The village was later inhabited by the people of the Sahgal family, who sold the land to RandhawaJats as well as to the Bains Jats of Bahowal, Mahilpur, who later inhabited the village. During the colonial period, Talhan housed the zail headquarters, which covered 21 villages. Talhan was headed by a Bains Zaildar family beginning in 1871. In 1952, the Government of India dissolved the Zaildari feudal system by abolishing the oppressive feudal legislation.[2][3] It is mentioned that the zaildar in 1923 was Sham Singh and last zaildar was Zaildar Jagat Singh.[4][5]
Demographics
According to the 2001 Census,[6] Talhan has a population of 2,946 people. The village covers 369 acres (1.49km2).[7]
Baba Nihal Singh belonged to the neighbouring village of Dakoha. Baba Nihal Singh made pulleys for drinking water wells. He served the people by installing the pulleys at the base of the well. Local people believe that as the Baba was divine, no matter which water well Baba installed a pulley, the water wells never dried up and the water remained sweet.
On one occasion, the Baba met with a fatal accident, while installing a pulley and the Baba became a martyr while serving the people.
The people of Talhan constructed a samadhi shrine to commemorate his death. The shrine was looked after by the Baba Nihal Singh's associate, Harnam Singh. After Harnam Singh's death, the followers cremated him next to the Baba's Samadhi. The two shrines have now become a gurudwara, a place of worship in Sikhism.
An annual Mela is held in Jalandhar to mark the death anniversary, or "Barsi," of the Baba. During the event, sports such as kabbadi, volleyball, and tug-of-war take place, along with gatka, a form of martial arts associated with the Sikhs. The Mela is celebrated annually from June 3 to June 5.[9]
Religion
Talhan has a mixed population of Sikhs and Hindus. The village is also home to the mazaar, or dargah, of Pir Baba Fateh Shah Kadri. The mazaar is located in the northwest of Talhan and is about a kilometre from Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh. The mazaar includes three graves and a tomb, and the caretaker is Baba Paramjit Singh Bains. The village participates in the annual urs, or Mela, where Qawwalis, folk singers, and other entertainers perform.[10]
Talhan caste conflict
The Talhan caste conflict was an event concerning the assertion of dalit rights in Punjab. In June 2003, a dispute between dalit and JatSikhs in Talhan occurred when the Chamar community desired representation on the governing committee of the Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh gurdwara. Although the Dalits makes up 60% of the Talhan population,[11] they were denied a share in the committee.
Management of the gurdwara went under the District Collector of the Jalandhar district as a result of a protracted dispute between the villagers.
Talhan has many castes with surnames such as Bains, Sander, Bhogal, Sandhu, Chahal, Bal and Randhawa. The Bains families are divided into two "pattis" (family divisions): Burha Phaggu and Burha Deepa and claim ancestry from Baba Tula, who was originally from Bahowal village near Mahilpur.
The village gurudwara is known as a Visa Request gurudwara, where devotees bring replica airplanes to request an approval of visa applications.
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