Firozepur (or Firozpur) is the largest district in Punjab and it is located in the North-West region of Punjab bordering the neighbouring Pakistan. Being a border district, it also houses a military cantonment which is one of the oldest in India. As per the census 2001 the district had a population of 1,746,107 people of which 1,294,354 live in the rural areas. For administrative purposes the district is divided into five tehesils (divisions): Abohar, Fazlika, Ferozepur, Jalalabad and Zira.
Etymology and History
There are two mainstream theories about how the district got its name. One theory suggests that the district is named after its former ruler, Firoz Shah Tughlaq who ruled the area from 1351 – 1388 AD. While the protagonists of the second theory claim that the name of the district is derived from the name of a Bhatti chief who ruled the area in the middle of the sixteenth century.
Even the issue of who founded the city divides the historians into factions: the first group claims that the Ferozepur was founded by Ferozeshah Tughluq in the 14th century while the second section maintains that Ferozepur was founded not by Ferozeshah Tughluq but a Bhatti chief called Feroze Khan. Because of its strategic location, Ferozepur has always been a highly sought after area by the military strategists; it was an important strategic area during the First Anglo-Sikh War and the Anglo-British War. Ferozpur was also the last resting place of the famous freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his associates; they were later sentenced to death by the British government. Firozepur was a Muslim majority district before the partition and its ruler had expressed the desire to join Pakistan but a solution was found diplomatically and Ferozepur became a part of the Indian Republic.
Geography and Climate
The district is virtually flat and featureless except for the presence of sand dunes in the vicinity of its border with Rajasthan. Overall, on the basis of its geographical features, the district can be divided into three parts:
(a)The Floodplain of the River Satluj: It is a narrow tract running along the river Satluj in the district. This area is practically free from the floods and this stability makes it extremely valuable land for the purposes of agriculture and inhabitation.
(b)The sand dune infested tract: This tract largely coincides with the old route of River Satluj. The sand dunes in the tract are small with heights ranging from 2 to 5 metres.
(c)The upland plain: The plain includes the interior parts of the district and soil in this part is mainly reddish brown with loam. The elevation of the upland plain varies from 175 metres to 230 metres.
The climate of the district is typical of the region. The summers are hot and dry and 70% of the rain falls during the monsoon season which lasts for approximately three months. There are four seasons in Firozpur:
Winters: November – March
Summers: March – June
Monsoon: June – mid-September
Post-monsoon: mid-September – November
Tourism
National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwalah:The memorial is built to commemorate the martyrdom of three Indian freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. All three of them were convicted of killing a British police officer, Mr. Saunders. It is situated 10 kilometers from the Firozepur city.
Anglo-Sikh War Memorial: Located around 21 kilometers from the city of Firozepur, the memorial displays weapons and other stuff of the two Anglo-Sikh wars.
