Batala is a municipal council and the city in the district of Gurdaspur in Punjab. Batala was earlier known as the "Iron bird of Asia" as maximum quantity of C.I. Casting, mechanical and agricultural machinery were produced here. Batala houses many gurdwaras, monuments and temples of medieval era. The place is associated with Guru Nanak"s marriage which had been established here. Now Batala attracts several pilgrims from all over the country. To mark the marriage anniversary of Guru Nanak, an annual celebration is conducted.

Location of Batala
The geographical location of Batala is about 30 km away from Gurdaspur. This city is important fro the Sikhs pilgrimage tours.

History of Batala
Batala was founded by Raja Ram Deo, a Bhati Rajput, in 1465 AD. It was founded during the rule of Bahlul Lodi, on a piece of land donated by Tatar Khan, the Governor of Lahore. After that, Shamsher Khan received the jagir from Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is covered within a fortress, which was developed and flourished. In 1485, Guru Nanak Dev, who was widely known as the founder of Sikhism, was married to the daughter of Mul Chand Chauna, Sulakhni, in Batala.

Demography of Batala
According to the Population census in the year 2011, this city had a population of about 158,404, with 85 percent as average literacy rate.

Economy of Batala
The city of Batala is an industrial centre and agricultural marketplace. In modern days, Batala produced C. I. Casting, mechanical and agricultural machinery. The area is well developed with the sugar refining, weaving, rice milling, Cotton ginning and manufacturing of various products.

Tourism in Batala
From the medieval era, Batala had 12 major gateways that served as entrance and exit, to and from the city. These gates are locally popular by their original names, like Ohri Gate, Sheran wala Gate, Bhandari Gate, Thathiari Gate, Khajuri Gate etc. Batala was incorporated in the Indian state of Punjab during the Partition of India. Some of the places are associated with the historical significance.

The prime tourist spots are Jal Mahal and Maharaja Sher Singh`s Palace, which were constructed by the king. The Palace and Jal Mahal are inter-connected by an underground tunnel. Hazira is another popular place in Batala, which was built by Shamsher Khan. The tomb of Hazira is erected on an elevated platform, bounded by a low wall with bastions in the corners. Kali Dwara Mandir and Gurdwara Kandh Sahib are also popular destinations here.

Visiting Information
Batala is well linked with roadways, railways and airways. Batala is well connected with Bhatinda, Amritsar, Jaisalmer, Kandla, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Barmer through the National Highway 15. Amritsar Junction Railway Station is the nearest railway station, situated almost 38 km from the city. Pathankot Airport, located 70 km from Batala, is the nearest military airport; whereas Raja Sansi International Airport and Guru Ram Das International Airport are the nearest international airport, only 40 km away.