Batala
Encyclopedia
Batala is a municipal council
in Gurdaspur district
in the state of Punjab
, India
. It is located about 30 km from Gurdaspur
, the headquarters of the district
.
Batala is an important place for Sikh
devotees. Guru Nanak Dev
, the founder of the Sikh religion
was married here to Sulakhni, the daughter of Mul Chand Chauna in 1485. Many temple
s and Gurdwara
s related to the Guru's marriage attract devotees from near and far. Every year celebrations are conducted on the anniversary of Guru Nanak's marriage.
Batala once called as Iron bird of Asia as it produced highest amount of C.I.Casting, Agricultural and mechanical machinery. Batala is still one of the leading cities in northern India in maufacturing of C.I Casting and agricultural and mechanical machinery. It's an agricultural marketplace and industrial centre. Cotton ginning, weaving, sugar refining, rice milling, and manufacturing are some of other business taking place here.
Rajput
, during the reign of Bahlul Lodi on a piece of land given by Tatar Khan who was the Governor of Lahore
. Later, during the Mughal rule
, Akbar gave it in jagir
to his foster brother, Shamsher Khan. The city grew and developed under him. The whole city was lying within a fort. It had 12 gates as entrance and exit. These gates are still known by their old names e.g. Sheran wala Gate, Khajuri Gate, Bhandari Gate, Ohri Gate, Thathiari Gate etc. Some of them still survive and are pleading for their condition. During the Political integration of India
, Batala was included in the Punjab
state.
Other historic Places in Batala are Gurdwaras where Guru Nanak stayed during his lifetime. There are also numerous other gurdwaras of significant importance to Sikhs and therefore attracts thousands of Sikhs from around the globe.
.
One of the older towns in the province of Lahore in the earlier times, Batala is home to many monuments of religious and historic importance. These monuments are connected with Sikh
history and the Mughal
period. The city consists of several churches constructed during the British Raj
.
The Jal Mahal and the palace of Maharaja Sher Singh were built by the Maharaja (CE 1780-1839). The palace is under the control of the authorities of the local Baring Union Christian College. The administrative offices of the college are housed in it.
Jal Mahal is said to be under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Jal Mahal (Baradari) and the palace of Maharaja Sher Singh were connected through a tunnel. According to some senior citizens Shamsher Khan Tank of Jal Mahal used to filled with water through the tunnel which was further connected by a long tunnel (canal) to the Beas near Kahnuwan. The remnants of the tunnel can be seen near Baring Christian College.
Maharaja Sher Singh used to hold meetings of his courtiers in Jal Mahal. The water reservoir was built by Shamsher Khan while the beautiful Baradari in the centre of the tank was constructed by Maharaja Sher Singh. It has a square room in the centre of a pavilion with a passage. The entry to the first floor is by a staircase with concave-shaped steps on the north-eastern canal. Jal Mahal has eight doors in the lower part of the building and four in the upper storey. The inner wall contained beautiful art glass carvings and wall paintings. However, major parts of the paintings have been erased or damaged. The roof of the pavilion has also fallen. The Municipal Council had provided a tubewell to fill up the tank till the eighties. All sides of the reservoir were lined with Nanakshahi bricks. However, with the passage of time the brick lining has been destroyed. Nowadays, on one side of the tank is located a vridh ashram owned and managed by the Dainik Prarthana Sabha. There also exists Bhadr Kali Mandir and Shivala. The upper portion of Jal Mahal is in a dilapidated condition and the time is not far when this magnificent structure will pass into oblivion.
Locally known as Hazira, structure is near Baring College and was built by Shamsher Khan. The tomb stands on a raised platform surrounded by a low wall having bastions in the corners. The tomb is an octagonal structure crowned with a low dome. The spandrels of the arches have painted arabesque and geometrical designs. Hazira is now a recreational park and tourist attraction.
The interior wall as well as the exterior of the tomb is richly adorned with paintings depicting floral, geometrical and calligraphic designs. The decoration is intact on the interior but on the exterior only its traces survive. Recently, the ASI had undertaken repairs. Preservation work has been done on its interior as well as exterior walls. The surroundings of this monuments, too, have been beautified.
The palace of Maharaja Sher Singh reminds one of the love of rich architectural structures by Sikh rulers. This beautiful building with mud plastering was known to be part of Anarkali which was initially built along with Baradari as an imitation of Shalimar Garden of Lahore. The remnants of wall paintings and carvings can seen.
Batala is the home town of Sardar Bhupinder Singh Mann, Ex Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and National President of Bharti Kisan Union.
by road and railways.
connecting Kandla
in Gujarat with Pathankot
in Punjab
passes through Batala and connects it with Pathankot
, Amritsar
, Bhatinda, Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer
, Barmer
and Kandla
.
—Pathankot
railway line of the Firozpur division of the Northern Railway zone
of the Indian Railways
. Amritsar Junction Railway Station located about 38 km from the town is the nearest major railway station. Train to Qadian is the another diversion from Batala. Ministry of Railways has accepted in 2010 Budget plan to connect the Batala-Quadian rail link to Jalandhar via Beas Junction. The project would start soon.
in Pathankot
, situated 70 km away from Batala is the nearest military airport. Raja Sansi International Airport
serving the city of Amritsar
is the nearest International airport and is located about 40 km from the town.
Colleges
Baring Union Christian College
DAV College
Guru Nanak Dev College
Schools
Baring School
DAV School
Guru Nanak School
St. Francis School.
Dr K N Thomas - Former HOD Physics, and Principal Baring Union Christian College
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
in Gurdaspur district
Gurdaspur District
Gurdaspur district is a district in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. Gurdaspur is the district headquarters. It internationally borders Narowal District of the Pakistani Punjab, Kathua District of Jammu and Kashmir, the Punjab districts of Amritsar and...
in the state of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is located about 30 km from Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur is a city in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. It is located in the center of and is the administrative head of Gurdaspur District. It was the location of a fort which was famous for the siege it sustained in 1712 from the Mughals...
, the headquarters of the district
Gurdaspur District
Gurdaspur district is a district in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. Gurdaspur is the district headquarters. It internationally borders Narowal District of the Pakistani Punjab, Kathua District of Jammu and Kashmir, the Punjab districts of Amritsar and...
.
Batala is an important place for Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
devotees. Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak’s divinity and religious authority, and were named "Nanak" in the line of succession.-Early life:Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, now...
, the founder of the Sikh religion
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
was married here to Sulakhni, the daughter of Mul Chand Chauna in 1485. Many temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s and Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
s related to the Guru's marriage attract devotees from near and far. Every year celebrations are conducted on the anniversary of Guru Nanak's marriage.
Batala once called as Iron bird of Asia as it produced highest amount of C.I.Casting, Agricultural and mechanical machinery. Batala is still one of the leading cities in northern India in maufacturing of C.I Casting and agricultural and mechanical machinery. It's an agricultural marketplace and industrial centre. Cotton ginning, weaving, sugar refining, rice milling, and manufacturing are some of other business taking place here.
History
The city was founded in the year 1465 CE by Raja Ram Deo, a BhatiBhati
Bhati is one of the largest tribes of the Gujjars& Rajput. They claim descent from Krishna as an avatar of Vishnu, and thus identify themselves as a Chandravanshi Kshatriya clan. The Bhati trace their history to the desert principality of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, in the border villages of Bikaner...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
, during the reign of Bahlul Lodi on a piece of land given by Tatar Khan who was the Governor of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. Later, during the Mughal rule
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, Akbar gave it in jagir
Jagir
In historic India, a jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service...
to his foster brother, Shamsher Khan. The city grew and developed under him. The whole city was lying within a fort. It had 12 gates as entrance and exit. These gates are still known by their old names e.g. Sheran wala Gate, Khajuri Gate, Bhandari Gate, Ohri Gate, Thathiari Gate etc. Some of them still survive and are pleading for their condition. During the Political integration of India
Political integration of India
At the time of Indian independence, India was divided into two sets of territories, the first being the territories of "British India", which were under the direct control of the India Office in London and the Governor-General of India, and the second being the "Princely states", the territories...
, Batala was included in the Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
state.
Other historic Places in Batala are Gurdwaras where Guru Nanak stayed during his lifetime. There are also numerous other gurdwaras of significant importance to Sikhs and therefore attracts thousands of Sikhs from around the globe.
Landmarks
Located in Gurdaspur district, 38 km from Amritsar on the Kashmir Grand Trunk roadGrand Trunk Road
The Grand Trunk Road also formerly known as Uttarapatha, Shah Rah-e-Azam or Sadak-e-Azam or Badshahi Sadak is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads...
.
One of the older towns in the province of Lahore in the earlier times, Batala is home to many monuments of religious and historic importance. These monuments are connected with Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
history and the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
period. The city consists of several churches constructed during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
The Jal Mahal and the palace of Maharaja Sher Singh were built by the Maharaja (CE 1780-1839). The palace is under the control of the authorities of the local Baring Union Christian College. The administrative offices of the college are housed in it.
Jal Mahal is said to be under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Jal Mahal (Baradari) and the palace of Maharaja Sher Singh were connected through a tunnel. According to some senior citizens Shamsher Khan Tank of Jal Mahal used to filled with water through the tunnel which was further connected by a long tunnel (canal) to the Beas near Kahnuwan. The remnants of the tunnel can be seen near Baring Christian College.
Maharaja Sher Singh used to hold meetings of his courtiers in Jal Mahal. The water reservoir was built by Shamsher Khan while the beautiful Baradari in the centre of the tank was constructed by Maharaja Sher Singh. It has a square room in the centre of a pavilion with a passage. The entry to the first floor is by a staircase with concave-shaped steps on the north-eastern canal. Jal Mahal has eight doors in the lower part of the building and four in the upper storey. The inner wall contained beautiful art glass carvings and wall paintings. However, major parts of the paintings have been erased or damaged. The roof of the pavilion has also fallen. The Municipal Council had provided a tubewell to fill up the tank till the eighties. All sides of the reservoir were lined with Nanakshahi bricks. However, with the passage of time the brick lining has been destroyed. Nowadays, on one side of the tank is located a vridh ashram owned and managed by the Dainik Prarthana Sabha. There also exists Bhadr Kali Mandir and Shivala. The upper portion of Jal Mahal is in a dilapidated condition and the time is not far when this magnificent structure will pass into oblivion.
Locally known as Hazira, structure is near Baring College and was built by Shamsher Khan. The tomb stands on a raised platform surrounded by a low wall having bastions in the corners. The tomb is an octagonal structure crowned with a low dome. The spandrels of the arches have painted arabesque and geometrical designs. Hazira is now a recreational park and tourist attraction.
The interior wall as well as the exterior of the tomb is richly adorned with paintings depicting floral, geometrical and calligraphic designs. The decoration is intact on the interior but on the exterior only its traces survive. Recently, the ASI had undertaken repairs. Preservation work has been done on its interior as well as exterior walls. The surroundings of this monuments, too, have been beautified.
The palace of Maharaja Sher Singh reminds one of the love of rich architectural structures by Sikh rulers. This beautiful building with mud plastering was known to be part of Anarkali which was initially built along with Baradari as an imitation of Shalimar Garden of Lahore. The remnants of wall paintings and carvings can seen.
Batala is the home town of Sardar Bhupinder Singh Mann, Ex Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and National President of Bharti Kisan Union.
Transport
Batala is an important industrial town famous for the manufacture of machine tools and woolen products. Therefore, it is well connected with the other cities and towns of PunjabPunjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
by road and railways.
Road
National Highway 15National Highway 15 (India)
National Highway 15 is a major National Highway in Western and Northwestern India. NH 15 connects Kandla in Gujarat with Pathankot in Punjab. This -long highway passes through Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran Sahib, Zira, Kotkapura, Bhatinda, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer...
connecting Kandla
Kandla
Kandla is a seaport in Kutch District of Gujarat state in western India. Located on the Gulf of Kutch, it is one of major ports on west coast. Kandla was constructed in the 1950s as the chief seaport serving western India, after the partition of India from Pakistan left the port of Karachi in...
in Gujarat with Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
in Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
passes through Batala and connects it with Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
, Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Bhatinda, Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
, Barmer
Barmer, Rajasthan
Barmer is the headquarters of the Barmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is a city and a municipality.-Origin of name:...
and Kandla
Kandla
Kandla is a seaport in Kutch District of Gujarat state in western India. Located on the Gulf of Kutch, it is one of major ports on west coast. Kandla was constructed in the 1950s as the chief seaport serving western India, after the partition of India from Pakistan left the port of Karachi in...
.
Rail
Batala Junction (station code BAT) is on the AmritsarAmritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
—Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
railway line of the Firozpur division of the Northern Railway zone
Northern Railway (India)
The Northern Railways is one of the 16 zones and the northernmost zone of the Indian Railways. Its headquarters is in Delhi at New Delhi Railway Station....
of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
. Amritsar Junction Railway Station located about 38 km from the town is the nearest major railway station. Train to Qadian is the another diversion from Batala. Ministry of Railways has accepted in 2010 Budget plan to connect the Batala-Quadian rail link to Jalandhar via Beas Junction. The project would start soon.
Air
Pathankot AirportPathankot Airport
Pathankot Airport is a military airport located in Pathankot in the Gurdaspur district in the state of Punjab, India. The airfield is mostly used by the Indian Air Force. Nos 26 and 108 Squadrons operate from the airfield under the control of No. 18 Wing IAF and Western Air Command. They fly...
in Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
, situated 70 km away from Batala is the nearest military airport. Raja Sansi International Airport
Raja Sansi International Airport
Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport |Punjab]].The airport currently handles about 100 commercial flights a week, both international and domestic and is fast growing.- Expansion and renovation :International airport has increased in recent years...
serving the city of Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
is the nearest International airport and is located about 40 km from the town.
Schools & Colleges
Batala has a good number and mix of Schools and Colleges.Colleges
Baring Union Christian College
DAV College
Guru Nanak Dev College
Schools
Baring School
DAV School
Guru Nanak School
St. Francis School.
Eminent People
There are many individual people Batala can be proud of. Among theseDr K N Thomas - Former HOD Physics, and Principal Baring Union Christian College