Ucha Pind Sunet

Sunet. – Five kilometres from Ludhiana, on Ludhiana-Jagraon Road, the ancient village of Sunet is situated. The place is also popularly known as Ucha Pind and Kacha pind probably on account of the existence of an old mound there. Its population was1,622 persons in 1961 against 1,575 in 1951. It has a Government(Co-educational ) Middle School. There is a Branch Post Office run by a Part-time teacher. The village falls within has a panchayat. Sunet is famous for the huge mound, which is said to have measured 17,550 ft. in length and 1,200 ft. in breadth at the time it was visited by sir Alexander Cunningham in 1878-79. At present the mound has greatly shrunk in size. A small portion still remains. Pieces of ancient bricks and potsherds are found scattered in large quantities. Numerous terracotta seals and other antiquities have been found from the place. Some interested persons have also antiquities have been found from the place. Some interest persons have also collected a number of coins, clay seals and other relics fro the site7.

7. Several coin moulds, burnt clay seals and other objects procured from Shri harbans Singh of Ghulai have been displayed in the historical museum of the State Archives at Patiala.


The place is undoubtedly of great antiquity as vouched by the number and the variety of old coins found there. Sir Alexander Cunningham in his own report had acknowledged the collection of more than 1,000 coins, which related mostly to pre-muslim period8.on the basis of the overwhelming numismatic evidence it was inferred by him that the town of Sunet was in existence before the Christian era. The fact was proved by the coins of Uttama-Datta and Amogha- Bhuti9. It continued to flourish down to the time of Samanta – Deva, the Brahmin King of Kabul and the Punjab, about 900 A. D.

8. Report on “A tour in the Punjab, 1878-79” by Sir Alexander Cunnigham, Vol. XIV PP. 65-67, 1882.
9. Sunet is also believed to be a later capital of the Yaudheyas on the basis of these coins, Ibid, p. 65, 1882

Since no coins of the Tomara Rajas of Delhi or of the various Mohammadan dynasties have been found, it is believed that Sunet must have been destroyed during one of the early invasions of Muhmud of Ghazni. The place remined uninhabited for centuries thereafter.

The above conclusions are broadly confirmed by the report of Tolbort. Which confirms that vast quantities of building material have been obtained from the place by the people of the surrounding areas. about the history of Sunet very little is known beyond the popular belief that the place suffered a convulaion on account of the curse on the king. According to the fable Raja Maj Gend or Ponwar of Sunet treated his subjects with great violence and cruelty. The king, being afflicted with ulcer was told that human flesh would do him good. So he had ordered that a human being might be brought from each household as occasion might require. One day it so happened that it was the turn of the only child of a widow. As the king’s agents came to take away the boy, the mother’s tears moved a holy man, who made an unsuccessful attempt to turn away the soldiers. In his rage he had cursed the town and its king to be destroyed. So it happened that the town was buried underground.
Another legend has it: Sirkap , the ruler of Sunnet10 was in the habit of eating one goat a day. The supply of the goats having failed, his cook served up the flesh of a young child. The Raja noticed the difference and the cook explained the difficulty. Sirkap was satisfied and ordered the cook to serve up a young child daily. When it was the turn of the child of a Brahman widow the mother rushed to Mirhoto (Ludhiana) and implored the great Saint Kutb Shah to save her child. The Saint obliged by killing the cruel king. The name of the Muslim Saint suggested the existence of Awans, who were actually found at Ludhiana . the story might have been connected with Sirkap by the Awan colonists of Ludhiana on their migration from Awan- kari district situated between Jhelhm and Indus