Jalandhar formerly known as Jullundur in British India, is a city in the Doaba region of the northwestern Indian state of Punjab. Jalandhar is the oldest city in the Indian state of Punjab and is one of the oldest in the country. Jalandhar has seen rapid urbanization and developed into a highly industrialized center of commercial activity in recent years.
Jalandhar was an important part of the Indus Valley Civilization in the ancient times. During the reign of Kanishka, Jalandhar had played host to the grand conference of theologians of Buddhists where all the holy writings of the religion were compiled for the convenience of the followers. The Chinese pilgrim, Hiuen Tsang wrote at length about the city of Jalandhar. In the second half of the 10th century, Jalandhar was ruled by the great rulers of the Shahi dynasty.
The famous Devi Talab Temple is situated in the heart of Jalandhar city, just 1 km from the railway station. It is believed to be more than 200 years old. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is one of the 51 Shakthi pithas in India. The image of Lord Shiva that is enshrined herein is called Bhisan Bhairav. Devi Talab Temple has been renovated recently and a number of changes have been made to the old structure.
St. Mary's Cathedral Church is one of the famous religious as well as tourist places in Jalandhar. The Old Church was constructed by Rev. Fr. John Macodnnel in 1947, in the memory of St. Patrick. In 1955, the Catholic Mission of the Indian Punjab was raised to the status of Apostolic Prefecture, with its headquarter at Jalandhar. The church in the city subsequently became the Cathedral or the Mother Church of Punjab.
The famous Shiv Mandir in Jalandhar is located at Gur Mandi, near Imam Nasir Mausoleum. It dates back to the Lodhi Era. It is believed to have been built by the Nawab of Sultanpur Lodhi. The temple comes across as a beautiful blend of Muslim and Hindu architecture.
Imam Nasir Mausoleum is an 800-year-old beautifully designed piece of architecture, which is located in the heart of Jalandhar. There is a 400-yeard old Jama Masjid, located close to the Imam Nasir Mausoleum.
Wonderland Theme Park is an amusement water park with a variety of water games and land rides. It is spread over an area of 11 acres and is located around 6 km away from the Jalandhar. The major water rides of the park include bumper cars, flying jets, horror house, boating, kiddies’ boating, playhouse and flying dragon. Gurdwara Chhevin Padshahi:Gurudwara Chhevin Padshahi is built in the spot where Guru Hargobind, during his tour of Daob area, had a spiritual talk with the holy Muslim saint, Shaikh Darvesh. Located in Basti Shaikh, the gurdwara contains handwritten copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, by the martyr Baba Deep Singh, prepared somewhere between 1715 and 1728.
Sodal Temple is situated near Devi Talab Temple, on Sodal road. Here, Lord Sodal is worshipped in the Temple. Every year in Anand Chaturdashi of Bhadon, which is in mid-September, a fair is held at the Samadhi of Baba Sodal. Inside the samadhi, there is a painted portrait of Baba Sodal, decorated with garlands and rosaries. The offerings are distributed among the pilgrims and they sprinkle a few drops on their body.