Fazilka

the municipality in India

Fazilka, also known as Bangla, is a city and a municipal council in Fazilka district of 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.

Fazilka, founded in 1844 CE, is named by its founder JH Oliver after the Mian Fazil Watoo who had earlier owned the land before it was ceded to the British by the Bahawalpur princely state. Prior to its establishment as a district headquarter by JH Oliver, and as a shopping centre by him, it was an uncultivated bushy area. JH Oliver turned the town into a trading hub between Punjab and Sindh and it was hub of wool trading till partition of India. JH Oliver had also eponymously named nearby town Ellenabad, now in Sirsa district of Haryana, after his daughter who was also called Ellenabad.

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 25 July 2011, Fazilka was declared a District by the Government of Punjab with Gazette Notification No. 1/1/2011 RE II(I)/14554. 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 Bukhari Syeds (including the village of Baik Sharif), Jaat of kerian, Muslim families, mainly the Bodla, Watto, Sahoo Rajpoot, Kalya Rajpoot and Chistis clans. Many people from Fazilka pay an annual visit to Katas Raj Temples — a Hindu holy site in Pakistan, the site of an ancient Shiva Temple — usually in August.

Fazilka is a border town east of India Pakistan border, it is also located near the tri junction of 3 states within India, namely Punjab Haryana Rajasthan. on the India. Within India, it is west of Bathinda, 210 km southwest of holy city Amritsar, 210 km southwest of industrial city Ludhiana, 210 km southwest of state capital Chandigarh, 240 km northwest of NCR CM city Hisar, 400 km northwest of national capital Delhi.

India's Sadiqui Check Post on the India Pakistan border is manned by the Border Security Force (BSF). The Sadiqui Integrated Check Post (Sadiqui ICP) is a crossing and check post 14 km east of the India Pakistan border jointly managed by India and Pakistan border forces. Across the Indian village is Sulemanki Headworks on the Satluj River, inside Pakistan just 2 km east of Sadiqui ICP. This crossing is also called the Sadiqui Sulemanki border crossing. After the Indo Pakistani War of 1971, the crossing was closed. According to the Indian officials, "At Sadiqi, the BSF personnel and Pakistani Rangers march and lower the national flags in their respective territories, while at Wagah and Hussainiwala, their counterparts cross the Radcliffe Line, shake hands and lower the flags."

As of the 2011 Indian census, 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.

Punjabi is the language of Fazilka. Punjabi is spoken by a most people followed by Bagri.

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.

The Fazilka Heritage Festival, held from 13 to 16 April each year, is a magnificent celebration of art, culture, and food in Fazilka City. Organized by the Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka, this annual extravaganza aims to engage people from diverse communities residing in and around Fazilka. The festival serves a dual purpose: fostering the city's development and preserving its rich traditions and cultural heritage. The vibrant event takes place at the picturesque Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Park and comprises three major attractions: the Food Zone, Art and Craft Zone, and Cultural Zone.

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.

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.

National Highway 7 passes through Fazilka. NH 7 connects to NH 9 at Malaut which leads to Delhi via Mandi Dabwali, Hissar and Rohtak. The state highway runs from Fazilka to Ferozepur and from Fazilka to Malout. Both are good roads. It is 100 km from Bhatinda where it connects to Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway, Pathankot–Ajmer Expressway, NH 9 to Hisar and Delhi.

Amritsar international airport and Bathinda domestic airport are the nearest, about 90 km away.

Fazilka have a public bus transport system. Cycle rickshaws are the available means of transport in the city. These rickshaws are now dispatched by Fazilka Centre.