Jandiala Guru is named after Jand, a son of the founder. The municipality was created in 1867 during the
colonial period of British rule and formed part of
Amritsar Tehsil. The town was situated on the route of the
North-Western Railway. The population, according to the 1901 census, was 7,750, and the revenue of the town in 1903-4 was Rs. 8,400, mainly from
octroi taxes. At the turn of the 21st century the population was estimated at 100,000. Large communities are Ghangas (Jatts),
Majhbi Sikh SC, Jains (mainly jewelers, grain merchants, and businessmen), Malhotras (Khatri), Kamboj & Thatheras (utensil makers), and Christians. Large concentration of these skillful artisans make Jandiala Guru the hub for jewelry and utensils manufacturing for the surrounding areas. Previously, it was surrounded by a mud wall and had seven gates. Some of these gates or their ruins are still visible. The town has religious diversity. A number of popular and well visited religious places for Sikhs, Hindus, Jains and Muslims exist in and around the town. A historical Gurudwara of Baba Hundal (Baba Hundal Tap Asthan) is well known and well visited religious place. A crafts colony of Thatheras was established during the reign of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh the great 19th Century
Sikh Monarch, who encouraged skilled metal crafters from
Kashmir to settle here. In 2014, the traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the
Thatheras of Jandiala Guru got enlisted on the
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by
UNESCO. After the listing, the
Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar launched Project Virasat to revive this craft. ==Demographics==