History of Panchkula
Panchkula - literally meaning five irrigation canals, is one of the most well planned city in the Northern part of the country. The city has made huge strides of development in the last few decades, thus impressing everyone with the impeccable administration that the city has got. The city of Panchkula, administratively and geographically, consists of five regions out of which the prominent ones are Pinjore, Barwala, Kalka. The city is part of Chandigarh Tricity along with Mohalli. It also has Ambala and Kurukshetra on its borders. It is a gateway to the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh. It will be therefore, interesting to know the history of the place and how it has come to be what it is now.
The Panchkula, as mentioned earlier, derives its name from Five irrigation canals which are known as kuls in Hindi thus making it Panch kul. These kuls used to draw water from Ghaggar river and used to distribute is the entire area from Chandimadir to Mansa Devi. The canals can be set as a perfect example of common property resources managed and maintained by community and villagers and distribution days decided beforehand.
The district has appeared on the map of state quite recently, that is towards eighth or ninth century onwards, however, the antiquity and historical presence of the place is beyond an inch of doubt. Amongst the earlist inhabitants of the place were people from stone age which is evident from the tolls of paleolithic age found in this place upon excavations. The place was also used by Pnadavas of Mahabharata for some time The place was known earlier as Panchpura but was later changed to Pinjore. The region has also stayed under the sway of foreign dynastic rulers such as yadavs and kushans, the fact that is reinforced by the founding the bricks from Kushan dynasty is region close to Ambala.
The region is also said to have played an integral role during the reign of Chauhan dynasty. there are inscriptions suggesting the indispensible importance that this region had during those days and how almost every reign and dynasty had its eyes on this region. The ruler of Jammu and Kashmir also made a futile attmpt to the capture the region and spread Muslim rule over the entire region. The hindu rulers of the area , however, defeated the king and he therefore was not able to fulfill his imperial ambitions. During the disturbances that occurred in Delhi during the reign of Pandavas and Kauravas, this region is said to have bore the brunt of the law and order disturbance and it took great deal of effort to restore peace and order in the city once again.
The Muslim rulers, however, didnt laid still. Soon after, Nawab Fidai Khan, the foster brother of the Mughal ruler of Aurangzeb came into the region and laid down the beautiful garden at Pinjore in alliance with patiala dynasty rulers. Akbar, before this, too visited the place and was impressed by the strategic location of the gardens. By 1803, Britishers completed their invasion over the region and the entire region came under their control. The Britishers had their summer territory in Shimla, and therefore, this region acquired utmost importance for them and they didnt aloowed anyone to even come near to this place.
Post independence too this region could heave a sigh of relief. By 1965, the region was embroiled in a tussle of power that arouse betweek punjabi and hindi speaking population which alter culminated in the division of the state of Punjab and the craetion of a Hindi speaking territory of Haryana. The region of Panchkula was accorded to Haryana and since then the city has acquired great prominence in the state of Haryana, literally rising above as the urban center of the state. The region thus has a rich historical background and one can comprehend the importance of the region by the very fact that how great the tussle of power was between different dynasties and reigns for control over this region.