is one of the most revered places for the 30 million Ahmadiyas spread over 162 countries of the world.

Apart from these places, the low-lying belt of the Shivalik range from Madhopur to Katori Bungalow holds immense potential for developing tourism. Tourism-related activities, if planned systematically, can generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities for local youth.