History
In 1589,fifth Guru Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji first thought of setting up another centre for the spread of the basic tenents of Sikhism on a road going to Lahore from Delhi via Goindwal.The aim was to benefit the service class as well as the pilgrims from within and outside India with the spiritual knowledge.Another reason was that through this route of Delhi to Lahore, the royal forces of the Mughal emperors as well as the foreign pilgrims took place.For the pilgrims it was difficult to reach Guru Ka Chak as it was away fom this route.To confine the spread of Sikhism to the village areas was also not good; the need was to fold in the business class as well so that trade and contacts from all corners of the country was required.Keeping all these things in mind Guru Ji while coming from Amritsar towards Goindwal got down at Dhaab near Tarn Taran;Guru Ji liked the climate of this place very much.Guru Ji's elder brother Prithi Chand being elder staked his claim to gurugaddi.When the choudhary of village Khara refused to give that place, Guru Ji via village Plasaur,Muradpur came down to the present location of Tarn Taran.Prithi Chand established his own site by building Sarovar and Jhulna Mahal.When Guru Ji was looking at the Dhaab with inner pleasure,the chaudhary of Thathi Khara asked Guru Ji humble the reason of His looking at the Dhaab with deep eyes? Guru Ji told chaudhary that the land was blessed as one day there would come into being a magnificent city which would be recognised far and wide.The Chaudhary requested Guru Ji to lay the foundation of that city of Spiritual Dreams Himself since if any outsider does that job that might cause them a big loss in all the possible ways.The chaudhary was highly pleased and thanked Guru Ji on behalf of all the villages around. Baba budha Ji did Ardas to Almighty and the digging of the Sarovar started;hence the foundation of city in 1590.A well known official and architectural designer was called who agreed to act as per the directions of Guru Ji.Immediately with his advice the banking of the bricks for the Sarovar started.
The big Dhaab of villages Plasaur and Khanewal which later on bacame famous as Sarovar Tarn Taran Sahib was spread in 84 bighas.Because of its magnificient length of 212 yards and breath of 208 yards.The entire stretch from one end to the other of the Sarovar is about one mile and 212 yards.In this entire work the Sikh Sangat did a lot of sewa.During the rainy season,the overflowing waters from all the adjoining villages streamed in the Sarovar.Guru Ji overcame this problem by solidifying its banks.
After Guru Arjan Dev Ji upto the times of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, two melas of Massya:one in Bhadon and the second one in the month of Chet.These two were symbolic of the begining and finalising of the Sarovar of Tarn Taran.The sixth Guru while going to Sri Hargobindpur,stopped at Tarn Taran.Here Guru Ji directed that the Massyas of Chet and Bhadon months be treated as big melas and every month the small Massyas should be celebrated at Tarn Taran so that the spread of Name of Sikhism be carried on with greater fervour.And till date the Massya at Tarn Taran is a great attraction for the sikhs coming from far and near
Then in the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh ,Sardar Budh Singh and Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia joined hands to have the building of the Darbar Sahib constructed. Some bungas or dwelling houses were also built on the periphery of the holy tank. Maharaja Ranjit Singh visited the shrine in 1802. It was here that he exchanged turbans with Sardar Fateh Singh Ahluvalia as a token of their lasting friendship.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the steps on the two sides of the sarovar, left unfinished by Budh Singh and Jassa Singh, completed and its circumambulatory passage paved. The Darbar Sahib was also reconstructed. Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his grandson Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh, donated large quantities of gold to have the exterior plated with the metal, but the work made little progress in the troubled times that followed Ranjit Singh's death. It was in the last quarter of the nineteenth century that part of the exterior was covered with goldleaf by Sant Sham Singh, of Amritsar. Only one of the four towers planned by Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh for the four corners of the tank was erected during this time. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh's orders, the town of Tarn Taran was enclosed by a wall. A few other shrines such as the Mahji Sahib, the Akal Bunga and the Guru ka Khuh were developed and several bungas added.
Then after the annexation of the Punjab to the British dominions, the management of the shrines at Tarn Taran, along with those at Amritsar, was entrusted to a Sarbarah or manager appointed by the deputy commissioner of Amritsar. The role of the manager was, however, confined to general supervision, the priests being autonomous in the conduct of religious affairs. They divided the offerings among themselves and gradually appropriated most of the lands endowed to the Darbar Sahib during Sikh rule. They neglected their religious duties and cared little for the sanctity of the holy shnnes and the sarovar. The traditional monthly congregation on every amavasya day, the last day of the dark half of the month, was reduced to a gay carnival. Reforms introduced by the Siugh Sabha, Tarn Taran, established in 1885, were disapproved and resisted by the clergy. Efforts of the Khalsa Diwan Majha and the Central Majha Khalsa Diwan to cleanse the administration met with only partial success.
As the Gurdwara reform movement got under way, the control of the sacred shrines passed to a representative body of the Sikhs, the Shiromam Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, on 27 January 1921. A leper asylum established by Guru Arjan, (it was thought that minerals in the water were helpful in treating Leprosy) but completely ignored by the clergy after the abrogation of Sikh sovereignty was taken over in 1858 by Christian missionaries.
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Banks in Tarn Taran
Most of the banks in Tarn Taran provide Automated teller machine facility for the
convenience of the customers. Through the ATM facility the customers can withdraw
money 24 hours. Some of the banks also offer credit card and debit card facility.
The Banks also provide loan to the agriculturists and landless agricultural laborers
who need money. Internet banking is another facility catered by the banks, which
has made the whole process of banking very convenient. Some of the banks have introduced
core banking which has resulted in the operation of banking process easier all over
India.
Major Industries
Harbhajan Engg Works
Jaswindra Agro Industries
J.P.Industries
Kuldip Engineering & Foundry Works
Sarhali Mechanical Corpn.
Phone and Communication
Tarn Taran is connected to world through very good Landline and Wireless communication network.
There are various land line and Wireless Phone service providers like BSNL,Airtel,Spice,Hutch,Reliance and Vodaphone .Most of the mobile (cell phone) services have good range in all the areas.
Weather Conditions
The climate of this district is on the whole dry except during the brief south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided into four seasons. The cold season is from the middle of November to early part of March. The succeeding period upto the end of June in the summer season, July, August and first half of September constitute the South-West monsoon season. The period from middle September to the middle of November is the post monsoon or transition period.
The summer season sets in April and lasts up to end of June, to be taken over by the rainy season (during which time it becomes hot and humid). The rainy season sets in the beginning of July and lasts up till September's end. The winter season starts after the rains are over from October and lasts up until March's end. May and June are the hottest months of the year in Tarn Taran (during which time mercury is known to cross 45 °C).
