Saharanpur
Encyclopedia
Saharanpur(also spelt as Seharunpore by British) is a city and a Municipal Corporation
in the state
of Uttar Pradesh
in northern India. It is the administrative
headquarters of Saharanpur District
as well as Saharanpur Division
. Dating back to the Mughal
period, situated close to the borders of Haryana
and Uttarakhand
states, and surrounded by a very fertile agricultural region famous for plentiful yields in grains and fruits, Saharanpur is now one of the most flourishing cities of Uttar Pradesh. Saharanpur is internationally famous for its wood carving
cottage industry. It is a thriving market of local agricultural produce, including basmati rice and mango
es. A variety of agro-based industrial enterprises – such as textiles, sugar, paper and cigarette factories – are located in it.
period. It is located in a fertile Doab
region that was forested until the medieval period, but in which human habitation can be traced as far back as 2000 BC;website of the Archaeological Survey of India is http://asi.nic.in/ remains of the Indus Valley Civilization
and Harappan
culture have been found in it. Its original inhabitants (like Drawid, Kinner, Dasa, and Dasyns) were subdued by the Indo-Aryan peoples, who were new settlers from the Punjab region
. Ancient invaders who came from near and far through the ages (Nanda, Greek, Maurya, Shunga, Indo-Greek, Yaudheya, Kushana, Gupta, White Huns, Yasodharman, Vardhana, Maukhari, Rajputs-Pundir,Notyial, Chandela, Muktapida, Ayuddhas, Gurjara-Pratihara, and Palas), have left legacies. Their descendants in the region have first or last names that reflect these historical (and at times also mythological, such as Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi) kinships. Historical accounts are better documented from the start of the medieval period.
n Turkic invasions (1018–1033 AD) through the lands of present Saharanpur region – which has been a part of the westerly ‘highway’, since ancient times, to attack Delhi
and the eastern lands beyond – this region was invaded and ruled by many, most notably the Bhoja Paramara
, Lakshmikarna Kalachuri, Chandra Dev Gahadvala, and the Chauhan
s, who ruled until the establishment of Delhi Sultanate
(1192–1526 AD).
During the reign of Shamsu’d-Din Iltutmish
(1211–36), this region became a part of the Delhi Sultanate. At that time, most of the area was 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 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-Haranpur', after the Sufi Saint Shah Haran Chishti.History The Imperial Gazetteer of India
, v. 21, p. 369. 1909. The simple well-preserved tomb of this saint is situated in the oldest quarter of Saharanpur city, between Mali Gate/Bazar Dinanath and Halwai Hatta. By the end of fourteenth century, the power of the Sultanate had declined and it was attacked by Emperor Timur
(1336–1405) of Central Asia. Timur had marched through Saharanpur region in 1399 to sack Delhi and people of the region fought his army unsuccessfully. A weakened Sultanate was conquered later by the Central Asian Mogul king Babur
(1483–1531).
, Emperor Akbar (1542–1605) made Saharanpur a sarkar
(administrative unit) under the Province of Delhi. He bestowed the Jagir
of Saharanpur to Raja Shah Ran Veer Singh, a Jain noble in his court, who laid the foundation of the present city at 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; Nakhasa Bazar, Shah Behlol, Rani Bazar and Lakhi Gate were the names of the neighbourhoods. 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;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 it is now known as the 'Digamber-Jain Punchayati Mandir'.
, in honour of his father, Sayyed Muzaffar Ali Khan. The Sayyeds ruled there until the 1739 invasion by Nadir Shah. After his departure, anarchy prevailed in the entire Doab and this region was ruled or ravaged in succession by Rajputs, Tyagis, Brahmins, and Jats and was plundered repeatedly by the Sikhs. Taking advantage of the anarchy, the Rohillas took control of the entire trans-Gangetic region.
, the Afghan
ruler who arrived after Nadir Shah, conferred the territory of Saharanpur as Jagir on Rohilla chief Najaf Khan, who assumed the title of Nawab Najeeb-ud-Daula and, in 1754, started living in Saharanpur. He made Gaunsgarh his capital and tried to strengthen his position against Maratha Empire
attacks by entering into a friendship with the Gurjar chieftain Manohar Singh. In 1759 AD, Najeeb-ud-Daula issued a Deed of Agreement handing over 550 villages to Manohar Singh, who became the Raja of Landaura. Thus the Rohillas and the Gurjars now controlled Saharanpur.
and Malharao Holkar. Najeeb-ud-Daula regained control when Raghunath Rao left Saharanpur for a campaign in Punjab. 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 Scindia. 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. During the Maratha Regime, the Bhuteshwar Temple and Bagheshwar Temple were built in Saharanpur city.
, which occupied the region of Saharanpur in 1803; They also occupied the present Muzaffarnagar
and Haridwar
districts. Saharanpur passed firmly into the hands of British invaders in 1804, when they had eliminated Maratha resistance and suppressed the frequent Sikh attackers completely. When the British usurped the vast holdings of Raja Dayal Singh Gurjar in 1813, a local uprising of the Gurjars took place, but the British suppressed it with a heavy hand. Local chiefs planned a collective revolt in 1824, but the plan leaked and the movement was ruthlessly crushed.
From 1822 to 1825, the Gurjar community held a fierce armed protest against British rule. Several times, when the British were transporting their treasury from one place to place they were killed and looted by Gurjar protestors. Most of the Gurjar-occupied areas like Landhaura, Parikshitgarh
and Samthar
had their boundaries reduced by the British. Estates consisting of thousands of villages were reduced to only few hundred villages. Revolts in western Uttar Pradesh (including Saharanpur district) during 1821 to 1825 led to the killing of thousands of Gurjars. Many were hanged and thousand of them were given a life sentence.
When North 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 District
s were part of this 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. Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi
and Maulana 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
. 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 Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur
theological seminary six months later, along identical lines.
The British
administration, which had taken over as a Colony
the Indian holdings of the East India Company in the aftermath of the1857 rebellion, created Muzaffarnagar district in 1901, which was carved out of Saharanpur district, and both became part of the Meerut Division of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
.Muzaffarnagar District The Imperial Gazetteer of India
, 1909, v. 18, p. 83.
from West Punjab
made this city their home, adding to its cultural diversity. This group has made its mark in business and other professions. The region is gradually absorbing them in its midst. The Exhibition Grounds of Saharanpur city, which was used as a refugee camp to accommodate them, has grown into a thriving modern township and an outpost of Punjabi culture.
Until the end of the British rule, the power and social prestige of the descendants of the past ruling classes was formidable, especially in the rural interiors; often called the upper castes, they lorded over the lower caste people. After independence, the conversion of the country to democracy has enabled these under-privileged and ex-untouchable Dalit
classes to move forward gradually in all fields in India. Late Master Kanshi Ram
, the founder of pro-Dalit Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP), started his political career in Saharanpur. His protégé Kumari Mayavati, a Dalit from Saharanpur, is ruling over Uttar Pradesh as a BSP Chief Minister
presently (2010). The Jains
and Aggarwals are influential business communities; the latter have "Agarwal Sabha" and elect their presidents annually.
On 28 December 1988, Saharanpur district lost the region of Haridwar
, which was made into a new district within the Saharanpur division. Subsequently, Haridwar district
was taken out of Saharanpur division and merged with what is now Uttarakhand
, a new state that was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000. With this territorial reorganization, Saharanpur lost many important places of religious and cultural heritage, including the city of Roorkee
, disappointing the Saharanpur people. Political debate is still simmering on whether parts of Saharanpur, including the city itself, can be merged with Uttarakhand. Another political view is that a new state of Harit Pradesh
should be carved out of the present Western Uttar Pradesh region.
in 1947, it was dominated by the Indian National Congress
, but the trend has changed. Now it is dominated by the Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP).
and 170 kilometres (105.6 mi) north-northeast from Delhi
. It has an average elevation of 269 metres (882.5 ft).
, Saharanpur had a population of 1,252,925. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Saharanpur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 88%, and female literacy is 70%. In Saharanpur, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Some important villages are reda,miyangi, Sahajvi,Mohamadpur Gurjar,Sawalpur Nawada, Tapri, Pahansoo, Tabbarkpur(Tardak)Sona Arjunpur, Bhaila, Rankhandi, Mora, Thaska, Tikraul, Gangali, Nanka,Mussail,Kasampur,Badhi,Ferumazra,Fatepur,Rosanpur,Ranipur,Nanuwala,phoupur gujjar,bachiti,kheda mugal,telheri buzurg, Paniyali Kasimpur, Gangdaspur Jut, Pilkhani, Sarsawa, Balwantpur,faried pur , meeragpur,Gangdaspur gujjar, Sarsoheri,Sadholi Kadim and others
Its grain market receives the agricultural produce of the Doab
region. The wholesale market (Anaaj Mandi), for grains and other agricultural produce, is located on Chilkana Road.
The timber market traditionally receives supplies from the northern hilly forest regions to support the local woodcarving cottage industry and other demands. The wooden handicrafts industry is the basis of livelihood for half of the population and source of recognition globally. Beautiful art and utilitarian woodwork objects are displayed and sold in the market from near Ambala Road up to Chilkana Road.
In the last few decades, the Punjabi Market and Kamboh Katehra market have experienced a high volume of textile trade. Hosiery has become a significant cottage industry, supplying goods to Ludhiana market, other nearby cities, and Uttarakhand’s markets.
Historically, the common householder's market is centred in the compact area around the Jama Masjid. Within a radius of less than half a kilometre around it, a network of narrow roads is lined with groups of shops selling commodities from jewellery to groceries.
Modern show rooms, retail outlets of branded goods, and branches of several major banks are located in the Court Road market, near the city’s Civil Court and the Collectorate offices. The city does not yet have any shopping malls.
A weekly spectacle is the busy Mangal Bazar (Tuesday Market) that springs up on the long road of Nehru Market and its surrounds, when the city's shops are closed for the weekly holiday.Household needs, tools, appliances and their parts are available; the quality and price are aimed at the lower-end customers.
A multinational cigarette manufacturing company, the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC Limited) previously known as the Anglo-American Tobacco Company and the Imperial Tobacco Company, is located in Saharanpur. This factory was built in the 1930s by Baba Shib Dayal Bedi. He was the Municipal Commissioner of Saharanpur during this period.
Cherisys Technologies has entered the city as an IT solutions provider after moving to the city from New Delhi. Cherisys Technologies was the first IT solutions provider in the city. Star Paper Mill, Sugar Mill, Hardboard Mill, Textile Mill, and Wood-seasoning Mill are other important industrial enterprises located in the city.block gangoh in garm mahangi this village inter college ,kasturba ganghi viddhalay, allhabad bank kishan seva societiy post office etc.
and Urdu
newspapers are published. Khadiboli is the lingua franca in which local Punjabi
speakers are fluent.
Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur is a famous seminary imparting advanced education in Sunni theology, closely following the Darul Uloom
Deoband school. It is located at Arabi Madrasa. A project to establish a medical college is being implemented; civil works for the proposed Manniya Kanshi Ram Allopathic Government College are under way near Saharanpur city.
Several colleges affiliated to Meerut University, conduct university level courses in a number of arts and science subjects. Cherisys Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) is an institution offering advance computer courses, endorsed by Cherisys Technologies, a well known IT solutions provider in the area. Its principle formula being to train not teach, computer science students find at CIIT a place where they can feel like they are in industry. Mt Carmel Christian Academy, Fatehpur is a recognized school serving in the region for over 17 years.
In relation to its size, population, and economic strength of Saharanpur District and in comparison to the educational facilities in neighbouring districts, the city lacks adequate infrastructure for advanced education and research. This problem worsened since the loss of the academically well-endowed city of Roorkee, due to its separation from Saharanpur district and merger in the newly formed Uttarakhand state in September 2000.
says of this Botanical Garden that "Amongst its greatest triumphs may be considered the introduction of the tea-plant from China, a fact I allude to, as many of my English readers may not be aware that the establishment of the tea
-trade in the Himalaya and Assam
is almost entirely the work of the superintendents of the gardens of Calcutta and Seharunpore."Joseph Dalton Hooker, Himalayan Journals, or Notes of a Naturalist ..., Kew (1854), vol. I, p. 5. In 1887, when the Botanical Survey of India
was set up to reform the country's botanical science
s, Saharanpur became the centre for the survey of the northern Indian flora
. The Garden is seen historically as being second only to the Calcutta Gardens
for its contribution to science and economy in India. Under private auspices today, it is full of greenery and has many different kinds of plants and flowers. Saharanpur Botanic Garden
Other places of interest are Ambedkar Memorial
, founded by Chief Minister Mayawati
, and the sprawling wood carvings market, which starts from near Ambala Road and extends up to Chilkana Road, where wonderful examples of the art of this city are displayed, sold, and exported all over the world.
The Dhamola and Paon Dhoi rivers meet and pass under the old Tees Dara Pul (Bridge). Lala Das Ka Bada is another peaceful place; it has beautiful temples and a minaret, from where people can have a bird's eye view of Saharanpur city. Gughal Mela
, a historic socio-religious festival of Saharanpur, is organized every year in the month of September and enjoyed by people of all religions.
Recently opened food chains and coffee shops - such as Domino's Pizza, Smokin' Joes, and Cafe Coffee Day - are attracting the youth. Modern shopping hubs, like Vishal Mega Mart, V Mart and Easy Day, are other places of interest for all. The city is developing at a good pace and will be competing with cities like Meerut in next few years.
Road), Shri Hari Darshan Mandir (Chilkana Road), Pataleshwar Temple (Rani Bazar), Jama Masjid, Madarsa Mazahir-ul-Uloom, Nau-gaza Peer shrine, Ojhria Peer shrine (Shah Behlole),Peerjiyon wali masjid (PuraniMandi), Teliyon Ki Masjid (Purani Mandi), Clocktower & mosque (Ghantaghar), Shahjahani mosque, Angoori (grapes) mosque, railway station mosque, and Tableegh-markaz (Banjaron ka pul). There were 195 temples as of 2010.
There are also Shakumbhri Devi
mandir, a holy place of Hindus, and Parshwanath, a notable Jain temple. Recently a temple of Sai Baba
has been established on the Behat
Road,10 km away from Saharanpur.
Barsi is situated 37 kilometres (23 mi) from Saharanpur on the Gangoh to Deoband road. It is the site of an ancient temple to Lord Shiva.
Shri Baba Sidh Mandir is in Village Sona Arjunpur on Delhi- Saharanpur Road
Among the notable new townships are Indraprastha Colony,Paramont Tulip, South City Colony,Gill Colony, Madho Nagar, Hakikat Nagar, Avas Vikas Colony, Central Park, Gill Colony, Jagadish Colony, Laxman Singh Colony, Mission Compound, Neha Garden, New Patel Nagar, Devi Niwas,Royal Palm,Roop Vihar Colony Navada Road, Ansariyan Street,jatwaan street, dholikhaak , Basera Haji Abdul Ghafoor, Shankerpuri Colony, Shiv Vihar Colony, Rohit Vihar Colony, Sun City, Matki Jharoli, and Sun City Grand.
Saharanpur is well-connected to all the major cities by bus and train. The city is located on National Highway 73
. It is a major junction of Indian Railways
. The main railway station, Saharanpur-Junction, is in the middle of the city, and the Tapri Railway Station is on Paper Mill Road. The Roadways Bus-stand is located near the Saharanpur Junction Railway Station; buses of Uttar Pradesh Government Roadways and other government and private sector services are available from here for all nearby towns and major cities. Saharanpur Airport is at Sarsawa
, but it is only used by the Indian Air Force
.
Saharanpur falls on the route of the proposed 1839 kilometres (1,142.7 mi) Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor
project, funded by the World Bank
.Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
in the state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in northern India. It is the administrative
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
headquarters of Saharanpur District
Saharanpur District
Saharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
as well as Saharanpur Division
Saharanpur Division
Saharanpur division is an administrative geographical unit of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The city of Saharanpur is the administrative headquarters of the division.- Administrative jurisdiction :...
. Dating back to the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
period, situated close to the borders of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
and Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
states, and surrounded by a very fertile agricultural region famous for plentiful yields in grains and fruits, Saharanpur is now one of the most flourishing cities of Uttar Pradesh. Saharanpur is internationally famous for its wood carving
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
cottage industry. It is a thriving market of local agricultural produce, including basmati rice and mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
es. A variety of agro-based industrial enterprises – such as textiles, sugar, paper and cigarette factories – are located in it.
Prehistoric, Ancient Indus Valley and Aryan periods
Saharanpur city, as an urban centre, was established during the Mughal EmpireMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
period. It is located in a fertile Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
region that was forested until the medieval period, but in which human habitation can be traced as far back as 2000 BC;website of the Archaeological Survey of India is http://asi.nic.in/ remains of the Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
and Harappan
Harappan
Harappan can refer to:* Aspects related to Harappa an archaeological site and city in northeast Pakistan* The Indus Valley Civilization that thrived along Indus River...
culture have been found in it. Its original inhabitants (like Drawid, Kinner, Dasa, and Dasyns) were subdued by the Indo-Aryan peoples, who were new settlers from the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. Ancient invaders who came from near and far through the ages (Nanda, Greek, Maurya, Shunga, Indo-Greek, Yaudheya, Kushana, Gupta, White Huns, Yasodharman, Vardhana, Maukhari, Rajputs-Pundir,Notyial, Chandela, Muktapida, Ayuddhas, Gurjara-Pratihara, and Palas), have left legacies. Their descendants in the region have first or last names that reflect these historical (and at times also mythological, such as Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi) kinships. Historical accounts are better documented from the start of the medieval period.
Medieval period
After the early destabilising Central AsiaCentral Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n Turkic invasions (1018–1033 AD) through the lands of present Saharanpur region – which has been a part of the westerly ‘highway’, since ancient times, to attack Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and the eastern lands beyond – this region was invaded and ruled by many, most notably the Bhoja Paramara
Bhoja
Bhoja was a philosopher king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from about 1000 to 1050 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoja Of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty...
, Lakshmikarna Kalachuri, Chandra Dev Gahadvala, and the Chauhan
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
s, who ruled until the establishment of Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
(1192–1526 AD).
During the reign of Shamsu’d-Din Iltutmish
Iltutmish
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish was the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi of Turkic origin. He was a slave of Qutub-ud-din-Aybak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant. He was the Governor of Badaun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din's successor Aram Shah and acceeded to the throne of the...
(1211–36), this region became a part of the Delhi Sultanate. At that time, most of the area was 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
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
, the Sultan of Delhi (1325–1351), undertook a campaign in the northern Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
to crush the rebellion of Shivalik
Siwalik Hills
The Sivalik hills is a mountain range of the outer Himalayas also known as Manak Parbat in ancient times. Shivalik literally means 'tresses of Shiva’. This range is about long enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to the Brahmaputra, with a gap of about between the...
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-Haranpur', after the Sufi Saint Shah Haran Chishti.History The Imperial Gazetteer of India
The Imperial Gazetteer of India
The Imperial Gazetteer of India was a gazetteer of the British Indian Empire, and is now a historical reference work. It was first published in 1881...
, v. 21, p. 369. 1909. The simple well-preserved tomb of this saint is situated in the oldest quarter of Saharanpur city, between Mali Gate/Bazar Dinanath and Halwai Hatta. By the end of fourteenth century, the power of the Sultanate had declined and it was attacked by Emperor Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
(1336–1405) of Central Asia. Timur had marched through Saharanpur region in 1399 to sack Delhi and people of the region fought his army unsuccessfully. A weakened Sultanate was conquered later by the Central Asian Mogul king Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
(1483–1531).
Mughal period
During the Mughal periodMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, Emperor Akbar (1542–1605) made Saharanpur a sarkar
Sarkar (country subdivision)
Sarkar is an historic administrative unit, used mostly in the Muslim states of the South Asia. It was a territorial division of a Suba or province. A Sarkar was further divided into territorial divisions for the administrative purpose which were called Mahallas or Parganas. The Mahallas or...
(administrative unit) under the Province of Delhi. He bestowed the Jagir
Jagir
In historic India, a jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service...
of Saharanpur to Raja Shah Ran Veer Singh, a Jain noble in his court, who laid the foundation of the present city at the site of an army cantonment. The nearest settlements at that time were Shekhpura
Shekhpura
Shekhpura is a census town in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Demographics: India census, Shekhpura had a population of 1932. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Shekhpura has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male...
and Malhipur. Saharanpur was a walled city, with four gates: the Sarai Gate, the Mali Gate, the Buria Gate and the Lakhi Gate; Nakhasa Bazar, Shah Behlol, Rani Bazar and Lakhi Gate were the names of the neighbourhoods. 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;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 it is now known as the 'Digamber-Jain Punchayati Mandir'.
The Sayyeds and Rohillas
Mughal emperors Akbar and later Shah Jehan (1592–1666) had bestowed on Sayyed families the Pargana of Sarwat. In 1633 one of them founded a city and named it as well as the region around it as MuzaffarnagarMuzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar is a major city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was established in Mughal period by a Sayyid Jagirdar, Munawar Lashkar Ali, and so named in honour of his father, Muzaffar Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of the Muzaffarnagar district. It is a...
, in honour of his father, Sayyed Muzaffar Ali Khan. The Sayyeds ruled there until the 1739 invasion by Nadir Shah. After his departure, anarchy prevailed in the entire Doab and this region was ruled or ravaged in succession by Rajputs, Tyagis, Brahmins, and Jats and was plundered repeatedly by the Sikhs. Taking advantage of the anarchy, the Rohillas took control of the entire trans-Gangetic region.
Najeeb-ud-Daula, Nawab of Saharanpur (1748–1770 AD)
Ahmad Shah DurraniAhmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani , also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī and born as Ahmad Khān, was the founder of the Durrani Empire in 1747 and is regarded by many to be the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan.Ahmad Khan enlisted as a young soldier in the military of the Afsharid kingdom and quickly rose...
, the Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
ruler who arrived after Nadir Shah, conferred the territory of Saharanpur as Jagir on Rohilla chief Najaf Khan, who assumed the title of Nawab Najeeb-ud-Daula and, in 1754, started living in Saharanpur. He made Gaunsgarh his capital and tried to strengthen his position against Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
attacks by entering into a friendship with the Gurjar chieftain Manohar Singh. In 1759 AD, Najeeb-ud-Daula issued a Deed of Agreement handing over 550 villages to Manohar Singh, who became the Raja of Landaura. Thus the Rohillas and the Gurjars now controlled Saharanpur.
Maratha rule (1789–1803 AD)
In 1757, the Maratha army invaded Saharanpur region, which resulted in Najeeb-ud-Daula losing control of Saharanpur to Maratha rulers Raghunath RaoRaghunathrao
Raghunathrao was Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy from 1773 to 1774. He was instrumental in the downfall of the Peshwa clan.-Early life:Raghunathrao, also known as "Raghoba" and "Ragho Bharari," was the younger brother of Nanasaheb Peshwa. His father was Peshwa Bajirao I & mother was Kashibai....
and Malharao Holkar. Najeeb-ud-Daula regained control when Raghunath Rao left Saharanpur for a campaign in Punjab. 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 Scindia. 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. During the Maratha Regime, the Bhuteshwar Temple and Bagheshwar Temple were built in Saharanpur city.
The British colonial period (1803–1947 AD)
The Marathas were ousted by the British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, which occupied the region of Saharanpur in 1803; They also occupied the present Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar is a major city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was established in Mughal period by a Sayyid Jagirdar, Munawar Lashkar Ali, and so named in honour of his father, Muzaffar Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of the Muzaffarnagar district. It is a...
and Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
districts. Saharanpur passed firmly into the hands of British invaders in 1804, when they had eliminated Maratha resistance and suppressed the frequent Sikh attackers completely. When the British usurped the vast holdings of Raja Dayal Singh Gurjar in 1813, a local uprising of the Gurjars took place, but the British suppressed it with a heavy hand. Local chiefs planned a collective revolt in 1824, but the plan leaked and the movement was ruthlessly crushed.
From 1822 to 1825, the Gurjar community held a fierce armed protest against British rule. Several times, when the British were transporting their treasury from one place to place they were killed and looted by Gurjar protestors. Most of the Gurjar-occupied areas like Landhaura, Parikshitgarh
Parikshitgarh
Parikshitgarh is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Parikshitgarh had a population of 17,399. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Parikshitgarh has an average literacy rate of 59%, lower than the...
and Samthar
Samthar
Samthar is a city and a municipal board in Jhansi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Samthar had a population of 20,227. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Samthar has an average literacy rate of 55%, lower than the national average of...
had their boundaries reduced by the British. Estates consisting of thousands of villages were reduced to only few hundred villages. Revolts in western Uttar Pradesh (including Saharanpur district) during 1821 to 1825 led to the killing of thousands of Gurjars. Many were hanged and thousand of them were given a life sentence.
When North 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 District
Muzaffarnagar District
Muzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
s were part of this uprising. The centre of freedom fighters’ operations was Shamli
Shamli
Shamli is a city, tehsil and now a district headquarters in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located on the Delhi - Saharanpur highway. It is around 100 km from Delhi, 38 km from Panipat and 65 km from Saharanpur...
, 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
Deoband
Deoband is a city and a municipal board in Saharanpur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the upper Doab region of Uttar Pradesh. Deoband used to be surrounded by dense forests, and was believed to be the abode of the Goddess Durga, according to one tradition this is...
and Aligarh. Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi
Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi
Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi was a world famous Islamic Scholar and one of the main people responsible for establishing the Deobandi movement. Nanotvi was born in 1833 in Nanota, a village near Saharanpur, India. He completed his primary education in his hometown and then he was sent to Deoband, where he...
and Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, both proponents of the reformer Shah Waliullah
Shah Waliullah
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi was an Islamic scholar and reformer. He was born during the reign of Aurangzeb. He worked for the revival of Muslim rule and intellectual learning in South Asia, during a time of waning Muslim power...
's ideology for social and political rejuvenation, established a school in Deoband in 1867. It found popularity and global recognition as the Darul Uloom
Darul Uloom Deoband
The Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic school in India where the Deobandi Islamic movement was started. It is located at Deoband, a town in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was founded in 1866 by several prominent Islamic scholars , headed by Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi...
. 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
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-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 Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur
Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur
Jamia Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur is an old Madrasa established in Saharanpur city of Uttar Pradesh, India. The Jamiah was founded in Nov 1866 just months after Darul Uloom Deoband was founded in May 1866...
theological seminary six months later, along identical lines.
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
administration, which had taken over as a Colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
the Indian holdings of the East India Company in the aftermath of the1857 rebellion, created Muzaffarnagar district in 1901, which was carved out of Saharanpur district, and both became part of the Meerut Division of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of...
.Muzaffarnagar District The Imperial Gazetteer of India
The Imperial Gazetteer of India
The Imperial Gazetteer of India was a gazetteer of the British Indian Empire, and is now a historical reference work. It was first published in 1881...
, 1909, v. 18, p. 83.
Post-independence period (1947 AD – 21st century)
After India achieved independence from the British in August 1947, a sizable number of people migratingPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
from West Punjab
West Punjab
West Punjab was a province of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. The province covered an area of 160,622 km², including much of the current Punjab province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, but excluding the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The capital was the city of Lahore and the province...
made this city their home, adding to its cultural diversity. This group has made its mark in business and other professions. The region is gradually absorbing them in its midst. The Exhibition Grounds of Saharanpur city, which was used as a refugee camp to accommodate them, has grown into a thriving modern township and an outpost of Punjabi culture.
Until the end of the British rule, the power and social prestige of the descendants of the past ruling classes was formidable, especially in the rural interiors; often called the upper castes, they lorded over the lower caste people. After independence, the conversion of the country to democracy has enabled these under-privileged and ex-untouchable Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
classes to move forward gradually in all fields in India. Late Master Kanshi Ram
Kanshi Ram
Kanshi Ram was an Indian politician. He founded the Bahujan Samaj Party , a political party with the stated goal of serving the traditionally lower castes of Indian society . He transferred the BSP's leadership to Mayawati...
, the founder of pro-Dalit Bahujan Samaj Party
Bahujan Samaj Party
The Bahujan Samaj Party is a centrist national political party in India with socialist leanings. It was formed to chiefly represent Bahujans , referring to people from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes as well as Buddhists. The party claims to be inspired by the...
(BSP), started his political career in Saharanpur. His protégé Kumari Mayavati, a Dalit from Saharanpur, is ruling over Uttar Pradesh as a BSP Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
presently (2010). The Jains
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
and Aggarwals are influential business communities; the latter have "Agarwal Sabha" and elect their presidents annually.
On 28 December 1988, Saharanpur district lost the region of Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
, which was made into a new district within the Saharanpur division. Subsequently, Haridwar district
Haridwar District
Haridwar district is a district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is headquartered at Haridwar which is also its largest city. The district is ringed by the districts Dehradun in the north and east, Pauri Garhwal in the east and the Uttar Pradesh districts of Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor in the...
was taken out of Saharanpur division and merged with what is now Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, a new state that was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000. With this territorial reorganization, Saharanpur lost many important places of religious and cultural heritage, including the city of Roorkee
Roorkee
Roorkee is a city and seat of a municipal council in Uttarakhand, in far northern India. It is located on the banks of the Ganges canal on the national highway between Delhi and Dehradun. Roorkee is known for Roorkee Cantonment, one of the country's oldest cantonments, and the headquarters of...
, disappointing the Saharanpur people. Political debate is still simmering on whether parts of Saharanpur, including the city itself, can be merged with Uttarakhand. Another political view is that a new state of Harit Pradesh
Harit Pradesh
Harit Pradesh is a proposed new state of India comprising the western parts of Uttar Pradesh state. Braj Pradesh and Pashchim Pradesh are alternative names that have been proposed, because the region incorporates the historic region of Braj and is the western part of Uttar Pradesh...
should be carved out of the present Western Uttar Pradesh region.
Government
In 2009 the Saharanpur municipal association was made a municipal corporation. It is now called Saharanpur Mahanagar. Saharanpur has been an active political ground. For many decades after independenceIndian Independence Act 1947
The Indian Independence Act 1947 was as an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan...
in 1947, it was dominated by the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, but the trend has changed. Now it is dominated by the Bahujan Samaj Party
Bahujan Samaj Party
The Bahujan Samaj Party is a centrist national political party in India with socialist leanings. It was formed to chiefly represent Bahujans , referring to people from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes as well as Buddhists. The party claims to be inspired by the...
(BSP).
- Dr. Meghraj Singh Jaravareh (BSP) MLC Uttar Pradesh & State President BSP Uttrakhand
- Dr.Dharam Singh Saini (BSP) MLA & Cabinet Minister in UP Government
- Shri Jagdish Singh Rana (BSP) MP
- Shri Ravinder Molluhu (BSP) MLA
- Shri Liyaqat Ali Chairman,Minority Commission,UP Government
- Shri Jagpal Singh (BSP) MLA
- Mohammed Iqbal (BSP) MLC
- Shri Mahipal Majra (BSP) MLA
- Shri Manoj Chaudhary (BSP) MLA
- Shri Sanjay Garg (MoS) UP Government
- Shri Imran Masood (SP) MLA
- Shri Raghav Lakhanpal (BJP)MLA
- Shri Ashish Rathor (BSP)MLA
Geography
Saharanpur is located at 29.97°N 77.55°E,Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Saharanpur about 140 kilometres (87 mi) south-southeast from ChandigarhChandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
and 170 kilometres (105.6 mi) north-northeast from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. It has an average elevation of 269 metres (882.5 ft).
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Saharanpur had a population of 1,252,925. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Saharanpur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 88%, and female literacy is 70%. In Saharanpur, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Villages
Distt. Saharanpur has a vast flung of rural areas in its boundaries. The Villages here reflects a picture of typical Indian village.Some important villages are reda,miyangi, Sahajvi,Mohamadpur Gurjar,Sawalpur Nawada, Tapri, Pahansoo, Tabbarkpur(Tardak)Sona Arjunpur, Bhaila, Rankhandi, Mora, Thaska, Tikraul, Gangali, Nanka,Mussail,Kasampur,Badhi,Ferumazra,Fatepur,Rosanpur,Ranipur,Nanuwala,phoupur gujjar,bachiti,kheda mugal,telheri buzurg, Paniyali Kasimpur, Gangdaspur Jut, Pilkhani, Sarsawa, Balwantpur,faried pur , meeragpur,Gangdaspur gujjar, Sarsoheri,Sadholi Kadim and others
Economy
Saharanpur is a flourishing business city and an important regional centre of wholesale and retail trade, particularly in grain, timber, textiles, and food and beverages.Its grain market receives the agricultural produce of the Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
region. The wholesale market (Anaaj Mandi), for grains and other agricultural produce, is located on Chilkana Road.
The timber market traditionally receives supplies from the northern hilly forest regions to support the local woodcarving cottage industry and other demands. The wooden handicrafts industry is the basis of livelihood for half of the population and source of recognition globally. Beautiful art and utilitarian woodwork objects are displayed and sold in the market from near Ambala Road up to Chilkana Road.
In the last few decades, the Punjabi Market and Kamboh Katehra market have experienced a high volume of textile trade. Hosiery has become a significant cottage industry, supplying goods to Ludhiana market, other nearby cities, and Uttarakhand’s markets.
Historically, the common householder's market is centred in the compact area around the Jama Masjid. Within a radius of less than half a kilometre around it, a network of narrow roads is lined with groups of shops selling commodities from jewellery to groceries.
Modern show rooms, retail outlets of branded goods, and branches of several major banks are located in the Court Road market, near the city’s Civil Court and the Collectorate offices. The city does not yet have any shopping malls.
A weekly spectacle is the busy Mangal Bazar (Tuesday Market) that springs up on the long road of Nehru Market and its surrounds, when the city's shops are closed for the weekly holiday.Household needs, tools, appliances and their parts are available; the quality and price are aimed at the lower-end customers.
A multinational cigarette manufacturing company, the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC Limited) previously known as the Anglo-American Tobacco Company and the Imperial Tobacco Company, is located in Saharanpur. This factory was built in the 1930s by Baba Shib Dayal Bedi. He was the Municipal Commissioner of Saharanpur during this period.
Cherisys Technologies has entered the city as an IT solutions provider after moving to the city from New Delhi. Cherisys Technologies was the first IT solutions provider in the city. Star Paper Mill, Sugar Mill, Hardboard Mill, Textile Mill, and Wood-seasoning Mill are other important industrial enterprises located in the city.block gangoh in garm mahangi this village inter college ,kasturba ganghi viddhalay, allhabad bank kishan seva societiy post office etc.
Culture
Saharanpur is like any other city of western Uttar Pradesh in language, dress, food habits, festivals, and other traditions and ceremonial functions. Cinemas, hotels, and eateries are available for entertainment. Local editions of HindiHindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
newspapers are published. Khadiboli is the lingua franca in which local Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
speakers are fluent.
Higher education
The Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), an engineering institution, has a campus at Saharanpur. Engineering courses in Paper Technology, Polymer Science, and Process Engineering are offered. The campus is located on Paper Mill Road near the Star Paper Mills and the Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute (CPPRI). In 2000 a new engineering college was started with the name Shobhit Institute of Engineering & Technology (College Code-103). Another new engineering college, with the name Doon College of Engineering & Technology (College Code-426), was started in 2008.Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur is a famous seminary imparting advanced education in Sunni theology, closely following the Darul Uloom
Darul uloom
Darul uloom , also spelled darul ulum etc., is an Arabic term which literally means "house of knowledge". The term generally means an Islamic seminary or educational institution—similar to or often the same as a madrassa or Islamic school—although a Darul Uloom often indicates a more advanced level...
Deoband school. It is located at Arabi Madrasa. A project to establish a medical college is being implemented; civil works for the proposed Manniya Kanshi Ram Allopathic Government College are under way near Saharanpur city.
Several colleges affiliated to Meerut University, conduct university level courses in a number of arts and science subjects. Cherisys Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) is an institution offering advance computer courses, endorsed by Cherisys Technologies, a well known IT solutions provider in the area. Its principle formula being to train not teach, computer science students find at CIIT a place where they can feel like they are in industry. Mt Carmel Christian Academy, Fatehpur is a recognized school serving in the region for over 17 years.
In relation to its size, population, and economic strength of Saharanpur District and in comparison to the educational facilities in neighbouring districts, the city lacks adequate infrastructure for advanced education and research. This problem worsened since the loss of the academically well-endowed city of Roorkee, due to its separation from Saharanpur district and merger in the newly formed Uttarakhand state in September 2000.
Places of interest
The Saharanpur botanical gardens, known as Company Garden, once the preserve of the British East India Company, is one of the oldest existing gardens in India, dating to before 1750. Then named Farahat-Bakhsh, it was originally a pleasure ground set out by a local chief, Intazam ud-ullah. In 1817, it was acquired by the British East India Company Sharad Singh Negi, Biodiversity and its conservation in India 2nd revised ed. New Delhi, Indus Publishing (2008) ISBN 978-81-7387-211-2 and placed under the authority of the District Surgeon. Joseph Dalton HookerJoseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
says of this Botanical Garden that "Amongst its greatest triumphs may be considered the introduction of the tea-plant from China, a fact I allude to, as many of my English readers may not be aware that the establishment of the tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
-trade in the Himalaya and Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
is almost entirely the work of the superintendents of the gardens of Calcutta and Seharunpore."Joseph Dalton Hooker, Himalayan Journals, or Notes of a Naturalist ..., Kew (1854), vol. I, p. 5. In 1887, when the Botanical Survey of India
Botanical Survey of India
The Botanical Survey of India is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1887 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire.-History:...
was set up to reform the country's botanical science
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
s, Saharanpur became the centre for the survey of the northern Indian flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
. The Garden is seen historically as being second only to the Calcutta Gardens
Indian Botanical Gardens
The Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden is situated in Shibpur, Howrah near Kolkata. They are commonly known as the Calcutta Botanical Garden, and previously as the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta...
for its contribution to science and economy in India. Under private auspices today, it is full of greenery and has many different kinds of plants and flowers. Saharanpur Botanic Garden
Other places of interest are Ambedkar Memorial
Ambedkar Memorial
Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Prateek Sthal is a memorial dedicate to the glory of Phule, Narayan Guru, Shahuji Maharaj, Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and other Dalit icons. It is the world's first of its kind which is dedicated to Dalit leaders. It stands for the symbol for the Dalit...
, founded by Chief Minister Mayawati
Mayawati
Mayawati is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India. She heads the Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the Bahujans or Dalits, the weakest strata of Indian society. This is her fourth term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh...
, and the sprawling wood carvings market, which starts from near Ambala Road and extends up to Chilkana Road, where wonderful examples of the art of this city are displayed, sold, and exported all over the world.
The Dhamola and Paon Dhoi rivers meet and pass under the old Tees Dara Pul (Bridge). Lala Das Ka Bada is another peaceful place; it has beautiful temples and a minaret, from where people can have a bird's eye view of Saharanpur city. Gughal Mela
Mela
Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a Fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sports. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were of great importance...
, a historic socio-religious festival of Saharanpur, is organized every year in the month of September and enjoyed by people of all religions.
Recently opened food chains and coffee shops - such as Domino's Pizza, Smokin' Joes, and Cafe Coffee Day - are attracting the youth. Modern shopping hubs, like Vishal Mega Mart, V Mart and Easy Day, are other places of interest for all. The city is developing at a good pace and will be competing with cities like Meerut in next few years.
Temples and other religious places
Temples and mosques include Patheshwar Temple (Court Road), Shiv Mandir (Naveen Nagar), Jainbagh (Chilkana Road), Bhuteshwar Temple (Bhuteshwar Road), Bagheshwar Temple (Chakrauta Road), Laxmi Narayan Temple (Court Road), Balaji Temple (Badh-tala), Sai Baba Dham (BehatBehat
Behat is an ancient town and a nagar panchayat in Saharanpur district on the northern tip of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located on the State Highway No 57 on the banks of Eastern Yamuna Canal, about 26 kms north of Main Saharanpur City, 190 km from the Indian Capital New Delhi, and...
Road), Shri Hari Darshan Mandir (Chilkana Road), Pataleshwar Temple (Rani Bazar), Jama Masjid, Madarsa Mazahir-ul-Uloom, Nau-gaza Peer shrine, Ojhria Peer shrine (Shah Behlole),Peerjiyon wali masjid (PuraniMandi), Teliyon Ki Masjid (Purani Mandi), Clocktower & mosque (Ghantaghar), Shahjahani mosque, Angoori (grapes) mosque, railway station mosque, and Tableegh-markaz (Banjaron ka pul). There were 195 temples as of 2010.
There are also Shakumbhri Devi
Shakumbhri Devi
Shakti Peeth Shakumbhri , meaning the abode of Shakti Goddess Shakambhari or Shakumbhri, is situated in the Jasmour village area, at a distance of 40 km to the north of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh state of Northern India...
mandir, a holy place of Hindus, and Parshwanath, a notable Jain temple. Recently a temple of Sai Baba
Sai Baba of Shirdi
Sai Baba of Shirdi , also known as Shirdi Sai Baba , was an Indian guru, yogi, and fakir who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim devotees as a saint....
has been established on the Behat
Behat
Behat is an ancient town and a nagar panchayat in Saharanpur district on the northern tip of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located on the State Highway No 57 on the banks of Eastern Yamuna Canal, about 26 kms north of Main Saharanpur City, 190 km from the Indian Capital New Delhi, and...
Road,10 km away from Saharanpur.
Barsi is situated 37 kilometres (23 mi) from Saharanpur on the Gangoh to Deoband road. It is the site of an ancient temple to Lord Shiva.
Shri Baba Sidh Mandir is in Village Sona Arjunpur on Delhi- Saharanpur Road
New townships
Saharanpur’s older parts are broadly separated from the new ones by the railway track. A long railway over-bridge, Kachehri-ka-pul, is a landmark that connects the important hubs in the two parts. The city is expanding in all directions; townships in contemporary architectural style are being constructed, but there are no high-rise skyscrapers yet. Multistoried commercial complexes are also being constructed.Among the notable new townships are Indraprastha Colony,Paramont Tulip, South City Colony,Gill Colony, Madho Nagar, Hakikat Nagar, Avas Vikas Colony, Central Park, Gill Colony, Jagadish Colony, Laxman Singh Colony, Mission Compound, Neha Garden, New Patel Nagar, Devi Niwas,Royal Palm,Roop Vihar Colony Navada Road, Ansariyan Street,jatwaan street, dholikhaak , Basera Haji Abdul Ghafoor, Shankerpuri Colony, Shiv Vihar Colony, Rohit Vihar Colony, Sun City, Matki Jharoli, and Sun City Grand.
Travel and transport
The backbone of city centre public transport is the cycle-rickshaw, with auto-rickshaws being available at important hubs. Private buses and taxis are available in the city on rent for special occasions.Saharanpur is well-connected to all the major cities by bus and train. The city is located on National Highway 73
National Highway 73 (India)
National Highway 73 is a National Highway in Northern India that connects Roorkee in Uttarakhand to Panchkula in Haryana. The highway is long...
. It is a major junction of Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
. The main railway station, Saharanpur-Junction, is in the middle of the city, and the Tapri Railway Station is on Paper Mill Road. The Roadways Bus-stand is located near the Saharanpur Junction Railway Station; buses of Uttar Pradesh Government Roadways and other government and private sector services are available from here for all nearby towns and major cities. Saharanpur Airport is at Sarsawa
Sarsawa Air Base
Sarsawa Air Force Station is located approximately from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. It belongs to the Western Air Command. Though the sole user of this airport is the Indian Air Force, it does handle civilian flights on a regular basis for VIP transport to Saharanpur.Under No. 30 Wing IAF,...
, but it is only used by the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
.
Saharanpur falls on the route of the proposed 1839 kilometres (1,142.7 mi) Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor
Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited is a corporation run by the Government of India to undertake planning & development, mobilisation of financial resources and construction, maintenance and operation of the Dedicated Freight Corridors...
project, funded by the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
.Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor