Sardhana

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?Sardhana Uttar Pradesh • India
Sardhana
Coordinates: 29°09′N 77°37′E / 29.15, 77.62
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 226 m (741 ft)
District(s)	Meerut
Population	47,970 (2001)

Coordinates: 29°09′N 77°37′E / 29.15, 77.62 Sardhana is a city and a municipal board in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Sardhana is a town near Meerut and is located 85 km (57 miles) northeast of New Delhi.

[edit] History

In the 19th century, Sardhana was the capital of the Begum Samru, considered to be the only Catholic ruler in India. The church she built became a cathedral for a short time, with its own bishop. The Bishop's Palace has become a girls school. Her original palace has now become a seminary for training priests. The New Palace has become the boys school. In December 1961, Pope John XXIII conferred the dignity of Minor Basilica to the church. This dignity is given rarely and only on churches that are both beautiful and historically famous.

It was also ruled by the Nawab of Sardhana, Syed Amjad Ali Shah, a grandson of Nawab Jan Fishan Khan, chief of the Paghman tribe, who came to India in 1842 after Begum Samru died. Amjad Ali Shah's son, Sirdar Ikbal Ali Shah, was born there. Ikbal Ali Shah was the father of Idries Shah, the Sufi scholar,& 'Nawab fateh ali shah son of NAWAB JAN FISHAN KHAN CHIEF OF THE PAJMAN GRAND DAUGHTER [(sayedzada begum)] queen of sardhana queen had two san ([Ilyas ali shah (]& hasnain shah Ilyas ali shah HUSBAND OF TAJ BEJUM HAD 9 CHILDREN 1. NIZAM ALI SHAH 2. NASEEM ALI SHAH 3. MUNNAN SHAH 4. ASHWAQ ALI SHAH 5. BIBI SHAZADI BEGUM 6. BIBI NAJMA BEGUM 7. BIBI AAKHLA BEGUM 8.BIBI SHAMIM BEGUM 9. THE LAST QUEEN OF THE SARDHANA ([BIBI RAZIA SHAH)]. RAZIA SHAH HAD THREE CHILDREN 1. NAWAB AMJAD ALI KHAN 2. NAWAB ADIL ALI KHAN 3. NAWAB ARSHAD ALI KHAN.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[1], Sardhana had a population of 47,970. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Sardhana has an average literacy rate of 48%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 55%, and female literacy is 40%. In Sardhana, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.