Morinda, Punjab

Morinda is a city with Municipal Council, near city of Rupnagar in Rupnagar District in the Indian state of Punjab. Morinda is an old town which is believed to trace its name from Mor Jats. It can be known as Moran and then Morinda.

Morinda is known in the local region for housing one of the 23 Co-operative Sugar Mills in the State of Punjab. It is also known as Baganwaala, "The City of Orchards". This is because Large Orchards occupied it once which were eventually cleared for housing.

The City is located on National Highway 5 (India)(Connecting Chandigarh and Ludhiana). This benefits local businesses, enabling the town development and expansion. Today, Morinda grows at a faster rate than its neighbouring towns. A lot of industries of nearby towns such as Bassi Pathana have moved to Morinda.

Adding to the historical significance of the town is Gurudwara Shri Kotwaali Sahib. This was the prison (Kotwali) where the Mother, Mata Gujri of 10th Sikh Guru (Guru Gobind Singh) and his two sons were kept as prisoners before being taken to Fatehgarh Sahib where the sons sacrificed their lives. They were buried alive in the walls and later Mata Gujri also ended her life at the same place.

Geography
It is located on Ludhiana-Chandigarh Highway, NH95. It lies in Ropar District.

Demographics
India census, Morinda had a Population of 21,788. Males Constitute 53% of the Population and Females 47%. Morinda has an Average Literacy Rate of 70%, Higher than the National Average of 59.5%: Male Literacy is 74%, and Female Literacy is 66%. In Morinda, 11% of the Population is under 6 years of Age.

Education
Morinda has also become an education hub, since there are more than five universities and a large college network around the city, such as the Charanjit Singh Memorial Institute of Nursing Education, near the Ludhiana-Morinda Bypass.