The district of Mansa was carved out from the district of Bathinda and it came into existence on 13 April 1992. This makes Mansa a relatively new member in the family of the districts of Punjab. The district is not very large both in terms of area and the population. Its area is 2,174 square kilometers and the population is 6, 88,630, as per the Census 2001. The district is named after its administrative headquarters of Mansa. There is a whole story behind how Mansa was founded. It is situated in the cotton belt of the state and is often referred to as the land of white gold.
Etymology
The district gets its name from the historical and religious city of ‘Mansa’ in it. The locals relate a tale about how the city got its name and it goes like this: Once upon a time, a sage used to live in a hut on a mound. The mound was located near a village named Khiala. Passer-bys, especially of the sub-caste ‘Mann’, used to visit the mound to pay their tributes to the sage and with time many of those started residing there. It was then that the local began to call this place Mansa Kalan which was later changed to ‘Mansa’.
History
Mansa was a part of the Bathinda district before 1992; therefore, its history is very much related to that of Bathinda. The archeological excavations in the district indicate that the district functioned as the abode of the people of Indus-Valley Civilization. It was an important part of the ancient Gupta and Maurya empires and later it was ruled by the Bhatti Dynasty, founded by Rao Bhatti. A series of battles ensued between the Bhattis and the Brar clans over the territory of Mansa and the Brars finally managed to defeat the Bhattis. The Brars were also the last Indian rulers to rule over Mansa before the foreign invasions began.
The Turkish, Mongol, Persian and Afghan invaders had started their invasions in the tenth century AD. Mansa, being near to the national border, was blighted by these invasions. The district remained in turmoil for the most part of the last millennium. A state of relative calm returned when the British took control of the power in 1833. The country gained its independence in 1947 and Mansa was made a part of PEPSU. Later, the state reorganization committee redrew the boundaries and put Mansa in the Bathinda district of Punjab.
Geography and Climate
Bounded by the districts of Sangrur and Bathinda to the north and the state of Haryana to the south, Mansa falls in the Faridkot Divison and lies between the latitudes 29o -33′ to 30o-13′ North and 75o-10′ to 75o-47′ East.
The district is located in the Satluj-Ganges plains of North India and its average elevation ranges from 208 to 233 meters. The surface of the district is plain except for the presence of sand-dunes that are sprinkled throughout the district. Depending upon the concentration of sand-dunes, the surface of the district can be divided into two parts:
(a)Areas with higher concentration of sand ridges
(b)Areas with lower concentration of sand ridges
The district lacks a year-around stream. The Ghagger is the sole river which flows through the district and it is a seasonal stream. For water, the district depends upon the tube-wells and the underground water.
The climate of the district is hot, and dry conditions prevail throughout the year except for a brief monsoon season and the winters. The year can be divided into four seasons:
Winters – November to March
Summers – March to June (end)
Monsoon – July – mid-September
Post Monsoon – mid-September to November
Demographics, Language and Economy
As per the 2001 census, the population of Mansa is 6, 88,630; it makes it one of the least populated districts in the state. About 85% of the population lives in the rural areas of the district and the average literacy rate is 65%. The district has a Sikh majority, with the Sikhs accounting for almost four-fifths of the population. The Hindus are the largest minority in the district and form around 18% of the population. Punjabi is spoken throughout the district; because of its proximity to Haryana, Hindi is also widely understood. English is mainly spoken by the educated upper class. Agriculture is the backbone of the district’s economy and there is very little industry presence in Mansa.
