LOCATION
District Ferozepur is situated at the India Pakistan border flanked by Faridkot and Moga districts in the East and Muktsar District in the South. Ganganagar district of state Rajasthan touches the boundaries of Ferozepur from the South west side.

The River Sutlej generally separates it from the Kapurthala district in the north east and the united stream of the Sutlej and Beas generally separates it from the Amritsar district in the  north-west, and farther down from the Pakistan with the exception of some areas on each side of the river.

 

The total geographical area of the district is 5303 sq. km out of which 3258.78 sq. km fall under Bet area and 196.63 sq. km fall under Border area.

 

Ferozepur is an ancient city situated close to the present day Indo-Pakistan border. It is believed to have been founded by Ferozeshah Tughluq in the 14th century. Another version claims that it was founded by a Bhatti chief called Feroze Khan. However, the first version is more widely accepted as Ferozeshah Tughluq had a passion for building new cities and renaming old ones especially after his own name. He claimed, "Among the many gifts which God bestowed upon me, His humble servant, was a desire to erect public buildings. So I built many mosques, colleges and monasteries, that the learned and the elders, the devout and the holy, might worship God in these edifices and aid the kind builder with their prayers."

Ferozepore's strategic position in the northwest of the country has resulted in its being part of many military expeditions in the area. During the first Anglo-Sikh war in 1845, it was due to the negligence of the British commander at Ferozepore that the Khalsas were able to cross the Sutlej unopposed. When Lord Hardinge declared war on the Sikhs, the first battle was fought at Mudki, 20 miles south-east of Ferozepur. In 1838, Ferozepur was the centre from where British troops advanced to Kabul during the first Anglo-Afghan war.

 

Three heroic martyrs of India's freedom struggle Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his associates Shaheed Rajguru and Shaheed Sukhdev have their final resting place on the banks of the river Sutlej in Ferozepur. On March 23, 1931, despite popular protest, these three heroes were executed in Lahore and were stealthily cremated in the dead of night near Ferozepur. They were killed for raising the flag of revolutionary terrorism against the British, displaying their deep patriotism and defiance for the foreign rulers untill the very end.

 

Today, a Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial marks the spot and every year on March 23, thousands of people gather to pay homage of these noble heroes. Ferozepur has another historical memorial, the Saragarhi Gurudwara, commemorating the sacrifice of 21 Sikh soldiers who perished at Saragarhi in Baluchistan. On 12 September, every year, people gather here to pay tribute to the heroic soldiers and celebrate Saragarhi Day. The memorial service also provides an occasion for ex servicemen to have a reunion