Located in the northwestern Doab region at 748 feet above the sea level, Jalandhar is the oldest inhabited region of Punjab. With a population of 8,60,000, the city is today the 56th most populated city of India and has developed into an industrialized urban center with bustling trade and commerce. Punjabi is the native and most widely spoken language. As per the 2011 census, the total population of the district is 2.1 million, out of which 12 percent constitute the workforce. Out of this 16 percent are engaged in agricultural activities and 6 percent in the household industry, with the bulk of the workforce of 77 percent engaged in the industrial sector manufacturing sports equipment, furniture, glass etc. The city manufactures sports and cricket equipment at a very large scale. Jalandhar is believed to be founded by the demon king Jalandhara , the son of the Gangas, who is mentioned in the Puranas and Mahabharata. The city had been the capital of Punjab prior to formation of Chandigarh in 1953.
