Kalka

Kalka is a town in the Panchkula district of Haryana, India. The name of this town is derived from the goddess Kali. The town is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a gateway to the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. It is on the National Highway 22 between Chandigarh and Shimla, and is the terminus of the Kalka-Shimla Railway. To the south of Kalka is Pinjore, and the industrial village of Parwanoo is to the north on the NH 22. Industrial development has led to a continuous urban belt from Pinjore to Parwanoo, but Kalka remains largely unaffected by these developments. Nearby is Chandimandir Cantonment where the Western Command of the Indian army is based. In 2013 it has come under the jurisdiction of Panchkula Municipal Corporation and its municipal committee has been dissolved.HistoryThe town takes its name from Kalika maa the ruling deity. Kalka was acquired by British India from the Princely state of Patiala in 1843 as a depot for Simla, the summer capital of the Raj. It became the junction for the Delhi-Ambala-Kalka, and the Kalka - Simla railways. By 1901, the town, administered as a notified area, had a population of 7,045, a railway workshop, and was a market for ginger and turmeric. The Kalka municipal committee was created on 11 April 1933.