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Fazilka
Fazilka
Bangla | |||
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![From top clockwise: Fazilka TV Tower, Raghuwar Bhawan, Fazilka Clock Tower, Asafwala War Memorial and Khuranj Haveli [Interactive fullscreen map] Locations of Fazilka City](/wiki/File:Fazilka_city_beautiful.jpg) From top clockwise: Fazilka TV Tower, Raghuwar Bhawan, Fazilka Clock Tower, Asafwala War Memorial and Khuranj Haveli
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| Nickname: FZK | |||
  Fazilka Location in Punjab, India  Fazilka Fazilka (India) | |||
| Coordinates: 30°24′11″N 74°01′30″E / 30.403°N 74.025°ECoordinates: 30°24′11″N 74°01′30″E / 30.403°N 74.025°E | |||
| Country |  India | ||
| State | Punjab | ||
| District | Fazilka | ||
| Founded by | J.H Oliver | ||
| Named for | Mian Fazil Watoo | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Democratic | ||
| • Member of Parliament | Sukhbir Singh Badal (SAD) | ||
| • Member of Legislative Assembly | Davinder Singh Ghubaya (INC) | ||
| Elevation | 177 m (581 ft) | ||
| Population (2011) | |||
| • Total | 76,492 | ||
| Demonym(s) | Bangla, Fazilka | ||
| Languages | |||
| • Official | Punjabi | ||
| • Dialect | Malwai and Bagri | ||
| • Other | Hindi, English | ||
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) | ||
| PIN | 152123 | ||
| Telephone code | 01638 | ||
| Vehicle registration | PB-22 | ||
| Sex ratio | 897/1000 | ||
| Literacy | 79.53% | ||
| Lok Sabha constituency | Firozpur | ||
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Fazilka | ||
| Planning agency | PUDA | ||
| Major Highways | NH7 SH20 SH40 | ||
| Precipitation | 923.9 millimetres (36.37 in) | ||
| Website | fazilka.gov.in | ||
Fazilka, also known as Bangla, is a city and a municipal council in Punjab, India. In 2011, it was made the headquarter of the newly created Fazilka district. The Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAPI) project originating in Turkmenistan will have its last station in Fazilka.
History[edit]
The municipality of Fazilka was formed with Punjab Government Notification No. 486, on 10 December 1885. The town was added to the Ferozepur district in 1884. On 27 July 2011, Fazilka was declared a District by the Government of Punjab with Gazette Notification No. 1/1/2011-RE-II(I)/14554.
Fazilka, like many towns on the Indo-Pakistani border, has suffered difficulties dating back to the Partition of India in 1947. The Radcliffe Line, the border recommended by departing British colonial authorities, divides natural resources, houses, and people. The Satluj River, which is a common source of water, is a border between the two countries.
Before partition, 50% of Fazilka's population was Muslim. All of them left India for Pakistan in 1947. Most of the villages around Fazilka were dominated by Muslim families, mainly the Bodla, Watto, Sahoo Rajpoot, Kalya Rajpoot and Chistis clans.
Many people from Fazilka pay an annual visit to Katasraj — a Hindu holy city in Pakistan, the site of an ancient Shiva Temple — usually in August.[citation needed]
Demographics and geography[edit]
As of the 2011 Indian census,[1] Fazilka had a population of 76,492. Males constitute about 52% of the population and females 48%. Fazilka has an average literacy rate of 70.7%: male literacy is 74.6%, and female literacy is 66.4%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Languages[edit]
Punjabi is language of Fazilka. Punjabi is spoken by a most people followed by Hindi.
Regional dance[edit]
Fazilka is known for a style of jhumar dance promulgated by Baba Pokhar Singh (1916–2002). Pokhar Singh's family had migrated from the Montgomery District of Western Punjab, and they claimed to represent the Ravi style of jhumar. However, Fazilka had its own style of jhumar which was referred to as the Satluj style. Therefore, at least two regional styles were mixed in everyday life, and in his jhummar routine (which was basically the same each time, and which family and friends still perform today), Pokhar identified several other regional movements.[2]
Climate[edit]
The climate of the Fazilka District is, on the whole, dry and is characterized by a very hot summer, a short rainy season, and a bracing winter. The year may be divided into four seasons. The cold season is from November to March. This is followed by the summer season which lasts until about the end of June. The period from July to mid-September constitutes the south-westerly monsoon season. The latter half of September and October may be termed the post-monsoon or the transition period.
Transport[edit]
Railway[edit]
The first railway line through the town was set up in 1898 on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the ascension to the throne by Queen Victoria. Fazilka was connected by railway to McLeod Ganj (now in PakMandi Sadiqganj) on the route to Bahawalnagar and then to Bahawalpur. Fazilka was connected by railway to Amruka (now in Pakistan) through Chaanwala. The tracks from Fazilka to McLeod Ganj and from Fazilka to Chaanwala are now closed, perhaps removed.
Fazilka Junction railway station is connected to Ferozepur and Bathinda junctions of Northern Railways. A new 43 km long railway line to Abohar towards the south has been constructed to shorten the distance to Bikaner by over 100 km. Trains on the new railway line to Abohar began running in July 2012. An express train started between Sri Ganganagar and Firozpur via Abohar and Fazilka in November 2012 on this track.[3]
Roads[edit]
National Highway 7 passes through Fazilka. NH 7 connects to NH 9 at Malaut which leads to Delhi via Hissar and Rohtak. The state highway runs from Fazilka to Ferozepur and from Fazilka to Malout. Both are good roads.
Air[edit]
Amritsar international airport and Bathinda domestic airport are the nearest, about 90 km away.
Intra-city-Ecocabs[edit]
Fazilka have a public bus transport system. Cycle rickshaws are the available means of transport in the city.[4] These rickshaws are now dispatched by Fazilka Centre.[5]
Notable people[edit]
- Mandira Bedi, actress and fashion designer
- Gurnam Bhullar, famous Punjabi singer and Actor
- Kapil Dev, Indian cricketer
- Sher Singh Ghubaya, member of the Lok Sabha
- Shubman Gill, vice-captain Under 19 Indian Cricket Team
- Surjit Kumar Jyani, politician and Punjab health minister
- Kunwar Mohinder Singh Bedi Sahar, noted Urdu poet writing under pen-name 'Sahar'
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
- ↑ Dr. Nahar Singh (1988). Panjaabi Lok-Naach: Sabhiaachaarak Bhoomika te Saarthakta ["Punjabi Folk-Dance: Cultural Role and Significance"], Lokgit Prakashan. Translated, with editorial remarks, by Gibb Schreffler (2003)
- ↑ "Abohar-Fazilka railway link operational". The Times of India. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ↑ [1] Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Cycle rickshaws now just a phone call away in Fazilka". Youtube.com. Retrieved 8 December 2013.