Batala

Batala is a city in the state of Punjab, India. It is the eighth largest city in Punjab, after Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Bathinda, Mohali and Hoshiarpur. Batala is one of the oldest cities in the area and became a municipal corporation on March 3, 2019. It is located in Gurdaspur district, not far from the holy city of Amritsar.

This city is very important for people who follow the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was married here in 1485. Many temples and gurdwaras connected to this event draw visitors every year.

Batala has also been known for its strong industry. It once earned the nickname "Iron Bird of Asia" for making a lot of cast iron and machinery. Even today, it remains a key place for producing cast iron and mechanical tools in Northern India. The city also serves as an important market for farming and has many other industries like cotton, sugar, and rice work.

History

Further information: Punjab and Radcliffe Line

Batala was founded in 1465 by Abhay Pratap Bal of the Bhati Rajputs of Kapurthala. During the time of the Mughal Empire, Emperor Akbar gave the city to his foster brother, Shamsher Khan. In the 16th century, Batala was an important city in the Punjab region, similar in importance to cities like Lahore and Jalandhar. It is older than Amritsar by over a hundred years.

Historically, Batala was a fortified city with twelve gates, many of which are still known by their original names. Some of these old structures still exist today, though they are in different states of preservation. The city is also home to several gurdwaras, including sites linked to Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. These places are very important to many people and attract many visitors each year.

Politics

The city of Batala is part of the Batala Assembly Constituency. The Indian National Congress has been very strong here, winning assembly elections 9 times out of 16. Other parties that have won include Bharatiya Jana Sangh/Bharatiya Janata Party with 4 wins, and Janata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, and Aam Aadmi Party each winning once. The current MLA, Amansher Singh, belongs to the Aam Aadmi Party.

Batala became a Municipal Corporation in India in a specific year, upgrading from a Municipal Council. The first election for the Corporation was won by the Congress party.

See also: List of cities in Punjab and Chandigarh

Villages

Police Administration

Batala became a police district on April 19, 1988. Since then, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) has been in charge of the police department there. The SSP can come from either the Indian Police Service or the State Police Services of Punjab Police. The current SSP is Suhail Qasin Mir, who started on August 3, 2024. Sumedh Singh Saini was the first SSP when Batala became a police district, and he later became Director General of Police for Punjab.

List of Senior Superintendent of Police Batala

• IPS - Indian Police Service
• PPS - Punjab Police Service

Demographics

In 2011, Batala had a population of 158,404 people. There were 83,536 males and 74,868 females. The literacy rate, or the percentage of people who can read and write, was 85.28 per cent.

The following table shows the population of different religious groups in Batala and their gender ratio as of the 2011 census.

Economy

Minerals

Batala has useful minerals nearby. In Dharamkot, west of Batala, there is special sand used for making things like molds. This sand has clay in it and can be found close to the road between Batala and Dera Baba Nanak.

There is also a type of mineral called salt petre in several villages around Batala. This mineral, which contains potassium nitrate, can be used to make things like fireworks and fertilizers. It is found in places such as Thikriwala, Pandori, Dhawan, Chataurgarh, and Badowal.

Landmarks

Batala, located in Gurdaspur district about 38 kilometres from Amritsar on the Kashmir Grand Trunk road, is home to many important monuments. These landmarks connect the city to Sikh history and the Mughal period. The city also has several churches built during the British Raj.

Jal Mahal (Baradari)

Jal Mahal and the palace of Maharaja Sher Singh were built between 1780 and 1839. Today, the palace is used by the Baring Union Christian College, while Jal Mahal is cared for by the Archaeological Survey of India. The two buildings were once connected by a tunnel, and some parts of this tunnel can still be seen near the college.

Gurdwara Kandh Sahib

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was married here to Bibi Sulakhani Ji. There is a crooked mud wall, called "kandh," where Guru Nanak Dev Ji discussed marriage plans. An old woman warned him of a plan to push the wall on him, but he smiled and said it would stand for centuries. The wall is still there today, and a celebration is held every year to mark Guru Nanak’s marriage. Nearby is Gurudwara Dera Sahib, which was once the home of Mata Sulakhni Ji, Guru Nanak’s bride. An ancient well there is believed to have special powers.

Kali Dwara Mandir

A well-known temple dedicated to Goddess Kali is located in Chakri Bazar. It is especially busy on Tuesdays and during Navratri, when many people visit to show their faith.

We will not describe the section about Sati Lakshmi Devi Smadh because it contains details that are not suitable for children.

Transport

Batala is an important industrial town known for making machine tools and woolen products. It has good connections to other cities and towns in Punjab by road and railways. Both government and private buses are the main way people travel to other cities. Batala has the only government bus depot in its district.

Buses leave Batala’s Bus Stand near Gandhi Chowk every day, carrying over 40,000 passengers on about 1,000 trips.

Batala has a railway station on the Amritsar–Pathankot line. The nearest major station is Amritsar Junction, about 38 kilometres away. Plans were made to connect Batala to Jalandhar by rail, which would save an hour of travel time.

The nearest international airport is Guru Ram Das International Airport in Amritsar, about 40 kilometres from Batala. The nearest military airport is Pathankot Airport, located 70 kilometres away.

Hospitals

Batala has many hospitals where people can get medical help. Some of these hospitals include Satsar Hospital, Mahajan Hospital, Navtej Humanity Hospital & Club, Johal Surgical Hospital, Civil Hospital, and Batala Hospital on Dera Road in Shukerpura. There are also other smaller clinics and health centers in the area.

Education

During the time of Ranjit Singh's rule, the Qadri family, known for their learning, ran a big and important school in Batala. Students came to this school from places as far away as Iran and Afghanistan. Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave a large piece of land, called a jagir, to help keep the school running. Later, the British took this land away when they ruled the area.

Colleges

Batala has several colleges, including:

• Baring Union Christian College (GNDU)
• Batala Institute of Medical Science, Sarwali, Dera road, Batala
• IK Gujral PTU campus Batala (degree college)
• Government Polytechnic college, Batala
• Guru Nanak Dev College
• R.R. Bawa DAV College for Girls
• Royal Institute of Nursing, Batala
• S.L. Bawa DAV College
• V.M.S. institute of information and technology

Schools

Batala also has many schools, such as:

• Akshey Sareen's School
• Arya girls Sr. secondary school (PSEB)
• Baring School (ICSE)
• BVN Sainik High School
• Cambridge International School, Batala (CBSE)
• City young School, ICSE
• Dr. Daulat Ram Bhalla DAV Centenary Public School (CBSE)
• Des Raj DAV Senior Secondary School (CBSE)
• Dr. MRS Bhalla DAV School, Qila mandi, Batala. (PSEB)
• Evergreen Science & Sports School, Achalsahib (Chahalkalan) (PSEB)
• Excelsior Public (CBSE)
• F.c. Verma Sr. Secondary School (PSEB)
• F.S.M. Silver Creek School (ICSE)
• Gems Cambridge International School, Batala
• Govt. Senior Secondary school (Boys), Batala (PSEB)
• Guru Nanak School
• Guru Nanak Khalsa Sr/Sec (Narowal), Batala
• Hollyhock High School, Batala
• Kotli Bhan Singh primary school
• Methodist sen.sec. school (PSEB)
• The Millennium School, Batala (CBSE)
• National Progressive School, Batala (PSEB)
• R D Khosla DAV Model Senior Secondary School (CBSE)
• Saheed Baba Deep Singh Modern School, Dhupsari
• Salvation Army School and College, Batala
• Shri Guru Nanak Dev Academy Kandila, Batala
• St. Francis School, Batala (ICSE)
• WoodStock Public School, Anarkali Rd, Batala (CBSE)

Notable people

Batala has been home to many well-known people. Dev Anand, a famous Indian actor, studied in Batala before moving to Dharamshala and Lahore. Other notable individuals include Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, a leader in India’s Ahl-i Hadith community, and Riaz Batalvi, a respected journalist and writer from Pakistan.

The city also produced Shiv Kumar Batalvi, an acclaimed Indian poet, and Mohini Hameed, a popular radio broadcaster, anchor, and actress in Pakistan. Bhupinder Singh Mann served as a Member of Parliament in India from 1990 to 1996, recognized for his work for Indian farmers. Surjit Singh Randhawa and Prabhjot Singh were both proud members of India’s national hockey team.