Quila Mahal - Oldest part of Barnala
Those who are aware of the history of Barnala know that the place was initially known as Anahadgarh. It was then a small hamlet consisting of areas we now call Sandhu patti and Bajwa Patti. It was Baba Ala Singh, who built a fort here and thereby established the township, which later came to be known as Barnala. The area adjoining the fort is still known as Quila Mahal.However, the fort is no more; it was abandoned once the capital was shifted to Patiala. The structure has now been demolished for the safety of the residence here. However, two historically buildings from Baba Ala’s time still stand today. One is the oven or ‘Chula’ on which the food for the ‘langur’ used to be cooked and the other is the building in which Pandit Nika Singh used to hold ‘sangat’. While the former is known as the Baba Chula Sahib, the later is known as the Dera Baba Gandha Singh. Dera Baba is located on the Bajakhana Road.
Baba Chula Sahib holds a special significance for the devotees here. It is said that every wish is granted here. However, the area is also important from commercial aspect. A number of residential buildings are also located in this part of the town.
Newer Colonies in Barnala
As we have already mentioned, the fort area is the oldest part of the town. However with the passage of time the population of the city began to increase and to accommodate the growing population new areas had to be developed. Today, Barnala encompasses a total area of 26 Sq Km and each part of the town is connected by a wide network of roadways. Moreover new colonies with modern amenities have been set up in different parts of the town under the aegis of Barnala Improvement Trust.
Following are the names of some such colonies:
- Gobind Colony
- Lakhi Colony
- 22 Acre Colony
- 16 Acre Colony, also known as Captain Karam Singh Colony
- Astha Enclave
- Dynamic Colony
- Green Avenue
- Harmony Homes
- Krishna Enclave
- Maharaja Aggarsain Enclave
- Mahesh Nagar Colony
- Maya Gardens
- Om City
- Royal Plam
- Shiv Shakti Vatika
- Shivalik Vihar
Important Roads in Barnala
However, it will be wrong to assume that town is confined to these colonies only. Contrarily, major residential plots lie outside these colonies on different roads that are interconnected with one another. For example, Kacha Collage Road, more popularly known as the KC Road, is an important road in Barnala. Apart from a number of residential plots, this road houses many shops, offices, restaurants and hotels. The Civil Hospital, BSNL Telephone Exchange and Sheed Bhagat Singh Park are popular landmarks on this road. The Fire Station, located on the Rambagh Road is just a stone’s throw away from here. One can access it through Chintu Road.Rambagh Road too is an important road in Barnala. It is an offshoot of the K C Road. As we have already pointed out, the Fire Station is located on it. Besides, the road also houses important buildings like the Women’s Cell, the State Bank of Patiala, etc. The Market Committee, which controls all city markets, is also located on this road.
Another important road in this area is the Tehsil Road. The Police Station is located here. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Handiaya Bazaar Road, the Sadar Baazar Road, Pharwahi Bazaar Road etc are some other important roads of this town. All these roads run parallel to each other and meet Pakka Collage Road at different points.
The National Highway 71 and 13 are two other important roads in Barnala. Both these highways run through the town and meet each other near the Trident Chowk. A part of the NH 13 before the Trident Chowk is known as Handiaya Road and the Barnala District Court is located on it. An extension beyond the Trident Chowk of the same road is known as the Court Road. Similarly, a part of the NH 71 is known as Nanaksar Road because the historical Guruduwara Nanaksar Thath is located on it.
Other than the above mentioned roads, there are number of important roads. For instance, the Anaj Mandi Road, an offshoot of NH 71 houses not only the Grain Market, but also the office of the District commissioner. The Raikot Road too is an important road in town and so is Dhanaula Road, Old Cinema Road, Sanghera Bypass etc. The old Bus Stand is also another important locality in the town.