About Dinanagar ( Dina / Nagar )

Dina Nagar is the 3rd largest town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur district in the state of Punjab, India. It takes its name after Adina Beg, one of Akbar's[who?] loyalists to whom the emperor granted Jagirs (big land holdings) in this area.The town came up during Akbar's regime and old buildings, bazaars and the walled portion of the town and its gates are a witness to all this.Dina Nagar town is situated about 14 l, North-East of Gurdaspur. It was founded by Adina Beg in 1730, on the bank of Hasli or Shah Nahar as his residence and cantonment. He seems to have exercised his government from this town. Dina Nagar was a favourite summer resort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It was one centre where Singh usually held his Durbar during the summer. It was Singh's summer capital. He spent the two months of May and June every year at Dina Nagar. It was here that in May 1838 he received the Macnaghten mission which negotiated the proposed alliance for placing Shah Shujah Durrani on the throne of Kabul.[1] After the annexation of the Punjab as British territory in March 1849, a new district of Adinanagar was constituted with Dina Nagar as its headquarters. Gurdaspur Tehsil, a greater portion of Batala Tehsil and 181 villages of Pathankot Tehsil were included in the Adinanagar district. In July 1849 the civil and Military escorts were transferred to Batala as Dina Nagar was thought unhealthy and in 1852 it became part of Gurdaspur district. The Rowlatt ACT passed in March 1919 invested the Government with extraordinary powers to suppress any kind of political agitation. A complete hartal was observed in Dina Nagar along with Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Batala. In 1920 the non-cooperation movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi due to alliance with Khilafat leader Jallianwala Bagh massacre and Rowllat Act. The people all over the country responded to the call of Gandhi. The Government made every effort to stop the movement and a large number of persons courted imprisonment. A durbar was held at Dina Nagar to discuss the situation created by Gandhi by H. Harcourt, the Deputy Commissioner. Swami Sawtantra Nand founded Dayanand Math in 1938 an institution which became a centre of learning and Ayurveda. In the course of time Adinanagar has been known for its Loi, Shawl and wood industries. A number of conduit pipe manufacturing units have been set up here after 1947. Dina Nagar is spread over 14.36 km2.