Pre-Partition Amritsar

Punjab as a state was particularly problematic in any discussion where Partition and the creation of Pakistan were suggested. The state in its entirety could not be handed over to India or Pakistan due to the significant inter-mixing of the communities- not only within the cities, but in the entire central tract of the state.

The added factor of a significant Sikh population, a third major religious group, made the division all the more complex. The city of Amritsar epitomizes one such communally contested space within this central tract. Prior to Partition in, Amritsar was a thriving metropolis with a fine- grained religious fabric spread throughout the city; Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs inhabited the city living adjacent to each other, often in the same localities. According to the 1941 Census of India, Amritsar was dominated by three major religious groups - Muslims accounted for close to 48 percent of the total, Hindus made up approximately 35 percent, while the Sikhs consisted of 16 percent of the population of the city.

Prior to 1947, Amritsar was a major commercial and cultural centre with a cosmopolitan population. Its location along the Grand Trunk Road, the principal trading route that ran from Kabul in Afghanistan right up to Calcutta in Bengal ensured its commercial viability within the state of Punjab. Amritsar was one of the three major cities in the state based on the size of its population – the other two being Lahore and Delhi. In August 1947, with the creation of the International Boundary 17 miles to its west, Amritsar witnessed a massive transformation of its population. The city changed drastically from a community of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs prior to Partition to a seemingly homogenous society of Hindus and Sikhs through the exodus of the entire Muslim community and the arrival of Hindu and Sikh refugees post-Partition. This changed the population into a religious and social demographic that spread itself to inhabit every corner of Amritsar.

 The city of Amritsar - literally meaning 'pool of nectar' has a rich and varied history. From its inception in the late 16th century to the present day, the city has undergone a great deal of change.

Established by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das in 1577, the specific site of Amritsar was chosen for a number of reasons-

1. Traditionally, cities have located themselves alongside water resources and Amritsar was no exception. Situated between the rivers Ravi and Beas on either side along a principal trade route, the site was approximately 26 miles east of the city of Lahore.
2. Located on the principal trade route and now the home of the Sikh Guru, Ramdaspur (Amritsar) came to attract traders from the areas surrounding Punjab. The traders were organized by Guru Arjan Dev (Guru Ram Das' son) into locating themselves on particular streets according to their caste and trade.

The settlement of these trade families in the immediate vicinity of the Hari Mandir led to the natural formation of a trade street which came to be known as Guru Ka Bazaar. This street is still in existence in Amritsar and is one of the principal markets of the walled city even today.

The Mughals had by now been in India from the early 1500s. The third emperor Akbar, known for his religious tolerance among Hindus and Muslims, had great respect and shared a cordial relationship with Guru Arjan Dev. Upon Akbar's death and his son Jahangir's ascension to the throne, matters changed. Growing animosity between the Sikhs and the Mughals led Jahangir to sentence Guru Arjan Dev to death.

Growing Sikh-Mughal tension due to Guru Arjan Dev's killing led to the militarization of the Sikhs by Guru Arjan Dev's son, the sixth Guru - Guru Hargobind. He built a small fortress to the west of the city and created a small army. The guru also formed the Akal Takht which was the political seat of the Sikhs formed largely due to the introduction of the Mughals into the city of Ramdaspur.

The British arrived in Amritsar in 1849 when they annexed Maharaja Ranjit Singh's sphere of influence. The army cantonment was established soon after in the extreme north west of the north zone. It was during this time period that Amritsar saw maximum growth.