Shahbad

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Shahabad Markanda| type = city | latd =30.16 | longd =76.87
state_name = Haryana
district = Kurukshetra
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude =
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 37,130| population_density =
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone = 01744
postal_code = 136135
vehicle_code_range =
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website =
footnotes =

Shahbad is a city and a Municipal Committee in Kurukshetra District in the Indian state of Haryana.

Demographics

As of the 2001 India census [GR|India] , Shahbad had a population of 37,130. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Shahbad has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 69%. In Shahbad, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Location

Shahbad lies 21 kilometers south of Ambala on the Ambala - Delhi section of the historical Grand Trunk Road, or GT road as it is locally known. It is some 30 kilometers to the north of Kurukshetra, which is the headquarter town of the district. Shahbad is on the national highway NH-1 and it also has a railway station on the Delhi - Ambala line. It lies on the banks of the river Markanda, a tributary of the Ghaggar, and supposed to be a part of the ancient Vedic Saraswati River basin system. There is a large historic temple on the banks of the river, which is called Markandeshwar, after the name of the famous Maharishi Markandeya.

There is also a road from Panchkula, via Ramgarh and Dosarka, that comes out near Shahbad. There are direct roads to Ladwa and Radaur as well as Yamunanagar from Shahbad. Pipli, near Kurukshetra, Nilokheri and Karnal are the other nearby towns south of Shahbad on the G.T. road. Patiala and Cheema lie due west of Shahbad but due to the Markanda river, they are accessible largely through Ambala.

Economy

It is a significant agricultural market for procurement of agricultural products. The market yard in Shahbad is a major procurement market or Mandi. The area being on a river bank is fertile and is used for paddy as well as wheat and vegetables. The yield is very high, and the belt till Karnal has a large number of rice mills to pick up the high quality grain.

ports

Of late Shahbad has produced a large number of women Hockey players. This is thanks to the efforts of Coach Baldev Singh, who is also an Asst Director in the Haryana Sports department. The current national women's Hockey team has 12 women from Shahbad. For the last decade Shahbad has produced a large number of women Hockey players who have donned Haryana , Railways or Indian team colours. It has got the epithet of Sansarpur of Women's hockey. Current national team representatives from Shahbad are :- Suman Bala, Nutan, Meenakshi, Simarjeet Kaur, Balwinder Kaur, Kiran Bala, Gurpreet Kaur, Jasjeet Kaur, Rajni Bala, Rajwinder, Gagandeep Kaur and Surinder Kaur.

History

Historically it was a Muslim majority town, with references made to a fort during Mughal times, and raids as well as sacking of the fort by Banda Bahadur. Significantly it also has a historic Gurudwara of those times. After partition most of the Muslims left, and Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from Pakistan were resettled here. The town and surrounding villages hence have a large Punjabi presence.At the time of partition it was a small village, but has subsequently grown and now even has to urban area sectors planned and developed by HUDA.

Links

Article on hockey in Shahbad [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040228/spr-trib.htm#1]

References