Why this Muslim-majority city in Punjab remained peaceful during the 1947 partition
In short: Malerkotla is the only Muslim-majority city in the Indian state of Punjab. While the region suffered immense communal violence during the 1947 partition, this city remained remarkably peaceful. The roots of this harmony are often traced back to a courageous act of protest by a Nawab over two centuries earlier.
The history of Malerkotla is deeply intertwined with a 1705 incident involving the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. When the governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan, ordered the execution of the Guru's two young sons—nine-year-old Zorawar Singh and seven-year-old Fateh Singh—by bricking them up alive, the Nawab of Malerkotla, Sher Mohammed Khan, was present in court. Despite being a general in the Mughal army, the Nawab vehemently protested the act, declaring it contrary to the tenets of Islam. He famously walked out of the court in anguish, an act of defiance known as the Haa da Naara.
In recognition of this moral stance, Guru Gobind Singh is said to have blessed the Nawab and the people of Malerkotla with lasting peace. This narrative has held significant weight in the region for generations, leading to the construction of the Gurudwara Haa da Nara to commemorate the Nawab's intervention. Many observers attribute the city's relative stability during the turbulent 1947 partition to this historical bond between the Sikh community and the local Muslim leadership, as well as the influence of the shrine of the Sufi saint Baba Haidar Sheikh, who founded the town over 500 years ago.
Founded in 1454 by Sheikh Sadruddin-i-Jahan, an Afghan migrant, Malerkotla evolved into a princely state ruled by his Sherwani descendants. It officially became a state in 1600 A.D. and maintained its distinct identity until it acceded to the Indian union in 1947. Following the partition, the last Nawab, Iftikhar Ali Khan, remained in India until his death in 1982. Today, the city is known for its unique cultural blend, where Urdu is taught alongside Punjabi, and it serves as a center for higher research in Persian and Arabic languages.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Malerkotla
- Also: Wikidata — Malerkotla · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Malerkotla State · CC0
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