Patiala a Royal city, the land of Maharajas is famous for its peg, pagri, dresses,

jutti, Patiala sahi salwar, Reshmi naale , Food like Makki de Roti and Saraason da
saag, folk songs , dances like Gidha and Bhangra , its traditions and culture.
In 1714 A.D Baba Ala Singh assumed its leadership. Patiala formerly known as Ala De
Patti because Baba Ala Singh was the founder of this place. In 1763 Baba Ala Singh laid
the foundation of Quila Mubarak. The city is built around the Qila Mubarak . The area of
district Patiala is known as Malwa.

Maharaja Bhupindra Singh (1900-1930) had given Patiala a prominent place in politics and in
the field of sports. Big architectural designs were constructed during his time. Yadwindra Singh
son of Maharaja Bhupindra Singh, came towards the front to sign the instrument of accession
Hindus of Sirhind settle first at Patiala. They opened their business outside the Darshni Gate.
The lower cast got place in Patiala city known as Chur Majris. The other localities were of
Dancing Girls. Dharampura Bazar abundant by ruling Elite. Under the rule of Maharaja Narender
Singh (1845-1862) has given embarkation round a fortified place and ten gates around Patiala were
constructed.
Now a days some of the gates have been destroyed to make easy flow of traffic. Inside these walls
there are mandis and markets of the cost suitable for purchasing of luxury and traditional goods.
Patiala is in forefront from the education. In the country, it was the first town who have degree
college that is the Mohindra college (1870). Patiala gharana is one of the most prominent
gharanas of vocal Hindustani Classical Music . It has the number of musicians, they came to Patiala
after after the brake up into pieces of Mughal court at delhi in 18th century. Ustad Ali Baksh, his
son Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan got worldwide fame and
glory. It continues through the north zone culture center, settle on permanent basis at Patiala.

The Main Architectural of Patiala

The main architectural of Patiala are Quila Mubarak, Moti Bagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal and
Museum Bahadurgarh Fort, Baradari Gardens, Government Mahindra College and
Gurudawara Dukh Niwaran Sahib. The Quila Mubarak was first made up of mud was known as
Mud Fort or Kachi Garhi. Then Baba Ala Singh made the Pacca Quila. It is on the Grand
Trunk Road. Its interiors and Quila and rooms was built by Baba Ala Singh. Now Quila is
separated into two parts. Moti Bagh Palace is also a great architectural place was constructed in
1847 by Maharaja Narendara Singh. It was cost of 5 lakhs on that time as Swai Jai Singh of
Jaipur Mahraja Narendara Singh was also a great builder. Its designing is as like as Shalimar
Gardens of Lahor with beautiful gardens, water channels, terraces and Sheesh Mahal. It has a
rope bridge which is known as Lakshman Jhula. Sheesh Mahal was constructed by Maharaja
Narendara Singh. He was a lover of music , Literature and Fine Arts. The walls of Sheesh Mahal
were painted by painters from Kangla and Rajasthan invited by Maharaja Narenadra Singh.
The vision in poetry of Keshav, Bihari, and Surdas, and colours were depicted in their work. Fine
object of Tibetan art particularly carvings of Punjab, sculpture of different kinds of metals, royal
wooden carved furniture and large number of Kashmiri and Burmese objects are exhibited there.

Baradari Gardens
Baradari Gardens are situated in the north of old Patiala city, opposite Sheranwala Gate. Its
built around Baradari Palace as a residence for the crown prince Rajinder Singh. He was a
great lover of nature. There are all kinds of rare trees , huge fruit trees, the rock garden and the fern
house. This palace is now Punjab state archives
Article no 2

Patiala a Royal city, the land of Maharajas is famous for its peg, pagri, dresses,
jutti, Patiala sahi salwar, Reshmi naale , Food like Makki de Roti and Saraason da
saag, folk songs , dances like Gidha and Bhangra , its traditions and culture.
In 1714 A.D Baba Ala Singh assumed its leadership. Patiala formerly known as Ala De
Patti because Baba Ala Singh was the founder of this place. In 1763 Baba Ala Singh laid
the foundation of Quila Mubarak. The city is built around the Qila Mubarak . The area of
district Patiala is known as Malwa.

Maharaja Bhupindra Singh (1900-1930) had given Patiala a prominent place in politics and in
the field of sports. Big architectural designs were constructed during his time. Yadwindra Singh
son of Maharaja Bhupindra Singh, came towards the front to sign the instrument of accession
Hindus of Sirhind settle first at Patiala. They opened their business outside the Darshni Gate.
The lower cast got place in Patiala city known as Chur Majris. The other localities were of
Dancing Girls. Dharampura Bazar abundant by ruling Elite. Under the rule of Maharaja Narender
Singh (1845-1862) has given embarkation round a fortified place and ten gates around Patiala were
constructed.
Now a days some of the gates have been destroyed to make easy flow of traffic. Inside these walls
there are mandis and markets of the cost suitable for purchasing of luxury and traditional goods.
Patiala is in forefront from the education. In the country, it was the first town who have degree
college that is the Mohindra college (1870). Patiala gharana is one of the most prominent
gharanas of vocal Hindustani Classical Music . It has the number of musicians, they came to Patiala
after after the brake up into pieces of Mughal court at delhi in 18th century. Ustad Ali Baksh, his
son Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan got worldwide fame and
glory. It continues through the north zone culture center, settle on permanent basis at Patiala.

The Main Architectural of Patiala

The main architectural of Patiala are Quila Mubarak, Moti Bagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal and
Museum Bahadurgarh Fort, Baradari Gardens, Government Mahindra College and
Gurudawara Dukh Niwaran Sahib. The Quila Mubarak was first made up of mud was known as
Mud Fort or Kachi Garhi. Then Baba Ala Singh made the Pacca Quila. It is on the Grand
Trunk Road. Its interiors and Quila and rooms was built by Baba Ala Singh. Now Quila is
separated into two parts. Moti Bagh Palace is also a great architectural place was constructed in
1847 by Maharaja Narendara Singh. It was cost of 5 lakhs on that time as Swai Jai Singh of
Jaipur Mahraja Narendara Singh was also a great builder. Its designing is as like as Shalimar
Gardens of Lahor with beautiful gardens, water channels, terraces and Sheesh Mahal. It has a
rope bridge which is known as Lakshman Jhula. Sheesh Mahal was constructed by Maharaja
Narendara Singh. He was a lover of music , Literature and Fine Arts. The walls of Sheesh Mahal
were painted by painters from Kangla and Rajasthan invited by Maharaja Narenadra Singh.
The vision in poetry of Keshav, Bihari, and Surdas, and colours were depicted in their work. Fine
object of Tibetan art particularly carvings of Punjab, sculpture of different kinds of metals, royal
wooden carved furniture and large number of Kashmiri and Burmese objects are exhibited there.

Baradari Gardens
Baradari Gardens are situated in the north of old Patiala city, opposite Sheranwala Gate. Its
built around Baradari Palace as a residence for the crown prince Rajinder Singh. He was a
great lover of nature. There are all kinds of rare trees , huge fruit trees, the rock garden and the fern
house. This palace is now Punjab state archives
Article no. 3

Patiala, the heritage city of Punjab famous for its historical monuments, is also one of the famous
business centres that provide employment to thousands engaged in hand embroidery and other
handicrafts.

In the near-by villages of Patiala, one woman from each family earns about Rs 1200 per month working
part time on multi-coloured embroidery called 'phulkari' in local language.In the joint families, the work is
done more professionally.

The Adalat Bazar of Patiala has more than 200 shops of retail and wholesale which deal in a range of
embroidery products(dress material, bed covers, cushion covers pillow covers, wall hangings etc). An
average shopkeeeper does a business of about Rs 30 lakh-Rs 40 lakh per annum.

The booming retail market in India had a favourable impact on the demand for handicrafts in Patiala,said
Gurminder Singh, a wholesale merchant in Patiala. He said demand surged in the past two years.

The trend of ethnic dresswears in the marriages has given a new dimension to the hand embroidery.
Inderdeep Singh of the same market told that the demand from NRI (non resident Indian) customers and
boutiques across India had given a big push to their sales.

Colourful embroidered juttis (footwears), another hallmark of rich Punjabi culture is all pervasive in the
150 odd shops of Topkhana and Fort Bazars of Patiala. Despite the unorganised structure of the market,
traders with their individual efforts have been able to access the overseas markets in the past few years.

Sandeep Narula of Data Shoes, one of the oldest wholeseller in the region says there are quick variations
in demand in the export markets but the business prospects are lucrative due to the demand from Indian
diaspora based in western countries.

Artises from Patiala, Muktsar and Abohar (about 200 KM from Patiala) tie up with the traders in Patiala
and design juttis as per the specifications. Patiala is a major collection and distribution centre for Punjabi
juttis in India.
About 50,000 households across Punjab earn their bread and butter from this business. As there is no
mediator between the craftsmen and traders the possiblity of exploitation is bleak. According to Sandeep
Narula, depending upon the intricacy of design, an artist can earn a minimum of Rs 200 per month.

The market for other handicraft like parandis has declined over the years due to urbanisation.

The crafts market in Patiala is thriving on the demand by the conventional buyers. Traders in the region
are unaware of the fact that a fusion of traditional designs on the modern outfits can fetch them rich
dividends, in other words,the complacency of the enterprenuers has refrained them from innovations.
Article no 4.

Tourist Attractions:
When it comes to the places worth seeing in Patiala, the first place that comes to mind is where the city
was founded; the Qila Mubarak. The Qila (fort) is located in the heart of the Patiala city and covers an
area of 10 acres. It is surrounded by a market which sells everything from shoes to precious jewellery.
Rang Mahal (the Palace of Colours) and Sheesh Mahal (the Palace of Glass) were built during Narendra
Singhs rule and embellished with the illustrations of traditional Indian epics. The Moti Bagh Palace was
built in the early years of the 20th century and now houses the National Institute of Sports.

The Baradari Gardens surround the Baradari Palace and together they form the largest garden in Patiala.
There are many rare species of plants planted in the garden. For someone, who wants to have a look at
the religious heritage of the city, Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib and the Kali Temple are the ideal
religious places to go.

Nabha is about 25 kilometres from the Patiala City and holds many treasures for a tourist. Hira Mahal
(Diamond Palace), the residence of the royal family; Royal Samadhia (Royal Tombs), The Courthouse of
Nabha and Hira Singh park are the places worth visiting in the town.

Samana is another important town which holds many treasures for a tourist. It is an ancient town and
its history dates back to the 12th century. It became an important administrative town during the
Mughal rule and there are many old buildings in the town which show its old architectural traditions.

There are also a number of ancient buildings, including the tomb of Malik Suleman and the Imperial
Fort, to be seen in the town of Banur which is situated on the Rajpura-Chandigarh road. Ghuram is
another ancient town whose history stretches back to the days of Ramayana. It is said that maternal
grandmother of the King Rama lived in Ghuram.

Main Bazaars in the Patiala City:

Bazaar is Persian word which means a market lined with shops and stalls selling various items. Here are
some of the famous markets in the Patiala city:

(1) Adalat Bazaar: It is today an upmarket area located in the centre of the city near Qila Mubarak.
There are a number of shops in the Adalat Bazaar dealing in both traditional and western style clothes.

(2) Dharampura Bazaar: Sandwiched between the Sheranwala Gate and the Adalat Bazaar, this
Bazaar is famous for the quality electronics items, watches and handloom stores.

(3) Gur Mandi (Jaggery Market): The market is located outside the main gate of the Qila Mubarak
and people flock here to buy various steel utensils and other groceries.

(4) Juttian Vali Gali (Footwear Street): Juttian Vali Gali is the place where one can find some of the
best cobblers; especially those are expert at mending traditional shoes, the Punjabi Jutti. The street is
also famous for its traditional custom-built footwear that are heavily embroidered.

(5) Leela Bhawan and the City Centre: It is an upmarket area famous for its restaurant Gopal
Sweets. There are several showrooms in the market dealing mainly with clothes and other consumer
items.

(6) Qila Chowk (The Fort Square): Qila Chowk is located adjacent to the Adalat Bazaar and it is
famous for its shops selling jewellery and wedding accessories.
 (7) Sabzi Mandi (Vegetable Market): There arent many shops to be found in the Sabzi Mandi
except for a couple of large warehouses or godowns (as the locals know them). One can find hundreds
and hundreds of street vendors selling both imported and locally grown vegetables and fruits here.

(8) Sher-e- Punjab Market: This market is also famous for clothes, but here, most of the sellers are
wholesalers.

(9) Tractor Market or Scrap Market: Located outside the periphery of the proper city, the tractor
market is the place where the one can find virtually anything from the used automobile parts to new
vehicles.

(10) Tripuri Market: Approximately 5 minutes from the famous Sikh temple, Gurudwara Dukhnivaran
Sahib, the market is famous for the highly embroidered clothes in the Fulkari style.

Since ages, Patiala has been the center of various types of trades and still the same tradition
continues. One who comes to Patiala would never be able to resist the temptation to buy various
types of items from Patiala. Patiala has some old traditional market places as well as the
modernized ones keeping in mind the likings of the modern buyers. Among the various shopping
places in Patiala, the AC market is the one which is considered to be one of the best as the
shoppers get all items needed from within a one single complex.

As the name suggests, AC Market is fully air conditioned. This awe-inspiring completely air-
conditioned shopping heaven is spread crosswise four storeys and boasts of over 650 shops. The
products range from cheap goods to costly brands that consist of Sony, Levis, Nike and many
others.

The AC market Patiala has made the shopping a very trouble free activity for the shoppers. There
are shops keeping the branded products of clothes, shoes, electronic goods or any other items
needed by the people as well as there are many shops which keep the special items of Patiala.
There are shops of bangles, wedding accessories, gift items, utensils etc.

There are shops of the handicrafts which always allure the visitors with their beautifully decorated
items commemorating the land of Punjab and its tradition and practices. People from the
surrounding areas as well as the local people come here to do their shopping. After a tiring
shopping day, one can always take rest and enjoy the food they want in the various eateries.
Typical, Punjabi food is available and visitors find them extremely delicious.

Patiala is famous for its phulkari work of embroidery and for its well-decorated and comfortable
jutis (shoes). For the people, who come from outside Patiala, buying the Phulkari work fabrics,
suits, dupattas, and carpets will remind them the cherished moments of their visit in Patiala.
Patiala is well connected to many north Indian Cities by road such as Delhi, Chandigarh etc. One
can get the buses and drive their own private vehicles and reach Patiala using the national
highways. Patiala is well connected by the trains with trains like Inter City Express or Shatabdi
Express. Chandigarh is the nearest airport from Patiala.
Crafts of patiala

Different corners of Punjab are the traditional workshops where marvellous pieces of handicrafts are given life.
Beside Phulkari there are other captivating crafts which are groomed only in Punjab.

Pidhis

At Kartarpur, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur, craftsmen and women create pidhis (low, four legged woven stools), which
are both functional and artistic. In a marvelous display of skill, the pidhis are first carved out from wood, and then
covered with lacquer and woven with threads of different colors. Other lacquer ware products of Punjab include
table lamps, dolls, and attractive scratch work surahis. Wood workers at Hoshiarpur and Kartarpur specialize in
making artistic furniture with intricate designs. In those golden days when artisans received royal patronage, the
wood workers of Hoshiarpur particularly were specialists in inlaying ivory. With motifs and ornamentation drawn
from life around them -Patta (leaf), dodi (bud), jhari (bush), flowers and animals and birds-the wood workers created
masterpieces that found their way to the homes of those who had an eye for skill and beauty.

Today, the march of time has taken its toll in terms of raw material-with ivory inlays being replaced by plastic. But
the skills of the craftsmen continue to blossom and they turn out a remarkable range of trays, mirror frames,
dressing tables, easy chairs, sofa sets, dining tables, chairs, and much else.

Jootis

Color, beauty and utility combine to form the central theme of the well-known leather jootis (shoes and slippers) of
Punjab. Rich gold and multi-colored threads are used to decorate and impart a royal touch to a variety of jootis
crafted from leather of different shades. In many parts of Punjab, entire families continue to devote themselves to
making jootis. A good place to buy jootis is Patiala-once the proud capital of the Sikh Maharajas. One can find a
stunning range of jootis embroidered with zari (gold thread), salma and tilla here.

Muktsar, near Faridkot, is also a good center for purchasing jootis. Known for the production of two varieties-khosa
and kasuri, Muktsar is home to more than 50 families who specialize in making jootis.

Durries

In the villages, women weave durries (a pile less cotton spread, which can be used on a bed or on the floor). Girls
are taught the art of weaving durries at a young age. The durries are woven in different sizes, patterns-geometrical,
animals, birds, leaves and flowers-and colors. Nikodar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran and Anandpur Sahib
offer a vast variety of durries.

Carpet weaving is not as widespread as the weaving of durries, but the art of weaving carpets took root long ago
in Punjab, with Amritsar being one of the oldest centers of carpet weaving in the country.

Parandis

Making parandis may not be as exotic as carpet weaving, but the parandi craftspeople have refined their art and
now produce wonderfully attractive parandis in a number of colors and designs Parandis can be purchased almost
everywhere in Punjab, but Jalandhar, Amritsar, Nikodar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana are amongst the places where
the greatest variety can be seen.

Dolls

Rivaling the parandis in popularity, are the dolls of Punjab, especially the Punjabi bride and the bhangra (a lively
fold dance) dolls. Colorful and beautifully crafted and dressed, dolls are made all over Punjab, but the most
important center for doll making is Chandigarh.
Both collectively and individually, the crafts of Punjab symbolize many of the strengths of the state and the feel of
the people of Punjab to come up with superb combinations of color, beauty and utility bound together by the skill
of the craftspeople. In the process, the buyer is served with a tasteful feast of crafts.

Phulkari

Phulkari work is one of the most fascinating expressions of the Punjabi folk art. Women have developed this art at
the cost of some of their very precious moments of leisure. They have always been very fond of color and have
devoted a lot of their time to colorful embroidery and knitting. It has also been customary for parents and relatives
to give hand-embroidered clothes to girls in dowry. Punjabi women were known for embroidery with superb
imagination. Phulkari is something of which Punjab is justly proud and is also noted as the home of this embroidered
and durable product. This is a kind of women's dress used a special cover to be worn over the shirt which women
traditionally don. It actually formed part of the brides trousseau and was associated with various ceremonies
preliminary to the wedding during which it used to be embroidered. The cloth used for making this, is generally in
red or maroon colour and the thread employed in the close embroidery is made of silk in gold, yellow, crimson red,
blue and green colours.

In the Phulkari work, the whole cloth is covered with close embroidery and almost no space is left uncovered. The
piece of cloth thus embroidered is called baag meaning a garden. If only the sides are covered it is called chope.
The back ground is generally maroon or scarlet and the silken thread used is mostly golden. Colour schemes show
a rich sensitiveness. Some Phulkaris are embroidered with various motifs of birds, animals, flowers and sometimes
scenes of village life.

Mud Works

There is no limit to the creativity of Punjab's craftsmen. They have this panache for turning seemingly dull materials
into masterpieces of art. Take as simple a thing as mud for example. Plastering the walls with mud and drawing
ferns, plants, several other fascinating motifs has been a way of life of the woman of Punjab.

Weaving and Embroidery

Weaving of Durries (cotton bed or floor spreads) in myriad motifes and designs especially by young girls in the
villages has been a long tradition in Punjab. These are also woven in stripes, cheek boards, squares, motifs of
birds, animals and even plants as a part of dowry. Needle work of Punjab is unique, it has beautiful names because
of its associations with beautiful aspects of life and the beautiful designs which the dextrous fingers of Punjab's
proverbially beautiful women create have such a wealth of forms and motifs that they defy enumeration. Some of
these are called Baghs, literally a garden, Phulkaris, literally flower work, rummals, scarfs. The patterns of needle
work done on the bed spreads, chunnis, dupattas (these are head covers) and shirts and Salvars, are still different.
Needle work on phulkaris is done on a deep coloured cotton cloth with striking silk threads. The threads is pierced
upwards from underneath the cloth into free-hand motifs, while in the Baghs and Rummals such cloth is worked
on the top side only. These were traditionally used for wear but now are exported as wall hangings and sewn as
jackets etc.

Folk Toys Making

The earliest hand-made toys of Punjab can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, dating from 2500 to
1700 B.C. These bear a remarkable resemblance to the traditional toys of a much later period which remained
popular through the ages till recently when factory made toys found their way to the villages.

The traditional toys usually depict animals, equestrian figures and wheeled vehicles, all of which, though varying
in quality and intended for different purposes. They can be used as playthings by the children and as decoration
pieces by the adults. Toys of cloth stuffed with cotton are still made by the women in the villages. Dolls, birds and
animals are some of the common subjects. These are embellished with colorful additions of beads, buttons,
feathers, tinsels and tassels and also with cowries. Sometimes the body of the toy is appliqued. The material used
in this folk art reflects the dynamic spirit of improvisation. Besides their ornamental quality these toys have a
sentimental value as well as emotional appeal.

The popularity of the clay toys is diminishing day by day but still there are to be seen sporadic instances of miniature
dolls in clay, animals and kitchen utensils, roughly colored with kharia mitti and decorated with motifs in bright
colors.

Wood Works
The wood work of Punjab has also been traditionally famous. Artistic beds with comfortable, skillfully made, back
rests fitted with mirrors and carved colourful legs called Pawas, low seats called Peeras, Peerian were made by
carpenters in almost every village. Their skill has passed into folk songs (Raati rondi da bhij gaya Ial bhangoora)
weeping last night my red Swing became drenched. Furniture designed in Punjab and boxes, toys and decorative
pieces made out of wood are exported. In giving lacquer finish to wood crafts, in adorning it with colored mirror and
in engraving wood, inlaying ivory (now white plastic only) the workmen of Punjab have been renowned.

The onslaught of high technology is putting a premium on the arts and crafts in the modern era and it will require
special efforts to preserve them for posterity.

Miscellaneous Crafts

The craftsmen of Punjab have also been making paper mache utencils for storing house hold necessities in colorful
designs for a long time past, out of a paste made by mixing paper and various kinds of earth. A few decades ago,
Sarcanda, a kind of tough; thick elastic grass used to grow in plenty at places, which have now come under the
plough. Out of this grass roofs of all sizes are fashioned in circular shapes. After shaving, thin straws of this grass
are woven into beautiful carpets and curtains.

Another useful household contrivance called Chhaj in Punjabi are manufactured out of sarcanda which is used for
separating edible stuff from the grain. Screens, used as a parting between wheat and hay, for instance, are also
woven from this stuff. Baskets used for keeping haber dasbery (pins, cotton, buttons, needles, threads) in different
shapes and colors and covers are contrived by young girls by using shaved sarcanda and colored cotton thread
which are taken by them as a part of dowry. In Punjabi these are called katnees.

The shavings of sarcanda chicks and colored cotton threads were also used to weave Chiks, Bohiey, Pitarian, (
household articles) and kind of chairs called Moorras. Brushes for white washing are also made by hands out of
munjhs. However, these crafts of Punjab are moving fast towards falling into wilderness.