From spiritual legacy to political infamy, a village caught in time
A village located on the outskirts of Amritsar, Sultanwind, has witnessed a remarkable journey, evolving from a site of great significance in Sikh history to gaining infamy as Mini Khalistan during the dark days of terrorism in Punjab.
Established more than four centuries before the holy city of Amritsar, Sultanwind holds a unique place in history. Several residents claim that the village land started from Dukh Bhanjani Beri in the Golden Temple complex.
Surinder Singh, a local resident, explained that the area where the Golden Temple was built was once a low-lying region with a large pond, surrounded by dense forests. He further claimed that the land on which Amritsar was founded was taken from the surrounding villages of Sultanwind, Tung, Gilwali and Gumtala.
The village itself was named after ‘Pir Sakhi Sultan,’ a Muslim figure, and was predominantly Muslim before the partition in 1947, when the population migrated to Pakistan. Sultanwind is believed to be over 400 years older than Amritsar. It had a number of mazars, but many of them have undergone significant changes over time.
Sultanwind’s history is intertwined with the legacy of the followers of Prithviraj Chauhan, who settled there after fighting valiantly against the forces of Mohammad Ghori. In terms of Sikh history, Sultanwind is particularly significant for it was visited by Sikh Gurus. The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, visited the village to rescue Bhai Manjh, a follower who had fallen into a well while collecting wood for the langar (community kitchen). Originally named Tirath, Bhai Manjh was a rich landlord and follower of Pir Sakhi Sultan. However, he started following the fifth Guru after hearing his spiritual discourses. One day while collecting wood, Tirath fell into a well during a storm but managed to keep the wood from getting wet. When Guru Arjan Dev came to know about it, he rescued him and honoured him with the title of Bhai Manjh.
The village was also visited by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, during his marriage. It was here that he tied his horse to an old ‘Karir’ tree and a gurdwara was established at the site in 1661.
Other prominent religious figures, including Baba Budha Ji, Bhai Gurdas, Bhai Bahlo, Bhai Salo and Bhai Bidhi Chand, visited Sultanwind.
Sultanwind was divided into 12 “patties” (zones), including Patti Mansoor, Patti Balol, Dadujalla, Bhainiwal, Malka, Sau, Sultan, Pandora, and Shaho Ki. In 1972, it came under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation and now falls under the Amritsar South Assembly constituency. Earlier, it was part of the Jandiala constituency.
Amritsar