Ambala

{{see also|History of Haryana|Tourism in Haryana}}

The town is said to derive its name from Amba Rajput who supposedly founded it during the 14th century CE. According to another version, it is named after the goddess "Bhawani Amba," whose Temple still exists in Ambala city.[http://revenueharyana.gov.in/Portals/0/hr-gaz-ch-5.pdf Haryana Gazateer], Revenue Dept of Haryana, Capter-V.{{cite book|title=Tourism Management|author1=Bajwa, J.S.|author2=Kaur, R.|year=2007|publisher=APH Publishing Corporation|isbn=9788131300473|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TVXCiwdwPxsC}} The English spelling Umballa has sometimes been used; this spelling was used by Rudyard Kipling in his 1901 novel Kim.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/31/66/frameset.html |title=Bibliomania: Free Online Literature and Study Guides |access-date=2 December 2023}}

Archaeological Surveyor C.J Rodgers found Indo-Parthian Kingdom coins as well as coins of Hunas, Mihirakula and Toramana which indicated that after the disintegration of the Mauryan empire, the area was taken over by Indo-Parthians and later incorporated into the domain of the Hunas.

In 1709, Battle of Ambala was fought, and Sikhs captured Ambala from Mughals.{{cite book|last=Sagoo|first=Harbans|title=Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty|year=2001|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|url=https://archive.org/stream/BandaSinghBahadurAndSikhSovereignty/BandaSinghBahadurAndSikhSovereignty_djvu.txt}} It was under the rule of Gill Jats from 1748 to 1825.{{cite book |last1=Siṅgha |first1=Bhagata |title=A History of the Sikh Misals |date=1993 |publisher=Publication Bureau, Punjabi University |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BihuAAAAMAAJ |access-date=30 May 2023}} It was also the capital of Nishanwalia Misl.{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Khazan |title=History of the Sikh Religion |date=1970 |publisher=Department of Languages, Punjab |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ImAgAAAAMAAJ |access-date=30 May 2023}} For some time it had been under the rule of Jawahir Singh of Mustafabad, a descendant of Desu Singh Randhawa.{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Suresh K. |title=Haryana: Past and Present |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6n7vV0eiS3YC&q=jawahir+singh+ambala+mustafabad |access-date=30 May 2023 |publisher=Mittal Publications |date=1 February 2006 |isbn=9788183240468 |language=en}}

File:GTRoad Ambala.jpg, at Ambala Cantonment, during the British Raj]]

Ambala Army Cantonment was established in 1843 after the British were forced to leave its Karnal Cantonment following the malaria epidemic of 1841–42 in as there were not any known effective means to control malaria epidemic in those days. The cantonment houses the '2 Corps', one of the three Strike Corps of the Indian Army.

Ambala Air Force Base is one of the oldest and largest airbases that were inherited from the British by the IAF. It was from this airbase that Spitfires and Harvards flown by Instructors of the Advanced Flying Training School took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948. Subsequently, Ambala was the front line airfield for many years. It was home to various aircraft that were inducted into the Indian Air Force. Vampires, Ouragans, Hunters, etc. all flew from this base. The airbase was briefly attacked in 1965 by B-57 bombers of the Pakistan Air Force. Today, the Airbase houses the '7 Wing' with squadrons of Jaguars and MiG-21 Bisons. A unit of the French-made Dassault Rafale will also be based at Ambala airbase.{{cite news |last1=ANI |title=Indian Air Force To Deploy Rafale Jets in Ambala, Hashimara |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-air-force-to-deploy-rafale-jets-in-ambala-hashimara-1972607 |access-date=10 March 2019 |work=NDTV |date=4 January 2019}}

Ambala Cantonment is the location of historic European Cemetery. It is 200 km north of Delhi and 55 km southwest of Chandigarh.

{{anchor | 1857 | First War of Independence | Memorial }}

{{see also | Bengal Native Infantry#1857 | l1= Bengal Native Infantry in aftermath of 1857 }}

First War of Independence Memorial or 1857 War Memorial, completed in 2023{{cn|date=July 2023}} at the cost of Rs300 crore in the honour of Indian rebels of 1857 First War of Independence, is spread over 22 acres on NH-44. The war was started at Ambala on 10 May 1857 by the Indian sepoys of 5th & 60th regiments of Bengal Native Infantry stationed at Ambala Cantonment. After the war was over, the execution of Baba Mohar Singh on 5 June 1857 at Ambala Cantonment was the first recorded execution of a captured Indian rebel by the British colonial regime. Ambala rebellion was led by Ananti Mishra, Parmeshwar Pandey, Beni Prasad, Sheikh Faiz Ul-Khan, Bikhan Khan who moved towards Red Fort in Delhi via Bilaspur, Sadhaura, Yamunanagar and Saharanpur. After the war was over, the British authorities burnt the villages of Bilaspur and Sadhaura as punishment for providing aid to the rebels. The 5th & 60th Regiments of the Bengal Native Infantry were also disbanded.{{cite news |last1=Nagpal |first1=Bhavey |title=Ambala's 1857 War Memorial likely to be opened by year end |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/indias-largest-war-memorial-on-nh-44-in-ambala-nears-completion-dedicated-to-first-war-of-independence-in-1857-101683855697490.html |access-date=8 July 2023 |work=Hindustan Times |date=12 May 2023}} The memorial has four sections, an administrative building, second a museum building, third a library and food court, and the fourth is an open air theatre.{{cite news |title=Panel of historians meets to discuss 1857 memorial in Ambala |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/panel-of-historians-meets-to-discuss-1857-memorial-in-ambala/articleshow/92153635.cms |access-date=8 July 2023 |work= Times of India |date= 12 June 2022}}

Ambala was given the status of a district in 1847, formed by the merging of the jagir estates of hitherto independent chieftains whose territories had lapsed or had been confiscated by the British Indian Government. In its 160 years of existence as a district, Ambala has witnessed many changes in its boundaries. Previously, it extended across tehsils of Ambala, Chandigarh, Jagadhri, Pipli, Kharar, Ropar and Nalagarh. Kalka-cum-Kurari State, Pinjore, Mani Majra, Kasauli & Sanawar were also merged later into the district at different times.

{{See also | History_of_Haryana#Colonial_period | Ballabhgarh#History | Farrukhnagar#Under_British_Raj | Nahar Singh | Rao Tula Ram | label 1 = Haryana in 1857| label 2 = Ballabhgarh history | label 3 = Farrukhnagar history | label 4 = Nahar Singh | label 5 = Rao Tula Ram }}

For their participation in first war of independence, the Chaudharys and Lambardars of villages who participated in rebellion were also deprived of their land and property, including 368 people of Hisar and Gurugram were hanged or transported for life, and fine was imposed on the people of Thanesar (Rs 235,000), Ambala (Rs. 253,541) and Rohtak (Rs. 63,000 mostly on Ranghars, Shaikhs and Muslim Kasai).Satish Chandra Mittal, 1986, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2RKTigrrP1cC Haryana, a Historical Perspective], p58.

In November 1949, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was hanged at Ambala Central JailThe Times (London), page 3, 16 November 1949 along with Narayan Apte, a co-conspirator.

The climate is a humid subtropical climate (Koppen: Cwa), with the monsoon season being noticeably rainier than the rest of the year, along with being much hotter and more humid than the winter, which is mild/cold and dry.

{{Weather box

| location = Ambala (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2012)

| metric first = Y

| single line = Y

| Jan record high C = 29.1

| Feb record high C = 33.9

| Mar record high C = 41.7

| Apr record high C = 45.0

| May record high C = 47.8

| Jun record high C = 47.8

| Jul record high C = 46.7

| Aug record high C = 43.9

| Sep record high C = 40.6

| Oct record high C = 39.4

| Nov record high C = 35.6

| Dec record high C = 29.4

| year record high C = 47.8

| Jan record low C = -1.3

| Feb record low C = -0.6

| Mar record low C = 3.7

| Apr record low C = 9.4

| May record low C = 13.9

| Jun record low C = 17.8

| Jul record low C = 19.4

| Aug record low C = 20.0

| Sep record low C = 15.6

| Oct record low C = 8.3

| Nov record low C = 1.8

| Dec record low C = -0.6

| year record low C = -1.3

|Jan high C = 18.1

|Feb high C = 22.5

|Mar high C = 27.7

|Apr high C = 35.1

|May high C = 38.4

|Jun high C = 37.9

|Jul high C = 34.5

|Aug high C = 33.5

|Sep high C = 33.1

|Oct high C = 31.7

|Nov high C = 26.9

|Dec high C = 21.0

| year high C = 30.0

|Jan low C = 6.7

|Feb low C = 9.6

|Mar low C = 14.3

|Apr low C = 19.6

|May low C = 23.8

|Jun low C = 25.5

|Jul low C = 25.7

|Aug low C = 25.1

|Sep low C = 23.3

|Oct low C = 17.8

|Nov low C = 11.8

|Dec low C = 7.5

| year low C = 17.5

| rain colour = green

| Jan rain mm = 30.7

| Feb rain mm = 35.9

| Mar rain mm = 29.4

| Apr rain mm = 20.1

| May rain mm = 35.3

| Jun rain mm = 111.4

| Jul rain mm = 257.0

| Aug rain mm = 228.0

| Sep rain mm = 136.5

| Oct rain mm = 14.3

| Nov rain mm = 6.5

| Dec rain mm = 15.4

| year rain mm = 920.5

| Jan rain days = 2.0

| Feb rain days = 2.4

| Mar rain days = 2.0

| Apr rain days = 1.7

| May rain days = 3.0

| Jun rain days = 5.5

| Jul rain days = 8.7

| Aug rain days = 8.9

| Sep rain days = 5.5

| Oct rain days = 0.8

| Nov rain days = 0.4

| Dec rain days = 0.8

| year rain days =

|time day = 17:30 IST

| Jan humidity = 66

| Feb humidity = 55

| Mar humidity = 45

| Apr humidity = 29

| May humidity = 30

| Jun humidity = 44

| Jul humidity = 68

| Aug humidity = 72

| Sep humidity = 66

| Oct humidity = 52

| Nov humidity = 53

| Dec humidity = 63

|year humidity = 53

|source 1 = India Meteorological Department

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240408025145/https://www.imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf

| archive-date = 8 April 2024

| url = https://www.imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf

| title = Station: Ambala Climatological Table 1991–2020

| work = Climatological Normals 1991–2020

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| access-date = 7 July 2024}}

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf

| archive-date = 5 February 2020

| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf

| title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| date = December 2016

| page = M63

| access-date = 1 March 2020}}

}}

{{bar box|width = 250px

|barwidth = 200px |cellpadding="0"

|title=Religion in Ambala city{{cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/31-ambala.html|title=Ambala City Population Census 2011 – Haryana|website=www.census2011.co.in}}

|titlebar=#Fcd116

|left1=Religion

|right1=Percent

|float=right

|bars=

{{bar percent|Hinduism|darkorange|81.94}}

{{bar percent|Sikhism|darkkhaki|14.59}}

{{bar percent|Jainism|pink|1.44}}

{{bar percent|Islam|green|1.25}}

{{bar percent|Others|black|0.78}}}}

{{As of|2011}} India census, Ambala UA had a population of 207,934 consisting of 112,840 males and 95,094 females, a ratio of 843. There were 20,687 children 0–6 and Ambala had an average literacy rate of 89.31%, with 91.76% of males and 86.41% of females literate.{{cite web|title=Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/India2/Table_3_PR_UA_Citiees_1Lakh_and_Above.pdf|publisher=Census India|access-date=29 December 2015|ref=2011 census}}

The Cloth Market is considered to be the largest textile market in this region. The market is known for catering to wedding related shopping. The most commonly bought items are sarees and silk clothing.{{cite web |title=About Cloth Market |url=https://www.yatra.com/india-tourism/shopping-in-ambala/cloth-market |website=Yatra.com |access-date=22 June 2019}}{{better source needed|date=June 2019}}

Ambala is connected to all of the other major cities of north India. It is a big interchange for various commuters for all neighbouring states.{{cite web |title=How to Reach {{!}} District Ambala, Government of Haryana {{!}} India |url=https://ambala.gov.in/how-to-reach/ |access-date=4 September 2022}}

National Highway NH 44 popularly known as GT road earlier known as NH 1 passes through Ambala and connects it to National capital Delhi, Panipat, Ludhiana and Amritsar. NH 152 connects it to state capital Chandigarh, Kaithal.

Apart from the Interstate service, Ambala also houses one of the oldest local bus services in Haryana, which is run by both Haryana roadways and private companies. Other means of local transportation include auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws.

Bus service is the major means of public transport in this district. Ambala depot came into being on 1 August 1950. The office of the General Manager has situated on the premises of the depot workshop at Ambala City. Ambala depot has a sub depot at Naraingarh.

Presently, Haryana Roadways, Ambala has 200 buses, which carry about 34.88 Lac's passengers daily and cover a distance of about 19000 km daily. Out of these, total distance covered on interstate routes is {{cvt|24,711|km}} and {{cvt|41.469|km}} are operated within Haryana every day.

New Bus Stand at Ambala Cantt was inaugurated on 12 July 1999 and the total land of bus stand is {{cvt|6.7|acre}}. Bus stands in this district exist at Ambala City, Naraingarh and Barara as well. A sub-depot-level workshop has also been provided at Naraingarh. 'Yatri Niwas' exists on the campus of Ambala Cantt. bus stand for the convenience of the commuters who wish to stay for the night.

Besides, the Haryana Roadways buses, the government has issued permits to private operators on local routes. Presently 60 such buses are plying in Ambala district.

The bus stand is very near to Ambala Cantt Jn. (Railway station). Most of the buses plying on GT road (NH1) stop in front of the Railway station.

Ambala is a divisional headquarters of the Northern Railway Zone and is an important railway junction. Ambala Cantt station is among the top 100 booking stations in India. The city is served by three railway stations:

• Ambala Cantt [UMB] (Junction on Delhi-Kalka line and Moradabad-Ambala line/Ambala-Attari line)
• Ambala City [UBC] (On Ambala-Attari line)
• Dhulkot [DKT] (on Delhi-Kalka line)

The Ambala Cantonment railway station was founded on the junction of the Delhi-Kalka and Ludhiana-Saharanpur lines. The historic Delhi-Panipat-Ambala-Kalka railway line dates back to 1889 while the Ludhiana-Saharanpur line was built in 1870. Situated {{cvt|200|km}} north of Delhi, this town is well connected by the rail and road network.{{Citation needed |date=October 2013}}

Ambala cantt railway station is main station of the city and is well connected with major cities of India.

Kalka-Shimla Railway, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, also comes under Ambala division.

Ambala Cantonment railway station serves maximum Shatabdi Express after New Delhi.

Ambala railway station was mentioned in the famous story 'The Woman on Platform 8' by Ruskin Bond, although in reality there is no platform 8 in Ambala Cantt.

Ambala has a large number of schools and colleges. Notable colleges are as follows:

• Convent of Jesus and Mary, Ambala
• D.A.V. College (Lahore), Ambala City
• E-Max School of Engineering and Applied Research
• Government Polytechnic College, Ambala
• Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana
• Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Sadopur
• Philadelphia Hospital & School of Nursing, Ambala
• Sanatan Dharma College (S.D. College)
• Shri Atmanand Jain Institute of Management and Technology

File:BJP Party leader Sushma Swaraj2.jpg]]

• Zohrabai Ambalewali
• Hansraj Behl
• Urvashi Butalia
• Simi Chahal
• Juhi Chawla
• Parineeti Chopra
• Swadesh Deepak
• Navneet Kaur Dhillon
• Sanjeev Kapoor
• Manpreet Kaur
• Nasir Kazmi
• Sucheta Kripalani
• Shalabh Kumar
• Selja Kumari
• Talib Dehlavi
• Kim Philby
• Ash K. Prakash
• Om Puri
• Saghar Siddiqui
• Sanjiv Sam Gambhir
• Sushma Swaraj
• Zeba

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Category:Cities and towns in Ambala district

Category:Ambala district

Category:Haryana

Category:Populated places established in the 14th century