About Kapurthala
About Kapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It is said that this town has been founded in the early part of the eleventh century in the time of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni by Rana Kapur, a scion of the ruling Rajput house of Jaisalmer (Rajasthan). It was the former capital of princely state of British India of the same name. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic architecture self-narrate its princely past. It is also known as city of Palaces & Gardens.The City of Kapurthala has several buildings and places of interest linked to its local history such as the Sainik School (Formerly Jagatjit Palace), Shalamar Bagh, District Courts buildings, Moorish Mosque, Panch Mandir , Clock Tower, State Gurudwara, Kanjli Wetlands, Guru Nanak Sports Stadium, Jagjit Club, and the NJSA Government college.
History of Kapurthala
The history of the Town of Kapurthala goes back as early as the 11th Century when it is said to have been founded by Rana Kapur, a scion of the ruling house of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan The present royal family of Kapurthala is descended from Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, a contemporary of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah, who by his intelligence and bravery made himself the leading Sikh of his day. At one time it held possessions on both sides of the Sutlej, and also in the Bari Doab. The cis-Sutlej estates and scattered tracts in the Bari Doab were forfeited owing to the hostility of the chief in the First Sikh War; but the latter were afterwards restored in recognition of the loyalty of Raja Randhir Singh during the mutiny of 1857, when he led a contingent to Oudh which did good service. He also received a grant of land in Oudh, yielding a gross rental of 89,000. In Oudh, however, he exercises no sovereign powers, occupying only the status of a large landholder, with the title of Raja-i-Rajagan. Raja Sir Jagatjit Singh, K.C.S.I., was born in 1872, succeeded his father in 1877, and attained his majority in 1890. During the Tirah expedition of 1897-98 the Kapurthala imperial service infantry took a prominent part. The territory is crossed by the railway from Jalandhar to Amritsar. The state has a large export trade in wheat, sugar, and cotton.
The Propagation of Dhrupad & Tabla in Punjab
Kapurthala Gharana is also famous for Dhrupad singing. The first musician of this Gharana is said to be Sayeen (Sant) Illias . Before sixteeth century Tabla was not a very popular instrument as it was not considered suitable for the accompaniment of Dhrupad and Dhamar, prevent during those days. Later, when Kheyal, Tappa and other light varities of classical music were evolved during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Tabla became popular.
Tradition of Music of Kapurthala
In the history of Indian classical music, Kapurthala emerged as an important Centre for classical music under royal patronage and specially that of Kanwar Bikrama Singh and Raja Sir Daljit Singh. The known tradition began in 1858 when a descendant of Mian Tansen was brought to Kapurthala by Kanwar Bikrama Singh of Kapurthala.