Bathinda

Bathinda is a major city and municipal corporation located in northwestern India. It sits within the Malwa Region of the state of Punjab. As the administrative headquarters of the Bathinda district, it serves as a vital center for the surrounding area. The city is the fifth largest in Punjab. It is also recognized for its cleanliness, ranking as the second cleanest city in the state after Mohali.

The geography of Bathinda is defined by the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains. The city sits at an average elevation of 201 meters. Its climate is classified as semi-arid, which leads to high variations in temperature between seasons. Annual rainfall is relatively low, ranging from 20 cm to 40 cm. During the summer, temperatures can climb as high as 49 °C. In the winter, temperatures often drop to 1 °C, and the lowest recorded temperature was −1.4 °C in 2013.

The history of Bathinda is tied to its strategic importance and its famous fort. The Qila Mubarak fort was built by King Kanishka in the 2nd century CE. This site is historically significant as the place where Razia Sultana, the first Empress of India, was held captive. In earlier times, the area was known by names such as Gobindgarh or Tabarhindh. Some historical accounts, such as the Jami-Ul-Hakayat from 1211 AD, refer to it as Tabar-i-Hind. This name roughly translates to "Gateway to India."

Many different rulers have fought for control of the city and its fort over many centuries. In 1004, Mahmud of Ghazni besieged and captured the local fort. Later, in 1190, Muhammad of Ghor occupied the fort. The ruler Prithviraj Chauhan briefly recovered the fort in 1191 after the First Battle of Tarain. However, after the Second Battle of Tarain, the fort returned to the control of Muhammad Ghori. During the Mughal era, emperors like Akbar and Aurangzeb worked to enhance the fort. In 1754, Maharaja Ala Singh of Patiala conquered the town. Following Indian independence, Bathinda became a full-fledged district within the Patiala and East Punjab States Union.

Today, Bathinda is a significant hub for education, industry, and the military. The city hosts several major institutions, including the Central University of Punjab and AIIMS Bathinda. It is also home to the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University. Industrial activity is high, with two modern thermal power plants named Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Hargobind. The city also contains a fertiliser plant and two cement plants, Ambuja Cements and UltraTech Cement Limited. Additionally, Bathinda maintains a large army cantonment and an air force station.

The city's population was recorded at 285,813 in the 2011 Census. Of this population, 151,782 were male and 134,031 were female. The average literacy rate is 82.84 percent, with male literacy at 87.86 percent and female literacy at 77.16 percent. Religion plays a large role in the community. Hinduism is the majority religion in the city at 62.61 percent. Sikhism is the second most popular religion at 35.04 percent. While Sikhs are not the majority within the city itself, they make up 70.89 percent of the total Bathinda District population.

Bathinda is well-connected to the rest of India through several transportation networks. The Bathinda Railway Station provides links to most major Indian cities. Four national highways pass through or near the city, including NH 7 and NH 54. These routes include the Fazilka-Badrinath National Highway and the Kenchiyan-Pathankot National Highway. However, the city faces environmental challenges due to its industrial growth. Studies have found that surface waters contain substances like arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. This is often attributed to untreated wastewater from industries and the use of pesticides in farming. Because of these issues, the government has banned the use of groundwater for drinking in the city.