Kathua

Kathua, is a city and a Municipal Council in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The word "Kathua" is derived from the word "Thuan" in Dogri which means "Scorpions". Some believe that its name is derived from the name of Rishi Kashyap who disguised himself as a tortoise for strong meditation. Jodh Singh of the Andotra clan is believed to have migrated from Hastinapur to nearly 2,000 years ago.His three sons established the three Hamlets of Taraf Tajwal, Taraf Manjali and Taraf Bhajwal. Their descendent are now called as Tajwalia, Bhajwalia and Khanwalia Rajputs of ANDOTRA sub-caste. Kathua is also called 'the city of Sufis' or ' Dawlat Auliya' owing to the presence of large number of Sufi Shrines of Pirs. The city is also the gateway to the state and a big industrial town with army presence.Kathua along with its satellite township of Lakhanpur in J&K and the nearby city of Pathankot in Punjab constitute the Kathua-Pathankot twin city urban area.GeographyKathua is located at. It has an average elevation of 307m.The city is surrounded by three rivers. Ravi is just 7 km down Kathua while ujjh is about 11 km ahead on Jammu Highway. Kathua itself is situated along the banks of a khad (river) dividing it into two boroughs: Parliwand, meaning the other side; and Orliwand, meaning this side. Both parts are connected by three bridges. Many parts of the district and the city itself lie on plains while the tehsils of Basoli and Billawar are very hilly. The Kandi region - the barren lowlands at shiwalik foothills constitute it. A gateway to the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir, Kathua lies just 88 kilometres south of the state's winter capital of Jammu.