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Sultanpur Lodhi

Sultanpur Lodhi is a town and municipal council in the Kapurthala district of Punjab, India. Located in the Doaba region between the Beas and Sutlej rivers, it is one of the oldest historical towns in Punjab and is closely associated with the early life of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. The town falls within the Jalandhar administrative division and is the headquarters of the Sultanpur Lodhi tehsil.

Country India
State Punjab
Division Jalandhar
District Kapurthala
Tehsil Sultanpur Lodhi
Region Doaba
Languages Punjabi (official), Hindi

Background

Sultanpur Lodhi lies on the banks of the Kali Bein, a rivulet that joins the Beas. The town has been continuously inhabited for centuries and served at various points as an administrative and commercial centre on the routes connecting the Punjab plains with the upper Doab and Kashmir. Its name derives from the Lodhi rulers who governed parts of the region in the medieval period; the town was earlier known by other names in different historical sources.

History

The town is most prominently associated with Guru Nanak (1469–1539), who, according to Sikh tradition, lived at Sultanpur Lodhi for a significant period of his early adult life. He worked at the modikhana (state granary) under Daulat Khan Lodhi, the local governor, and is traditionally believed to have received divine enlightenment after a vision while bathing in the Kali Bein. Several gurdwaras in and around the town commemorate events from this period of his life.

Following the establishment of the Mughal empire and later the Sikh Misls, Sultanpur Lodhi came under the control of the Ahluwalia Misl and subsequently the princely state of Kapurthala under Sikh and later British paramountcy. After Indian independence in 1947 and the reorganisation of states, it was incorporated into the Indian state of Punjab and made part of Kapurthala district.

Religious significance

Sultanpur Lodhi is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Sikhism. Major gurdwaras in the town include:

  • Gurdwara Ber Sahib — built on the bank of the Kali Bein, marking the site associated with Guru Nanak's meditation and enlightenment.
  • Gurdwara Hatt Sahib — commemorating the place where Guru Nanak worked at the modikhana.
  • Gurdwara Sant Ghat — associated with Guru Nanak's reappearance after his immersion in the Bein.
  • Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh — marking the residence of Guru Nanak and his family.
  • Gurdwara Antaryamta Sahib and Gurdwara Kothri Sahib — linked to other events of Guru Nanak's stay in the town.

The town also contains older mosques and tombs from the Lodhi and Mughal periods, reflecting its layered religious heritage.

550th Prakash Purb

In 2019, Sultanpur Lodhi was the focal point of large-scale celebrations marking the 550th birth anniversary (Prakash Purb) of Guru Nanak. The Government of India and the Government of Punjab undertook infrastructure upgrades, beautification works, and improvements to road and rail connectivity for the event, which drew pilgrims from across India and abroad.

Geography and connectivity

Sultanpur Lodhi is situated in the alluvial plains of the Doaba. The Kali Bein, an ecologically significant tributary, has been the subject of long-running restoration efforts led by environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal. The town is connected by road to Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Goindwal, and is served by Sultanpur Lodhi railway station on the Lohian Khas–Firozpur line of Northern Railway.

Administration

The town is administered by a municipal council and serves as the headquarters of the Sultanpur Lodhi tehsil within Kapurthala district. It forms part of the Sultanpur Lodhi Vidhan Sabha constituency for the Punjab Legislative Assembly and lies within the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency.

References

  • Wikidata: Q2545249
  • Government of Punjab, Kapurthala district administration.
  • Census of India, town directory entries for Kapurthala district.