Mandi Gobindgarh Knowledge Guide

History

According to local knowledge (and authenticated by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)), the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, stayed along the bank of Lake Barhi Dhab for 40 days in 1646. He was accompanied by his followers and warriors. A skirmish developed between his men and a contingent of Mughal forces. Their weapons sustained damage. The Guru's men pleaded before him that they could not continue to fight, as there was no available steel in the area to repair their weapons. Guru Hargobind replied, "Someday this place will be a large steel-producing center in the country. Why do you say no steel is available to repair your weapons?"Henceforth, Barhi Dhab was known as "Gobindgarh" as named after Guru Hargobind Ji. To date, a Gurudwara remains situated near the town's railway station to commemorate Guru Hargobind in his holy memory. Industrialization in Mandi Gobindgarh began at the start of the 20th century. In 1902, the Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha, where Gobindgarh then lay, ordered the building of industrial units in the town. Maharaja Partap Singh conducted further industrial development. In 1928, Gobindgarh became a free trade zone for steel. As a center for steel, the town experienced growth. The land was made available to local blacksmiths at nominal rates in early 1940, leading to the establishment of a number of workshops on both sides of the G.T. Road at Gobindgarh. Mandi Gobindgarh began as a walled town with four gates, which neighbored Modi Mills, Munilal Om Prakash, the main post office (present to this day), and Krishna Mandir. All the gates were closed by sunset. In 1950, the gates were demolished.