Celebrating Bathinda’s untamed, unbreakable spirit

One foggy night at Bathinda’s Power House Road, a flat tire left me stranded. A group of college kids, returning from a late night dhabha, stopped their rickety scooters. With no mechanic in sight, they jury-rigged a fix using a bicycle pump and sheer stubbornness, laughing off the cold. “Bathinda da banda kuch vi kar sakda,” one of them quipped. In no time I was on my way, reflecting on what the kid said.

The city stands for ingenuity, its thermal plants and oil refineries symbolising progress amid rustic roots. From Ajit Road’s vibrant markets to Bhucho Mandi’s earthy fields, its neighborhoods pulse with hustle. Its people? Bold, generous, with a knack for turning adversity into adventure, whether braving dust storms or dancing at Lohri bonfires.

Bathinda’s essence lies in these unscripted acts of kinship, where strangers become saviours, and every corner — from Talwandi Sabo’s sacred gurdwaras to local wrestling akhadas — ignites an untamed, unbreakable spirit.

Amanjot Kaur, Bathinda