The historic and pious District of Fatehgarh Sahib came into existence with effect from 13th April, 1992 , Baisakhi Day deriving its name from Sahibzada Fateh Singh, the youngest son of Guru Gobind Singh.
respectively, had nowhere to go until their cook, named Gangu, offered to lake them to his own village Khen. They accompanied him to his house. But he proved deceitful and betrayed them to Jam Khan and Man! Khan of Morinda. Tlie latter at once despatched them to Sirhind where they were consigned to the Gold Tower (Thanda Burj) of the Fort. On 9 December 1705, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were produced before Wazir Khan.
who had just returned from the battle of Chamkaur. WaxTr Khan tried to lure them to embrace Islam with promises of riches and honours, but they spurned the offer.He threatened them with death as an alternative to Islam, but they remained firm. A death sentence was eventually awarded. Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan of Malerkoila protested that it would be improper to harm the innocent children.
Waxir Khan, however, ordered them to be bricked up alive in a wa!l, if they still refused conversion. They were kept in the Gold Tower in that severe winter for another two days. On 11 December, they, under the orders of Waxir Khan began to be paved with bricks standing on the ground. However, as the masonry reached above chest height, it crumbled. The next day, 12 December 1705, the Sahibxadaswere once again offered the choice of conversion or death.
They chose the latter and fearlessly faced the executioner`s sword. The cruelty of their murder and their fcarlcssness of death which they preferred to giving up their faith finds a touching narration in “GarijiShahTdari” an Urdu poem by a Muslim poet, Allahyar Khan Jogi, who used to recite it from Sikh platforms during the second and third decades of the twentieth century. The aged Mata Gujari who had all along been confined in the Cold Tower, only a little distance away, breathed her last as the news reached her cars. The dead bodies were kept for the night at a spot now called Bimangarh, just outside the fort wall, and were cremated the following day by Scth Todar Mall, a wealthy merchant of Sirhind.
Sirhind suffered the full fury of Sikh ire when Banda Singh Bahadur marched upon it with his daring host. Wazir Khan was killed and the city was occupied on 14 May 1710. Diwan Suchchanand, who had explicitly championed the penalty laid upon the captives by the faujddr, was captured and tortured to death. The town, including the Fort, was razed to the ground. A memorial was raised marking the spot where the Sahibzadas were martyred and named Fatehgarh.
It is bounded by Ludhiana and Ropar in the North, Patiala in the South, parts of Ropar and Patiala in the East and parts of Ludhiana and Sangrur in the West. It is situated between 30 degree-38′ North 16 degree-27′ East and is 50 Kms. towards the west of Chandigarh , the capital of Punjab .
The economy of the district depends mainly on agriculture and allied activities.
The main towns are Sirhind, Bassi Pathana, Amloh, Khamano & Mandi Gobindgarh. The last is also known as the ‘Steel Town of India’ having a good number of steel rolling mills. Besides, numerous industrial units are engaged in the manufacturing of sewing machine parts, centrifugal pumps, bus/truck body building and mining machinery.
There are different views about the origin and development of Sirhind. Its first reference appears in the `PRASHARTANTARA’ which is mainly a compilation of prophecies. `VARAHA MIHIRA’ has made a reference to Sirhind in his book `BRIHAT SAMHITA’ which is based on `Prashartantara’. Sirhind was known as `SATUDAR DESH’ and was inhabbited by Sairindhas Aryans. In latter period it became an important border town of Pal Kindgdom. According to another manuscript, Sirhind was the Eastern Frontier of Kingdom of Brahmin dynasty of Kabul. In the Eleventh Century, Mehmood of Ghazni invaded India and the hold of Hindu Kings ended in 1193 A.D. Then Sultan