Ludhiana Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Ludhiana Town
Head-quarters of the District and tahsil of Ludhiana, Punjab, situated in 30° 56' N. and 75° 52' E., on the grand trunk road. It is the junction of the North-Western, Ludhiana- Dhurl-Jakhal, and Ludhiana-Ferozepore-M'Leodganj Raihvays ; distant by rail from Calcutta 1,148 miles, from Bombay 1,215, ^.nd from Karachi 884. Population (1901), 48,649. The town is connected by metalled roads with Jagraon (24 miles) and Samrala (21 miles).
It was founded in 1481 by two Lodi Pathans, from whom it took its name of Lodiana, corrupted into Ludhiana. It was the seat of government for this part of the empire under the Lodls, but under the Mughals was only the head-quarters of a mahdl in the sarkdr of Sirhind, though it continued to be a place of importance. It passed into the possession of the Rais of Raikot in 1760, and in 1806 was taken by Ranjft Singh, who gave it to his uncle, Raja Bhag Singh of Jind. Land west of the town was allotted to the British in 1809 for a cantonment, which was up to 1838 the outpost on the Sutlej frontier. The town and surrounding country escheated on the death of Raja Sangat Singh of Jind in 1835. Ludhiana was in 1842 fixed on as the residence of the exiled family of Shah Shuja. The cantonment was abandoned in 1854. The fort, built on the site of that constructed by the original founders, owes its present shape to Sir D. Ochterlony.
The municipality was created in 1867. The receipts and expendi- ture during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 92,800 and Rs. 92,600 respectively. In 1903-4 the income was 1-2 lakhs, the chief source being octroi (Rs. 92,000) ; while the expenditure of I -I lakhs included conservancy (Rs. 12,000), education (Rs. 24,000), medical (Rs. 10,000), pubUc safety (Rs. 15,000), and administration (Rs. 18,000). Ludhiana is famous for its manufacture of pashmma shawls, which was introduced by some Kashmiri immigrants in 1833.
Cotton fabrics are also largely woven, checks and gabruns being made in considerable quantities. Embroidery is largely carried on. The Ludhiana turbans are also famous, and a certain amount of ivory- turning is carried on, including the manufacture of billiard-balls. The town stands next to Amritsar in the excellence of its dyeing of wool and silk. It is an important centre for ornamental woodwork and furniture, and also a large grain mart. A flour-mill has recently been established, which in 1904 gave employment to 14 hands. The prin- cipal educational institutions are the four Anglo-vernacular high schools: one maintained by the municipality, the management of which was taken over by the Educational department in 1904, two by the mission, and the Islamiya school. Ludhiana has been since 1834 the head-quarters of the American Presbyterian Mission, which, in addition to the schools mentioned, maintains the North India School of Medicine for Christian Women and a printing press. There is a civil hospital in the town, with a branch dispensary.
