Budhlada

The village is said to have been named after two brothers, Budha and Lada, who were khatri by caste. Once a part of the state of Kaithal, it was punitively annexed along with the rest of that territory after not helping the British during the insurgency of 1857. The village later merged with Karnal District, one of the largest markets in East Punjab. The area was said to be a good area for the recruitment of military personnel, second only to Rohtak. Hawaldar Joginder Singh Datewas, a soldier recruited from Budhlada, was notably awarded the Ashoka Chakra.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Budhlada was popular for its boora khand (superfine sugar). A large factory was located near the railway station, with consignments sent to Lahore and Karachi. This period of relative prosperity ended when it was cut off from those markets by the Partition of India in 1947.[1]

As of the 1991 census, the total population of the city was 18,123.

Under the British Raj, Budhlada was a "riyasat" (princely state), home to a police station prior to independence. Lok Nike (Hero of People) Jiauna Maur's brother Kishna Maur was arrested by Budhlada police station. Both brothers were well-known for helping poor people. Sucha Singh Soorma's village Samauo is almost 18 km (11 mi) from Budhlada but it remained neglected after India gained independence. The martyr Capt. K. K. Gaur, social reformer Babu Hitabhilashi, and scientist Dr. M. L. Singla, who headed the Chandrayaan programme, are also from Budhlada.

Budhlada is also an important centre of the Praja movement. Freedom fighters used Budhlada for many Praja movements in the present Bathinda district. The local people started participating in the Praja Movement after the death of Sewa Singh Thikriwala (president of Riyasat Praja Mandal party).

As of the 2011 Indian census, the total population of Budhlada was 26,172.[2] There were 13,832 males in the city (53%) and 12,340 females (47%). For every 1,000 men in Budhlada, there were 892 women. Furthermore, there were 2,882 children below six years of age, of which 1,599 were boys and 1,283 were girls. 11% of the total population was under six years of age. The number of working individuals in Budhlada was 8,726, with the remaining 17,446 unemployed. Out of 26,172 people, 18,680 people were literate. Budhlada has a literacy rate of 80.2%, higher than the national literacy rate of 74.0%. Sikhism and Hinduism are the major religions practiced in Budhlada, making up about 98% of the population.

Budhlada is located at 29.93°N 75.57°E / 29.93; 75.57[3] and has an average elevation of 211 metres (692 ft). The border of Haryana state is 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from the city.

Budhlada has a semi-arid climate, with temperatures ranging from 49 °C (120 °F) in the summer to 1 °C (34 °F) in the winter.

Budhlada is 70 km (43 mi) away from Bathinda and is situated on the Delhi-Fazilka line rail line. A popular Gurudwara Braham Bunga is located in Dodra, 10 km (6.2 mi) from Budhlada. Every year, three main संगम (Gathering place) are held at Dodra in the months of March, September, and December. Sangat from all over the world comes over during these संगम events to take laha. The city is connected by rail and road to the cities Punjab and Haryana. Notable places in the Budhlada include Krishna Mandir, Shiva Mandir, Hanuman Mandir, Gurudwara Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, Guru Nanak College, YLS Academy of Education, Jagat Resorts, Pool Centre, New Judicial Court complex, ITI Stadium and Bharati Palace, Ram Bagh (park).

There are some private institutes in the city for engineering and medical entrance examinations. There is one government-funded college and nearly ten private colleges in the city. The city has a number of secondary schools (both public and private). The leading educational institutions of the area are Guru Nanak College,[4] LADM DAV Public School,[5] and Manu Vatika Day Boarding School.[6]