Muzaffarnagar district
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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.
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[edit] Historical
Ancient period: Muzaffarnagar district, situated in the fertile Doab region of Yamuna and Ganges rivers, was suitable for human habitation in ancient times. Earliest settlement discovered in this district is in Mandi village of Sadarpur tehsil and belongs to the Harappan civilization; it appears that this Janapada was a part of Harappa civilisation, for the pots and pans and other objects, which are of the type of that era, are seen occasionally in use here and in neighbouring villages. Also, according to a local tradition, the legendary Mahabharata war - between the Kauravas and the Pandavas - was fought in the fields of the present village of 'Pachenda' and their army camps were located respectively at the sites now famous as 'Kaurawali' and 'Pandavli'; being close to Hasthinapur and Kurukshetra, it should have been important during Mahabharata period. It was probably on a trade route as some Greco-Roman coins have also been excavated. Further archeological excavations are in progress.
Medieval period: Muzaffarnagar's early medieval history is obscure till the Indo-Mogul period. In Akbar's time, most of the Muzaaffarnagar district region, called Sarwat then, belonged to Sarkar-Saharanpur territory. Akbar bestowed pargana of Sarwat on Sayyid Mahmud Khan Kundliwal which remained with his descendants up to 17th century. After killing Peer Khan Lodhi styled as Khan Jahan lodhi, Shahjahan bestowed title of deceased Peer Khan Lodhi and Pargana of Sarwat on Sayyid Muzaffar Ali Khan, whose son Munawar Lashkar Ali establed a town in 1633, named it Muzaffarnagar in honour of his father, and Sarwat also became Muzaffarnagar. The history of this district remained closely associated with these Sayyid rulers. It was the birthplace of the Sayyid brothers, Hasan and Abdullah, famous as king makers in Mogul history. After their fall, it was plundered by the Sikhs and then ruled or ravaged in succession by Rajputs, Tagas, Brahmins and Jats. Timur's army marched to Delhi through this region in 1399; its people fought it unsuccessfully.
Colonial period: In 1803, the expanding British East India Company occupied the region of Saharanpur, which included the present Muzaffarnagar district. This district's boundaries and jurisdiction changed frequently and its separate existence may be said to start from 1826. When North India rebelled against British occupation in 1857, Muzaffarnagar region was part of this uprising, now referred to as the First War of Indian Independence. The centre of revolt operations was Shamli, which was liberated for some time. After the uprising failed, British retribution was severe here - large scale massacre of freedom fighters in Shamli and of their Sayyid-Pathan supporters in Thanabhavan and around - crippling the region completely. However, covert spirit of self-rule survived and in 1999 an office of the Indian National Congress was opened in Muzaffarnagar city, to continue freedom struggle through peaceful means. Muzaffarnagar's prominent freedom fighters of this period are: Pt. Sunder Lal, Lala Hardayal, Shri Shanti Narayan and Nawabzada Liyaqat Ali Khan, who became the first prime minister of Pakistan, after partition of British India in 1947.
[edit] Geography
Muzaffarnagar district is roughly rectangular in shape, lying between north latitude 29º 11' 30" and 29º 45' 15" and east longitude 77º 3' 45" and 78º 7'. Jamuna and Ganga rivers separate it from the neighbouring districts, (Karnal, Haryana) to its west and (Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh) to the east, respectively; Saharanpur and Meerut districts are to its north and south. Its total area is 4049 sq. km. The greatest length of district, from east to west, is 97.6 km, and its greatest breadth, from north to south, 57.6 km; the average length and breadth are about 85 km and 50 km respectively. It has an average elevation of 232 metres.
[edit] Demographics
As per the 2001 census figures, Muzaffarnagar district's population, is 343,460 - males 183,930 and females 164,530 - and the number of literates is 173,530 - males 109,630 and females 63,9000. It has a majority of Hindus and a large population of Muslims. Sikhs, Christians and Jains are other communities present.
[edit] Economy
Muzaffarnagar is an important industrial district with sugar, steel and paper being the major products. It has 11 sugar mills which receive produce from district and the surrounding region; more than 70% of its population is engaged in agriculture. The Muzaffarnagar market of Jaggery (heat-dried sugar-cane juice, called 'Gud' in local language) is the largest in the world.
[edit] Cultural life
Culturally, it is part of Western Uttar Pradesh, with Indo-Islamic flavour. The older parts of the city have a Mogul feel, many monuments of Mogul period are spread in the villages and towns of this district. Jansath Tehsil, about 22 km from district headquarters, has many Havelies (grand mansions) of the Sayyids: Sheeshmahal, Killi Darwaja etc are a few of them.
[edit] Education
There are two medical colleges and two engineering colleges.
[edit] Communication
This district is well connected through rail and road network. National Highway-58 passes through the district.
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