Mandi Gobindgarh

Mandi Gobindgarh is a town and a municipal committee in Fatehgarh Sahib district in the Indian state of Punjab. It is occasionally referred to as Steel Town or "Loha Mandi" ("Iron Market") due to its large number of steel factories.HistoryAccording to local knowledge, the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, stayed along the bank of Lake Barhi Dhab for 40 days in 1646. He was accompanied by his followers and warriors. A skirmish developed between his men and a contingent of Mughal forces. Their weapons sustained damage. The Guru's men pleaded before him that they could not continue to fight, as there was no available steel in the area to repair their weapons. Guru Hargobind replied, "Someday this place will be a large steel-producing center in the country. Why do you say no steel is available to repair your weapons?" Henceforth, Barhi Dhab was known as "Gobindgarh," named after Guru Hargobind Ji. To date, a Gurudwara remains situated near the town's railway station to commemorate Guru Hargobind in his holy memory.Industrialization in Mandi Gobindgarh began at the start of the 20th century. In 1902, the Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha, where Gobindgarh then lay, ordered the building of industrial units in the town. Maharaja Partap Singh conducted further industrial development.In 1928, Gobindgarh was declared a free trade zone for steel. As a centre for steel, the town experienced growth. The land was made available to local blacksmiths at nominal rates in early 1940, leading to the establishment of a number of workshops on both sides of the G.T.Road at Gobindgarh.