Hoshiarpur: Epicentre of Trigarta’s ancient art, cultural heritage

In a conversation with Sanjiv Bakshi, Dr Jaspal S, renowned artist and professor of Fine Arts, shared insights into the ancient culture of Trigarta, with a special focus on Hoshiarpur.

I have spent decades studying the ancient art forms and regional history of Punjab. Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kangra — parts of North India once known as Trigarta — served as significant cultural centres during ancient and early medieval times.

The land that includes present-day Hoshiarpur was part of Aryavarta during the Rigvedic period, forming the eastern boundary of the Sapta Sindhu region, now modern Punjab. Rigvedic texts, the Puranas, and Buddhist sources all identify this region as crucial in the formation of early Indian civilisation.

Trigarta, the historical name for the area covering Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, and Kangra (now in Himachal Pradesh), finds extensive mention in ancient scriptures. The great grammarian Panini referred to it as a land of multiple city-states and republican tribes. In Panini’s texts, Hoshiarpur is specifically identified as “Tilakhala,” and in the Mahabharata, as “Tilabhara.” These names highlight its importance as a center for oil seed production, forest goods, and Rajanya tribes who even minted coins in the Kharoshthi script — clear evidence of both economic vitality and political activity in early times.

But Hoshiarpur’s significance predates even these records. In prehistoric times, sites such as Aitbarapur, Rehmanpura, and Takkhni, located at the foothills of the Shivalik range, reveal signs of Paleolithic human activity. We have found elephant fossils and primitive stone tools, many of which are now preserved at the Archaeological Museum at Sadhu Ashram, confirming that this region was inhabited by early humans.

Artistically, the legacy of this region is equally profound. One of the most remarkable sites is Dholwaha, located in the lower Shivalik hills. Here, you find the remnants of Nagara-style temple architecture — shikhara (or mastaka), intricately carved door jambs, and amalaka motifs.

The grey sandstone sculptures unearthed here reflect both Vaishnav and Shaivite traditions. I’ve studied many images of Durga, Shiva-Parvati, dancing Ganesha, and apsaras that once adorned temples built from locally available stone. Dholwaha is unique because it is the only known site in the area with such abundant stone resources suitable for temple construction.

Other ancient sites, like Ajaram and Zahura, did not have suitable stone and thus relied on terracotta for art and architecture. But this limitation didn’t stop the creative spirit. These places produced stunning Mauryan and Kushana-period terracotta figurines, including the famous Yakshini (Salabhanjika) — a fertility goddess — which speaks volumes about the region’s iconographic richness.

Jalandhar