View source for Bathinda

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{{Short description|City in Punjab, India}}
{{Needs more references|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Bathinda
| other_name         = 
| settlement_type    = City
| image_skyline      = {{photomontage
| photo1a = Qila Mubarak in 2015(2).jpg
| photo2a = HOCKEY STADIUM, BATHINDA.jpg
| photo2b = Takhat shiri Dam Dma Sahib IMG 9862.jpg
| photo3a = Guru Nanak Dev,Thermal power plant, Bathinda 2013-10-27 10-35.jpg
| spacing      = 1
| color_border = 
| color        = 
| size         = 240
}}
| caption            = Top: [[Qila Mubarak, Bathinda|Qila Mubarak]], Hockey Stadium Bathinda, [[Takht Sri Damdama Sahib]], [[Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant]] across Bathinda Lake
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = 
| nickname           = 
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = India Punjab#India
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|30|13|48|N|74|57|07|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flagicon image|Emblem of Punjab (India) on a white background (1).png}} [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Bathinda district|Bathinda]]
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 
| founder            = 
| named_for          = 
| government_type    = Municipality
| leader_title1      = Member of Parliament
| leader_name1       = Harsimrat Kaur Badal ([[Shiromani Akali Dal|SAD]])
| governing_body     = [[Bathinda Municipal Corporation]]
| leader_title       = Commissioner
| leader_name        = Sh. Sawan kumar
| leader_title2      = Mayor
| leader_name2       = Smt. Raman Goyal
| unit_pref          = Metric
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_rank          = 
| area_total_km2     = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 210
| population_total   = 285,813
| population_as_of   = 2011
| population_rank    = Punjab: [[List of cities in Punjab and Chandigarh by population|5th]], India: [[List of cities in India by population|161st]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = 
| population_footnotes = 
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
| timezone1          = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1        = +5:30
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code        = 15100X
| area_code_type     = Telephone code
| area_code          = +91-164-XXX XXXX
| registration_plate = PB-03
| website            = {{URL|https://bathinda.nic.in/}}
| blank3_name_sec1   = Railways Stations in City
| blank3_info_sec1   = [[Bathinda railway station]]
| official_name      = 
}}
'''Bathinda''' is a city and [[municipal corporation]] in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India. The city is the administrative headquarters of [[Bathinda district]]. It is located in northwestern India in the [[Malwa (Punjab)|Malwa]] Region, {{cvt|227|km}} west of the capital city of [[Chandigarh]] and is the fifth largest city of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]. It is the second cleanest city in Punjab after [[Mohali]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-20 |title=Bathinda cleanest city in state for 3rd year in a row; slips nationally |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/punjab-s-bathinda-ferozepur-among-top-100-clean-cities-in-country-but-abohar-among-the-dirtiest-towns/story-mmY9XAZ4TDAQcydjMomO3K.html |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

Bathinda is home to the [[Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University]], [[Central University of Punjab]] and [[AIIMS Bathinda]]. The city is also home to two modern thermal power plants, [[Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant]] and [[Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant]] at Lehra Mohabbat.<ref name="bathinda.nic.in">{{cite web|url=http://www.bathinda.nic.in/html/places_to_visit.html#N10007|title=Places to Visit|access-date=25 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126030332/http://www.bathinda.nic.in/html/places_to_visit.html#N10007|archive-date=26 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Also located in the city is a [[fertiliser]] plant,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bathinda.nic.in/html/industry.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050607235802/http://www.bathinda.nic.in/html/industry.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 June 2005|title=Industry}}</ref> two cement plants ([[Ambuja Cements]] and [[UltraTech Cement|UltraTech Cement Limited]]), a large army cantonment, an air force station, a zoo,<ref name="bathinda.nic.in"/> and a historic [[Qila Mubarak, Bathinda|Qila Mubarak]] fort.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.north-india.in/punjab/districts/bhatinda.htm |title=Bhatinda - district of Punjab - North India Online |access-date=27 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719142724/http://www.north-india.in/punjab/districts/bhatinda.htm |archive-date=19 July 2011 }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Qila Mubarak in Bathinda.jpg|thumb|left|The Qila Mubarak which was built by King [[Kanishka]] in 2nd century CE and is the location where the first [[Empress]] of India [[Razia Sultana]] was held captive<ref name="fort">{{cite web |title=Raziya Sultan |url=http://www.indiasite.com/delhi/history/raziasultan.html |access-date=7 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331130034/http://www.indiasite.com/delhi/history/raziasultan.html |archive-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>]]Bhatinda was changed to Bathinda to conform to the phonetical expression as locally pronounced.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=http://bathinda.nic.in/html/district_at_a_glance.html#N10024|title=District at A glance|access-date=3 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110050936/http://bathinda.nic.in/html/district_at_a_glance.html#N10024#N10024|archive-date=10 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to [[Henry George Raverty]], Bathinda was known as ''Tabar-i-Hind'' (Labb-ut-Twarikh) or ''Tabarhindh'', which roughly translates as ‘Gateway to India’. The earliest mention of Tabar-i-Hind occurs in the ''Jami-Ul-Hakayat'' written about 607 Hijri or 1211 AD.<ref name="GoP">{{Cite web|author=|url=https://bathinda.nic.in/history/|title=Bhatinda History|publisher=Government of Punjab}}</ref> Another early name for the locality was ''Gobindgarh''.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Handbook on Urban History of Early India |publisher=Springer Nature |year=2024 |isbn=9789819762309 |editor-last=Sen |editor-first=Aloka Parasher |pages=351–352 |quote=Bathinda was an important settlement from 300 to 1200 CE and even during the medieval period. It was called Govindgarh in earlier times. As per the tradition the fort was built by Raja Deb, an ancestor of Vena Pal, during the early centuries. The fort was originally made of mud bricks. It has witnessed several alterations at the hands of successive rulers. The excavation conducted by Shri Raghbir Singh at Bathinda Fort revealed pottery and mud-brick wall of the early medieval period.}}</ref>

In 1004, [[Mahmud of Ghazni]] besieged and captured the local fort, which was located on the route from the northwest into the rich [[Ganges]] valley. In 1190, [[Muhammad of Ghor ]] attacked and occupied the fort of Bathinda. [[Prithviraj Chauhan]], the ruler of this region, managed to recover possession of the fort thirteen months later in 1191 after the [[First Battle of Tarain]]. However, Prithviraj Chauhan was killed in the [[Second Battle of Tarain]] and the fort of Bathinda once again came under the control of [[Muhammad Ghori]].

In the 3rd century, [[Rao Bhatti]] is credited with establishing the modern town of Bathinda in the [[Lakhi jungle]] area.<ref>Sir Roper Lethbridge, The golden book of India: a genealogical and biographical dictionary, page 112</ref> In 14th century, present region of bathinda was ruled by [[Bhati]] and [[Bhanot]] rulers of that time. [[Bhanot|1488]], Bathinda was conquered by [[Rao Bika]], son of [[Jodha of Mandore]] (founder of [[Jodhpur State|Jodhpur]]) and became part of [[Bikaner State|Bikaner]] princely state.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Jugal Kishore|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G0Z457ZOR44C&dq=Rao+Bika+bhatinda&pg=PA24|title=History of Sirsa Town|date=1991|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distri|language=en}}</ref> Bathinda was an important fort in the area from [[Delhi]] to [[Lahore]] during the time of the [[Delhi Sultanate]].

As per [[Ain-i-Akbari]], Bathinda was included in the ''[[Sarkar (administrative division)|sarkar]]'' of [[Sirhind-Fategarh|Sirhind]] in the [[Subah]] of [[Delhi]]. In 1634, a battle named [[Battle of Lahira]] (at Lahira in Bathinda) was fought between [[Guru Hargobind]] and [[Mughals]]. The town had become an important trade and commercial centre under [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] rule and the [[Mughal Emperors]] such as [[Akbar]] and [[Aurangzeb]] undertook many projects to enhance the fort of Bathinda.

In circa 1754, the town was conquered by Maharaja Ala Singh, the [[Maharaja of Patiala]] and since then it followed the history of erstwhile princely state of [[Patiala]]. With the dawn of independence and merger of Patiala and East Punjab States into a division called [[Patiala and East Punjab States Union]] (PEPSU), Bathinda became a full-fledged district with headquarters at Bathinda city.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Demographics==
{{see also|List of cities in Punjab and Chandigarh}}

===Population===
As per provisional reports of Census India, population of Bathinda city in 2011 is 285,813; male and female are 151,782 and 134,031 respectively. The sex ratio of Bathinda city is 868 females per 1000 males. The number of literate people in Bathinda city are 211,318 of which 118,888 are males while 92,430 are females, average literacy rate is 82.84 per cent of which male and female literacy is 87.86 and 77.16 per cent respectively. Total children (ages 0 to 6) in Bathinda city are 30,713: 16,472 boys and 14,241 girls. Child sex ratio of girls is 865 per 1000 boys.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/16-bathinda.html|title=Census 2011}}</ref>

===Religion===
[[Hinduism]] is the majority religion in Bathinda city with 62.61% people following the faith. [[Sikhism]] is the second most popular religion in the city which is followed by 35.04% of the people. Minorities are Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Jains. [[Sikhs]] count for 70.89% of the population in [[Bathinda District]] on a whole in spite of not being a majority in the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/599-bathinda.html|title=Bathinda District Population Census 2011, Punjab literacy sex ratio and density}}</ref>

{{bar box|width = 300px
 |barwidth = 250px |cellpadding="0"
 |title=Religion in Bathinda<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/16-bathinda.html|title=Bathinda City Population Census 2011 - Punjab}}</ref>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
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|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|DarkOrange|62.61}}
{{bar percent|[[Sikhism]]|Yellow|35.04}}
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|Green|1.12}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|Blue|0.33}}
{{bar percent|Others|Grey|0.90}}}}

==Geography and climate==
Bathinda is in the northwestern region of India and is a part of the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain|Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains]]. The exact cartographic co-ordinates of Bathinda are {{Coord|30.20|N|74.95|E|}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/23/Bhatinda.html|title=Maps, Weather, and Airports for Bhatinda, India}}</ref> It has an average elevation of 201 metres (660&nbsp;ft).

{{climate chart
|Bathinda
|7|20|10.1
|10|24|19.2
|15|30|7.9
|21|37|9.8
|26|41|19.9
|28|41|38.2
|28|37|90.3
|27|36|83.8
|25|36|51.8
|19|34|9.4
|13|29|1.4
|8|23|3.6
|source=[http://weather.in.msn.com/local.aspx?&wealocations=wc%3a3821&q=Bhatinda%2c+Punjab&setunit=C MSN World Weather ]
|float=right
|clear=
}}

Bathinda's climate corresponds to semi-arid with high variation between summer and winter temperatures. Average annual rainfall is relatively low, in a range of 20&nbsp;cm to 40&nbsp;cm.<ref>http://www.mapsofindia.com/ maps/india/annualrainfall.htm</ref>

In recent times, Summer temperatures of 49&nbsp;°C (120&nbsp;°F)<ref>under the section 'historical monthly average for may', subsection 'temperature', http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/India/Bhatinda/climate-profile.aspx?month=5</ref> and winter temperatures of 1&nbsp;°C (about 33&nbsp;°F)<ref>under the section 'historical monthly average for Jan', subsection 'temperature', http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/India/Bhatinda/climate-profile.aspx?month=1</ref> were not unknown in Bathinda, lowest being −1.4&nbsp;°C (29.5&nbsp;°F) in the winter of 2013<ref>A news report, {{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/bathinda/bathinda-records-region-s-lowest-temperature-at-1-4-c/article1-986114.aspx |title=Bathinda records region's lowest temperature at -1.4°C - Hindustan Times |access-date=30 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531201226/http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/bathinda/bathinda-records-region-s-lowest-temperature-at-1-4-c/article1-986114.aspx |archive-date=31 May 2014 }}</ref>
=== Suburbs ===
* [[Bhucho Mandi]] 15&nbsp;km
* [[Goniana]] 14&nbsp;km
* [[Maur Mandi]]  69&nbsp;km
* [[Rampura Phul]]  30&nbsp;km
* [[Talwandi Sabo]] 69&nbsp;km
* [[Raman, Punjab (India)|Raman]] 42&nbsp;km
* [[Sangat, India]] 69&nbsp;km
===Environmental issues===
There has been increasing incidence of various types of cancer in and around Bathinda. It is attributed to the presence of polluting industries and the indiscriminate use of modern pesticides and other toxic materials in farming. A 2007 epidemiological study found that the surface waters of Bathinda are contaminated with [[arsenic]], [[cadmium]], [[chromium]], [[selenium]] and [[mercury (element)|mercury]] primarily due to the discharge of untreated waste water from surrounding industries. Unscientific farming practices, that emerged after the introduction of [[Green Revolution]], are also alleged to be a reason for growing incidence of not just cancer but also, high rates of spontaneous abortions, reproductive ailments, genetic deformities, [[anaemia]], [[diarrhoea]], vomiting, [[Skeletal fluorosis|fluorosis]] and a host of skin ailments including rashes and boils. Many young couples are also reported to be migrating out to save their children from adverse effects. Hence the government has completely banned the use of ground water in the city for drinking purposes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article2427870.ece|title=Cancer Bathinda's dubious distinction|date=6 September 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|last1=Sharma|first1=Vrinda}}</ref>

In the cleanliness survey, conducted by the Union Ministry of Urban Development, Bathinda scored an all-India rank of 79 and number 1 rank in Punjab.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Bathinda cleanest in Punjab, but slips to 79th ranking|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/bathinda-cleanest-in-punjab-but-slips-to-79th-ranking-128991|access-date=14 September 2020|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref>

== Government and politics ==
Bhatinda city is governed by Municipal Corporation Bhatinda. The administrative wing is headed by Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Municipal Corporation Bhatinda|url=https://mcbathinda.com/Commissioner.html}}</ref> while the elected wing is headed by Mayor.

==Transportation==
[[Bathinda Junction railway station|Bhatinda Railway Station]] has connectivity to most of the major cities in India. Four national highways: [[National Highway 7 (India)|NH 7]] ([[Fazilka]] - [[Badrinath]] National Highway), [[National Highway 54 (India)|NH 54]] (Kenchiyan, [[Hanumangarh]] - [[Pathankot]] National Highway), [[National Highway 148B (India)|NH 148B]]   (Bathinda to [[Kotputli]]) and [[National Highway 754 (India)|NH 754]] (Bathinda to [[Jalalabad, Fazilka]]) pass through/near the city.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Highways of India|url=http://www.nhai.org/doc/23june12/nh_nh%20wise.pdf|website=National Highway Authority of India|access-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127182030/http://www.nhai.org/doc/23june12/nh_nh%20wise.pdf|archive-date=27 January 2018|location=Wayback Machine}}</ref>

==Education==

=== College education ===
Colleges within Bathinda include:
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a college to this list if it already has its own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
* [[Adesh University]] 
* [[Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences & Research|Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research]] 
* [[Akal University]], [[Talwandi Sabo]]
* [[Bathinda College of Law]]
* [[Central University of Punjab|Central university of Punjab]]
* [[Government Rajindra College, Bathinda]]
* [[Guru Kashi University]]
* [[Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Bathinda|Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Bathinda]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nchm.nic.in/node/192|title=State Government Affiliated Institutes of Hotel Management {{!}} NCHMCT|website=National Council For Hotel Management and Catering Technology|access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref>
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a college to this list if it already has its own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->

==Notable people==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their OWN article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
*[[Manny Aulakh]], Canadian international cricketer
*[[Sunny and Inder Bawra]], composer duo
*[[Parduman Singh Brar]], shotputter, Asiad gold medallist
*[[Balwant Gargi]], writer and dramatist
*[[Baba Ratan Hindi]], who claimed to be the first Indian Muslim
*[[Amrit Maan]], actor, singer and lyricist
*[[Kuldeep Manak]], singer
*[[Harbhajan Mann]], actor and singer
*[[Mayank Markande]], cricketer
*[[Mehar Mittal]], actor and producer
*[[Mehreen Pirzada]], actress
*[[Riaz ur Rehman Saghar]], Pakistani poet and lyricist
*[[Janmeja Singh Sekhon]], politician
*[[Avneet Sidhu]], Commonwealth games gold-winning shooter
*[[Balkar Sidhu]], singer
*[[Kul Sidhu]], theatre artist and actress
*[[Gurdial Singh]], novelist
*[[Gurpreet Singh (artist)|Gurpreet Singh]], artist 
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their OWN article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->

==References==

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{{Reflist}}
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==External links==
{{Commons category|Bathinda}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091124020515/http://bathinda.nic.in/ Official website of Bathinda district]

{{Bathinda district}}
{{Punjab (Indian state)|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Bathinda| ]]