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About
Pathankot |
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Pathankot is a municipal corporation in the state of Punjab ,
India and it serves as the capital of the Pathankot district.
It is the meeting point of three states of Himachal Pradesh,
Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir and the fifth largest city (in
terms of population) of the state of Punjab. Pathankot is the
eighth most populous city in the state of Punjab. The name
Pathankot comes from Pathania Rajput, who was the king of
Nurpur. Pathankot was the capital of Nurpur prior to 1849. Due
to the ideal location of Pathankot it serves as a travel
center for the three northerly states. Pathankot is the last
city in Punjab on the national highway towards Jammu and
Kashmir. Situated in the 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, Chamba, Dalhousie and Kangra, deep into theHimalayas.
A religious and historical destination, Pathankot is a city of
Gurdaspur district which is located in the state of Punjab.
Pathankot serves as an entry point that joins the state of
Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. Pathankot is
very famous for its shawl & Loi weaving industry. At present,
Pathankot is recognized as a major commercial center of Punjab
and the largest military station of Mamoon Cantonment in Asia.
The city is very famous for its Forts and Temples. Nurpur
Fort, Shahpurkandi Fort, Kathgarh Temple, Nagni Temple and
Mukteshwar Temple are the prominent tourist attractions of
Pathankot. Ranjit Sagar Dam is a popular tourist attraction in
Pathankot which is known as a highest gravity dam in Asia. |
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Climate of Pathankot |
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Best Season in Pathankot
Pathankot is one of the few destinations in India which is a
perfect place to visit all over the year. The temperature
remains comfortable throughout the year and is perfect for
nature-lovers and to indulge in mesmerizing sightseeing
opportunities.
Summer Season in Pathankot
Pathankot experiences mild summer and the temperature ranges
between 21°C to 42°C. The summer starts from March and last till
June.
Winter Season in Pathankot
The month of December marks the start of Winter Season. The
temperature is calm and generally lies in the range of 5°C to
23°C. The winter last season lasts till February. Tourists flock
to Pathankot during this season.
Monsoon Season in Pathankot
Pathankot receive heavy rains during the months from July to
September. The place remains drenched all through these months.
Spring Season in Pathankot
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 Season in Pathankot
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. |
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History of Pathankot & Pathania Rajput |
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Pathankot was the capital of Nurpur, a princely state which was
ruled by the Pathania Rajputs. In Mughal records it was known as
Paithan, an abbreviation of Pratishthan from which the Pathania
Rajputs derive their name. Pathania is the name of the branch of
the Tomara Clan of Chandravanshi, Rajputs, who claim a
mythological descent from Arjuna, the hero of Mahabharata. They
generally live in and around Himachal Pradesh, in North India.
It was an ancient traditional custom of the Rajputs for the
king, almost in all instances, to take his name from the name of
the country where he exercised his authority. The capital was
shifted from Pathankot to Dhameri Nurpur during the supremacy of
Raja Basu Dev 1580–1613.
Rana Jethpal the younger brother of King Anangpal II of Delhi,
came to Jallandhar Doab (also called Bist Doab) to conquer a
territory for himself. After crossing the Beas river he captured
a fort called Bhet, therefore acquiring the name Rana Bhet.
After this he came upon the city of Pathankot and follows the
tradition of Rajputs, in which the king typically took his name
from the name of the country where he exercised his authority,
he became known as a Pathania Rajput, instead of as a Tomara.
The Kingdom of Nurpur had its capital at Pathankot which is now
a district of Punjab, India. The kingdom included Pathankot and
a large area on the plains of the Punjab; also the whole of the
present Nurpur Tahsil of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh,
with the addition of Shahpurkandi, now in Gurdaspur, and also a
small area to the west of the Ravi, called Lakhanpur, now in
Jammu & Kashmir State. The Kingdom was bounded on the north by
Kangra and Chamba, on the south by the Punjab plains, and on the
west by the Ravi river. The Capital was at Pathankot, which was
known as Paithan in the medieval times.
Throughout their history the Pathania people rebelled against
the foreign attackers, both Muslims and the British. Though the
Pathania kings sometimes held the high offices of generals known
as Mansabdar in the Mughal military, and captured many a kingdom
for the Mughal Emperor in Hindustan and beyond the Indus up till
Uzbekistan. Yet, they repeatedly rebelled against the Mughal's
and other foreign invaders. The most popular uprising was by
Wazir Ram Singh Pathania who led a rebellion against the British
Raj and was then they were defeated by the British after a
hard-fought battle. He was deported to Rangoon where he died in
prison. Locals still sing ballads for their brave warrior, and a
statue remembering his deeds was erected on Pathankot
Punjab-Dalhousie Himachal Highway. |
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Geography of Pathankot |
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Pathankot has an average altitude of 332 metres (1,089 ft). It
is a green town which is surrounded by the Ravi and Chakki
rivers. Shiwalik foothills on the south and east and snow capped
Himalayas in the back drop in north.
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Tourist Attractions in Pathankot |
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Shahpurkandi fort
Shahpurkandi fort is one of the main tourist attractions of
Pathankot city. It was founded in 1505 by Jaspal Singh Pathania,
a Rajput chief. It was strategically located to have control
over the Nurpur and Kangra region. The fort is in ruins, and is
well-known for its temples and the view it commands over the
Ravi river.
Nurpur Fort
Nurpur Fort is a historical destination, Nurpur Fort is one
of the famous attractions in Pathankot. It was founded by Raja
Basu and the temple is devoted to Lord Krishna. It is said that
the black statue of Lord Krishna was gifted by a Rajasthani King
to the King of Nurpur which is placed inside the temple.
Shimla Phari or Municipal Park
It is very ancient fort of Pathankot city. Nowadays it is
located near khanpur chownk, shahpur road.
Ancient Temples
There are some caves on the way to Shahpur Kandi which date to
the time of the Mahabharata. According to legend, the Pandavas
stayed in those caves for a night during their "Agyaatwas". A
festival or mela, called Mukesran da mela is held there each
year in the month of April to mark Baisakhi.
Kathgarh Temple - Kathgarh Temple is a famous religious
place for Hindus, The Kathgarh temple is a holy destination to
visit which is situated in the Kathgarh village, Pathankot. The
revered Shiva Linga is the main attraction of this temple which
attracts many pilgrims. The temple is located at the convergence
of the rivers Choch and Beas.
Kathgarh Temple - The ancient Shiva temple Kathgarh
is about 25 km from Pathankot. The temple is located on the
banks of river Beas. During "Naag panchami," the gap between two
shiva parvati holy stones mysteriously narrows, and during "shivrathri"
the gap mysteriously widens. Alexander's army camped here for
three days and demoralised by the sight of furious and flooded
Beas forced their King to call off their mission of world
invasion. To reach the temple one has to go to Indora (HP),
which is 20 km away from Pathankot.
Shri Barth Sahib - Shri Barth Sahib is a very ancient
and 500-year old historical place which is situated in village
Barth 8 km away from the city of Pathankot. Baba Shri Chand Ji
Son of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spend long time here meditating.
Shiva Temple - Shiva Temple is a famous temple for pilgrims
and is located at a distance of 25 kms from Pathankot. The
temple is dedicated to Hindu God Shiva and is very well-known
for the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is a holy
destination to visit.
Baag wali mata temple - Baag wali mata temple is
loceted near Sujanpur which is about 10 km from Pathankot.
Nagni Temple - Nagni Temple is a religious tourist
destination, Nagni Temple is one of the popular attractions of
the city which is located at a distance of 16 kms from Pathankot.
The temple is dedicated to the Goddess of snakes. A huge fair is
organized here every Saturday in the month of August.
Mukteshwar Temple - Mukteshwar temple is a popular holy
destination for tourists and is located at a distance of 22 kms
from Pathankot. The Mukesran sa Mela is celebrated here annually
in the month of April. It is believed that the Pandavas rested
here during their exile.
Famous religious places are Kali Mata ka Mandir, Ashapurni
mandir, Shree Shiv Nag Mandir at Friends Colony, Shani Dev
Mandir, Hanuman Mandir near Railway Station, Ramlila ground,
Hanuman Mandir at Indira Colony, Baba Shere Khan, Shiv Mandir
Chat Patt Bani at Kataru Chowk, ancient Shiv Temple at Bollian
Lamini, Peer Baba at Patel Chowk, Natraj Mandir at Sarain
Mohalla, Renuka Mandir at Lamini, Paanj Peer at Shastri Nagar,
Anandpur Road and ancient Peer Baba at Anandpur, Also devotees
visit CNI and Defence Colony Church. |
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How to reach Pathankot |
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By
Rail
Pathankot is a major railhead in the state and it has excellent
connectivity to many places in the country. Pathankot has two
stations and the main station is connected to Delhi (Dhauladhar
Exp), Amritsar (Jat Bti Exp), Jammu (Tata Jat Exp) and others.
However this is an important transit point and most trains are
always overbooked. Auto rickshaws are available from the station
to the city center.
By Road
The main bus stand is the Maharana Pratap Terminus and this bus
stand is connected by buses from Punjab State Transport
Corporation, Himachal Transport Corporation, Jammu State
Transport Corporation, and Haryana Roadways. One can reach the
city from Chandigarh by bus in six hours. Buses are the cheapest
option and prices vary according to the service provider.
By
Air
Pathankot has a military airport that has a few scheduled
commercial flights. One can reach Pathankot by air from places
such as Chandigarh, Kullu and Delhi. However the frequency of
the flights might not be good. Auto rickshaws and taxis can be
hired from the airport to reach the city itself. |
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