District- Kapurthala, the ‘Paris of Punjab’

Kapurthala is a beautiful amalgamation of history and culture that acts as a prime tourist city in the state of Punjab because of its eccentric architecture and mesmerizing gardens. Kapurthala, the city often referred to as the ‘Paris of Punjab’ because of its intriguing architecture, is a famous tourist attraction in Punjab that attracts thousands of tourists from all across the country who come to explore the architectural marvels of this city. The distinctive architecture and the eccentric monuments of this city are some of the best places to visit in Kapurthala.

Kapurthala is situated in the Doaba region at the confluence of rivers Beas and Sutlej. It is one of the earlier princely states. Maharaja Jagatjit Singh the last ruler of Kapurthala before independence, was a great enthusiast of French architecture, which is reflected from the palaces and various monuments of the city. The state of Kapurthala was ruled by the Ahluwalia Dynasty but was founded in the 11th century by the Bhati Rajput clan from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The mesmerizing gardens and the intriguing architecture make this city a prime tourist attraction in the state of Punjab. Kapurthala district is in many ways a unique and harmonious blend of the glorious past, pulsating present, and a promising future. What is probably the single most significant historical event of this region is the Enlightenment of Guru Nanak sahib in the year 1499, while bathing in the Bein rivulet, in the little town of Sultanpur Lodhi. It is after receiving this grace that he sowed the seeds of the Sikh faith from here. Guru Nanak sahib spent 14 years of his life in this town, meditated under the Ber tree (which still exists), and journeyed from here to various parts of the world spreading the message of oneness. It is this heritage of spiritualism that is evidenced even today in the peace-loving, harmonious and tolerant nature of the people of Kapurthala. It is in the rekindling of this lost spirit that the future of Punjab lies.

The vestiges of the royalty that ruled Kapurthala still gloriously mark the present-day city of Kapurthala. It was one of the first cities in Punjab to get modern amenities like sewerage, drinking water, and communication systems, which still work. The spectacular Jagatjit Palace styled after the French palace of Versailles is like a bejeweled crown in the landscape of Punjab. The unique Moorish Mosque, Shalimar garden, Panj Mandir, the stately Durbar Hall, the beautiful  Kamera garden complex with the majestic rest house, etc. are major places of tourist attraction. Add to these the other tourist attractions like the scenic Kanjli wetland bird sanctuary near Kapurthala, the Pushpa Gujral Science City, and above all Sultanpur Lodhi, all in one compact area, and this region comes alive like an enduring celebration. This star-studded necklace of a tourist circuit has all the potential to be a major international tourist attraction. Pushpa Gujral Science City is Kapurthala's other major tryst with modernity. A joint venture project of the Governments of India and Punjab, it seeks to popularize science through 'edutainment'- education and entertainment.

Apart from the Science City, the Punjab Technical University (PTU), Caparo School of Material Management (set up by Lord Swaraj Paul), and the National Non-Conventional Energy Centre are all located on the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road, which is a stretch of only 24 km and a traveling time of 30 minutes. In times to come, with planned development, Kapurthala, with a cleaner and greener environment, has the potential to be a better and cleaner satellite extension of Jalandhar and has the potential to attract vast investments in urban development. What is required to realize this potential is the setting up of an independent Greater Kapurthala Development Authority, which could be the ideal mechanism to formulate, raise resources and implement major urban development projects, which is beyond the capabilities of the Municipal Committees.

Another uniqueness about Kapurthala is that it is probably the only district in the country, one part of which (Phagwara), lies in the center of another district (Jalandhar). Phagwara is a thriving industrial town, located on the G.T road, between Ludhiana and Jalandhar. Phagwara is home to the famed JCT mills, Sukhjit Starch mills, Oswal sugar mills, and a large number of automobile spare parts manufacturing units. The stretch of 15 km distance between Jalandhar and Phagwara has huge potential for commercial development, where a string of resorts and most modern multiplexes are coming up. In many ways, Phagwara leads the rest of the Kapurthala district into the realm of growth and economic prosperity.

However for the District Administration, with a mandate to maintain peace, law and order and facilitate growth and welfare of the citizens, the agenda is more emergent in the social sector than economic. Drug addiction problem of youth, which has assumed demonic proportions, and low sex ratio / female feticide problem, are  twin social problems of Punjab which can retard whatever economic prosperity there is, and tackling them is top agenda for the District Administration. The Kapurthala district is in many ways an unique and harmonious blend of the glorious past, pulsating present and a promising future.