From a township with mud walls to a business centre

From a craftsmen and traders’ township guarded by a mud wall and seven gates, Jandiala has turned into a satellite town of Amritsar, with big businesses setting up their establishments here due to comparatively lower land prices and its strategic location on National Highway 1.

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Being just 8 km from Amritsar, it has also seen a rise in residential colonies. Presently most big brands of food industry have their outlets near Jandiala. Though the old gates have been long lost, new ones using small bricks add to the beauty of the town. A Jain temple is also coming up as the township has a fair population of the community.

In the religious sphere, Jandiala has another contribution as the religious sect Handaliye or Niranjanie was founded here. Baba Handal, a Jat from the village was a disciple of the third Sikh master Guru Amar Das.

Later, he was sent back to the village by the fourth Sikh Guru Ram Das Ji to preach Sikhism in the area. Until his death, he remained a devotee of the Sikh guru. However, his son, Bidhi Chand later exalted him to the position of guru and wrote a Granth to glorify and praise Baba Handal.

According to Pracheen Panth Prakash by Rattan Singh Bhangu, one of his successors, Harbhagat Niranjania, who was head of the sect then, helped Ahmed Shah Durrani catch and torture Bhai Taru Singh till his death.

When the Sikh misls learned about the incident, they decided to avenge it. On a letter written to him, Ahmed Shah Durrani himself went to help Harbhagat Niranjania and pursued retreating Sikhs. The incident which resulted in killings of thousands of Sikhs, women and children is still remembered as Vadda Ghallughara (Great Holocaust).

During Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s rule, he confiscated all Jagirs of the sect. Later, the British returned all the properties when the Handaliye started offering their services to them. A temple in the memory of Baba Handal is still here.