This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see
Saharanpur
.
District of Uttar Pradesh in India
Saharanpur district
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![Location of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/India_Uttar_Pradesh_districts_2012_Saharanpur.svg/250px-India_Uttar_Pradesh_districts_2012_Saharanpur.svg.png) Location of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh
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Country
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India
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State
| Uttar Pradesh
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Division
| Saharanpur
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Headquarters
| Saharanpur
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?
Lok Sabha constituencies
| Saharanpur
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---|
?
Vidhan Sabha constituencies
| Saharanpur
,
Saharanpur nagar
,
Gangoh
,Nakud,
Deoband
,
Rampur Maniharan
,
Behat
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|
? Total
| 3,860 km
2
(1,490 sq mi)
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|
? Total
| 3,466,382
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? Density
| 900/km
2
(2,300/sq mi)
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|
?
Literacy
| 62.61%
[1]
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Time zone
| UTC+05:30
(
IST
)
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Vehicle registration
| UP-11
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Airport
| Sarsawa Airport
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Website
| saharanpur
.nic
.in
|
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Saharanpur district
is the northernmost of the
districts of Uttar Pradesh
state
, India. Bordering the states of
Haryana
,
Himachal Pradesh
and
Uttarakhand
, and close to the foothills of
Shivalik
range, it lies in the northern part of the
Doab
region.
The district headquarters are in
Saharanpur
, which is also the headquarters of
Saharanpur Division
. Other principal towns are
Sarsawa
,
Behat
,
Deoband
,
Gangoh
and
Rampur Maniharan
.
Geography
[
edit
]
Saharanpur is located at
29°58′N
77°33′E
/
29.97°N 77.55°E
/
29.97; 77.55
, about 130 kilometres (81 mi) south-southeast from
Chandigarh
and 170 kilometres (110 mi) north-northeast from
Delhi
and 61 Km. South of Dehradun and about 70 Km. South East from the town of Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. It has an average elevation of 284 metres (932 ft). It is bordered by
Yamunanagar
and
Karnal
districts of Haryana to the west,
Sirmaur district
of Himachal Pradesh to the northwest,
Dehradun district
of Uttarakhand to the north,
Haridwar district
of Uttarakhand to the east and
Muzaffarnagar
and
Shamli
districts to the south.
It is the northernmost district of Uttar Pradesh, bounded by the
Yamuna
to the west. The northern border of the district is formed by the southern slopes of the Sivallik Hills. Below the Sivallik is the Bhabhar, and south of that, the Terai. The west of the district is
khadir
land next to the Yamuna, generally composed of clayish soil, and produces two small tributaries of the Yamuna: the Budhi and Saindh.
Historical
[
edit
]
Historical population
Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
1901
| 728,601
| ?
|
---|
1911
| 687,620
| ?0.58%
|
---|
1921
| 653,460
| ?0.51%
|
---|
1931
| 727,731
| +1.08%
|
---|
1941
| 822,231
| +1.23%
|
---|
1951
| 942,849
| +1.38%
|
---|
1961
| 1,132,537
| +1.85%
|
---|
1971
| 1,414,231
| +2.25%
|
---|
1981
| 1,821,543
| +2.56%
|
---|
1991
| 2,309,029
| +2.40%
|
---|
2001
| 2,896,863
| +2.29%
|
---|
2011
| 3,466,382
| +1.81%
|
---|
source:
[2]
|
Medieval period
[
edit
]
During the reign of Shamsu’d-Din
Iltutmish
(r 1211?1236), the region became a part of the
Delhi Sultanate
. At that time, most of the area remained covered with forests and marshlands, through which the Paondhoi, Dhamola, and Ganda Nala rivers flowed. The climate was humid and malaria outbreaks were common.
Muhammad bin Tughluq
, the Sultan of Delhi (1325?1351), undertook a campaign in the northern
doab
to crush the rebellion of the
Shivalik
kings in 1340, when according to local tradition he learned of the presence of a
sufi
saint on the banks of the Paondhoi River. After visiting the sage, he ordered that henceforth this region would be known as 'Shah-Haroonpur', after the Sufi Saint
Shah Haroon Chishti
.
[3]
The simple but well-preserved tomb of this saint is situated in the oldest quarter of Saharanpur city, between the Mali Gate/Bazar Dinanath and Halwai Hatta. By the end of the 14th century, the power of the Sultanate had declined and it was attacked by Emperor
Timur
(1336?1405) of Central Asia. Timur had marched through the Saharanpur region in 1399 to sack Delhi and people of the region fought his army unsuccessfully. A weakened Sultanate was later conquered by the Central Asian Mogul king
Babur
(1483?1531).
Mughal period
[
edit
]
In the 16th century,
Babur
, a
Timurid
descendant of
Timur
and
Genghis Khan
from
Fergana Valley
(modern-day
Uzbekistan
), invaded across the
Khyber Pass
and founded the
Mughal Empire
, covering India, along with modern-day
Afghanistan
, Pakistan and
Bangladesh
[4]
The Mughals were descended from Persianised Central Asian
Turks
(with significant
Mongol
admixture).
During the
Mughal period
,
Akbar
(1542?1605), Saharanpur became an administrative unit under the Province of Delhi. Akbar bestowed the feudal
jagir
of Saharanpur to the Mughal treasurer, Sah Ranveer Singh, a Hindu Rohilla who laid the foundations of the present-day city on the site of an army cantonment. The nearest settlements at that time were
Shekhpura
and Malhipur. Saharanpur was a walled city, with four gates: the Sarai Gate, the Mali Gate, the Buria Gate, and the Lakhi Gate. The city was divided into the neighbourhoods named Nakhasa Bazar, Shah Behlol, Rani Bazar and Lakhi Gate. The ruins of Shah Ran Veer Singh's old fort can still be seen in the Chaudharian locality of Saharanpur, not far from the better known 'Bada-Imam-bada'. He also built a large
Jain
temple in Muhallah/Toli Chaundhariyan,
[5]
it is now known as the 'Digamber-Jain Panchayati Mandir'.
The Sayyids and Rohillas
[
edit
]
Mughal emperors Akbar and later
Shah Jehan
(1592?1666) bestowed the administrative
pargana
of Sarwat on Muslim
Sayyid
families. In 1633 one of them founded a city and named it and the surrounding region
Muzaffarnagar
, in honour of his father, Sayyid Muzaffar Ali Khan. The Sayyids ruled the area until the 1739 invasion by
Nadir Shah
. After his departure, anarchy prevailed across the entire
doab
with the region ruled or ravaged in succession by Jats. Taking advantage of this anarchy, the
Rohillas
took control of the entire trans-Gangetic region.
Ahmad Shah Durrani
, the
Afghan
ruler who invaded Northwestern and Northern India in the 1750s, conferred the territory of Saharanpur as Jagir on Rohilla chief Najaf Khan, who assumed the title of Nawab
Najeeb-ud-Daula
and took up residence in Saharanpur in 1754,. He made Gaunsgarh his capital and tried to strengthen his position against
Maratha Empire
attacks by entering an alliance with the Hindu
Gurjar
chieftain Manohar Singh. In 1759, Najeeb-ud-Daula issued a Deed of Agreement handing over 550 villages to Manohar Singh, who became the Raja of
Landaura
.
Maratha period
[
edit
]
In 1757, the Maratha army captured the Saharanpur region, which resulted in Najeeb-ud-Daula losing control of Saharanpur to the Maratha rulers
Raghunath Rao
and
Malharao Holkar
. The conflict between Rohillas and Marathas came to an end on 18
December 1788 with the arrest of
Ghulam Qadir
, the grandson of Najeeb-ud-Daula, who was defeated by the Maratha general
Mahadaji Shinde
. The most significant contribution of Nawab Ghulam Qadir to Saharanpur city is the Nawab Ganj area and the Ahmedabadi fortress therein, which still stands. The death of Ghulam Qadir put an end to the Rohilla administration in Saharanpur and it became the northernmost district of the Maratha Empire. Ghani Bahadur Banda was appointed its first Maratha governor. The Maratha Regime saw the construction of the Bhuteshwar Temple and Bagheshwar Temple in Saharanpur city. In 1803, following the
Second Anglo-Maratha War
, when the
British East India Company
defeated the Maratha Empire, Saharanpur came under British suzerainty.
[6]
British colonial period (1803?1947 AD)
[
edit
]
When India rebelled in 1857 against the foreign Company's occupation, now referred to as the First War of Indian Independence, the Saharanpur and the present-day Muzaffarnagar Districts were part of that uprising. The centre of freedom fighters' operations was Shamli, a small town in the Muzaffarnagar region which was liberated for some time. After the uprising failed, British retribution was severe. Death and destruction was particularly directed against the Muslims of the region, whom the British considered as the main instigators of the rebellion; Muslim society was devastated beyond recognition. When social reconstruction started, the cultural and political history of Muslims began to revolve around Deoband and Aligarh.
Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi
and
Rashid Ahmad Gangohi
, both proponents of the reformer
Shah Waliullah
's ideology for social and political rejuvenation, established a school in Deoband in 1867. It found popularity and global recognition as the
Darul Uloom Deoband
. Its founders' mission was twofold: to raise and spread a team of scholars able to awaken the religious and social consciousness of Muslims through peaceful methods and to make efforts, through them, to educate Muslims in their faith and culture; and to bring about a feeling of nationalism and national unity by promoting the concept of Hindu-Muslim unity and a united India. Muslim scholars in the city of Saharanpur were active supporters of this ideology and went on to establish the
Mazahir Uloom
theological seminary six months later.
Royal Family
[
edit
]
In 1845, Nawab Rao Wazir-ud-din Khan ascended to the prestigious position of member and voter of the
Mughal
Darbar at the Red Fort in Delhi. This honor was largely due to his cordial relationship with the
Mughal
Emperor
,
Bahadur Shah Zafar
. Rao Wazir-ud-din Khan was recognized as the wealthiest individual in the district of
Saharanpur
, possessing an expansive estate comprising 52,000 bighas of land and holding dominion over 57 villages, including Shaikhpura, Landohra, Tapri, Piragpur, Yousfpur, Badshapur, Harhati, Nazirpura, Santgarh, Lakhnor, Subri, and Pathri, among others.
The
British
governors
, acknowledging his influence and affluence, maintained a favorable relationship with Rao Wazir-ud-din Khan and bestowed upon him the title of "Badsha-e-Waqt," meaning "the
King
of his Period." His life concluded in 1895 at Sheikpura Qudeem in Saharanpur, but his legacy endured through his descendants.
Rao Wazir-ud-din Khan was survived by his two sons, Nawab Rao Mashooq Ali Khan and Nawab Rao Ghafoor Muhammad Ali Khan. Nawab Rao Ghafoor Muhammad Ali Khan had seven children, with his eldest son, Nawab Rao Maqsood Ali Khan, distinguishing himself as a person of considerable renown. Nawab Rao Maqsood Ali Khan was highly educated, having pursued his studies at
Aligarh Muslim University
and the
University of Oxford
. He was known not only for his intellectual acumen but also for his deep spirituality. His kind and amiable nature made him a beloved figure among the people.
Nawab Rao Maqsood Ali Khan demonstrated his resourcefulness and capabilities by providing relief to the poor during times of famine and crop failure. He became a disciple of Sufi Hazrat Sheik Bahauddin, a descendant of
Tipu Sultan
, and played a significant role in spreading Sufism across the
Saharanpur
region. As a scholar, he authored many books in both English and Persian; however, regrettably, all his works were lost after his death.
During his tenure as the Nawab of Saharanpur, he presided over a vast estate, which included properties in the Saharanpur region as well as in Dehradun. His commitment to the welfare and upliftment of his people was unwavering. He generously donated land for madrasas and dargahs and provided substantial aid to impoverished farmers. His philanthropic endeavors were recognized by the
Viceroy
of
India
, Lord Irwin, who awarded him in Dehradun.
Nawab Rao Maqsood Ali Khan passed away in 1973 at Sheikpura Qudeem. His legacy continued through his sons, Nawab Rao Ghulam Muhi-ud-din Khan, Nawab Rao Zamir Haider Khan, Nawab Rao Yaqoob Khan, and Nawab Rao Gulam Hafiz Khan. Notably, Nawab Rao Zamir Haider Khan's son,
Prince
Shameem Haider Rao
, has made a name for himself as a fashion model and poet.
This illustrious family, with its rich history and enduring contributions to society, remains a testament to their legacy. Their influence and charitable work have left an indelible mark on the region, continuing to inspire and uplift the community they have long served.
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical population
Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
1901
| 241,612
| ?
|
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1911
| 264,297
| +0.90%
|
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1921
| 261,915
| ?0.09%
|
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1931
| 311,227
| +1.74%
|
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1941
| 359,218
| +1.44%
|
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1951
| 397,342
| +1.01%
|
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1961
| 498,034
| +2.28%
|
---|
1971
| 643,086
| +2.59%
|
---|
1981
| 854,377
| +2.88%
|
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1991
| 1,101,171
| +2.57%
|
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2001
| 1,378,881
| +2.27%
|
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2011
| 1,734,495
| +2.32%
|
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source:
[2]
|
According to the
2011 census
the Saharanpur district had a
population
of 3,466,382,
[7]
roughly equal to the nation of
Panama
[8]
or the US state of
Connecticut
.
[9]
This gives it a ranking of 92nd in India (out of a total of
640
).
[7]
The district has a population density of 939 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,430/sq mi) .
[7]
Its
population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.59%.
[7]
Saharanpur has a
sex ratio
of 887
females
for every 1000 males,
[7]
and a
literacy rate
of 72.03%. 30.77% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 22.05% and 0.03% of the population respectively.
[7]
Religion
[
edit
]
Religions in Saharanpur district (2011)
[10]
|
Religion
|
|
Percent
|
Hinduism
|
|
56.74%
|
Islam
|
|
41.95%
|
Sikhism
|
|
0.54%
|
Other or not stated
|
|
0.77%
|
Distribution of religions
|
Hinduism
is followed by over 56% of people.
Islam
is the second-largest religion in the district with over 41.95% adherents. Sikhism is followed by 0.54% people. Hindus generally dominate rural areas while Muslims are majority in urban areas.
[10]
Languages
[
edit
]
Languages of Saharanpur district (2011)
[11]
Others (0.53%)
At the time of the
2011 Census of India
, 80.90% of the population of the district spoke
Hindi
and 18.57%
Urdu
as their first language.
[11]
Education
[
edit
]
Medical College
[
edit
]
- Sheikh-Ul-Hind Mahmood Mahmood Hasan Medical College
, a government
medical college
which provides healthcare for all citizens of the state and to train students. The present medical college is planned to have a 500-bed hospital with road access to the Saharanpur-Ambala National Highway. The proposed annual intake of MBBS Students is expected to be 100 from 2014 to 2015.
[12]
Villages
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"District-specific Literates and Literacy Rates, 2001"
. Registrar General, India, Ministry of Home Affairs
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
a
b
Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
- ^
History
The Imperial Gazetteer of India
, v. 21, p. 369. 1909.
- ^
The Islamic World to 1600: Rise of the Islamic Empires (The Mughal Empire)
Archived
27 September 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Madhu Jain, O. C. Handa, and Omacanda Handa,
Wood Handicraft: A Study of Its Origin and Development in Saharanpur
, Indus Publishing (2000), pp. 22?24.
ISBN
81-7387-103-5
- ^
Mayaram, Shail (16 February 2024).
Against history, against state: counterperspectives from the margins Cultures of history
. Columbia University Press, 2003.
ISBN
978-0-231-12731-8
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
"District Census Handbook: Saharanpur"
(PDF)
.
censusindia.gov.in
.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
. 2011.
- ^
US Directorate of Intelligence.
"Country Comparison:Population"
. Archived from
the original
on 13 June 2007
. Retrieved
1 October
2011
.
Panama 3,460,462 July 2011 est.
- ^
"2010 Resident Population Data"
. U. S. Census Bureau
. Retrieved
30 September
2011
.
Connecticut 3,574,097
- ^
a
b
"Table C-01 Population by Religion: Uttar Pradesh"
.
censusindia.gov.in
.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
. 2011.
- ^
a
b
"Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Uttar Pradesh"
.
www.censusindia.gov.in
.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
.
- ^
"Shaikhul Hind Medical College inaugurated"
. www.milligazette.com
. Retrieved
16 May
2014
.
- ^
Integrated Management Information System (IMIS)
Places adjacent to Saharanpur district
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Links to related articles
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Saharanpur
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Other districts
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General
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Mythology, history
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Districts
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Rivers, dams, lakes
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Languages, people
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Transport
|
- NH 73
- NH 72 A
- NH 58
- SH 12
- SH 57[Yamnotri Expressway]
- SH 82
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Lok Sabha constituencies
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See also
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Other divisions
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29°54′N
77°41′E
/
29.900°N 77.683°E
/
29.900; 77.683