Pathankot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pathankot Paithan
City
Pathankot Valley, Ranjit Sagar Dam, Baijnath Temple, Pathankot Skyline
Pathankot Location in Punjab Show map of Punjab Pathankot Location in India Show map of India
Country	India
State	Punjab
District	Pathankot
Named for	Pathania Rajput
Government
• Body	Municipal Corporation
Area
• Total	19.7 km2 (7.6 sq mi)
Area rank	6th
Elevation	332 m (1,089 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	249,000(approx250,000 include sub-urban)
Demonym(s)	Pathankotia
Languages
• Official	Punjabi, Hindi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Pin Code	145001
Telephone code	0186
Vehicle registration	PB-35
Website	https://pathankot.nic.in/

Pathankot is a city in the Punjab state of India. It is the main city of the Pathankot district. Pathankot is the 6th largest city in Punjab by population. It has its own local government, called a municipal corporation.

History of Pathankot

Ancient Times

In old texts like the Mahabharata, the Pathankot area was known as ‘Audumbara’. This name described a group of people known as the Ayudhajivi sangha, which means a "Warrior Community". Many ancient coins from the Audumbara Kingdom have been found in Pathankot. These coins show how important this region was a long time ago.

Coin of Dharaghosha, king of the Audumbaras, from around 100 BCE. It shows a standing figure and ancient writing.

Medieval Period

From the 11th to the 16th century, Pathankot was the first capital of the Nurpur State. This state is now part of Himachal Pradesh. Nurpur was first called Dhameri. Its name changed to Nurpur during the rule of Shahjahan. The Pathania clan of Rajputs got their name from Pathankot, which was also known as Paithan.

Later, Pathankot was taken over by Jarnail Jai Singh Kanhaiya. It became part of Punjab during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A dancing girl named Moran, whom Ranjit Singh married, lived in a fort in Pathankot from 1811 until she passed away. In 1853, Pathankot became part of the Gurdaspur District.

After India's Independence

When India and Pakistan were divided in 1947, there was a plan to give Pathankot to Pakistan. However, this plan changed. Pathankot, along with the Gurdaspur district, became part of India.

Geography of Pathankot

A view of Pathankot City.

Pathankot is about 332 meters (1,089 feet) above sea level. It is a green city surrounded by the Ravi and Chakki rivers. To the south and east are the Shiwalik Hills, which are foothills of the Himalayas. To the north, you can see the snow-capped Himalayas.

Weather in Pathankot

Pathankot has four main seasons:

• Spring: From mid-February to mid-April, the weather is very pleasant. Temperatures are usually between 16°C and 25°C during the day. At night, they are between 9°C and 18°C.
• Autumn: From mid-September to mid-November, temperatures can reach up to 30°C. They usually stay between 16°C and 27°C. The lowest temperature is around 11°C.
• Summer: From mid-May to mid-June, it can get very hot. Temperatures are usually between 34°C and 46°C. Sometimes, they can even reach 46°C.
• Monsoon: From mid-June to mid-September, Pathankot gets a lot of rain. The heaviest rain often falls in August or September. The city once received 195.5 mm of rain in a single day during monsoon.
• Winter: From November to mid-March, winters are mild. However, it can get quite cold. Average temperatures are between 7°C and 15°C during the day. At night, they are between 0°C and 8°C. Sometimes, it rains from the west for a few days. Pathankot even saw snowfall in 2012, which was very rare.

A view of the Ravi river as it approaches Pathankot, seen from Nurpur fort.

Pathankot has been recognized for its clean air. It was ranked 26th among "National Clean Air Cities" in India for cities with populations under 300,000.

Transportation in Pathankot

Pathankot is well-connected to the rest of India by trains and roads. Many bus services, both public and private, link Pathankot to other cities. These include cities in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir. Pathankot is often a starting point for trips to the Chamba and Kangra Valleys in Himachal Pradesh. It is also a gateway to places in Jammu and Kashmir, like Jammu City and the holy cave of Mata Vaishno Devi.

You can get around the city using an auto rickshaw or a cycle rickshaw.

By Air

Pathankot Airport is a local airport. It has flights to and from New Delhi through Alliance Air. The closest international airport is in Amritsar.

By Train

Pathankot has direct train connections to Delhi, Jammu, and other Indian cities. All trains going to Jammu pass through Pathankot Cantt Station. Important trains like Rajdhani and Swaraj Express stop here.

There are two main train stations:

• Pathankot Railway Station
• Pathankot Cantt (about 4 km away)

Many express trains stop only at Pathankot Cantt.

Pathankot is also the start of the narrow-gauge Kangra Valley Railway. This railway is also called the Kangra Toy Train. It travels 128 km through beautiful scenery to Joginder Nagar. This old railway connects the mountain areas of western Himachal Pradesh to the main Indian railway network.

By Bus

The main bus station is Maharana Pratap Inter State Bus Terminal Pathankot. It is near the Pathankot Junction Railway station.

Buses from Pathankot can take you to:

• Dharamshala and Dalhousie (3–4 hours)
• Amritsar (3 hours)
• Chandigarh (4–5 hours)
• Vaishno Devi (160 km away)

Pathankot is also a stop for travelers going to places like Gurdaspur, Mukerian, Chamba, and Srinagar.

Economy of Pathankot

Pathankot is an important business hub. Many wholesalers and distributors of everyday goods operate here. They supply products to Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and northwest Punjab.

Population and Languages

In 2011, the population of Pathankot city was about 159,909 people. Out of these, 84,145 were males and 75,764 were females. The city has a high literacy rate, with 88.71% of people able to read and write.

The most common languages spoken in Pathankot are Punjabi and Hindi.

Tourist Places in Pathankot

Pathankot is surrounded by the Shivalik hills and the Chakki river. There are many interesting places to visit nearby:

• Shahpur Kandi: This place has a unique rest house that seems to hang in the air.
• Ranjit Sagar Dam: This is the highest gravity dam (a dam that holds back water using its own weight) in Asia.
• Madhopur Head Works: These are old water control structures that date back to the Mughal era.
• Keshopur Chhamb: This is a major natural wetland in the state. Many Migratory Birds come here.
• Nurpur Fort: This fortress was built over 900 years ago by the Pathania Rajputs. Inside the fort, there is a temple called Brij Raj Swami. It is special because it is the only place where statues of Lord Krishna and Mira Bai are worshipped together. The fort is about 25 km from Pathankot.
• Jugial Township: Located about 15 km from Pathankot, this area is very green. It has a large temple called Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir and a Singh Sabha Gurudwara.
• Hydraulic Research Station: At Malikpur, Pathankot, about 7 km from Pathankot, there is a research station. Here, models of dams and irrigation canals are built and tested before they are constructed for real.
• Dalhousie and Khajjiar: Dalhousie gets snowy in winter. Nearby Khajjiar is often called "Indian Switzerland" because of its beautiful scenery. You can enjoy activities like balloon riding, paragliding, and horseback riding there.
• Ranjit Sagar Dam Lake Islands: The government plans to develop the twin islands of Kalara and Palangi, located in the middle of the Ranjit Sagar Dam Lake, into world-class tourist spots.

Pathankot is also a good place to rest if you are going on religious trips to places like Jwala ji (130 km away) or Chintpurni (130 km away).

Notable People from Pathankot

• Amanpreet Ahluwalia (racing driver)
• Dev Anand (actor)
• Sunny Deol (MP)
• Siddarth Kaul (cricketer)
• Jagmohan Kaur (singer)
• Vinod Khanna (MP)
• Master Mohan Lal (former Member of the Legislative Assembly)
• Rajindar Nath Rehbar (poet and lyricist)
• Rajbeer Singh (actor)

See also

In Spanish: Pathankot para niños