Pathankot is a city and the district headquarters of the
Pathankot district
Pathankot district, is the northernmost district of the Indian state of Punjab. Pathankot city is the district headquarters. The district was created on 27 July 2011.
Etymology
The original name of Pathankot was ''Paithan'' during the Mughal ...
in
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Pathankot is the 6th most populous city of Punjab, after
Ludhiana
Ludhiana ( ) is the most populous and the largest Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. The city has an estimated population of 1,618,879 2011 Indian census, 2011 census and distributed over , making Ludhiana the ...
,
Amritsar,
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...
,
Patiala
Patiala () is a city in southeastern Punjab, northwestern India. It is the fourth largest city in the state and is the administrative capital of Patiala district. Patiala is located around the '' Qila Mubarak'' (the 'Fortunate Castle') construct ...
and
Bathinda
Bathinda is a city and municipal corporation in Punjab, India. The city is the administrative headquarters of Bathinda District. It is located in northwestern India in the Malwa Region, west of the capital city of Chandigarh and is the fifth l ...
. Its local government is a municipal corporation.
Situated in the picturesque foothills of
Kangra and
Dalhousie, with the river
Chakki flowing close by, the city is often used as a rest-stop before heading into the mountains of
Jammu and Kashmir,
Dalhousie,
Chamba Chamba may refer to:
People
* Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer
* Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist
Places Ghana
* Chamba, a town in the Northern Region
India
* Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh ...
,
Kangra,
Dharamshala
Dharamshala (; also spelled Dharamsala) is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It serves as administrative headquarters of the Kangra district after being relocated from Kangra, a city located away from Dharamshala, in 1855.
The ...
,
Mcleodganj
McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodganj, (pronounced ''Mc-loud-gunj'') is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (a short form of Dharamshala used mainly by Tibetans) because ...
, Jwalaji, Chintpurni and further into the Himalayas. Pathankot also serves as an education hub for the nearby areas of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Many rural students of these states come to Pathankot for education.
History
Pathankot is an ancient city and has historical significance. From various accounts; It may be believed that Audumbara was the name of it. Numerous coins of great antiquity found at Pathankot prove that it is one of the oldest sites in the Punjab (that has been divided after the partition in 1947). It must always have been a place of great significance as it is situated in the foot plains of the hills.
![Coin of Dharaghosha king of the Audumbaras](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Coin_of_Dharaghosha_king_of_the_Audumbaras.jpg)
Pathankot was the capital of
Nurpur State
Nurpur kingdom in the Himalayan foothills of India was founded in 1064 A.D at north-eastern Bari Doab between the Ravi and the Beas rivers at the fusion of Kangra, Duggar, Majha, Dharab and Chamba areas which ended in 1815. The remainants o ...
and its name was changed to Dhameri (Nurpur) during the Akbar reign. The
Pathania
Pathania is a surname of Indian origin. It is also the name of a Rajput clan from northern India; the royal family of the Nurpur kingdom belonged to this clan.
Notable people
People with surname Pathania, who may or may not be affiliated wi ...
clan of
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
derived its name from Pathankot.
After independence
During partition, the initial plan by border demarcation committee was to place Pathankot (part of Gurdaspur district that time) into Pakistan and Shakargarh district into India. However, as a later fine tuning of decision vice versa was done i.e. Shakargarh district was given to Pakistan and Gurdaspur district (along Pathankot) was given to India.
Geography
![Pathankot City 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Pathankot_City_2.jpg)
Pathankot has an average elevation of . It is a green town surrounded by the
Ravi Ravi may refer to:
People
* Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director
* Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist
* Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
and
Chakki rivers.
Shiwalik
The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indian ...
foothills on the south and east and snow-capped
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
in the back drop in north.
Average temperature
* Spring: The climate remains the most enjoyable part of the year during the spring season (from mid-February to mid-April). Temperatures vary between (max) 16 °C to 25 °C and (min) 9 °C to 18 °C.
* Autumn: In autumn (from mid-September to mid November.), the temperature may rise to a maximum of 30 °C. Temperatures usually remain between 16° to 27° in autumn. The minimum temperature is around 11 °C.
* Summer: The temperature in summer (from mid-May to mid-June) may rise to a maximum of 46 °C (rarely). Temperatures generally remain between 34 °C to 46 °C (91 – 115F).
* Monsoon: During monsoon(from mid-June to mid-September), Pathankot receives moderate to heavy rainfall and sometimes heavy to very heavy rainfall (generally during the month of August or September). Usually, the rain bearing monsoon winds blow from south-west/ south-east. Mostly, the city receives heavy rain from south (which is mainly a persistent rain) but it generally receives most of its rain during monsoon either from North-west or North-east. Maximum amount of rain received by the city of Pathankot during monsoon season is 195.5 mm in a single day.
* Winter: Winters (November to mid-March) are mild but it can sometimes get quite chilly in Pathankot. Average temperatures in the winter remain at (max) 7 °C to 15 °C and (min) 0 °C to 8 °C. Rain usually comes from the west during winters and it is usually a persistent rain for 2–3 days with sometimes hail-storms. Pathankot experienced snowfall in 2012 after almost 55 years.
Politics
The city is part of the
Pathankot Assembly Constituency
Pathankot Assembly constituency is a Punjab Legislative Assembly constituency in Pathankot district, Punjab state, India. It is a segment of Gurdaspur (Lok Sabha constituency)
Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 13 Lok Sabha (parl ...
.
Facilities
Government of Pathankot had constructed 4 public toilets in 2018 but they had been opened for only 6 days so as to get good rankings in surveys. You can find them at various places where they charge you 10/- but you can avail general conveniences in a clean environment
Transport
Pathankot is well connected by rail and road with the rest of the country. Pathankot is connected by a vast network of private and public-sector bus services to other cities in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir. Important destinations include Delhi, Manali Chandigarh, Jammu, Dharamshala, Dalhousie and Amritsar. Pathankot is used as a gateway for Chamba and Kangra Valley in
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
and for various locations in
Jammu and Kashmir like Jammu City Mansar Lake, Srinagar, Udhampur, Holy Cave at Amarnath, Patni Top and Holy Cave of Mata Vaishno Devi (Katra) 155 km away from Pathankot.
One can take an
auto rickshaw
An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj ...
or a
cycle rickshaw
The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of hatchback tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, ...
.
Traffic management is poor in the city. No traffic lights are there in the city.
By Air
*
Pathankot Airport
Pathankot Airport is a regional airport, 3 km from the nearest city Pathankot and 7 km from Pathankot Railway Station, located on the Pathankot – Majra Road. Pathankot airport serves national flights only. The airport, spread over ...
is a domestic airport serving Pathankot with scheduled flight operations to/from
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
by
Alliance Air under the
UDAN
''Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik'' ( Hindi for "Let the common citizens of the country fly"), known by its acronym ''UDAN'' ( Hindi for "flight") is a regional airport development program of the Government of India and part of the Regional Connect ...
Scheme. The nearest International Airport, however is located in
Amritsar.
Train
It has direct train links with
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
,
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...
and other Indian cities. All trains going to
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...
pass through Pathankot Cantt Station. The important trains include Rajdhani, Swaraj Express, Pooja Express, Shri Shakti Express. Super fast trains do not enter Pathankot Station in City. The distance from Pathankot Junction & Pathankot Cant Railway station is just 4 km.
Pathankot Railway Station
Pathankot Junction railway station (station code: PTK) is a located in Pathankot district in the Indian state of Punjab and serves Pathankot .
The railway station
Pathankot railway station is at an elevation of and was assigned the code – P ...
under A-category. Pathankot is a major railroad junction. Lines from
Amritsar (2 hrs) and
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
(8 hrs) merge here, and all services to
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...
(2 hrs) pass through. In addition to Pathankot station itself, there is a second station called Chakki Bank renamed
Pathankot Cantt just 4 km away, which serves some express trains that do not stop in Pathankot station. Nowadays the majority of the Jammu trains stop only at Pathankot Cantt Railway Station and not at Pathankot Railway Station.
Pathankot is also served by the narrow-gauge
Kangra Valley Railway
The Kangra Valley Railway is a gauge railway that runs from Pathankot, Punjab to Jogindernagar in Himachal Pradesh. It runs through the sub-Himalayan region of Kangra Valley and is long. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative li ...
(a.k.a. ''Kangra Toy Train'') built by the British, which crawls 128 km through stunning scenery to
Joginder Nagar
Jogindernagar, or Jogindar Nagar (Hindi: जोगिंदर नगर) (), is a municipality, and a sub district in Mandi district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after Raja Joginder Sen, the hill station is the terminus of the ...
via
Palampur
Palampur is a hill station and a municipal corporation situated in the Kangra District in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is surrounded by pine forests and flanked by the Dhauladhar ranges. There are numerous streams flowing from the ...
and
Kangra (near Dharamsala). However, the luxury ''Kangra Queen'' services were terminated in 2003, leaving about six departures daily of slow, often packed second class trains, taking over six hours. Bookings for these can only be done locally at Pathankot station. Some of these trains run to Baijnath Paprola and a few to Joginder Nagar. The main stations on this line include Kangra and Palampur, although Dalhousie and Dharmasala are not on the line. The town is the lower terminus of the
Kangra Valley Railway
The Kangra Valley Railway is a gauge railway that runs from Pathankot, Punjab to Jogindernagar in Himachal Pradesh. It runs through the sub-Himalayan region of Kangra Valley and is long. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative li ...
, thereby connecting the mountainous regions of western
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
to the network of
Indian Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tot ...
.
Bus
Maharana Pratap Inter State Bus Terminal Pathankot. It's close to the Pathankot Junction Railway station.
Public buses to
Dharamshala
Dharamshala (; also spelled Dharamsala) is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It serves as administrative headquarters of the Kangra district after being relocated from Kangra, a city located away from Dharamshala, in 1855.
The ...
Dalhousie take 3–4 hours. while buses to
Amritsar take 3 hours.
Dalhousie famous destination for honeymoon couples is at just 80 km from Pathankot.
The famous Hindu Pilgrimage Vaishno devi is just 160 km from Pathankot.
Chandigarh is 4–5 hours away. It is well connected with bus services from Punjab roadways, Haryana Roadways, Himachal Roadways J&K transport, and private AC volvo buses.
One can stop over in Pathankot en route to Gurdaspur(35 km),
Mukerian
Mukerian is a city and municipal council of Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, India. Mukerian is located on National Highway 44 and state highway 15 about north of New Delhi.It is a Sub-district headquarters situated on Jalandhar-jammu railwa ...
(40),
Joginder Nagar
Jogindernagar, or Jogindar Nagar (Hindi: जोगिंदर नगर) (), is a municipality, and a sub district in Mandi district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after Raja Joginder Sen, the hill station is the terminus of the ...
(149 km), Dharamshala (88 km), Dalhousie (100 km), Amritsar (108),
Palampur
Palampur is a hill station and a municipal corporation situated in the Kangra District in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is surrounded by pine forests and flanked by the Dhauladhar ranges. There are numerous streams flowing from the ...
(112 km), Chamba (100 km) & Jammu (100 km), Hoshiarpur (100 km), Kangra (86 km), Jalandhar (108 km), Srinagar (400 km) all in different directions from Pathankot via
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...
-
Srinagar National highway (NH-44),
Dabwali
Mandi Dabwali is a municipal committee town, near Sirsa City in Sirsa district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is located on the border of Haryana and Punjab.
It is at a distance of 60 km from district headquarter Sirsa and 40 km ...
-Pathankot National highway (NH-54) and Pathankot-
Mandi
Mandi may refer to:
Places
* Mandı, Azerbaijan
India
* Mandi, Jammu and Kashmir, a town on the Mandi River in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir
* Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, a city in Himachal Pradesh
** Mandi State, former princely sta ...
National highway (NH-154).
Economy
Pathankot is a commercial center. Wholesellers and distributors of consumer goods cater to Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and northwest
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
.
Demographics
As per data of 2011 census Pathankot urban agglomeration had a population of 159,909, out of which males were 84,145 and females were 75,764. The literacy rate was 88.71 per cent.
Most common language here is
Punjabi.
Sports
On 8 November 2014, Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal laid the foundation stone for a stadium in Pathankot. But even after 6 years, the stadium is still incomplete. Sportspeople struggle to get any facilities in Pathankot. There are no proper grounds to practice. So they go to other cities, while most of the young population pursue other careers.
Tourist places
Pathankot city is surrounded by both the Shivalik range, part of which makes up the foothills of the Himalayas, and the river Chakki. Places near Pathankot include Shahpur Kandi with a hanging rest house,
Ranjit Sagar Dam
The Ranjit Sagar Dam, also known as the Thein Dam, is part of a hydroelectric project constructed by the Punjab Irrigation Department on the Ravi River on the border of Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir and state Punjab. It is located upstream ...
which is the highest
gravity dam in Asia. Madhopur (
Madhopur, Punjab
Madhopur is a town, located, near city of Pathankot in Pathankot district, Punjab, India, at its border with the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also the location of the Madhopur headworks on the Ravi River, which feeds the Upp ...
) head works which date back to the
Mughal era
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
. head works of Upper Bari Doab, Shahpur Kandi are the attractions of this area. Keshopur Chhamb is home to many Migratory Birds and is only major natural wetland in the state.
*There is a fortress called the Nurpur Fort built by the
Pathania
Pathania is a surname of Indian origin. It is also the name of a Rajput clan from northern India; the royal family of the Nurpur kingdom belonged to this clan.
Notable people
People with surname Pathania, who may or may not be affiliated wi ...
Rajputs
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
, more than 900 years ago. The temple is also built there named Brij Raj Swami devoted to Lord Krishna and Mira Bai, the only place where idols of both are worshipped. It was damaged due to the earthquake which struck in 1905 A.D., 25 km from Pathankot. It is 25 km away from Pathankot.
*
Jugial
Jugial is a census town in Pathankot district in the Indian state of Punjab India
Demographics
India census, Jugial had a population of 16,664. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Jugial has an average literacy rate of 79%, ...
Township, is located 15 km (approx) from Pathankot. This place has greenery all around and one Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir which is the biggest among the nearby areas. There is also Singh Sabha Gurudwara near Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir.
*A Hydraulic Research Station at the Upper Bari Doab Canal is situated at
Malikpur, Pathankot which is 7 km from Pathankot, where various models of Dams and Irrigation Canals are made before actual work starts upon them.
*Dalhousie is snowy in winter, and nearby Khajjiar has been described as an "Indian Switzerland" due to its scenery and activities such as balloon riding, paragliding, and horseback riding.
*For religious trips like
Jwala ji
Jwala Ji ( Pahari: जवाला जी, pa, ਜਵਾਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, ज्वाला जी) is a Hindu Goddess. Alternative spellings and names for Jwala Ji include ''Jawala Ji'', ''Jwala Devi'' and ''Jwalamukhi Ji''. The physical m ...
(130 km),
Chintpurni
Chintpurni is a small town in the Una district of Himachal Pradesh about 40 km (25 miles) north of Una, not far from the border with the Indian state of Punjab. The elevation is about 977 meters (about 3,200 feet). It is home to the Maa Chi ...
(130 km), Pathankot is a place to rest before heading to the hill route the next morning. A Grand
Ranjit Sagar Dam
The Ranjit Sagar Dam, also known as the Thein Dam, is part of a hydroelectric project constructed by the Punjab Irrigation Department on the Ravi River on the border of Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir and state Punjab. It is located upstream ...
(earthen Dam made of mud and not concrete) is a 100 km water reservoir. Chinmayya Temple (Swami Chinmayya Nand) is on the way to
Yol, India Camp (100 km). This is the place where the German Soldiers (POW) were kept in confinement after the Second World War by the British.
The Union Ministry for Forests, Environment and Climate Change has given the long-awaited signal to develop the twin islands of Kalara and Palangi, located in the midst of the Ranjit Sagar Dam Lake, as world class tourist spots.
Notable people
* Wazir Ram Singh Pathania (Freedom Fighter)
*
Sunny Deol
Ajay Singh Deol (born 19 October 1956), better known by his stage name Sunny Deol, is an Indian actor, film director, producer, politician and current Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur (Lok Sabha constituency) of Punjab, India. As an actor, ...
(
MP)
*
Vinod Khanna
Vinod Khanna (6 October 1946 – 27 April 2017) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who is best known for his work in Hindi films; while also being a notable spiritual seeker. In Bollywood, he was the recipient of two Filmfare awa ...
(
MP)
*
Rajendar Nath Rehbar
Rajendar Nath Rehbar (5 November 1931 - 13 November 2022) was an Urdu Poet and Bollywood lyricist. He is the writer of the nazm ''Teri Khushboo Me Base Khat'' sung by ghazal singer Jagjit Singh. He is a disciple of the Urdu poet Ratan Pandorav ...
(Poet (Shaayar in Urdu) and Lyricist)
*
Master Mohan Lal (Ex. MLA)
*
Siddarth Kaul
Siddarth Kaul (born 19 May 1990), also spelled Siddharth Kaul, is an Indian professional cricketer. A fast bowler who bowls at about 130 km/h, he made his first-class debut for Punjab in 2007. Kaul was a part of the victorious India Unde ...
(Cricketer)
*
Rajbeer Singh (Actor)
*
Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...
(Actor)
*
Jagmohan Kaur
Jagmohan Kaur (16 April 1948 – 6 December 1997) was an Indian singer of Punjabi-language folk songs. She is known for her songs like ''Bapu Ve Add Hunni Ain'', ''Ghara Wajjda, Gharoli Wajjdi''.
Career
She also sang duets with her husband, si ...
(singer)
See also
*
Bhoa village
Bhoa is a town in Pathankot, Tehsil, in the Pathankot District of Punjab State, India is 13 km from Pathankot.
It is located near the border between Gurdaspur and Kangra Districts. Kangra District Indora is East towards this place. It is ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pathankot
Cities and towns in Pathankot district