Qadian
| Qadian | |
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| Coordinates | 31°49′N 75°23′E / 31.82°N 75.39°ECoordinates: 31°49′N 75°23′E / 31.82°N 75.39°E |
| Country | India |
| State | Punjab |
| District(s) | Gurdaspur |
| Population | 20,827 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 250 metres (820 ft) |
Qadian (Punjabi: ਕ਼ਾਦੀਆਨ (Gurmukhi), قادیان (Shahmukhi); Hindi: क़ादीयान, IPA: [qaːd̪iːˈaːn]) is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated 18 kilometres (11 mi) north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India.
Qadian is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
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[edit] History
Qadian was established in 1530 by Mirza Hadi Baig, a religious scholar dedicated to Islam and the first Qazi within the area. Because of his religious beliefs, he named the new town 'Islam Pur Qazi'. Over time, the name of the town changed to 'QaziMaji' (the word "Maji" means Bull referring to the animal still found in abundance in Qadian). Later, it was named just 'Qadi' and eventually, it became known as Qadian.
In 1834, during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the region consisting of Qadian and five other adjoining villages were given to Mirza Ghulam Murtaza Ahmad, father of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.
A remote and unknown village, Qadian emerged as a centre of religious learning in 1889, when Mirza Ghulam Ahmad established the Ahmadiyya Movement. Qadian remained the administrative headquarter and capital of the Ahmadiyya Caliphate until the partition of India in 1947.
[edit] Geography
Qadian is located at 31°49′N 75°23′E / 31.82°N 75.39°E. It has an average elevation of 250 metres (820 feet). Since the city is located east of Damascus, it holds significance to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community who believe that the Mahdi rose from this city.[1][2]
[edit] Demographics
As of India's census in 2001,[3] Qadian had a population of 20,827. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Qadian has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 70%. In Qadian, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Before the partition of India, the town of Qadian had a majority Muslim population because of the many religious materials belonging to the Islamic faith. Since 1947, Qadian's population is mostly Sikh based with some members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community staying behind to care for the Community's buildings and mosques. The vast majority of the Community migrated to Pakistan during the partition of India.
[edit] References
- ^ "Qadian in India is Situated Exactly to the East of Damascus in Syria". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/engrmhk/3283814417/. Retrieved 2009–07–03.
- ^ "The Divine guidance about leadership in the latter days". Ahmaddiya Muslim Community. http://www.flickr.com/photos/engrmhk/3283814417/. Retrieved 2009–07–03.
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
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