Gurdaspur

Gurdaspur is named after Guriya Ji, who founded this city in the beginning of the 17th century. It is a popular city located in between Ravi and Sutlej rivers, in the state of Punjab. The language used by most of the people in the city is Punjabi while for official purpose, Hindi and English are also used. Gurdaspur tourism represents a colourful bouquet of Punjabi culture, which includes divine gurudwaras, bhangra (Punjabi dance form), traditional pagri (turban), paranda (used in braided hair) and the irresistible Punjabi food.

In the decline and fall of the Mughal supermacy and the rise of the Sikh power this district saw, its most stiring scenes. Some of the sikh Gurus have been closely associated with the district. Guru Nanak, born in 1469 in the Lahore district, married in 1485 with Sulkhani, daughter of Mool Chand, a Khatri of Pakhoke (Dera Baba Nanak) in the Batala Tehsil. There is still a wall known as JhoolanaMahal which swings in Gurdaspur. The Sikh Guru Hargobind refoundedShriHargobindpur which had been formerly known by the name of Rahila. Banda Bahadur, the disciple of Guru Gobind Singh used this district as a base to raid the country upto Lahore, the emperor Bahadur Shah conducted an expedition against him in 1711 but with only temporary effect. Banda Bahadar fought his last battle with the Mughal at GurdasNangal in the district and was captured. The history of the district then degenerates into an account of their restruggles of the rival Ramgarhia and KanhayaMisals for supermacy in this part of the Doab, the power of the former was broken in 1808 and of the latter in 1811 by

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who thus assumed way over the whole district. Dinanagar, with its pleasant mango gardens and running canal was a favourite summer residence of the lion of the Punjab, who when not elsewhere engaged used spent here the two hot weather months of May and June.
During partition of India in 1947 the future of Gurdaspur could not be decided for many days. As majority of population of this district was Muslim. REDCLIFF Awards of Boundary transferred only Shakargarh Tehsil ofGurdaspur district to Pakistan, and the rest of the district was transferred to India. Muslim population of the district migrated to Pakistan and refugees, the Hindus and the Sikhs of Sialkot and Tehsil Shakargarh migrated to Gurdaspur after crossing the Ravi Bridge. They settled and spread in Gurdaspur district.