About Ferozepur

Ferozepur is an ancient city on the banks of the Sutlej River India Pakistan Border.Ferozepur is to the South-West of Amritsar city and located some 109 km from Amritsar. Another nearby city to the North of Ferozepur is Tarn Taran. To the East is Ludhiana about 120 km away. In the West it has Kasur and Lahore in Pakistan across the International Border at Hussainiwala. Other nearby cities include Fazilka and Abohar located 85km and 120 km respectively to the South-West of Ferozepur. To the North-East of Ferozepur are the towns of Nakodar, Kapurthala and Jalandhar (120 km away). The cities of Muktsar and Faridkot are to the South of Ferozepur.
It was founded by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1309–88), a Muslim Ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1351 to 1388. However, The Manj Rajputs believe that the town was named after one of their chiefs, a Rajput of the Bhatti clan called Feroze Khan, in the middle of the 16th century. Ferozpur is also called ‘Shaheedon ki dharti’ (The Land of Martyrs).

Ferozpur today is an Administrative and Transportation Center. After the Independence of Pakistan in 1947, It became a border town on the Indo-Pakistan border with memorials of India’s freedom fighters.

Ferozepur also holds a Historic Place in Indian History as it was from here that British Raj established control over much of North-West India as well as what is now Pakistan through the Anglo-Sikh Wars that were fought in this region. Today it is the headquarters of a division of the Western Command of the Indian Army. Ferozepur Cantonment is adjacent to and south of the city. During British times it was one of the largest cantonments in the country.

Ferozepur has easy access by Road and Rail to other places such as Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

In addition to cotton and grain cultivation and agriculture-related services, Ferozepur has some Light Manufacturing. Commercial Progress has been restricted by its vicinity to the Border with Pakistan. Ferozepur is the oldest British District of the Punjab, established in 1833 as district Headquarters even well before Ludhiana and Amritsar became districts. Ferozepur district, even after the independence of Pakistan in 1947, included many areas which were later re-organised to be a part of the Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, Bathinda and Fazilka Districts.

Ferozepur strategic position in the northwest of the country has resulted in its being part of many Military expenditions in the area. During the first Anglo-Sikh war in 1845, it due to the negligence of the British commander at Ferozepur that the Khalsa was able to cross the Sutlej unopposed. When Lord Hardinge declared war on the Sikhs, the first battle was fought at Mudki, 20 miles south-east of Ferozepur. In 1838, Ferozepor was the centre from where British troops advanced to Kabul during the rist Anglo-Afghan war.

Three Heroic martyrs of India’s freedom struggle Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his associates Shaheed Rajguru and Shaheed Sukhdev have their final resting place on the banks of the river Sutlej in Ferozepur. On March 23, 1931, despite popular protest, these three heros were executed in Lahore and were stealthily cremated in the dead of night near Ferozepur. They were killed for raising the flag of revolutionary terrorism against the British, displaying their deep patriotism and defiance for the foreign rulers till the very end.

Today, a Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial marks the spot and every year on March 23, thousands of people gather to pay homage of these noble heroes. Ferozepur has another historical memorial, the Saragarhi Gurudwara, commemorating the sacrifice of 21 Sikh soldiers who perished at Saragarhi in Baluchistan. On 12 September, every year, people gather here to pay tribute to the heroic soldiers and celebrate Saragarhi Day.
Area

Area and Physiography The total geographical area of the district is 5303 sq. km out of which 3258.78 sq. km fall under Bet area and 196.63 sq. km fall under Border area. The topography of the district is even. It is a plane of alluvial formation sloping gently @ 2ft. per mile form the North East to the South West. The district is divided into three main belts running somewhat parallel to the course of river Sutlej. On South West side, the bet area called “Hittar” having land alluvial dark and gray clay intermixed with straits of sand. On the South East side, the Rohi and Mukhi Plains have light and sandy soil and brackish water in wells. The district has two types of soil namely chestnut brown (Alluvial)-69% and desert soil (31%)

Important distances from the city of Ferozepur:
Tarn Taran – 95 km
Amritsar – 117 km
Ludhiana – 128 km
Jalandhar – 120 km
Bathinda – 101 km
Muktsar – 52 km
Fazilka – 85 km
Abohar – 113 km
Chandigarh – 223 km
Delhi – 421 km