KAITHAL, or KYTHAL  , an ancient town of British India in Karnal district, Punjab . Pop . (19o1), 14,408 . It is said to have been founded by the mythical hero Yudisthira, and is connected by tradition with the monkey-god Hanuman . In 1767 it fell into the hands of the Sikh chieftain, Bhai Desu Singh, whose descendants, the bhais of Kaithal, ranked among the most powerful Cis-Sutlej chiefs . Their territories lapsed to the British in 1843 . There remain the fort of the bhais, and several Mahommedan tombs of the 13th century and later . There is some trade in grain, sal-ammoniac, live stock and blankets; and cotton, saltpetre, lac ornaments and toys are manufactured .