बठिंडा

Bathinda
Bathinda
समय मंडल: आईएसटी (यूटीसी+५:३०)
देश	भारत
राज्य	Punjab
ज़िला	Bathinda
Deputy Commissioner	Rahul Tiwari
जनसंख्या • घनत्व	217,389 (2001 के अनुसार [update]) • ?
विभिन्न कोड • पिनकोड • 151001 to 151005 • दूरभाष • +91-164 • गाड़ियां • PB 03

बठिंडा पंजाब का एक बहुत ही पुराना और महत्वपूर्ण शहर है । यह मालवा इलाके में स्थित है । बठिंडा के ही जंगलों में कहा जाता है की गुरु गोविंद सिंह जी ने चुमक्का नामन ताकतों को ललकारा था और उन से लडे थे । बठिंडा का आजादी की लडाई में भी महत्वपूर्ण योगदान था । इस में एक खास किला है 'किला मुबारक' ।

बठिंडा बहुत तेजी से इन्डस्ट्रीस से भर रहा है । हाल ही में बने पलाँटों में थर्मल पावर पलाँट, फर्टलाईजर फैकटरी और एक बडी औयल (तेल) रिफाईनरी हैं ।बठिंडा नौर्थ भारत की सबसे बडी अनाज के बजारों में से है और बठिंडा के आस पास के इलाके अंगूर की खेती में बढ रहे हैं । बठींडा एक बहुत बडा रेल जंकशन भी है। पैपसी यहां उपजाऊ आनाज को परोसैस करती है ।

History

Prehistoric Bathinda

Timetable of prehistoric Bathinda area

Year	Event
40,000 BC	People began living in man-made shelter huts in northern Punjab and central Asia (Bactria)
7,000 BC	There is evidence of people growing barley in this area and raising sheep and goats. People began living in mud-brick dwellings in villages, some of which are still in existence.
5,500 BC	Inhabitants learned to make pottery from burnt clay, a technique that is scarce but still alive today.
3,000 BC	Farming villages began appearing in the Bathinda area, most of which still exist today.
2,600 BC	Farmers in the area made use of the plough; exactly as it is still used in some Bathinda areas today.
1,500 BC	Cities of the area were abandoned, but the rural villages thrived and survive; Indo-Aryans arrived in the area.
800 BC	Indo-Aryans spread in the area and began clear-cutting forests.
600 BC	Area inhabitants began use of elephants in warfare.
125 BC	A Scythian tribe known as Sakas invaded Punjab from Balochistan and Sind.
15 AD	The Kushan Kingdom was restored in the area.

Birth of modern Bathinda

ये माना जाता है की राओ भट्टी में बठिंडा शहर को लखी जंगल में तीसरी सदी में स्थापित किया था । फिर इस शहर को बरारों नें हडप लिया था । बाल राओ भट्टी नें फिर इसे ९६५ में हासिल किया और तब इसका नाम बठिंडा पडा (उन्हीं के नाम पर) । यह राजा जयपाल की राजधानी भी रही है ।

१००४ में घज़नी के महमूद नें इसका किला छीन लिया । फिर मुहमद घोरी नें हमला किया और बठिंडा का किला छीन लिया । फिर प्रिथवी राज चौहान नें १३ महीनों के बाद तगडी लडाई के पश्चात इसे फिर से जीता ।

रजिया सुलतान, भारत की पहली महिला शासक बठिंडा में ऐपरिल १२४० में कैद की गई थी । उसे अलतुनिया की कोशिशों द्वारा औगस्त में (उसी साल में) वहाँ से छुडा लिया गया । रजिया और अलतुनिया की शादी हुई लेकिन वे कैठल के पास चोरों द्वारा १३ औकटूबर को मारे गये ।

सिद्धू बरारों को लोदी के शासन में बठिंडा से निकाल दिया गया था लेकिन बाबुर के शासन में वापिस स्थान दे दिया गया था । कुछ सालों बाद, रूप चन्द नाम के सिख्ख पंजाब के इतिहास में आये । रूप चंद जी के लडके फूल नें लंगर की प्रथा चलाई और १६५४ के आस पास एक किला बनाया ।

The story of Bhai Roop Chand ji

On the day of her marriage to Raja Sada’s son Sidhu on 16th Jyesth 1670, Bibi Surti of Vada Ghar (near Daroli) had the chance to meet Guru Hargobind. Her father, Bhai Aqal, was a disciple of Guru Ramdas ji and Guru Arjan Dev ji. The Guru gave her his blessings and professed that she would give birth to a boy who would be honoured by the public and the kings as a Sikh.

As professed, a boy was born on 3-Baisakh and was named “Roop chand” by Guru Arjan Dev himself. Father Sidhu and son Roop Chand were superintending the harvesting of the crop. It was a very hot day. They had a goat skin bottle hanging from a branch in the shade of the neighbouring tree. Moved by devotion, they dedicated the water as offering to the Guru and refrained from drinking it. Though they were exhausted by the heat, neither gave in to their thirst. Legend has it that the omnipresent Guru Har Gobind was aware of the distress which both suffered on account of their deep devotion to him. Thus the Guru travelled 32 miles on horseback despite the hot day to meet both men and drink his fill of water while sharing with his devoted disciples.

The sixth Guru laid the foundation of Village Bhai Roopa on the 16th Baisakh, 1687 Bikrmi (AD 1630) naming it after Bhai Roop Chand. In August 1631, Guru Har Gobind Sahib ji with 3000 warriors again visited Bhai Roopa and stayed there for three months. The Guru, in recognition of devotion, honoured Roop Chand with the title of “Bhai” (own brother) and put him in charge of the spiritual welfare of the new Malwa and the country south of Sutlej. With his own hands, the Guru put Bhai Roop Chand on the masand and put on his forehead the tilak, saffron mark of leadership of the area, and gave karchha (a long spoon) asking him to run langar to feed the poor and the needy. This karchha is still kept with veneration.

Ala Singh, son of Rama, another Sikh, attacked Bathinda when it was in possession of Sardar Jodh Singh Saboke and conquered a large area around the city.

Ala Singh, who died in August 1765 at Patiala, was succeeded by Amar Singh, his grandson. In 1770, Amar Singh sent a large force to capture the fort of Bathinda from Sukhchen Singh Sabo. The fort was reacquired in 1771. Raja Amar Singh died in 1781 at the age of 35.

After the death of Amar Singh, Raja Sahib Singh, who was six, was made the Chief of Patiala; however, the affairs of the state were managed by Diwan Nanun Mal. Raja Sahib Singh died on March 26 1813 and was succeeded by his son Karam Singh.

During the First Anglo-Sikh War of 1845–46, Maharaja Karam Singh of Patiala fought on the side of the British. He died during the war, but his son and successor Maharaja Narinder Singh also helped the British government. Narinder Singh was succeeded by Rajinder Singh, Bhupinder Singh, and finally, in 1938, Yadavindera Singh.

With the formation of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) on May 5, 1948, Bathinda District came into existence on August 20 1948. Its headquarters was originally at Faridkot, but relocated to Bathinda in 1953.

After 1953, many changes were made to Bathinda District's geographical boundaries. Muktsar and Mansa districts were separated from Bathinda.

Qila Mubarak

मुख्य लेख: Qila Mubarak

The 1900 year old fort in Bathinda is a Historical National Monument. A brief history:

चित्र:Bathinda fort.jpg

View from inside Qila Mubarak, June 2003; (photo: G. S. Bhalla)

History of Qila Mubarak

Year	Event
90-110 AD	Emperor Kanishka and Raja Dab built it.
179 AD	Bathinda town was established by Bhatti Rao.
1004 AD	Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni captured it.
1045 AD	Pir Haji Rattan settled here for meditation.
1189 AD	Sultan Mohammed Ghori captured it.
1191 AD	Raja Prithvi Raj Chauhan recaptured it.
1240 AD	Razia Sultan prisoned here.
1515 AD	Guru Nanak Dev visited this place.
1665 AD	Guru Teg Bahadur visited this place.
1705 AD	Guru Gobind Singh visited this place.
1754 AD	Maharaja Ala Singh captured it.
1835 AD	Maharaja Karam Singh built a Gurdwara here.
2005 AD	Begin fort repairs sponsored by Akal Society of America.

Geography and climate

Bathinda is also famous for having one of the biggest military chhaunis (cantonments) in Asia. Rampura Phul, Goniana, Mansa, Talwandi Sabo, Bhucho Mandi, Nathana, Tungwali and Gubalgard are all small towns near Bathinda. Bathinda is about 1-2 hours distance from Sangrur, Dhuri, Kotkapura, Faridkot. Ludhiana and Patiala are about 3 hours from Bathinda. Chandigarh is about 4 hours from Bathinda.

There are direct trains that run from Delhi to Bathinda via Patiala, Ambala,Hisar and Rohtak, Jind route. The journey takes approximately six hours.

Areas worth visiting are The Mall, Dhobi Bazar,Mega Mart(under construction),Rose Garden, Model Town, Fort at Bathinda, known as 'Qila Mubarak', Gurudwara Shri Hazi Rattan, the three lakes near the thermal plant, and others.

Summer temperatures can be as high as 50°C (122°F), and winter temperatures as low as 0°C (32°F). The weather is generally dry, but is very humid from mid-May to the end of August. Rainfall is primarily from the south-west due to monsoon weather, and is concentrated in the period July to mid-September.

Economy

Bathinda is the largest railway junctions of India, and more lines extend from it than any junction on the Indian Railway network. Sharjah of Punjab, located in Bathinda, is the largest military Cantonments of Asia; its name refers to local sand dunes. Bathinda itself is located on the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains. Bathinda also houses two Thermal Plants: Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant in Bathinda City and Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant in Lehra Mohabbat. Bathinda is home to the Guru Gobind Singh Oil Refinery, which is currently under construction, and a National Fertilizers Plant. Major developments are planned & announced starting from 2007 till 2010.As part of a massive development programme to make Bathinda a model city of Punjab, the government will set up a special economic zone (SEZ) for textile, flying school, cricket stadium and academy, domestic airport and an air-conditioned bus stand within three years. The cricket stadium and academy would be set up by the BCCI on 25 acres. Technocity, First animation and multimedia studio of Punjab, providing 2d and 3d animation services in India and Abroad, is also situated in Bathinda.

Bathinda has a thermal power plant named as Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant(GNDTP) after the first Sikh guru. It is located near the rose garden within in the interiors of Bathinda. There is another 230MW power plant located 18 km away in Lehra Mohabbat. Bathinda is also one of the biggest railways junction in Asia.

Real estate in Bathinda is more expensive just like it is in the rest of Punjab and India in general. International players like Zoom Developers are very keen on developing properties in Bhatinda. The group has recently acquired 12.5 Acres of primely located land in Bhatinda and will be developing 600 state of art residential units along with a Shopping Mall cum Multiplex. The group is also keen on developing a 5 Star hotel in the city. All major national and regional banks operate in Bathinda. These include:

• State Bank of Patiala
• State Bank of India
• ICICI Bank
• HDFC Bank
• Bank of India
• Punjab National Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Central Bank of India
• Oriental Bank of Commerce
• UCO Bank
• Punjab & Sindh Bank
• Agriculture Development Branch of S.B.I.
• Regional Business Office of S.B.I. at Bhagu Road, etc.

Government

Bathinda has a 'Municipal Corporation' setup of administration. City was upgraded from “A” Class Municipal council to Municipal Corporation on 10th April 2003. It is a Lok Sabha constituency of India and Vidhan Sabha constituency of Punjab State.

Demographics

As of the 2001, India census, Bathinda had a population of 217,389. Males constitute 54% of the population and females, 46%. Bathinda has an average literacy rate of 70% (57% male and 43% female), higher than the national average of 59.5%; 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Education

Government Rajindra College is located in the heart of the city. The college offers graduate courses in science, commerce, and humanities.City also have Punjab Technical University, Giani Zail Singh College Of Engineering & Technology Bathinda, and Bathinda Engineering College. shri guru harkrishan public school,Saint Joseph's Convent School, Saint Xavier's Senior Secondary School and MSD Senior Secondary Public School are located in Bathinda.It also have private medical college called the Adesh Institute of Medical Research; and Baba Shiri Chand Ji Government College in Sardargarh (Bathinda),Maharaja Ranjit Singh Khalsa Technology College, D.A.V. collage. and others.

External links

• Google satellite map of Bathinda [1]
• Official website of Bathinda district [2]
• City of Bathinda - Google Explorer [3]