Jalandhar (Punjabi: ) is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh. It was known as Prasthala at the time of the Mahabharta and as Jullundur in British times. Jalandhar is another name of Lord Shiva. Jalandhar and Multan are the oldest surviving cities of the Punjab region, with historical references as far back as A.D. 100. The Jalandhar Doab (the region surrounding the city between the Beas and Sutlej rivers) also marked the easternmost territory of the empire of Alexander the Great. He erected giant altars in this area to mark the eastern most extent of his empire and also founded a city named Alexandria in the vicinity and left many Macedonian veterans there. In the 7th century, when the famous Chinese traveller and pilgrim Hiuen Tsang visited India during the reign of Harsha Vardhana, the Kingdom of Jalandhara or Trigarta was under the rule of Raja Utito (whom Alexander Cunningham identifies...
