| Pathankot |
| Population 168,000 Altitude 332 metres Area 22 square km Languages Hindi, English, Punjabi, Himachali, Dogri and Pashto (local languages) |
| Pathankot, a small city situated in the north of Punjab and to the east side of Pakistan, has a long history and rich culture. The people of Pathankot are basically Punjabis and speak Punjabi with a little affect of Dogri and Himachali. The town is situated at the foot of the Himalayas, near the head of Bari Doab canal. It is connected by air, rail and road with the rest of the country. It serves as a travelhub connecting several different regions including Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal pradesh. Pathankot has been the seat of the shawl weaving industry and lies at a point where the trade routes from the hills of Chamba, Nurpur and Kangra unite and enter the plains. Sights Shahpur Kandi 7 km from Pathankot, Shahpur Kandi Fort is nestled in the foot of the Himalayas, overlooking the Ravi River. It was built in 16th century by Bhao Singh, who named it after the Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort has now been converted into a hanging rest house. Caves On the way to Shahpur Kandi, in the village of Doong, the caves are believed to have sheltered the Pandavas of the Mahabharatas while on exile. Nurpur Fort Originally known as the Dhameri, the fort was named Nurpur by Jahangir, the great Mughal Emperor, after his favourite wife, Nur Jahan. The fort was constructed by Raja Basu around 100 years back and fell into the hands of Jahangir much later. The fort also has a Lord Krishna temple, famous for the Lord Krishna black stone murti. Nagni Temple This temple is dedicated to Nagni Mata, a goddess who protects people from bites snakes. There is the huge fair here every saturday in the month of August. Accommodation There are a number of cheap hotels around the bus and train stations. Gulmohar Tourist Complex Room: Rs 350-700 Banks and Internet Banking and internet facilities for tourist are scarce in Pathankot. |
| Transport The main bus and train stations are only 500m away from each other. Trains Pathankot(PTK) to Amritsar (ASR) Train numbers 8102, 9226 Pathankot to Jammu (JAT) Train numbers 4033, 9225, 9223, 8101 Pathankot to Delhi (DLI) Train numbers 4034, 8102 A toy train runs from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar in Himachal Pradesh. Get off at Kangra for Dharamsala (22 km away). The journey from Pathankot to Kangra takes around two and a half hours. There are 7 trains a day. The cheapest tickets are around Rs 30. The link is difrent for this train, click on the train number. Pathankot to Kangra Train Numbers 2PB, 2PBJ, 4PB, 4PBJ, 6PB, 8PB. Buses Pathankot to Amritsar Rs 50, 112 km Departs frequently Journey time 3 hours Pathankot to Jammu Rs 60, 107 km Departs frequently Journey time 2.5 hours Pathankot to Dharamsala Rs 80, 90 km Departs every hour Journey time 3.5 hours |
