Kapurthala Tourism and Travel Guide
History
The history of the Town of Kapurthala goes back as early as the 11th Century when it’s said to have been founded by Rana Kapur, a scion of the ruling house of Jaisalmer (Rajasthan).
The present royal family of Kapurthala is descended from Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, a contemporary of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah, who by his intelligence and bravery made himself the leading Sikh of his day. At one time it held possessions on both sides of the Sutlej, and also in the Bari Doab. The cis-Sutlej estates and scattered tracts in the Bari Doab were forfeited owing to the hostility of the chief in the First Sikh War; but the latter were afterwards restored in recognition of the loyalty of Raja Randhir Singh during the mutiny of 1857, when he led a contingent to Oudh which did good service. He also received a grant of land in Oudh, 700 m² in extent, yielding a gross rental of 89,000. In Oudh, however, he exercises no
sovereign powers, occupying only the status of a large landholder, with the title of Raja-i-Rajagan.
Raja Sir Jagatjit Singh, K.C.S.I., was born in 1872, succeeded his father in 1877, and attained his majority in 1890. During the Tirah expedition of 1897-98 the Kapurthala imperial service infantry took a prominent part. The territory is crossed by the railway from Jalandhar to Amritsar. The state has a large export trade in wheat, sugar,and cotton. The hand-painted cloths and metal-work of Phagwara are well known. The town of Kapurthala is approximately 20 Kilometers from Jalandhar
Monuments & Buildings
City of Kapurthala has several buildings and places of interest linked to its local history such as the Sainik School (Formerly Jagatjit Palace), Shalamar Bagh (Gardens), District Courts buildings, Moorish Mosque, Panch Mandir (“Five Temples”), Clock Tower, State Gurudwara, Kanjli Wetlands, Guru Nanak Sports Stadium, Jagjit Club, and the NJSA Government college.
How to Reach Kapurthala
By Bus: Kapurthala falls on the Jalandhar-Ferozpur road and there is a vast network of bus
services. Both Public and Private bus operators are there. Important destinations include Delhi,Shimla, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar.
By Train: Kapurthala falls on Jalandhar-Firozpur Railway line. It has low frequency of trains from major cities. Jalandhar,19 Kms. away, is falls on Main Railway line of Jammu-New Delhi and Amritsar-New Delhi and connected to all major cities of India through trains.
By Air: Nearest Civilian Airport is Rajasansi International Airport at Amritsar nearly 75 kms from Kapurthala. This airport is well connected with Indian cities. After reaching Amritsar one can easily reach Kapurthala by Bus or taxis in about one and half hour.
