Pathankot

Pathankot, in the northern tip of Punjab, has grown historically as a gateway town between the plains and the hills of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The wider region was part of ancient Trigarta, a kingdom mentioned in early Indian texts and associated with today’s Jalandhar–Kangra belt. Over time it came under successive empires – Mauryan, Kushan and Gupta – and later under various Rajput hill chiefs who controlled forts and passes leading into the Dhaula Dhar and Shivalik ranges.

From the medieval period onwards, Pathankot’s surroundings saw the passage of Afghan, Turkic and Mughal armies moving between Lahore, Delhi and Kashmir. The town itself remained relatively small but important as a trading and staging point. With the rise of the Sikh misls and later the kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the area was drawn into Sikh state structures, before passing to the British in the 19th century and being administered as part of Gurdaspur district.

British rule and the coming of the railway lines to Jammu and the Kangra Valley transformed Pathankot into a major rail and road junction. After Independence, its position near the international border and on routes to Jammu & Kashmir made it a key military and transport hub, with an important air base. In 2011, Pathankot was carved out as a separate district, reflecting its growing urban, commercial and strategic importance in modern Punjab.