Ambala district

Kos Minar near Ambala along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana

This district falls under the Ambala Lok Sabha constituency, which is a reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates only. This district also has four Vidhan Sabha constituencies, all of which are part of Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. Those are Ambala City, Ambala Cantt, Mulana and Naraingarh.

Administration of this district falls under the Ambala division and law and order falls under the Ambala Police Range. The district administration has two sub-divisions, Ambala and Naraingarh. District is further subdivided into 4 community development blocks and 7 revenue tehsils. Community development blocks are Ambala, Ambala Cantt, Barara and Naraingarh. Tehsils are Ambala, Ambala Cantt, Barara, Mullana, Saha, Shahzadpur and Naraingarh.[1]

Being located in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the land is generally fertile and conducive to agriculture. However, primary sector contributes much lesser to the economy of the district than it does to the economy of Haryana.[2] Small scale industries form the bulk of the industrial landscape in the district. It is one of the largest producers of scientific and surgical instruments in the country and home to a large number of scientific instrument manufacturers due to which it is also referred as Science City .[3]

According to the 2011 census, Ambala district had a population of 1,128,350[5] roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus[6] or the US state of Rhode Island.[7] It ranks 410th (out of a total of 640) in India in terms of population.[5] The district has a population density of 720 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,900/sq mi) .[5] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11.23%.[5] Ambala had a sex ratio of 885 females for every 1000 males,[5] and a literacy rate of 81.75%. Scheduled Castes make up 26.25% of the population.[5]

Hindi (In Devanagri Script) is the official languages and thus used for official communication.[8] At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 84.57% of the population in the district spoke Hindi, 10.95% Punjabi and 2.72% Haryanvi as their first language.[9]

Religion

Population trends for major religious groups in Ambala district (1941–1961, 2001–2011)[lower-alpha 1]

Religious group	Population % 1941[14]	Population % 1951[14]	Population % 1961[15]	Population % 2001[16]	Population % 2011[17][18]
Hinduism	48.40%	72.20%	71.45%	84.40%	84.65%
Sikhism	18.50%	24.60%	24.83%	13.06%	12.25%
Islam	31.70%	2.40%	—	1.70%	1.96%
Jainism	—	—	—	0.52%	0.43%
Christianity	—	—	—	0.28%	0.33%
Buddhism	—	—	—	0.02%	0.03%
Other / No religion	1.40%	0.8%	3.73%	0.01%	0.35%

Religion in Ambala district [lower-alpha 2]

Religion	Population (1941)[19]: 42	Percentage (1941)	Population (2011)[17]	Percentage (2011)
Hinduism [lower-alpha 3]	412,658	48.68%	955,096	84.65%
Islam	268,999	31.73%	22,143	1.96%
Sikhism	156,543	18.47%	138,202	12.25%
Christianity	4,892	0.58%	3,705	0.33%
Others [lower-alpha 4]	4,653	0.55%	9,204	0.82%
Total Population	847,745	100%	1,128,350	100%

• Pracheen Mata Shri Ambika Devi Temple

Ambika Devi Mandir in Ambala is dedicated to Devi Amba and is a famous temple amongst the locals (irrespective of their religion Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Budh, Christian or Muslim etc.) in the area and they all do their worship here and ask for vows.It is believed that the name of city Ambala has been derived from the name of Goddess Amba, whose temple is situated in the city. It is a temple of the ancient period and has been there since a very long time. The Bhawani Amba Temple in Ambala has derived its name from the presiding Goddess of the temple. The deity is known as Amba Devi or Bhawani Devi.

• Gurudwara Panjokhara Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji is about 8 kms.from Ambala city headquarters along the Ambala-Naraingarh road, it marks the spot consecrated by Guru Harkrishan, by his stay during his journey from Kiratpur to Delhi. A small memorial raised in honour of the Guru was developed into a Gurdwara during the Sikh Rule.Now, it has become a vast complex including the double-storey sanctum entered through a spacious hall, Guru ka Langar with a vast dining hall, and enclosed sarovar and ancillary buildings for staff and pilgrims.

• Gurudwara Manji Sahib (Baoli Sahib)

The Manji Sahib Gurdwara is the most popular Sikh shrine of Ambala. It is located at Kaith Majri near National Highway-1. The sixth and tenth Sikh Guru Hargobind and Guru Gobind Singh respectively visited this place. In 1950, the foundation of this gurudwara was laid.

• Gurudwara Lakhnaur Sahib

It derives its name from the village it is situated in, Lakhnaur is a village located 13 kms.from Ambala city headquarters. It was the ancestral village of Guru Gobind Singh's mother, Mata Gujari. At the age of four, Guru Gobind Singh accompanied by his mother stayed at Lakhnaur for over six months. Later, the house in which they had lived during their stay at Lakhnaur was maintained as a holy shrine. During the later half of the 18th century, the house was converted into a proper Gurudwara. The Gurudwara building is in the centre of a large walled compound and has some distinctive architectural features.

• Badshahi Bagh Gurudwara

Badshahi Bagh Gurudwara lies near the district courts of Ambala city. It commemorates to the visit of Guru Gobind Singh, who stayed here while returning from Lakhnaur, where he had gone to meet his maternal parents. He stayed in the garden, under a cluster of trees. A tank has also been built near the Gurudwara Badshahi Bagh. Guru Gobind Singh ji, the tenth Guru, visited this place around 1670 during one of his excursions to Lakhnaur. While on a hunting trip one day on his horse, he came to a big garden just outside the city of Ambala. Then he was a small child of eight years, he had with him his white hawk as well. The garden belonged to Pir Amir Din, the custodian of the Muslim shrines of the city. He happened to be present in the garden at the same time. Pir Amir Din had with him a black hawk. On seeing Guruji's white hawk, the Pir got a liking to it and began thinking of how to possess the white hawk for himself.

He threw a challenge to the Guru for a fight between the two hawks. But, Guruji realising the real intention of the Pir, refused and said that instead of the hawk, he would make sparrows fight the Pir's hawk. The Pir laughed and said that sparrows were food for his hawk, but Guruji repeated his words. With this, Guruji called upon two sparrows that were sitting on a tree to fight with the hawk. The sparrows fought so ferociously that the hawk was injured badly. It finally fell to its death about a kilometer away, near Labbu ka Talaab, the site of Gurudwara Gobindpura. The Pir realised his folly and built a platform in honor of the Guru. It is here that Guru Gobind Singh uttered his famous words: "Chirion se main baaz larun, tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun". (It is when I make sparrows fight hawks that I am called Gobind Singh)

• Sis Ganj Gurudwara

Gurudwara Sis Ganj, an enchanting Sikh shrine is located at a distance of about 300 meters from Gurudwara Manji Sahib. The Gurudwara is double-storied and there is an open hall inside it. The shrine is dedicated to the Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur.

• Hanuman Temple

This is 250-year-old temple near the railway station of Ambala city. The old G.T. Road also passes from this temple. The artwork inside the temple draws close resemblance to Mughal School of Painting. The temple is much frequented by pilgrims and especially on Tuesday and Saturday and on Hanuman Jayanti, a procession is taken out from this temple.

• Kali Mata Temple

This temple is situated near Rambagh or cremation ground of Ambala and has 6-feet tall statue of Kali Mata installed here. The temple has been decked up with figurines of birds and animals and these depict the culture of the medieval times.

• Shiv Mandir

This is 300-year-old temple is situated in the cloth market of Ambala. This temple has been restored from time to time. Right in front of this temple, there is a minaret Ashok ki Lat. Lot of people come to pay obeisance at this temple.

• Rani Ka Talab

This place is close to Patel Park and has a Shiv Temple close adjoining, Shiv temple is being very well maintained by Army and is worth visit where as the Pont is waterless and you only find the boundaries of this man made pond, where it is believed Royal Queen of Patiala used to spend her time here.

• Holy Redeemer Church

It was built under the British rule, when troops of East India Company were transferred from Karnal to Ambala. Constructed in 1848, the Catholic Church also features two rooms initially made for the troops, which are used as a dispensary and a reading room at present. The church was visited by Lord Ripon, the only Catholic Viceroy of India.The church collapsed and a new church was constructed at the same place in 1902. In 1956, this church was handed over to Redemptories group.

• St Paul's Church

Located in Ambala Cantonment, it is one of the oldest churches in the region. St Paul’s church, which was consecrated on January 4, 1857, was bombed during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. The bombing by a Pakistani aircraft considerably destroyed the church building and today only the church tower remains.

• European Cemetery

Twenty heroes of the Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902) in South Africa, who were brought as prisoners of war, lie buried at this cemetery after they were executed for waging a war against the British. During the Anglo-Boer war, the British made hundreds of Boers (original Dutch settlers in South Africa) prisoners of war and sent them to India, Sri Lanka and several other colonies. Many of them were even kept in Ambala jail. A few of them could not return to their country and died here. Twenty of them were buried here and a commemorative pillar was constructed after the British and the Boers reached an agreement and joined hands against the Blacks. The graves of others heroes, with their names inscribed can still be seen at this cemetery.

• Jain Shavetamber Temple

Many Jain saints have paid visit to Ambala city from time to time. At present, Jain Shavetamber idol worshipper sect and 105-year-old Shri Supashvarnath temple exist here. Every year on Jain festivals, processions are taken out with many followers taking part in it. Even the Digamber sect has its roots in Ambala and an ancient Adinath Digamber temple is located here.

• Lakhi Shah & Taqwal Shah Shrine

Lakhi Shah and Taqwal Shah Shrine are the popular Islamic shrines in Ambala city. The origin of the shrine is associated with Tej-ud-Din Chisti. The shrine though not very huge, yet conveys a message of peace and culture. It has a hall and a high dome shaped roof. The local residents(irrespective of their religion Hindu, Sikh, Jain, or Muslim etc.) offer prayers in the shrine with great devotion.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ambala district.

• Ambala district official website

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