Pathankot, used to be a princely state ruled by the Rajputs before 1849 AD, is situated at the picturesque foothills of Kangra and near the head of Bari Doab canal. It is the meeting point of three states as it serves as a conjunction for the northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. It has a rich historical past as it was under the reign of many rulers. It was the seat of the Loi and shawl weaving industry for many centuries. As per Sakhian, the Sikh History, it was Guru Nanak Dev Maharaj, the First Guru of Sikhs, who established the town of Pathankot during one of his expeditions.
Pathankot and its surrounding areas once formed part of the territories of Nurpur (now in Himachal Pardesh). The dynasty of Nurpur was established by Jatpal alias Rana Bhet, a Taur Rajput from Delhi, who settled at Pathankot and took possession of all the country in the foot of the hills. Rajputs shifted their capital to the modern town of Nurpur (renamed after Begum Nurjahan) towards the end of seventeenth century. A muslim descendant of the Rajas of Nurpur Sayed Khan ruled over this territory till 1781. Pathankot also figures in Ain-i-Akbari as the Pargana Headquarter. Some believe it was a settlement of Pathans during the madieval times. The famous historian Cunnigham says that name of Pathankot came into vogue from the word Pattan.
By Air :- Pathankot can be reached by air from cities like Jammu, Delhi and Jaipur.
By Train :- Pathankot has direct train connections with Delhi, Jammu and other Indian cities. The most important trains that pave way to Pathankot are Jammu Tawi-Mumbai Express and Pooja Express from Jammu-Jaipur.
By Road :- Pathankot has a strong network of private and public sector bus services. Hence it can very conveniently be reached from important cities like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir.