Shahkot, India
| Shahkot ਸ਼ਾਹਕੋਟ | |
|---|---|
| City | |
  Shahkot  Shahkot Location in Punjab, India | |
| Coordinates: 31°05′N 75°20′E / 31.08°N 75.34°ECoordinates: 31°05′N 75°20′E / 31.08°N 75.34°E | |
| Country |
 India |
| State | Punjab |
| District | Jalandhar |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Council |
| Elevation | 209 m (686 ft) |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 25,449 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Punjabi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 144702 |
| Telephone code | 01821 |
| Vehicle registration | PB 67 |
| Website |
www |
Shahkot (Punjabi: ਸ਼ਾਹਕੋਟ) is a city having tehsil status located in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. Shahkot is situated on NH-71 the Jalandhar – Moga road. Shahkot is administered by the Municipal Committee. About 250 villages belong to Shahkot tehsil. Shahkot is famous for its red chilli peppers. Red roofs are a common site in Shahkot during chilli producing season.[1]
Geography
Shahkot is located at 31°05′N 75°20′E / 31.08°N 75.34°E.[2] The region has an average elevation of 209 metres (688 feet). The Pin Code of Shahkot is 144702. Shahkot is now both a subdivision and a tehsil.
Demographics
As of the 2011 Indian census,[3] Shahkot has population of 25,449. The population is 53 percent male and 47 percent female. Shahkot has an average literacy rate of 83percent, which is higher than the Indian national average of 59.5 percent. Literacy among men is 85.50 percent and female literacy is 80.50 percent. In Shahkot, 12 percent of the population is under 6 years of age. Hinduism and Sikhism are the predominant religions with 60 percent of the population registering as Hindus, 39 percent registering as Sikhs and one percent of other religions. Shahkot is near the Satluj river which divides Doaba and Malwa.
About 25 years ago, for going Jullundhur to Moga one has to go by motor-bus via Ludhiana or by crossing the Giderpindi Bridge via Makhu. A bridge "Sh. Udham Singh Bridge" was built on the river satluj on Kanwan wala pattan & Jullundhur (Doaba) and Moga(Malwa) became nearer. Shahkot town is situated about 6-7 kilometers away from this bridge(towards Jullundhur side). Shahkot took about three centuries to take its present form. Three centuries ago, this was a deserted place. In 1700 A.D. a Mohammedean Saint named Sayyad Satt Shah Sadni inhabited this place. He named this town "Shahkot" after his name. In those days, the families of Khuda Bakash Arayan, Hayyat Gujjar and Jann Mohd flourished here. These mohamaddeans did their best to make this land cultivable. About one century later Badesha Jatts took hold of this town. About two hundred years ago, a person named Amrika(Badesha Jatt) from village Dhianpur (Amritsar) inhabited the village kang(sardar wala kang) on his maternal Dheri which is situated about 10-12 kilometers away from Shahkot, Amrika had three sons. One son named Sujan Singh was killed when he went to capture, Nakodar. Two sons Maan Singh and Daan Singh joined Tara Singh Gaiba. In those days Gaiba was a popular personlaity of Shahkot, They took hold of Shahkot and adjoining villages. After sometime all ancestors of Daan singh died. But ancestors of Maan Singh and Sujan Singh accepting the dominance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept hold on Shahkot and Dharamkot. Accordingly, to the views of some people, They were called the Gumashatas of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The British took over Shahkot and change it into a Jagir, there were 22 villages in this jagir including "Dhandowal". The ancestors of Maan Singh inhabited in village Dhadowal. Narain Singh s/o Gurbux Singh Grandson of Sujan Singh became the Zaildar of Shahkot. S.Bhoop Singh grandson of Maan Singh was issueless. He had four wives. The fort in which they lived was called "Womens Fort". These widows were given 1200 rupees annual pension by the British Govt. Dalip Singh s/o Gurbux Singh remained Sub-Registrar as well as zaildar of Shahkot. Next Kishan Singh Grand Son of Dalip Singh became Zaildar of Shahkot. The British honoured him with the title of "Sardar". He was always given a seat in the Darbar of the British. The families of Badesha Sardar S.Balbir Singh Badesha, famous poet Fatahjit, Hardev Singh Peeta are inhabited at Shahkot now. Before 1947, Shahkot and adjoining villages had main Muslim population, During partition, like this rest of the Punjab, the sad event which occurred here are narrated by the elders with heavy hearts. During communal riots some Hindus and Sikhs looted the Mohamadans leaving for Pakistan. Aslam, of nearby village Mianwal along with other Mohammadans, burnt 7 villages of Hindus or Sikhs. Atlast he was killed by a mob. According to the elders, the school in Nangal Ambia(near Shahkot) was called Islamia School before partition. Chowdhary Mohmmad became the working President of Pakistan for sometime. River Satluj flowed just near shahkot some time past, Now-a-days it flows about 6 or 7 kilometers far from Shahkot. Shahkot has given birth to many famous personalities. Among these some were born at Shahkot some inhabited here from outside. Among poets, Pushap shahkot and Fatahjit are well known. Who doesnot know Dr Shadi Ram Behl and his son Dr. Ashok Kumar Behl of Shahkot, he got education in allopathy(M.B.B.S) from Calcutta University in the year 1920 and was the first converted homoeopath of north india he was also a freedom fighter of first order, he started his clinic "Dr. Shadi Ram Behl's Multispeciality Clinic" at jalandhar which is still serving people since 1925, Puran Shahkotee and Bibi Nooran? In wrestling Mehardin won the title of Rustam-e-hind or Hind Kesri and became internationally known.Sh. Jagir Nahar is a player and coach of volleyball of the national level. S.Davinder Sinh Ahluwalia president of Yuwa Shakti Punjab, is connected with many national and international Institutions. The famous comedian writer Sher Jang Jangli has close relation with Shahkot. The poet Josh Malsiani inhabited Malsian only 5 kilometers away from Shahkot. According to the census of 1991, the population of Shahkot was 10240 and it got in the status of Sub-Division. Shahkot is on its way to progress. The building of I.T.I. is being built. The Railway Station is 2-3 kilometers away from here and it connects ludhiana-ferozepur. The Government has decided to upgrade the Rly.Station. The Govt. middle School(Nimman Wala School) is half a century old and it has not been upgraded until now. Famous for its chillies in all over India this town falls in the Lohian Constituency. The people here are politically awake. S.Balwant Singh, who was taken as the brain of the Akali Dal, became Finance Minister of the Punjab after winning from here, S.Brij Bhupinder Singh Kang Became the Home Minister of the Punjab. S.Ajit Singh Kohar, after winning elections from here is the minister of the Punjab.
Politics
Shahkot is one of the 117 legislative areas of Punjab. Present Transport Minister Jathedar Ajit Singh Kohar is the member of legislative assembly from this constituency.
Notable people
Gulzar Singh Thind Ex Chairman Market Committee Shahkot and Ex MC Shahkot
- Mehardeen, a famous Wrestler (Kushti Pehlwan) of Punjab.
- Tarsem Lal Mittal, Vice President of Punjab Technical University.
Education
There are many educational institutions situated in Shahkot i.e.
Schools
- State Public School
- Ramgarhia Public School
- Divya Jyoti Public High School
- St. Manu Convent School
- St. Jude's Convent School
- Public Senior Secondary School
- Govt. Girl High School
- Govt. Elementary School
- Govt. Primary School
References
- ↑ Shahkot was famous for its red chilli peppers: Shahkotcity.com
- ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Shahkot
- ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.