Day 40 - Kapurthala

Day 40


Kapurthala district  is in the state of Punjab and is made up of two combined areas to make up the complete Kapurthala District. These two sections are known as Kapurthala-Sultanpur Lodhi, along with the smaller area of Phagwara Tehsil. During the 11th century the town of Kapurthala was founded by the scion of Jaiselmer's Rana Kapur. Kapurthala is full of history, culture and architectural diversity. The city of Kapurthala is a mix of Indo-Saracenic and French styles of architecture. This quaint city is full of aesthetic and secular combinations of historical buildings of prominence that once ran this princely state, and was once referred to as the "Paris of Punjab".


How to reach here:

By Air: The closest airport is located in the city of Amritsar- Raja Sansi International Airport, Amritsar (ATQ).

By Rail: The closest major railway station is located in the city of Jalandhar. The station is connected to most of the cities and towns in the state and one can reach the place easily. The distance from Jalandhar to Kaporthala is around 19 km.


Best time to visit: October to March.


Languages spoken: Punjabi, Hindi and English.


Must eat: Punjabi cuisine.


Famous Restaurants: Sethi Dhaba, Lala Kiran.


Places you must visit:


Sainik School (Jagatjit Palace) was formerly the palace of Maharajah Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala. It was designed by the French Architect M. Marcel and the construction of the building was completed in 1908. It is spread over a total area of 200 acres. The roofs of the palace have been made in the 'beaux-art’ style of the 19th century. Of them, the most impressive is the Mansard Roof, with a double slope and oeil-de-boeuf windows, like those of the Louvre. Durbar Hall is the prime attraction here, which abounds in samples of French art and architecture. Today, the palace has been converted into Sainik School.



Panch Mandir of Kapurthala, built during the reign of, Sardar Fateh Singh, have superb qualities of historical importance and having amazing idol and this is the second temple of a country where monument of God 'Surya' is enlightened directly by Sun enerafter. Several smaller temples dedicated to different deities surround the principal dome in center. Another amazing stuff is that from the main silver door of temple one can pay obeisance to every idol and there idols seems same attractive from outside the door as they are from in. Even historic idol of God "Bramajee" is placed in this temple. A replica of this only temple of its kind was exhibited in the pre-partition Punjab Museum at Lahore.



Elysee Palace ,built in 1862, by Kanwar Bikrama Singh, the Elysee Palace has an imposing and elegant facade. Today, the palace has been converted into MGN School of Kapurthala.



Shalimar Gardens is located in the centre of the town and provides a relief from the daily worries of life. The garden has Shahi Samadhs (royal cenotaphs), which emphasize the traditions of its ruling dynasty. Nearby, there is a grand structure built in 1880, which houses the samadhis of Maharaja Kharak Singh, Jagatjit Singh and Paramjit Singh. The gardens also contain 'Baradari’ - a historical building that served as the meeting point of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharaja Fateh Singh. The entrance gate is splendid and the gardens have a pond, a park and a library.



Moorish Mosque was built in 1930, by the French architect Monsieur M Manteux, the mosque is a famous replica of the Qutbya Mosque of Marakesh, Morocco. It was built during the reign of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh. It is a national monument, under the Archaeological Survey of India. The inner dome of the mosque has designs of the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore.



The State Gurdwara is a large and imposing red sandstone building (now painted white)  was constructed in 1915. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style, it has vast expanses of marble, haloed by the feet of hundreds of devotees.




Gurdwara Ber Sahib  is located in Sultanpur Lodhi, in the district of Kapurthala. It is revered as the site where Guru Nanak spent 14 years of his life. Here, Guru Nanak got enlightenment, while taking bath in the river Kali Bein and created 'Sukhmani Sahib’. The place derives its name from a Ber tree (Zizyphus Jujuba), said to be planted by Guru Nanak himself, under which he first uttered the Mool Mantra or the "Sacred Word or Revelation" of Sikhism.

The Court Complex was the former Kapurthala State Durbar Hall. It was constructed in 1889 and was built in an impressive style with red bricks, stylized domes and stone lattice work. The door and window frames are in the Islamic style.

The War Memorial was built in 1923, the building is made out of red sandstone and is an outstanding example of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. The striking attraction is a bronze statue of a soldier of the Kapurthala State Forces.

The Maharaja's Library consists of a grand collection of artifacts, including a mechanical clock and a rare orchestra with an automatic tune player.

Kanjli Wetland is located on the western Bein rivulet, at the outskirts of the city. It is a very popular site for bird watching and boating. An enormous project is currently being undertaken here, to develop it into a destination for bird watching, replete with modern day facilities.

Mausoleum of Peer Yau-udin Sahib (Peer Chaudhri) was the benefactor of the Royal House of Kapurthala. His "Dera" or residence used to be in the forecourt of the City Palace of the then rulers. When the court was moved to the new palace, Peer Sahib was given this piece of land for use, by Maharaja Jagatjit Singhji(n 1902), not far from the new palace. To this day, devotees of all persuasions throng the mausoleum with offerings of oil & kind.