Pathankot is a city as well as a district in the
Indian state of
Punjab. In 2011 it became the capital of
Pathankot district (carved out of
Gurdaspur district) in Punjab, India. The name Pathankot comes from Pathania Rajput, who was the king of
Nurpur. Pathankot was the capital of Nurpur prior to 1849. Pathankot is at the meeting point of the three
northern states of
Punjab,
Himachal Pradesh and
Jammu and Kashmir, and close to the border with Pakistan. Due to its location, Pathankot serves as a travel hub for those three northerly states. Pathankot is the 9th most populous city in the state of Punjab. Situated in the foothills of Kangra and Dalhousie, with the river
Chakki flowing close by, the city is often used as a rest-stop before heading into the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir,
Dalhousie,
Chamba, and
Kangra, deep into the
Himalayas.