Kapurthala, Former princely capital in Punjab, India.
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab, India, situated on the flat plains between Jalandhar and Ferozepur in the heart of the grain belt. Wide avenues and colonial architecture define the town center, where the former royal palace still anchors the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Ahluwalia rulers, a Sikh clan, took control of the area in the late 18th century and transformed it into a recognized princely state under British oversight. After Indian independence in 1947, the state was dissolved and merged into Punjab.
Residents know their town by the royal dynasty that ruled for centuries, and the memory of that princely past remains visible in street names and public monuments. Locals speak of the Ahluwalia rulers with pride, and many families trace their connection to the court or the trading communities that once served it.
The town sits along national highways and the railway line between Jalandhar and Ferozepur, with the nearest international airport in Amritsar. Most points of interest lie within walking distance in the center, where streets are wide and mostly level.
The town contains a replica of a Marrakesh mosque, built between 1917 and 1930 and now protected as a national monument. This structure reflects the influence of European travel on royal architecture and remains one of the few North African-inspired buildings in northern India.
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