Hoshiarpur district is a district of Punjab state in northern India. Hoshiarpur, one of the oldest districts of Punjab, is located in the North-east part of the Punjab state and shares common boundaries with Gurdaspur district in the north-west, Jalandhar district and Kapurthala district in south-west, Kangra district and Una district of Himachal Pradesh in the north-east. Hoshiarpur district comprises 4 sub-divisions, 10 community development blocks, 9 urban local bodies and 1417 villages. The district has an area of 3365 km2. and a population of 1,586,625 persons as per census 2011.[2]
Hoshiarpur, along with the districts of Nawanshehar, Kapurthala and parts of Jalandhar, represents one of the cultural regions of Punjab called Doaba or the Bist Doab - the tract of land between two rivers, namely Beas and Sutlej. The area, along with the Shivalik foothills on the right side of Chandigarh-Pathankot road in Hoshiarpur, is sub mountainous. This part of the district is also known as Kandi area. The two rivers, Sutlej and Beas along with two other seasonal streams, provide drainage to the region. Besides these, the Kandi region is full of seasonal streams.
Hoshiarpur district falls into two nearly equal portions of hill and plain country. Its eastern face consists of the westward slope of the Solar Singhi Hills; parallel with that ridge, a line of lower heights belonging to the Siwalik Range traverses the district from south to north, while between the two chains stretches a valley of uneven width, known as the Jaswan Dun. Its upper portion is crossed by the Sohan torrent, while the Sutlej sweeps into its lower end through a break in the hills, and flows in a southerly direction until it turns the flank of the central range, and debouches westwards upon the plains. This western plain consists of alluvial formation, with a general westerly slope owing to the deposit of silt from the mountain torrents in the sub-montane tract. The Beas has a fringe of lowland, open to moderate but not excessive inundations, and considered very fertile. A considerable area is covered by government woodlands, under the care of the forest department. Rice is largely grown, in the marshy flats along the banks of the Beas. The district, owing to its proximity to the hills, possesses a comparatively cool and humid climate. Cotton fabrics are manufactured, and sugar, rice, other grains and indigo are among the exports.[3]
Hoshiarpur is also known as a City of Saints. There are many deras in this district. Several religious fairs are held, at Anandpur Sahib, Dasuya, Mukerian and Chintpurni, all of which attract an enormous concourse of people.[3]
The District Govt. College was once a campus for Punjab University, and it was predominantly inhabited by Gujjar and Saini, Dogras of Jammu-Punjab Region during the reign of the Sikh Empire.
History
The area of present Hoshiarpur District was also part of Indus Valley Civilization. Recent excavations at various sites in the district have revealed that the entire area near the Shivalik foothills was selected for habitation not only by the early Paleolithic man but also by those in the protohistoric and historic periods. The legends associate several places in the district with Pandavas. Dasuya is mentioned in epic of Mahabharata as the seat of Raja Virata in whose services the Pandavas remained for thirteen years during their exile. Bham, about 11 km west of Mahilpur, is said to be the place where the Pandavas passed their exile. Lasara, about 19 km north of Jaijon, also contains a stone temple stated to date back to the time of Pandavas. According to the Chinese pilgrim, Hieun Tsang, the area of Hoshiarpur was dominated by a tribe of Chandrabansi Rajputs, who maintained an independent existence for centuries before the Muhammadan conquest.
The country around Hoshiarpur formed part of the old kingdom of Katoch in Jalandhar. The state was eventually broken up, and the present district was divided between the, rajas of Datarpur and Jaswan. They retained undisturbed possession of their territories until 1759, when the rising Sikh chieftains commenced a series of encroachments upon the hill tracts. In 1815 Maharaja Ranjit Singh, forced the ruler of Jaswan to resign his territories in exchange for an estate on feudal tenure; three years later the raja of Datarpur met with similar treatment. By the close of the year 1818 the whole country from the Sutlej to the Beas had come under the government of Lahore, and after the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1846 passed to the British government. The deposed rajas of Datarpur and Jaswan received cash pensions from the new rulers, but expressed bitter disappointment at not being restored to their former sovereign position. Accordingly, the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Sikh War, in 1848 found the disaffected chieftains ready for rebellion. They organized a revolt, but the two rajas and the other ringleaders were captured, and their estates confiscated.[3] Hoshiarpur is an ancient centre of Hindu epics and culture itself. In Bajwara (4 km east on Una Road from the present city) ruins of an ancient culture can still be found. Mythologically, Teh Dasuya of this district is estimated to be King Virat's kingdom where Pandavas spent their one-year exile.
Gurdwara Sri Garna Sahib Bodal, District Hoshiarpur.
Bhrigu Samhita
Hoshiarpur is also popular for old astrological facts where it is said to be that old documents where past, present and future birth of every person is written in detail, are safely kept at this place. Many people visit Hoshiarpur to find out about their past, present and future in every birth they have or had taken in the past.[4]
Significant cities
Among the numerous ancient cultural centers in Hoshiarpur was town Jaijon. Said to be Founded by Jaijjat rishi around 11th century at the Shivalik foothills, Jaijon was a flourishing trade centre. It was also known as a centre for oriental studies. Noted scholars and exponents of Sanskrit, Astrology, Ayurveda and music visited this place for meeting. Music composers Pandit Husan Lal and Bhagat Ram and noted Pakistani poet Tufail Hoshiarpuri belonged to the same place. Jaijon also have a small old railway station from the British era.[5]
Ayurveda scholar Pandit Govind Ram Vatsyayan and Sanskrit laureate Acharya Vishwanath belonged to Jaijon.
According to the 2011 census Hoshiarpur district has a population of 1,586,625,[8] roughly equal to the nation of Gabon[9] or the US state of Idaho.[10] This gives it a ranking of 310th in India (out of a total of 640).[8]
The district has a population density of 683 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,770/sq mi).[8] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 17.95%.[8] Hoshiarpur has a sex ratio of 961 females for every 1000 males,[8] and a literacy rate of 85.40%. Scheduled Castes made up 35.14% of the population.[8]
The Hoshiarpur district has one of the highest Scheduled Caste population (34%) population in Punjab. The Hoshiarpur-I and Hoshiarpur-II have 48 percent Scheduled Castes population. In Mahilpur block the proportion of Scheduled Castes population is 44 percent and in Bhunga block it is 41 percent while in the remaining blocks the proportion of Scheduled Castes population is less than 40 percent.[11][12]
Gender
The table below shows the sex ratio of Hoshiarpur district through decades.
Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
Religion in the Tehsils of Hoshiarpur District (1921)[20]
Note: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
Religion in the Tehsils of Hoshiarpur District (1941)[22]
Note1: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
Note2: Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" on census. Does not include Anglo-Indian Christians or British Christians, who were classified under "Other" category.
At the time of the 2011 census, 93.74% of the population spoke Punjabi and 5.27% Hindi as their first language.[23]
Health
In the year 2017, Hoshiarpur district had the highest number of malaria cases in Punjab at 153.[24]
The table below shows the data from the district nutrition profile of children below the age of 5 years, in Hoshiarpur, as of year 2020.
District nutrition profile of children under 5 years of age in Hoshiarpur, year 2020
[25]
Indicators
Number of children (<5 years)
Percent (2020)
Percent (2016)
Low-birth weight
20,188
17%
22%
Stunted
22,403
19%
26%
Wasted
13,379
12%
17%
Severely wasted
2,845
2%
7%
Underweight
14,413
12%
21%
Overweight/obesity
4,437
4%
4%
Anemia
72,602
70%
60%
Total children
116,139
The table below shows the district nutrition profile of Hoshiarpur of women between the ages of 15 to 49 years, as of year 2020.
District nutritional profile of Hoshiarpur of women of 15-49 years, in 2020[26]
Indicators
Number of women (15-49 years)
Percent (2020)
Percent (2016)
Underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m^2)
56,089
11%
14%
Overweight/obesity
211,477
41%
31%
Hypertension
186,652
36%
18%
Diabetes
66,736
13%
NA
Anemia (non-preg)
281,589
54%
62%
Anemia (preg)
NA
NA
38%
Total women (preg)
24,123
Total women
519,345
The table below shows the number of road accidents and people affected in Hoshiarpur district by year.
Road accidents and people affected in Hoshiarpur district by year[27]
Year
Accidents
Killed
Injured
Vehicles Involved
2022
276
233
132
443
2021
239
203
142
410
2020
227
190
115
392
2019
336
254
176
543
Economy
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Hoshiarpur one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).[28] It is the only district in Punjab currently receiving funds from the Backward regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[28]
Hoshiarpur has 6,480 registered industrial units, which employ more than 31 thousand employees. There are 24 large and medium industries, where more than 15,000 people work.[29]
The Deputy Commissioner, an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service, is in-charge of the General Administration in the district, and is assisted by a number of officers belonging to Punjab Civil Service and other Punjab state services.
The Divisional Forest Officer, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service, is responsible for the management of the forests, environment and wildlife in the district and is assisted by the officers of the Punjab Forest Service and other Punjab forest officials and Punjab wildlife officials.
Sectoral development is looked after by the district head/officer of each development department such as PWD, Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal husbandry, etc. These officers are from various Punjab state services.
Sub-Divisions
The District of Hoshiarpur comprises four sub-divisions, ten development blocks, eight municipal councils and one notified area committee, as listed below:
Administrative Divisions
Hoshiarpur
Dasuya
Mukerian
Garhshankar
Development Blocks
Hoshiarpur-I
Hoshiarpur-II
Bhunga
Tanda
Dasuya
Mukerian
Talwara
Hajipur
Garhshankar
Center of Excellence for Fruits, Khanaura, District Hoshiarpur
Kewal Krishan of Mukerian(10 October 1923 – 30 June 2008) Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha), Minister of Finance in the Punjab Government 1980–83
Manmohan Waris, Punjabi folk singer belongs to Halluwal (near Mahilpur) District Hoshiarpur
Military
Fazal DinVC, of 7th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment, British Indian Army, during the Burma Campaign was run through the chest by a Japanese samurai officer's sword reaching through to his back and proceeded to take the sword out of himself and kill the Japanese officer with it
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