# Abohar

Abohar is a city and municipal corporation in the Fazilka district of the Indian state of Punjab, southeast of Fazilka city and northeast of Sri Ganganagar. It is near the India-Pakistan border. Abohar's population was 145,302 as of 2011. The city and its suburb is known for kinnow production and accounts for 60% of the country's produce. The modern abohar was developed by the britishers on the Motif of Paris.

## History
### Late Medieval Era

Abohar was founded by Abheraj Bhatti, a Rajput ruler, in the 12th century and was known as Abhegarh at that time. During that era, the Delhi Sultanate ruled over present-day India. Abohar was an important military and trade hub during the Sultanate period due to its strategic location on the medivial highway, and connected the mouth of the river Indus via Multan to Delhi. In the 13th-14th centuries, it was a dominance of Rana Mal Bhatti.

#### Connections with Firoz Shah Tughluq

This city developed a deeper connection with Tughluqs. Firoz Shah Tughluq's mother Bibi Naila was from abhor and Tughlaq's court historian Shams-i Siraj 'Afif lived here.

#### Ibn Battuta's mention

Ibn Battuta when travelled India, he mentioned in his book as 'Abohar was the first town in the Hindustan, even it was in a desert', when he travelled in 1341 A.D.
At the beginning of the 16th century, it came to be known as 'Abha Nagri' and was a part of the princely states of Bikaner and Jodhpur. There are remains of a large fort which must have been at one time of considerable strength, and the villagers have a tradition that many centuries ago it was held by a Rajput Raja Abramchand.

### British Colonial Era

During the British era in India, it was the hub of horse breeding and a major cotton trade centre having business with Karachi and other mandis.

## Geography
### Location

Abohar, located approximately 32 kilometres (19.8 miles) south of Fazilka, is the nearest border town to Fazilka. It serves as a connection point between the two Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan. Within India, Abohar is situated 75.6 kilometres (47 miles) west of Bathinda, 258 kilometres southwest of the holy city of Amritsar, 217 kilometres southwest of the industrial city of Ludhiana, 300 kilometres southwest of the state capital Chandigarh, and 373 kilometres northwest of the national capital, New Delhi.

## Demographics
### Population

According to the 2011 Indian census, Abohar city had a population of 145,302, of which 76,984 were males and 68,318 were females.

### Religion

Religion in Abohar City (2011 census) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 83.27% | 83.27% |
| Sikhism | Sikhism | 15.60% | 15.60% |
| Others | Others | 1.13% | 1.13% |
Majority of the people living in Abohar follows Hinduism, with a significant Sikh minority.

### Languages

Language in Abohar (2011 census) :
| Language | Language | Percent | Percent |
| Punjabi | Punjabi | 42.66% | 42.66% |
| Hindi | Hindi | 36.67% | 36.67% |
| Bagri | Bagri | 5.20% | 5.20% |
| Others | Others | 15.47% | 15.47% |
Punjabi is the official language of the city and is spoken by the majority. Other major languages spoken are Bagri and Hindi.

## Wildlife sanctuary

Abohar is home to the Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary, which provides a free-range sanctuary for black bucks. The open sanctuary is spread over an area of 18,650 hectares across farmlands and villages. The Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Fazilka District of Punjab. The formation of the sanctuary relates to a unique success story of wildlife conservation in which people of Bishnoi community united themselves for protecting the Black Buck which is regarded as a sacred animal by them. It is also the State Animal of Punjab. It is home to several varieties of flora and fauna viz. Albizia lebbeck, Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, A. tortilis, Nilgai, porcupine, hare, jackal, etc.