Know Your District – UNA

• Consequent upon the reorganization of Punjab, all the hill areas including Una tehsil was transferred to Himachal Pradesh. Ever since, until September 1972 it continued to remain as tehsil of the then Kangra district.
• On the 1st September 1972 the Himachal Pradesh Govt. reorganized the then Kangra district into three districts namely Una, Hamirpur, and Kangra.
• The bulk of the present Una district which is otherwise popularly known as Jaswan Dun was ruled by the Katoch family of Kangra.
• The Jaswan State was founded by a cadet of the Katoch line about A.D.1170, whose name is said to have been PURAB CHAND.
• From Purab Chand to Ummed Singh 27 Rajas in all ruled the Jaswan State.
• With the decline of the Mughal empire and rise of the Sikhs, the Jaswan state came under their dominance, and in 1786 Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra acquired paramount power in the hills.
• With the acquisition of Kangra Fort, on the expulsion of the Gurkhas in 1809, JASWAN STATE became subject to Ranjit Singh and in 1815 it was annexed to the Sikh Kingdom.
• THE END OF JASWAN STATE: It was in the autumn of that year Maharaja Ranjit Singh summoned all his forces, personal and tributary, to assemble at SIALKOT, unluckily the Rajas of Nurpur and Jaswan failed to obey the summons and a fine fixed beyond their resources was imposed on each. Submitting quietly to his fate Raja Ummed Singh resigned his State and accepted a JAGIR of Rs. 12000 annual value and thus came the end of JASWAN STATE which lasted for probably 600 years.

1. Shiv Lingam, Shivbari Temple Gagret: On Hoshiarpur-Dharmsala road, near Gagret on the bank of river Swan (Sombhadra) is located the SHIV BARI which is believed to have been the practicing range for archery pupils of Guru Dronacharya. As per a belief, the lord Shiva’s temple in the Shiv Bari was got constructed by Guru Dronacharya to facilitate his daughter Jayati to worship lord, Shiva.
2. Pir Nigaha, Basoli: An important fair being held near Una, the district headquarters, is the fair of Pir Nigaha.
3. Dhyunsar Mahadev Temple Telmehra: Situated in Bahi village near Talmehra in Bangana Tehsil of Una district, Dhyunsar Mahadev Temple is a corrupted form of DHAUMYESHWAR SADASHIV TIRATH (Temple). It is believed that ‘kul-purohit’ (family priest) of Pandavas DHAUMYA RISHI while wandering came to this place and attracted by its serenity and beautiful surroundings, sat in reverence to worship lord Mahadev.
4. AMB: The one-time seat of Jaswan state, Amb is situated on Dharamsala-Una-Chandigarh road, about 32 km. from Una. In the good old days, it was known for its gardens of Jaswal rajas. Amb was raised to the status of Sub-divisional headquarter after the reorganization of the districts in 1972
5. Una: The town of Una which happens to be the district headquarter is situated by the side of the Swan River which is the tributary of the Sutlej river. As per a belief prevalent in the area, the great rishi Balmiki had named this river as “Som Bhadra” in Ramayana while Rig Veda had mentioned it is “Swastu”. Una had been mentioned as a state of Jalandhar Doab in “Aainey Akbari” a historical treatise of the Mughal period having in its fold eight revenue mohals out of the 60 recorded in the said book.

FAMOUS PERSONALITIES OF UNA

• Mukesh  Agnihotri (Politics): Mukesh Agnihotri is a political leader associated with the Indian National Congress, currently the Member of Legislative Assembly from Haroli Constituency in Una District in Himachal Pradesh. After winning from Haroli in HP Assembly Elections in 2003/2007/2012/2017, he was inducted into Cabinet as Industry Minister with an additional charge of Labor & Employment, Parliamentary Affairs, Information & Public Relations from 2012 to 2017. He is currently the leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Himachal Pradesh.
• Baba Kanshi Ram: Baba Kanshi Ram was a poet and activist for independence. The death sentences handed out to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in 1931 had a great impact on him. He vowed to wear black clothes until India achieved its independence. He adhered to his vow until he died on 15 October 1943 and came to be known affectionately as the Siyahposh Jarnail (The Black General). In 1937, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru awarded him the title of Pahari Gandhi.
• Deepak Thakur: Deepak Thakur Sonkhla (popularly known as Deepak Thakur) is a hockey forward in the Indian team. Deepak Thakur Sonkhla was born on December 28, 1980, in Bhamowal village in Hoshiarpur district. Thakur’s father is an ex-serviceman (from Una) and his mother a house-wife. His younger sister is a national badminton player. He was awarded Arjuna Award in 2004 for taking Indian hockey to the next higher level.

FACTS AND TRIVIA

• The capital of Una (erstwhile Jaswan) was Rajpur near Amb. It was founded by Puran Chand.
• Formerly Princely state Kutleher was a part of Una.
• The only river that flows through the district Una is Swan.
• The Pong dam is constructed across the river Beas and is elevated at a height of 450 m above the sea level. It is considered as the highest earthern dam in the country and sprawls across an area of 45,000 hectares of land.
• The Kila Baba Bedi Ji situated in Una, is also known to be the ancestral place of the First Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak.
• Thaneek Pura (a hill station) is famous for its various trekking trails that transverse through some of the most fascinating scenic places replete with nature and adventure.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

There are quite a few fairs and festivals celebrated in the various parts of the district. Some of the important fairs are as follows:

Chintpurni

• The shrine of Chintpurni is located 3 kms. away from a place known as Bharwain on Hoshiarpur–Dharamshala road on ridge top of Solashinghi range.
• At Chintpurni three famous fairs are held every year, first is known as the Chaitra Navratras fair in the month of March-April, second as Shravan Ashtmi fair in the month of August and the third one known as Kartik Navratras fair in the month of August.
• Shravan Ashtmi fair is the main fair among the three where lacks of devotees come from different parts of the country and abroad to pay their homage.

Gurudwara of Sahib Sigh Ji Bedi

• The Gurudwara is situated in Una town within the precinct of Una fort and was founded by the descendant of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
• According to the District Gazetteer of Hoshiarpur (1884) Bedi Baba Kaladhari, a descendant of Baba Nanak, crossed over from Dera Baba Nanak (Gurdaspur), early in the 19th centuary and after wandering in the Jalandhar Doaba area for years, ultimately settled down at Una where he laid foundation of Una town.
• Here he attracted huge crowd of followers who flocked to hear his eloquent disquisition on the Granth Sahib. In Samvat 1860 (1804 A.D.)
• Raja Umed Singh gave to Baba Sahib Singh Ji Bedi, the whole of the Una Taluk (177 villages) as Jagir which was confirmed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Samvat 1872 and about the same time he received Nurpur Taluka from Sardar Budha Singh.
• Thus the principality of Bedi’s of Una went flourishing and expanding till it was taken over by the British.
• Even Now the descendants of Baba Kaladhari live in the fort of Una. Every year in the month of February/March a fair is held here to commemorate the Baba Kaladhari.

Pir Nigaha

• This shrine is situated in Basoli about 8 kms. from Una.
• This is said to be the handi-work of ‘Pandavas’ but later appropriated by Muslims.
• A fair is also held every thursday in May/June.
• It is believed that the cattle are brought over here to get secured of the diseases.
• People assemble in large numbers.

Panjgatra

• Panjgatra at Babhaur on the bank of Satuj is held on first Baisakhi day.
• It is purely a religious festival.
• The people gather and take bath in the river Satluj.
• The name is from five stones said to have been used by the sons of the Pandavas in the game of Panch Satara.

Baisakhi and Holi

• The fair at Mairi near Amb is held on Holi, where large number of people use to assemble.
• Principally people from Doaba and Manjha-Malwa assemble here and offer prayers to Dera Baba Barbhag Singh.
• Another fair is held on the day of Baisakhi, which is attended mostly by people from Kangra district.
• Yet another fair in Thakurdwara of Dharamsala is held on the day of Baisakhi and Holi.

Besides these, some other fairs held in the district are namely Sidh Badhmana fair which is held on every sunday in the months of June-July. Jatoli-Haroli fair is held for the worship of Gugga Pir and Bhadar Kali fair is held in February and September.