Oct 7, 2015 - LUDHIANA: Historical village Aliwal, located 25 kilometers from Ludhiana, marked its presence on the world map with the inauguration of the first 1846 Anglo-Sikh war memorial. The memorial - constructed at a cost of Rs 30 lakh on half-an-acre of land - was inaugurated on Tuesday by Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jathedar Avtar Singh Makkar. The memorial and library have been constructed with the efforts of Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.
While addressing a gathering on the occasion, Ayali said the memorial was constructed using 'Chhoti Nanakshahi' brick, and an impressive 55-feet high 'khanda' had been installed there, while the library stocks several books on history, literature, and religion. During the 1846 war, more than 10,000 Sikhs were martyred at Aliwal.
Keeping in mind, the religious significance of the village, efforts are being made to bring it on the world map. Ayali said Rs35 lakh had already been spent and more works of Rs10 lakh would be carried out. He said the road connecting the village with the Hambran-Sidhwan belt would be widened to 18 feet, along with planting of trees. Makkar lauded Ayali for taking a personal interest in the memorial. He said it was necessary to take care of historical buildings. Makkar also announced a grant of Rs10 lakh from the SGPC for the memorial, along with Rs51,000 for books.