A town steeped in history

Jagraon town, 50 km from Ludhiana, was established by Rai Kamaluddin of Raikot in 1688. It name originates from the words ‘Jagar aon’, meaning ‘a place of great flooding’, as the region historically experienced flooding. The primary occupation of the people living here is agriculture.

Advertisement

Connection with Sikh Gurus

Many Sikh Gurus visited this place and it is believed that the Gurdwara Nanaksar in Jagraon gained spiritual significance after Guru Nanak Dev blessed the site. The foundation of this gurdwara was laid by Baba Nand Singh as a meditation site and he sought deep penance here. “The sixth guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind, visited Jagraon in 1628 and later Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru, visited this town in 1761. A gurdwara named ‘Guru Sar’ was constructed in Kaunke village, 7 km from the Jagraon, to commemorate his visit. Jagraon is a small but blessed town and blessed are the people living here,” said Zora Singh, an octogenarian from Galib Kalan village.

Tryst with freedom fighter

Freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, known as ‘Punjab Kesri’ (Lion of Punjab) spent much of his youth here. Though his birth place was Dudhike village in Moga district, his father Munshi Radha Krishan Aggarwal was a resident of Jagraon. “The ancestral house of Lala Lajpat Rai — built in 1845 in Mohalla Misarpura of Jagraon, where he spent early years of childhood — still stands and houses a library and museum. It is the pride of the town. It has been restored and converted into a museum and displays original things used by him, including his bed, chairs, utensils etc,” said Kultar Singh.

A school, college, pathshala, park, bus stand and stadium are a few places named after the great freedom fighter here, which constantly reminds us of him.

Roshni Mela

Jagraon’s ‘Rohni Mela’ (fair of the lights) is held every year between February and March to remember Muslim Peer Baba Mohkumdeen. People from neighbouring states also visit the fair to light an earthen lamp at the mazaar and pray. It is organised in the vicinity of the pir’s tomb. It is called ‘Roshni Mela’ because people light earthen lamps. Songs, dance and food stalls add extra glitz to the fair.