| Tarn Taran Sahib | |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | India Punjab |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Punjab, India |
| Coordinates: | 31.4491°N 74.9205°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Punjab |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Tarn Taran |
| Established Date: | 1500 CE |
| Founder: | Guru Arjan Dev Ji |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 70 |
| Elevation M: | 500.5 |
| Population Total: | 66,847 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Rank: | 3th In Punjab |
| Population Demonym: | Tarn Tarn Sahib Wale |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Punjabi |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 143401 |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone code |
| Area Code: | +91 (225) 1852 |
| Registration Plate: | PB-46 |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Sex ratio |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | 764[2] ♂/♀ |
Tarn Taran Sahib is a city in the Majha region of the state of Punjab, in northern India. It is the district headquarters and hosts the municipal council of Tarn Taran district. Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib, a prominent Sikh shrine, is located in the central part of the city.
Tarn Taran Sahib was founded during Mughal rule by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563–1606). He was so enchanted by its natural beauty that he established a town and named it Tarn Taran, which translates to the "pool of salvation" in English. He laid the foundation of Sri Tarn Taran Sahib Temple. Tarn Taran Sahib was part of the Bhangi Sikh Dynasty ruled by a powerful Jatt family of the Dhillon clan from 1716 to 1810.
In 1947, the year of the Partition of India and the Partition of Punjab, Tarn Taran was the only tehsil (district) in Punjab, along with Shiekhupura, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Hoshiapur, Kapurthala, Patti, Amritsar, Lyallpur, and Patiala, with a majority Sikh population. The city was the center of the Sikh insurgency during the 1980s and early 1990s. The main occupation in this area is agriculture and agroindustry, with very few other industries.
Tarn Taran district was formed in 2006. The declaration to this effect was made by Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, during the celebrations marking the martyrdom day of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. It became the 19th district of Punjab.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the steps on the two sides of the sarovar, formerly left unfinished by Budh Singh and Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, completed and its circumambulatory passage paved. The Darbar Sahib was also reconstructed. Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his grandson, Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh, donated large quantities of gold to have the exterior plated with the metal, but the work made little progress in the troubled times that followed Ranjit Singh's death. It was in the last quarter of the nineteenth century that part of the exterior was covered with goldleaf by Sant Sham Singh, of Amritsar. Only one of the four towers planned by Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh for the four corners of the tank was erected during this time. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh's orders, the town of Tarn Taran was enclosed by a wall. A few other shrines, such as the Mahji Sahib, the Akal Bunga and the Guru ka Khuh, were developed and several bungas added.
After the annexation of the Punjab to the British dominions, the management of the shrines at Tarn Taran, along with those at Amritsar, was entrusted to a sarbarah, or manager, appointed by the deputy commissioner of Amritsar. The role of the manager was, however, confined to general supervision, the priests being autonomous in the conduct of religious affairs. They divided the offerings among themselves and gradually appropriated most of the lands endowed to the Darbar Sahib during Sikh rule. They neglected their religious duties and cared little for the sanctity of the holy shrines and the sarovar. Reforms which reverted gurdwaras to there pre-colonial environments introduced by the Singh Sabha, Tarn Taran, established in 1885, were resisted by the British appointed sarbarahs and mahants. Efforts of the Khalsa Diwan Majha and the Central Majha Khalsa Diwan to cleanse the administration of corruption were met with success.
See main article: Akali movement. As the Gurdwara reform movement got under way, the control of the sacred shrines passed to a representative body of the Sikhs, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, on 27 January 1921. A leper asylum established by Guru Arjan Dev (it was thought that minerals in the water were helpful in treating Leprosy), but completely ignored by the clergy after the abrogation of Sikh sovereignty, was taken over in 1858 by Christian missionaries.[3]
Indian census,[4] Tarn Taran Sahib had a population of 66,847. Males constituted 52.3% of the population, and females 47.7%. Tarn Taran has an average literacy rate of 79.33%, higher than the state average of 75.84%: male literacy was 82.39%, and female literacy was 76%. In Tarn Taran Sahib, 11.2% of the population was under 6 years of age and 15% is elderly. 3% of its residents have settled abroad.
The table below shows the population of different religious groups in Taran Taran city and their gender ratio, as of 2011 census.
| Sikh | 75,584 | 31,232 | 33,352 | 919 | |
| Hindu | 15,499 | 7,305 | 8,194 | 891 | |
| Christian | 488 | 230 | 258 | 891 | |
| Muslim | 202 | 92 | 110 | 836 | |
| Buddhist | 16 | 8 | 8 | 1000 | |
| Jain | 10 | 5 | 5 | 1000 | |
| Other religions | 7 | 2 | 5 | 400 | |
| Not stated | 41 | 22 | 19 | 1157 | |
| Total | 91,847 | 31,896 | 34,951 | 912 |
The city is part of the Tarn Taran Assembly Constituency. Kashmir Singh Sohal from Aam Admi Party is the MLA elected in 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election.[6]
The city has many historical gurdwaras which include: Darbar Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Gurdwara Guru Ka Khuh (Gurdwara of the Guru's Well), Gurdwara Bibi Bhani Da Khuh, Gurdwara Takkar Sahib, Gurdwara Lakeer Sahib, Gurudwara Baba Garja Singh Baba Bota Singh, Gurdwara Jhulna Mahal, and Lalpur (Tapeana Sahib).
The main religious hub at Tarn Taran Sahib is Sri Darbar Sahib Tarn Taran, built by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Tarn Taran has one of the largest sarovar (holy tank).
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Tarn Taran) - This gurdwara is an elegant, three-storeyed structure at the southeastern corner of the sarovar. Approached through a double-storeyed arched gateway, it stands in the middle of a marble-floored platform. The upper portion of the edifice is covered with glittering gold-plated sheets. The lotus dome, damaged in an earthquake (4 April 1905) and subsequently reconstructed, has an ornamental gold pinnacle with an umbrella-shaped gold finial. Exquisitely executed stucco work in intricate designs, inset with reflecting glass pieces, decorate the interior walls and the ceiling. The Guru Granth Sahib is seated on a platform under an elongated dome covered with goldplated metal sheets. This throne was an offering from Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh. A relay recital of Kirtan goes on from early morning until late in the evening.
Har Ki Pauri -A flight of marbled steps behind the Darbar Sahib descending into the sacred pool, marks the spot where, according to tradition, Guru Arjan made the first cut as the digging started in 1590. Pilgrims go down these steps to take Charanamrit or palmsful of holy water to sip.
The Sarovar -One of the largest of the Sikh holy tanks (ponds), it is an approximate rectangle in shape. Its northern and southern sides are 289and, respectively, and eastern and western sides 230and, respectively. The sarovar was originally fed by rain water that flowed in from the surrounding lands. In 1833, Maharaja Raghubir Singh of Jmd had a water channel dug, connecting the tank with the Lower Kasur Branch of the Upper Ban Doab Canal at Rasulpur watermills, 5km (03miles) to the southeast. The channel was cemented and covered in 1927/28 by Sant Gurmukh Singh and Sant Sadhu Singh. They also supervised karseva, i.e. complete desilting of the tank through voluntary service, in 1931. The operation was repeated in 1970 under Sant Jivan Singh. Most of the bungas around the sarovar have now been demolished and a verandah constructed instead along the periphery. The name Tarn Taran, since appropriated by the town itself, originally belonged to the sarovar, so called by Guru Arjan. Literally it means, "the boat that takes one across (the ocean of existence)". (Tarana in Sanskrit is a raft or a boat). According to Sikh tradition, the water of the old pond was found to possess medicinal properties, especially efficacious for curing leprosy. For this reason the sarovar was known as Dukh Nivaran, the eradicator of affliction. AKAL BUNGA, a four storeyed building near the Nishan Sahib (Sikh flagpole), was constructed in 1841 by Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh. Maharaja Sher Singh provided the finishing touches. The Guru Granth Sahib, "after a procession around the sarovar amid" chanting of hymns in the late evening, is, brought here for the night's rest. Manji Sahib, a small domed shrine in the eastern part of the circumambulatory pavement, marks the spot from where Guru Arjan supervised the excavation of the sarovar. A divan hall, a vast pavilion of reinforced concrete, has now been raised close to it.
The Tower -The only completed column of the four planned by Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh, for the beautification of the sarovar at Tarn Taran, stands at the northeastern corner. The three-storeyed tower, 34m (112feet) high, was erected during the Kanvar's lifetime. The dome on top of it was added later.
Gurdwara Lakeer Sahib is situated at the place where a line on the ground was marked by Baba Deep Singh Ji, before entering into war against the Mughal Empire in 1757. Gurudwara Bibi Bhani da Khuh, situated near Sri Darbar Sahib Tarn Taran, is named after Bibi Bhani Ji. She was the daughter of Guru Amar Das, the wife of Guru Ram Das, and the mother of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. This religio-historic khuh (well) was dug by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, in memory of his mother, at the place where she used to serve food, water, and medicine to the needy and visiting pilgrims. Locals preserved the place with the help of Dera Kar Sewa Tarn Taran, and constructed a gurdwara.
Gurdwara Guru Ka Khuh is also situated in Tarn Taran City. This well belonged to Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and a historic gurdwara has been built at this place.
Other gurdwaras in the District of Tarn Taran are at Goindwal Sahib, namely Gurdwara Baoli Sahib, at Khadoor Sahib, at Baba Buddha Sahib (Bir Sāhib) and those at Amritsar. Goindwal Sahib Goindwal Sahib, situated along the River Beas, is NaNmilesNaNmiles from Tarn Taran Sahib. It is an important center of Sikhism, as Guru Arjan Dev ji was born there.
Tarn Taran has many smaller-scale to large-scale industries:
The central government has plans for setting up a special economic zone (SEZ) at Sri Goindwal Sahib.
The following is the list of colleges in the Taran Taran Sahib city.[7]
The nearest airport is Amritsar International Airport. At a distance of 30km (20miles), direct International flights are available to key cities around the world in the likes of London, Birmingham, Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Tashkent and Ashgabat. Domestic connections are available to almost every major city of India.
Tarn Taran is well-connected with nearby cities and villages with the rail network.
Tarn Taran station is located on the Amritsar-to-Khemkaran line.
A rail line from Tarn Taran sahib to Goindwal Sahib has been recently constructed and a new project of rail from Patti to Ferozpur is under construction.
Tarn Taran is connected by roads to many other locations:
Tarn Taran is located on the historic Royal Highway (Sher Shah Suri Marg) of the Mugal Empire from Delhi to Lahore. NH-15 (National Highway No. 15) also passes through Tarn Taran. It has a fast bus service to Amritsar, with a daily route of about 450 buses daily.
AC coach buses of many transports have routes of Tarn Taran, including PUNBUS, PRTC, RAJ, and NEW DEEP.
Daily bus services run to and from New Delhi, Chandigarh, Patiala, Bikaner, Bathinda, Ferozpur, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar.
There is weekly bus service to Ponta Sahib.
1 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Public School2 Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School3 St. Francis Convent School4 Mamta Niketan Convent School5 St. Thomas Convent School6 Guru Arjun Dev Khalsa School7 Punjab Children Academy8 Cupid's School9 Mata Ganga Girls School10 SD Sen Sec Public School11 Sant Singh Sukha Singh Public School12 SSS Public School13 Arya Girls School14 Govt. Sen Sec School15 Guru Nanak Dev Academy16 Majha Public School.17 SD Girls High School18 Universal Academy19 SBDS Sen Sec School Patti20 Shri Mahavir Jain Model High School Patti21 S.B.B.S Sen Sec School Rasulpur 22 Baba Deep Singh Public School23 Guru Amar Dass Adarsh Institute Goindwal sahib24 Guru Amar Dass senior secondary school Goindwal sahib
1 Guru Arjun Dev Khalsa College2 Sewa Devi College3 Mata Ganga College for women4 Majha College for women5 Kalian Homeopathic College6 Mai Bhago Institute of Nursing7 Shiv Shankar Institute of Engg and Tech (Patti)8 Shaheed Bhagat Singh Pharmacy (Patti)9 Shaheed Bhagat Singh Polytechnic College10 Shaheed Bhagat Singh B.Ed College11 International School of Nursing12. Goutam college Tarn Taran13 Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College Sarhali
Tarn Taran is a Municipal Council city in district of Tarn Taran, Punjab. The Tarn TaranNo of Distt Wards 19 Which Has Been Included City and Some Of Neae Area's.
Tarn Taran Municipal Council has total administration over 12,874 houses to which it supplies basic amenities like water and sewerage. It is also authorize to build roads within Municipal Council limits and impose taxes on properties coming under its jurisdiction.
The city has adequate health care system The city has one Civil (public) hospital besides six private hospitals. Tarn Taran has a largest 350 Bedded fully computerized Charitable Hospital viz. Guru Nanak Dev Super-speciality Hospital, run under 'Baba Jiwan Singh Baba Dalip Singh Educational Trust'(regd.). Baba Jagtar Singh Kar Sewa Wale is the Chairman. The Hospital has got all core medical facilities with state of art Radiology and Pathology Departments.[8]
Tarn Taran Sahib is situated near the Amritsar district. It sends one elected representative to the Lok Sabha (the Indian parliament), one member to the State Legislative Assembly and two members to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee(SGPC) at Amritsar. It is the headquarters of Tarn Taran district. It is a municipal council with 19 wards. The district borders Doaba, Malwa Belt and Pakistan.
Visitor attractions in and around Tarn Taran Sahib include: