Jaitu

Jaitu (sometimes written as Jaito, also known as Gangsar Jaitu) is a historical city. Jaitu is a municipal council in Faridkot district in the Indian state of Punjab. It is subdivision in Ferozepur Division. It is 30 km (19 mi) from Bathinda, 130 km (81 mi) from Ludhiana, 150 km (93 mi)from Amritsar, 180 km (110 mi) from Patiala and 234 km (145 mi) from Chandigarh.

According to some accounts, it took its name "Gangsar" from a folk story in which Guru Gobind Singh Ji visited the town and was sitting on a sand dune when he saw a saint crying. He asked the saint why he was crying to which the saint replied that he was crying because he lost his bowl in the Ganges river. After hearing his misfortune, the Guru fired off an arrow which struck the ground and opened a water source there fetching water and his lost bowl from the Ganges river. Later Gurdwara Tibbi Sahib Ji and Gurdwara Gangsar Sahib Ji were constructed on both the sites, on the sand dune where the Guru was sitting and where lake was opened.

According to some accounts, it was a small village founded by Baba Jaitu and took its name "Jaitu" from him.

As of the 2001^[update] India census, Jaitu had a population of 33,465. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Jaitu has an average literacy rate of 62%, lesser than the national average of 74%: male literacy is 67%, and female literacy is 56%. In Jaitu, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Jaitu is in the northwestern region of India and is a part of the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains which in a macro regional context forms a part of great Satluj Ganga plain. The exact cartographic co-ordinates of Jaitu are 30°27′03″N 74°52′58″E / 30.450893°N 74.882898°E / 30.450893; 74.882898. It has an average elevation of 201 metres (659 ft). The surrounding districts are Muktsar, Bathinda, Ferozepur and Moga. The boundaries of the states of Haryana & Rajasthan are under an hour's drive from Jaitu.

It is a low-lying flat area. The surface of the district is depositional plain which was formed by alleviation by the rivers in the remote past. No river is flowing through the district, but there are some drains which flow during heavy rains and serve as natural drainage. There is a vast network of canals i.e. Bikaner, Sirhind feeder and Rajasthan Canal passes through Faridkot district. Sirhind feeder, Rajasthan Canal and Abohar Branch of Sirhind canal run through the entire length of Faridkot district in north–south and northeast–southwest directions respectively. Sirhind Canal system has been serving the district for irrigation since long times.

Jaitu's climate correspond to semi arid with high variation between summer and winter temperatures. Average annual rainfall is in a range of 20 to 40 mm (0.79 to 1.57 in). Summer temperatures can be as high as 45 °C (113 °F); and winter temperatures as low as 5 °C (41 °F). The weather is generally dry but will be highly humid from mid May to end of August due to farmers irrigating the fields. There is no meteorological observatory in the district. Some rainfall occurs during the pre-monsoon months, mostly in the form of thunder-showers and in the cold season. The skies are mostly clear or lightly clouded during the whole year. Winds are generally light in the area, and are northerly to north-westerly, at times south-easterly, throughout the year. But, during the summer and monsoon seasons winds from directions between north-east and south-east blow on many days. The climate is mainly dry, characterized by a very hot summer, a short rainy season and a bracing winter. The year may be divided into four seasons.

Summer (April to mid-July): The Temperatures increase rapidly beginning with the end of March till June. This is followed by the summer season which lasts up to about mid of July. June is generally the hottest month, with the mean daily minimum temperature about 41 degree Celsius and the mean daily minimum about 26.5 degree Celsius. It is intensely hot during the summer, and the dust laden winds which blow, especially in the sandy parts, are very trying. The maximum temperature may go beyond 47 degree Celsius on individual days. Occasional thunderstorms and more frequently dust storms occur during the hot season.