Ferozpur

The District Ferozepur is situated at India Pakistan baorder, at the east side Faridkot district, Moga district and at the south side Muktsar District is situated. On the north east the River Sutlej generally separates it from the FIROZPUR and Kapurthala districts and on the south west side the Ganganagar district of state Rajasthan touches the boundaries of Ferozepur. The united stream of the Sutlej and Beas generally separates it from the Amritsar district in the north-west, and farther down from the Pakistan with the exception of some areas on each side of the river.

Excursion

Saragarhi Memorial
Saragarhi Memorial Gurudwara has been built in the memory of 21 Sikh soldiers of the 36 Sikh Regiment who fell in heroic defence of Fort Saragarhi in Wazirstan on September, 12 1897 while defending the fort against an attack of ten thousand Pathans. The 36 Sikh Regiment was raised at FIROZPUR on April 1887 under the command of Colonel Cook in January 1897 the Regiment was sent to Fort Lock Hard of which Saragarhi and Gulistan were important posts On the morning of September, 12 about ten thousand pathans surrounding Saragarhi and taking positions within one thousand yards of the fort opened fire. There were only 21 Sikh soldiers in the fort who returned fire as outside help was out of question. Sepoy Gurmukh Singh Hallo-graphed to his commander Colonel Naughten that their fort had been attacked by the enemy. On order from the commander these soldiers continued to return fire. The battle continued for seven hours and then the Sikhs fell one by one. At about 2 PM the Garrison began to run out of ammunition and a request was made to the colonel for more supplies. NO supplies came but the soldiers were told to stick to their guns. In the meantime the Pathans asked the Sikh soldiers to surrender but they preferred to die fighting. In the end the leader of the brave band Havildar Ishar Singh was left alone. With consummate coolness regardless of the bullets whistling around his head Havildar Ishar Singhhad kept up haliographic communication with Fort Lockhart. According to a contemporary Army Authority Havildar Ishar Singh the only man alive and unwounded out of the little band taking his rifle placed himself in the front of a doorway leading from the room into which the enemy had forced their way, prepared to sustain the fight along calmly and steadily. He loaded his rifle and delivered the fire. Unconquered even in death the Sikh War cry rang from his dying lips in defiance of the foe. Then followed silence broken only by the crackling of flames. The memorial Gurdwara at Ferozepur was built at a cost of Rs, 27,118 by the Army Authorities to honour these brave soldiers. The gurudwara was declared open in 1904 by Sir Charles Pevz, the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. Every year on September, 12 a religious congregation is held in the morning while reunion of Ex-servicemen in the evening.

The Barki Memorial
The Barki Memorial was constructed in 1969 to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers of the 7 Infantry Division who made the Supreme sacrifice on the battle field in 1965 and paved the way for the fall of Barki a town situated at a distance of 15 miles South East of Lahore. The foundation stone of this memorial was laid by Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh VC on September 11,1969 and unveiling ceremony was performed by Lt Gen HK Sibal MVC. The memorial which now forms a part of Saragarhi Complex has a pillar in the centre, a Patten tank and a Barki mile stone on the south and a water fountain on the North The pillar is 27 feet high and is built of red and white sand stone and gneise. The mouldings and relief carvings are in the classical Indian architectural style. The fountain denotes symbolically that the memory of those who laid down their lives will for ever remain green and lush by an abundant spray of water.

National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwala
National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwala depicts an irrepressible revolutionary spirit of three National Martyrs namely S Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev who lit eternal flame of liberty by smilingly embracing martyrdom for the motherland. S Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt threw a Bomb in the Central Assembly hall New Delhi on April, 8 1929 to record their protest against the British rule in India. He and his two brave comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev were tried for shooting a British Police Officer Mr Saundras on the 17th December, 1928 These three revolutionaries were awarded death sentence. Following a hasty trial of the Lahore conspiracy case they were executed a day earlier than the hanging scheduled in the Central Jail Lahore at 7.15 PM on March 23,1931 The entire of Lahore was in the grip of National fervor and there were apprehensions of revolt. The Jail authorities broke the back wal of the Jail and secretly brought the dead bodies of S Bhaghat Singh and comrades here, on this spot at the bank of the river Sutlej for an unceremonial cremation. Mr B K Dutt died in Delhi on 19th July 1965 and as per his last will he was also cremated here.

Shane-E-Hind
This 42 feet long, 91 feet wide and 56 feet high Shan-e-Hind designed by chief Architect, Punjab is a fine reply to 30 feet high Fakhr-E-Pak constructed on the Pakistan side about 30 years ago.

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Weather
The climate of Ferozepur district is, on the whole, dry and is characterised by very hot summer, a short rainy season and a bracing with winter. The year may be divided into four seasons. The cold season is from November to March, followed by the summer season which lasts up to about end of June. The period from July to the middle of September constitutes the south-westerly monsoon season. The latter half of September and October may be termed as the post-monsoon or the transition period.

From about the end of March, the temperature increases rapidly till June which is generally the hottest month and on individual days, the maximum temperature may be about 47?C. However, with the onset of the monsoon by about end of June or early July, there is an appreciable drop in day temperature but the weather remains oppressive due to the increased moisture in July and August. By about the second week of September both day band night temperatures begin to fall, the drop in the night temperature being more than the day temperature. After October, both the day and night temperatures decrease rapidly till January, which happens to be the coldest month when the minimum temperature occasionally drops to about a degree of two below the freezing point of water.

The rainfall in the district generally increases from the south-west towards the north east. About 70 percent of the annual rainfall in the district is received during the period from July to September, July and August being the rainiest months. Some rainfall occurs during the pre-monsoon months, mostly in the form of thunder showers. In the winter season, some rainfall occurs under the influence of westerly disturbances. However, the variation in the rainfall from year to year is large. The following table give monthly rainfall based on average of 10 years, 1991-2000 for the district.

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