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A
town in the Patiala division of Punjab, India, the headquarters
of Bathinda has a massive Fort, with ramparts 118ft
high, which was built during the reign of Sher shah
suri at Delhi (1540-45). It is the seat of Rajindra
college, affiliated to Punjab University. Bathinda is
a major junction of the Northern Railway (opened in
1897), with main (Broad-Gauge ) lines converging from
Delhi, Ferozpur and Patiala and from Macleodganj over
the Pakistan border ; and meter-gauge lines from Fazilka,
Hissar and Bikaner. The town is chiefly a railway and
administrative center. Bathinda district is a part of
the level alluvial plain south of the Sutlej river (q.v).
Pop (1961) 1,056,033 pre dominantly agricultural area
2,253 sq.mi. .
Rainfall
is meager and unreliable: irrigation is from the Sarhind
and Bhakhra canals running northeast to southwest across
the district. Wheat, gram, cotton, millets and sugarcane
are the main crops. Local trade centers includes Kotkpura
and Fridkot, the seat of another Punjab University College.
 The
city is a major rail hub, with lines converging on it
from other Indian states and from nearby Pakistan. It
is a trade center for the area's agricultural products;
industries include flour milling and handloom weaving.
Rajindra College is located in Bathinda, as is a huge
fort, Govindgarh, built in the 16th century, with walls
118 feet (36 m) high. There is also the shrine of a
Muslim saint, Baba Rattan.
The
surrounding region forms part of the generally flat
alluvial plain south of the Sutlej River. The light
rainfall is augmented by irrigation canals; wheat, cotton,
sugarcane, and gram (chick-pea) are among the crops
grown. Pop. (1981) city, 124,453; metropolitan area,
127,363.
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