Ambala

Geographically and administratively, the urban area is divided into two distinct parts separated by a distance of eight kilometres: Ambala Cantonment (also known as Ambala Cantt) and Ambala City, collectively referred to as the "Twin Cities". The cantonment hosts a major presence of both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. Ambala is located 200 kilometres (124 mi) north of New Delhi, India's capital, and has been designated as a counter-magnet city for the National Capital Region (NCR) to serve as an alternative centre of regional growth.

Ambala acts as a drainage divide separating the Ganges river network from the Indus river network and is surrounded by the Ghaggar and Tangri rivers to the north and south, respectively. Due to its strategic geographic position, the Ambala district is a regional transit hub for tourism. The city is situated 47 km (29 mi) south of Chandigarh, 50 km (31 mi) north of Kurukshetra, 148 km (92 mi) southwest of Shimla, 198 km (123 mi) north of New Delhi and 260 km (160 mi) southeast of Amritsar.

History

Etymology

The town is said to derive its name from Amba Rajput, who supposedly founded it during the 14th century CE. According to another version, it is named after the goddess "Bhawani Amba," whose temple still exists in the city. The English spelling Umballa has sometimes been used; this spelling was used by Rudyard Kipling in his 1901 novel Kim.

Classical era

Archaeological surveyor C.J. Rodgers found Indo-Parthian Kingdom coins as well as coins of Hunas, Mihirakula, and Toramana, which indicated that after the disintegration of the Mauryan empire, the area was taken over by Indo-Parthians and later incorporated into the domain of the Hunas.

Late medieval era

In 1709, in the Battle of Ambala, the Sikhs captured Ambala from the Mughals. The city was under the rule of Gill Jats from 1748 to 1825. It was also the capital of Nishanwalia Misl. For some time, the city was under the rule of Jawahir Singh of Mustafabad, a descendant of Desu Singh Randhawa.

British colonial era

The Ambala Cantonment

Ambala Army Base

Ambala Army Cantonment was established in 1843 after the British were forced to leave its Karnal Cantonment following the malaria epidemic of 1841–42, as there were (at the time) no known effective means to control malaria epidemics. The cantonment houses the '2 Corps', one of the three Strike Corps of the Indian Army.

Ambala Air Force Base

Ambala Air Force Base is one of the oldest and largest airbases inherited by the Indian Air Force from the British. It was from this airbase that Spitfires and Harvards flown by Instructors of the Advanced Flying Training School took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948. Subsequently, Ambala was the front line airfield for many years. This base was home to various aircraft that were inducted into the Indian Air Force like Harvards, Vampires, Ouragans, Hunters, Liberators, Spitfires, Canberra, and MiG-21. The airbase was briefly attacked in 1965 by B-57 bombers of the Pakistan Air Force. Today, the Airbase houses the '7 Wing', with 2 squadrons of Jaguars and 1 squadron of Dassault Rafale.

European Cemetery

Ambala Cantonment is the location of the historic European Cemetery. It is 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of Delhi and 55 kilometres (34 mi) southwest of Chandigarh.

1857 War Memorial

The First War of Independence Memorial, Ambala, also known as the 1857 War Memorial, Ambala or Shaheed Smarak Ambala, is a monument honouring the Indian rebels of 1857 First War of Independence against British Colonial Company Raj in India, and spread over 22 acres (8.9 ha) on NH-44 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) southeast of Ambala Cantonment Junction railway station. The memorial has four sections: an administrative building, a museum building, a library and food court, and an open-air theatre. The complex has a 63 metres (207 ft) tall lotus-shaped memorial tower at the center. The museum showcases the First War of Indian Independence in 1857 in 22 galleries across three sections: the outbreak of war at Ambala, the expansion of war in Haryana, and the martyrs across the country. Short films and light-and-sound shows are displayed on five screens to elaborate the valor of martyrs and the circumstances of the revolution. Before the war, 50 to 60 major movements across India had taken place against the British Colonial rule in India.

The war started at Ambala on 10 May 1857, 9 hours before the revolt also began at Meerut, by the Indian sepoys of 5th & 60th regiments of Bengal Native Infantry stationed at Ambala Cantonment. This is evident by 10 May 1857 telegram to the Chief Commissioner Punjab, John Lawrence, by the Deputy Commissioner of Ambala which states "This morning, the 60th and 5th regiments were in an excited state and under arms on their parade ground. Cavalry and artillery ordered out, but no actual row. The guard over one treasury turned out under arms and were in an excited state. I ordered the police corps to be in readiness and in their own lines. I have consulted with the General, who has sent an officer of the 5th to the treasury guard to dismiss the men to their lines, if necessary. The General will not give any orders without your sanction. This step will not, I think, be necessary unless some further disturbance takes place."

The Ambala rebellion was led by Ananti Mishra, Parmeshwar Pandey, Beni Prasad, Sheikh Faiz Ul-Khan, and Bikhan Khan, who moved towards Red Fort in Delhi via Bilaspur, Sadhaura, Yamunanagar, and Saharanpur. War spread to Ambala, Hisar, Kaithal, Karnal, Gulha Cheeka, Rohtak, Kharkhoda, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Palwal, Sohna, Rewari, and Narnaul.

The Indian revolutionaries were defeated by the British Colonisers. After the war was over, the execution of Baba Mohar Singh on 5 June 1857 at Ambala Cantonment was the first recorded execution of a captured Indian rebel by the British colonial regime. The British killed 26 people, who started the revolt at Ambala, by hanging them on trees, including Sardar Mohar Singh, Kahan Singh, and Ramprasad Bairagi. British authorities burnt the villages of Bilaspur and Sadhaura as punishment for providing aid to the rebels. The 5th & 60th Regiments of the Bengal Native Infantry were also disbanded. For their participation in first war of independence, the Chaudharys and Lambardars of villages who participated in rebellion were also deprived of their land and property, including 368 people of Hisar and Gurugram who were hanged or transported for life, and a fine was imposed on the people of Thanesar (Rs 235,000), Ambala (Rs. 253,541) and Rohtak (Rs. 63,000 mostly on Ranghars, Shaikhs and Muslim Kasai). The museum commemorates the valor and sacrifice of the Indian martyrs and the brutality of British Colonial rulers.

Science Centre Museum

Aryabhatta Vigyan Kendra a sub-regional science centre and museum on 5 acres costing Rs 40 crore, is located adjacent to the 1857 War Memorial. It houses multiple exhibits across 4 floors with 3D auditorium & planetarium, space science gallery with Indian space technology and satellites, digital adventure gallery for modern science and technology, agricultural technology, popular science, astronomical observatory with telescope for evening sky watching.

Formation of Ambala district

Ambala was given the status of a district in 1847, formed by the merging of the jagir estates of independent chieftains whose territories had lapsed or had been confiscated by the British Indian Government. In its 160 years of existence as a district, Ambala has witnessed many changes in its boundaries. Previously, it extended across tehsils of Ambala, Chandigarh, Jagadhri, Pipli, Kharar, Ropar, and Nalagarh. Kalka-cum-Kurari State, Pinjore, Mani Majra, Kasauli, and Sanawar were also merged later into the district at different times.

Post-independence

Hanging of Nathuram Godse

In November 1949, Mahatma Gandhi's alleged assassin Nathuram Godse was hanged at Ambala Central Jail along with Narayan Apte, a co-conspirator.