city, north-central Haryana (Haryāna) state, northwestern India. Said to have been founded by Yudhisthira, a Pandava king in the ancient epic poem Mahabharata, Kaithal was later a Muslim cultural centre. Of historical interest are the large bathing tank (reservoir) and tombs of several saints dating from the 13th century CE. An agricultural market centre, it was constituted a municipality in 1867. Industries include cotton ginning, saltpeter refining, and metalwork, pottery, and lacquered woodwork manufacture. Kaithal houses several colleges affiliated with Kurukshetra University. Pop. (2001) 117,285.