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The small city of Ropar
situated at a distance of 40 kms from
Chandigarh on way to Anandpur Sahib
occupies a prominent place not only
in the ancient and medieval history
of India but an equally conspicious
place in the modern history also. It
was here under a 'peepul' tree that
a memorable meeting between Maharaja
Ranjit Singh and Lord Williiam Bentick
took place on October 31, 1831. The
time worn old tree was uprooted in a
storm a few tears back.
Ropar once called 'Rup Nagar' is situated
near the Satluj between Nangal and Chandigarh.
The history of this town goes back into
antiquity and recent excavations point
to it as one of the oldest towns in
Punjab. The relics excavated show that
the town has flourished in the past
with a very advanced civilization similar
to the 'Harappa and Mohenjodaro' civilization.
It was here in 1874 that the famous
Sirhind canal was channelised from the
left side of the river Satluj. The lake
formed by the Ropar head works constitutes
a major tourist attractions. At a distance
of about 12 kilometers from here on
the way to Nangal lies the Sirsa aqueduct.
Nearby are the Guru Gobind Singh Thermal
Plant and the Power Houses of Kotla
and Ganguwal.
Its archaeological Museum and Super
Thermal Plant are famous.
250 species of migratory birds visit
the Sutlej water-body wetland, which
is marked by a picturesque tourist resort
here.
Anandpur Sahib:
The valley from Ropar, through Kiratpur
Sahib and Anandpur Sahib is full of
Gurudwaras. Information about them is
available at Sri Takht Kesgarh.
Situated on the left bank of the river
Sutlej at a distance of about 41 kms.
from Ropar on the Chandigarh - Nangal
Road, Anandpur Sahib, the abode of peace
with its numerous Gurudwaras stands
out in picturesque relief against the
Naina Devi mountain range.
Founded by Guru Tegh Bahadurji, the
ninth Sikh 'Guru, Guru Gobind Singh
Ji, the tenth Guru had baptized the
first five Sikhs called 'Panj Piare'
here.
The festival of Hola Mohalla celebrated
here is renowned worldwide for the splendor
of martial display exhibited by the
Nihangs. During the tercentenary celebrations
of the birth of the Khalsa (1999) Anandpur
Sahib is being put as a must on the
tourist map of India.
Some of the more important Gurudwaras
are :
Takht Kesgarh Sahib - The Khalsa was
born here.
Gurudwara Anandgarh Sahib Fort and residence
of Guru Gobind Singh Ji with remarkable
paved well.
Gurudwara Damdama Sahib place of coronation
of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Harassed Kashmiri Pandits of the valley
have raised a memorial at Gurudwara
Thara Sahib where their forefathers
had come to seek Guru's protection against
the tyrannical policy of forcible conversion
to Islam by Emperor Aurangzeb. It was
here that Guru Tegh Bahadur had taken
decision to embrace martyrdom at Delhi,
the event, which as the history of India
proves, defeated the design of the Mughal
Emperor to convert India into Dar-i-Islam
(the home of Islam).
Bhakra-Nangal Project:
There is much to see at Bhakra and
Nangal, pre-eminently the world's highest
straight gravity Bhakra Dam.
Tourist Places
Gurdwara Sri Bhatha Sahib, Gurdwara
Sri Pataal Puri Sahib, Kirtpur Sahib,
Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora (Ropar)
where Sri Guru Gobind Singh got separated
from his family, Gurdwara Sri Keshgarh
Sahib, Anadpur Sahib (birth place of
Khalsa) and Gurudwara Katalgarh Sahib
(Sri Chamkaur Sahib) are the holiest
places of Sikhs. In addition a new industrial
belt is coming up after crossing River
Sutlej on Ropar-Nawan Shehar Road, where
large number of industries such as Swaraj
Mazda Ltd., DCM Engineering Works, Ranbaxy,
Max India Ltd., Maxon India Ltd. and
Montary India have been set up. There
is also a Thermal Plant put up by Punjab
State Electricity Board at Ropar. Besides
cement plant has been set up by Ambuja
Group of Industries near Thermal Plant
at Ropar.
How To Reach
Ropar is connected by train to Delhi
and Una via Nangal by Himachal Express.
There is vast network of bus services
of Punjab, Himachal, Delhi, Haryana,
Pepsu, Chandigarh, U.P., J&K, Rajasthan
State Roadways, apart from private operators.
Important destinations include Delhi,
Shimla, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Rishikesh,
Kulu, Manali, Dharmshala, Jammu, Naina
Devi and Vaishno Devi.
Distance From
Chandigarh 42 Kms.
New Delhi 290 Kms
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