North India's Mandis- II
Having borne the brunt of the historic battles fought in and around Panipat in the past, survived the partition of India and the exchange of population, this predominantly refugee town, with a population of sixty thousand, is marching ahead. It might become the "Manchester of Northern India" within 20 years, as predicted by a team of British industrialists which visited the town in 1953.
About 100 miles from Chandigarh, Panipat is situated on both sides of the Grand Trunk Road hardly five miles west of the Jamuna, the boundary line between Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
With narrow, dark and dirty lanes, it is a neglected historic town famous from Ibrahim Lodhi's tomb, the Marhatta's Devi Temple and tank, Hazrat Biali Shah Qalander's shrine. Haji's grave besides other crumbling mausoleums which speak of the grandeur that was Panipat.
The handloom products of Panipat are being patronised not only in the various parts of India, but also in foreign countries like America, the U.K. and Germany, An institution run by refugees- the National Textile Company- exports hand-made breakfast table covers, luncheon sets, bed sheets and 'kheses'.