Malerkotla

Malerkotla, a Muslim majority state, was established in 1454 by Sheikh Sadruddin-i-Jahan from Afghanistan, and was ruled by his Sherwani descendants. The State of Malerkotla was established in 1600 A.D. During the 1947 riots when Punjab was experiencing heavy communal violence, the State of Malerkotla remained relatively peaceful. During the partition of India, there were no riots or bloodshed in any part of Maler Kotla State. The last Nawab, Iftikhar Ali Khan of Malerkotla, maintained calmness and harmony during the turbulent period. He remained in India and died in the year 1982. His tomb is located in Shahi graveyard situated at Sirhandi gate, Maler Kotla. Many also attribute this peace to the presence of the shrine of Baba Haidar Sheikh, the Sufi saint, who founded the town of Malerkotla more than 500 years ago. The ruling family of Sheikh SadrudDin Sherwani migrated to Pakistan and lived mostly in Model Town, Lahore, Muzaffargarh, and Khangarh. Malerkotla is famous for its food, mosques, badge-making industry, poets, and the ornate tombs of its princely rulers. ==Demographics==

As per provisional data of the 2011 census, the Malerkotla urban agglomeration had a population of 189,424, out of which males were 82,376 and females were 64,048. The literacy rate was 70.25 per cent. Malerkotla is the only Muslim-majority city of Indian Punjab. ==Gurudwara Haa Da Naara Sahib==

The special relationship between Sikhs and Malerkotla goes back to the period when the tenth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, was engaged in a series of battles with the oppressive Mughal rulers of the region and Sher Mohammed Khan was the Nawab of Malerkotla . Sher Mohammad Khan, a general in the Mughal Army, who actively participated in the military campaign against Sri Guru Gobind Singh, though having lost his brother and nephew in the battle of Chamkaur is said to have expressed his opposition to bricking up alive of the two young Sahibzadas of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, Zorawar Singh (aged nine years) and Fateh Singh (aged seven years), by the Subedar of Sirhind, Wazir Khan in 1705 and is said to have walked out, refusing to be a part of what he declared to be opposed to the tenets of Islam. It is said that he uttered ‘haa’ or ‘hai’ in anguish of the punishment imposed on the two Sahibzadas. This became known as ‘Haa da Naara’. On learning of this, Guru Gobind Singh blessed the Nawab and the people of Malerkotla with everlasting peace. This incident has been narrated over the years and gave Malerkotla a special place in the Sikh narrative. Gurudwara ‘Haa da Nara’ was built by Sikhs to commemorate this act of Nawab Sher Mohammed Khan. == Education ==

Urdu is taught alongside Punjabi in Malerkotla schools due to the local Punjabi Muslim majority. Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan Institute of Advanced Studies in Urdu, Persian and Arabic is part of Punjabi University, Patiala, and is named after one of the founders of Malerkotla State. It provides facilities for higher research in the languages and literature of Urdu and Persian up to PhD level and additionally runs classes for M.A. (Persian), Certificate courses (Urdu, Persian and Arabic), MSc (IT) two years, MSc (IT) lateral entry, PGDCA (one year), CCA (six months) and M.A (psychology). There are many schools and institutes including Learning Cottage Of Commerce. There are other schools like Sohrab Public Senior Secondary School, Al Falah Public senior secondary School, the town school, Sahibzada Fateh Singh senior secondary public school, Sita grammar school, Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir, Modern Secular school, DAV public school and many more. Almighty Public School on Almighty School road, Jamalpura, Malerkotla is a co-education, English Medium Sr. Secondary School. This school provide Education about Islam for Muslim students. ==Transportation==

Rail Malerkotla is situated on Delhi-Jakhal-Dhuri-Ludhiana Railway line. The nearest railway junctions are Dhuri () and Ludhiana ). Air The nearest airports to Malerkotla are: • Chandigarh Airport, also known as Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Mohali (about away) • Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar (about away) • Sahnewal Airport (IATA: LUH, ICAO: VILD), also known as Ludhiana Airport (about (66min) away) == Notable residents ==

• Iftikhar Ali Khan of Malerkotla (Last Nawab of Malerkotla) • Anas Rashid (Indian television actor) • Irshad Kamil (Indian lyricist and poet) • Mohammad Nazim (Indian television actor) • Razia Sultana (politician) (Indian Politician) • Saeed Jaffrey (Indian actor) • Ahmad Ali Khan of Malerkotla (Malerkotla Nawab) • Channi Singh (Indian musician) • Zeenat Begum (Pakistani singer) • Bobby Jindal (American politician, 55th Governor of Louisiana) • Mohammad Sajid Dhot (Indian footballer) • Dr. Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman (politician from Aam Aadmi Party) • Samant Goel (Raw Chief Of India) == Gallery ==

File:Gurudwara Sahib Haaw Da Naara, Malerkotla 3.jpg|Gurudwara Sahib Haa Da Naara File:Mubarak Manzil Palace, Malerkotla 01.jpg|Mubarak Manzil Palace File:Qila, Malerkotla 07.jpg|Qila File:Railways Station, Malerkotla 5.jpg|Railway station File:Eidgah, Malerkotla 2.jpg|Eidgah == Notes ==