Hussainiwala
Encyclopedia
Hussainiwala is a village in Ferozepur district in Punjab
state, India. It lies near the banks of the Sutlej
river. The village is on the border with Pakistan
, opposite the Pakistani village of Ganda Singh Wala
. The town is named after Imam
Hussain grandson of the Prophet Muhammad
.
The famous National Martyrs Memorial marks the location where Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev
and Rajguru were cremated on March 23, 1931 on the banks of the Sutlej
river. It is also the cremation place of B.K. Dutta (Batukeshwar Dutt
) (died 1976) who was also involved in bombing the Central Legislative Assembly
with Bhagat Singh. His last wish was to be cremated at the place where Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev where cremated. The mother of Bhagat Singh, Vidyawati, was also cremated there in accordance with her last wish, and later she was awarded the title of Punjab Mata (Mother of Punjab).
The National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwala, built in 1968, depicts an irrepressible revolutionary spirit of the three National Martyrs, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. The memorial is located just one km from the India-Pakistan border on the Indian side and has memorials of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. After Partition, the cremation spot went to Pakistan but on January 17, 1961, this martyr's land was received when India gave 12 villages near the Sulemanki Headworks
(Fazilka) to Pakistan. But the irony of the fate is that during 1971 Indo-Pak war, the statues of these very martyrs were removed and taken away by Pakistan army and have not been returned till today. B.K. Dutt was also cremated here on 19 July 1965 and in accordance with his last wishes. Bhagat Singh's mother, Punjab Mata Vidyawati, was also cremated here in accordance with her last wish.
This memorial was damaged by the withdrawing Pakistani troops in 1972. They also removed the busts of the three national heroes during 1971 war when the area was captured by Pakistani troops. The memorial came up once again in 1973 due to the efforts of the then Punjab Chief Minister, Giani Zail Singh.
Every year, on the 23rd of March, the Shaheedi Mela is observed at this National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala, in which thousands of people pay their homage. The day is also observed across the state of Punjab.
The border crossing is now closed. Until 1970, it was the principal road crossing between India and Pakistan, and was a trade route for truckers, mostly for the import of Kandahari Angoor (dehydrated grapes) and other fruits and food products from Pakistan and Afghanistan
. The border crossing was replaced by the border crossing at Wagah
, a little further north. In 2005 there were proposals to reopen the border, but it remained closed.
In the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 many memorials of Bhagat Singh and others were destroyed by Pakistani artillery. Two companies of the 15th Punjab
(formerly First Patiala) were attacked by four brigades of the Pakistan Army on 3 December 1971 at 1835 hours. Nearly 4,000 Pakistani men attacked the Indian side with 15 tanks and heavy artillery support. The Indian commanders included Major Waraich, Major Singh's and Major Kanwaljit Sandhu, who was badly injured. Major SPS Waraich was reported captured, as were many JCO
s and men as the squadrons were taken by surprise and had little time to get to their bunkers. A Pakistani radio news telecast reported (in Urdu) that Maj Waraich hamari hiraasat mein hain (Maj Waraich is in our custody). There was a subsequent report that Maj Waraich was in a North West Frontier jail. Their current status is unknown. They are listed as missing by the Indian Government along with 52 others including a Maj Ashok Suri who wrote a letter to his father in 1975 from Karachi stating that he was alive and well. Pakistan denies holding any men Missing in Action.
The village is named after the Muslim
Peer Baba Hussainiwala ji (Saint Hussaini wala or Saint "who is of Husain
"), whose tomb is in the Border Security Force
headquarters at Hussainiwala.
Since 1970 there has been a Retreat Ceremony at the border crossing every day at 6 pm, similar to the Wagah border ceremony
.
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
state, India. It lies near the banks of the Sutlej
Sutlej
The Sutlej River is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroad region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. It is located north of the Vindhya Range, south of the Hindu Kush segment of the Himalayas, and east of the Central Sulaiman Range in Pakistan.The Sutlej...
river. The village is on the border with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, opposite the Pakistani village of Ganda Singh Wala
Ganda Singh Wala
thumb|alt=Full-length It is the snapshot of Ganda sing border kasur where the flag lowering ceremony is underway in feb 2010|Ganda Singh Wala Border, Flag Lowering CeremonyAbout=...
. The town is named after Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Hussain grandson of the Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
.
- The National Martyrs Memorial
The famous National Martyrs Memorial marks the location where Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev
Sukhdev
Sukhdev Thapar was born in Ludhiana, Punjab. He was an Indian freedom fighter who lived from 15 May 1907 to March 23, 1931) who was involved with Shaheed Bhagat Singh andShivaram Rajguru in the killing of a British police officer J.P...
and Rajguru were cremated on March 23, 1931 on the banks of the Sutlej
Sutlej
The Sutlej River is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroad region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. It is located north of the Vindhya Range, south of the Hindu Kush segment of the Himalayas, and east of the Central Sulaiman Range in Pakistan.The Sutlej...
river. It is also the cremation place of B.K. Dutta (Batukeshwar Dutt
Batukeshwar Dutt
Batukeshwar Dutt was an Indian revolutionary and a freedom fighter in the early 1900s. He is best known for having exploded a few bombs, along with Bhagat Singh, in the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi on 8 April 1929...
) (died 1976) who was also involved in bombing the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
with Bhagat Singh. His last wish was to be cremated at the place where Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev where cremated. The mother of Bhagat Singh, Vidyawati, was also cremated there in accordance with her last wish, and later she was awarded the title of Punjab Mata (Mother of Punjab).
The National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwala, built in 1968, depicts an irrepressible revolutionary spirit of the three National Martyrs, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. The memorial is located just one km from the India-Pakistan border on the Indian side and has memorials of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. After Partition, the cremation spot went to Pakistan but on January 17, 1961, this martyr's land was received when India gave 12 villages near the Sulemanki Headworks
Sulemanki Headworks
Sulemanki Headworks is a headworks on the River Sutlej in the Punjab province of Pakistan.Sulemanki Headworks is used for irrigation and flood control.-See also:* List of barrages and headworks in Pakistan* List of dams and reservoirs in Pakistan...
(Fazilka) to Pakistan. But the irony of the fate is that during 1971 Indo-Pak war, the statues of these very martyrs were removed and taken away by Pakistan army and have not been returned till today. B.K. Dutt was also cremated here on 19 July 1965 and in accordance with his last wishes. Bhagat Singh's mother, Punjab Mata Vidyawati, was also cremated here in accordance with her last wish.
This memorial was damaged by the withdrawing Pakistani troops in 1972. They also removed the busts of the three national heroes during 1971 war when the area was captured by Pakistani troops. The memorial came up once again in 1973 due to the efforts of the then Punjab Chief Minister, Giani Zail Singh.
Every year, on the 23rd of March, the Shaheedi Mela is observed at this National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala, in which thousands of people pay their homage. The day is also observed across the state of Punjab.
- India - Pakistan Border
The border crossing is now closed. Until 1970, it was the principal road crossing between India and Pakistan, and was a trade route for truckers, mostly for the import of Kandahari Angoor (dehydrated grapes) and other fruits and food products from Pakistan and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The border crossing was replaced by the border crossing at Wagah
Wagah
Wagah is the only road border crossing between Pakistan and India , and lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the cities of Lahore, Pakistan and Amritsar, India. Wagah itself is a village through which the controversial Radcliffe Line was drawn. The village was divided by independence in 1947...
, a little further north. In 2005 there were proposals to reopen the border, but it remained closed.
- Indo-Pakistan War of 1971
In the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 many memorials of Bhagat Singh and others were destroyed by Pakistani artillery. Two companies of the 15th Punjab
Punjab Regiment (India)
The Punjab Regiment of India was formed from the 2nd Punjab Regiment of theBritish Indian Army in 1947. It is one of the oldest regiments still in service in the Indian Army and has taken part in various battles and wars winning numerous honors for the same...
(formerly First Patiala) were attacked by four brigades of the Pakistan Army on 3 December 1971 at 1835 hours. Nearly 4,000 Pakistani men attacked the Indian side with 15 tanks and heavy artillery support. The Indian commanders included Major Waraich, Major Singh's and Major Kanwaljit Sandhu, who was badly injured. Major SPS Waraich was reported captured, as were many JCO
Junior Commissioned Officer
Junior commissioned officer is a term describing a group of military ranks found in the Indian Army, Pakistan Army, Bangladesh Army and Nepal Army. Those soldiers holding JCO rank receive a commission from the President,...
s and men as the squadrons were taken by surprise and had little time to get to their bunkers. A Pakistani radio news telecast reported (in Urdu) that Maj Waraich hamari hiraasat mein hain (Maj Waraich is in our custody). There was a subsequent report that Maj Waraich was in a North West Frontier jail. Their current status is unknown. They are listed as missing by the Indian Government along with 52 others including a Maj Ashok Suri who wrote a letter to his father in 1975 from Karachi stating that he was alive and well. Pakistan denies holding any men Missing in Action.
- Peer Baba Hussainiwala ji
The village is named after the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Peer Baba Hussainiwala ji (Saint Hussaini wala or Saint "who is of Husain
Husain
Husain is a common Arabic name especially among Muslims, because of the popularity of Hussein bin AliGrand son of Muhammadhe said .....al husain o mini wa ana minal hussain* Adrian A...
"), whose tomb is in the Border Security Force
Border Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
headquarters at Hussainiwala.
- Retreat Ceremony
Since 1970 there has been a Retreat Ceremony at the border crossing every day at 6 pm, similar to the Wagah border ceremony
Wagah border ceremony
The Wagah border closing 'lowering of the flags' ceremony was a daily military practice that the security forces of India and Pakistan have followed since 1959...
.