Meerut is situated about 70 km north-east of Delhi & is well connected with roads & rail. Meerut district was created in 1818 under British rule comprising of Meerut , Ghaziabad, Mawana, Sardhana, Hapur & Baghpat. Ghaziabad & Baghpat are now separate districts. ( Update - I understand Hapur is also a separate district now.)
Meerut cantonment is spread in 3500 hectare & was established in 1803 by British East India Company. Meerut district has an area over 2500 sq km (Delhi is nearly 1500 sq km) & population of approx 35 lacs as per 2011 census.
Being close to Hastinapur, Indraprastha & situated in Doab region between Ganga & Yamuna several legends are associated with Meerut.
Having shifted to Meerut I was keen to know the history of the city. Following information has been gathered from internet, history books etc. Your comments are welcome.
* This area was under the rule of King Maya (or Mayasura) & hence the name Mayarashtra or Maya-Dant-Ka-Khera which over a period of time became Meerut. The King Maya had a daughter Mandodari who got married to Ravna. It is believed that Mandodari used to worship Goddess Chandi in Chandi Devi temple in Nauchandi ground.
* Another story is that Shravan Kumar carried his parents on his shoulder behngi for pilgrimage & stopped here for rest. While he was taking water in a pitcher, the sound so made was mistook by King Dashrath as that of a deer drinking water. He shot an arrow towards the source of sound & killed Shravan Kumar instead of dear. Parents of Shravan Kumar cursed the King that he would also suffer & die due to separation from his son.
* Another version is that King Yudhishter awarded the area to Mahi an architect who built a palace in Indraprastha & hence the name Mahirashtra or Meerut.
* The name is also attributed to King Mahipala of Indraprastha as this area fell under his rule.
* Alamgir, Meerut had a settlement which is considered to be the eastern most part of Indus Valley Civilisation.
* During the reign of Emperor Ashok (273 - 232 BC) it had been a Budhist centre . One of the Ashoka pillars was found here. Pillar was ordered by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351 - 1388) to be carried to Delhi & installed at Ridge near present day Bara Hindu Rao Hospital / Delhi University.
* In eleventh century part of Meerut was ruled by King Har Datt of Bulandshahr which is mentioned in Ain-i-Akbari. He built a strong fort He was defeated by Mahmud Ghazani in 1018. It was regained by local Hindu Raja shortly thereafter.
* In 1192 Qutbudin Aibak a general of Mohammad Ghori attacked & looted the city
* In 1398 came the devastating invasion of Timur (also called The Lame due to hip injury) despite tough resistance by Jats & Rajputs at Loni fort. From there & from Delhi Timur took & massacred 100,000 prisoners as per his own write ups in Tuzk-e-Taimuri.
* In 1788 Marathas took over from Ghulam Kadir despite stiff resistance. In 1803 Marathas ceded the area to British as soon as they captured Delhi.
* In 1857 began the Great Indian Rebellion against British East India Company in Meerut. The cartridges for use in new Enfield rifle were pre-greased with beef tallow & pork lard. To load the rifle cartridges had to be opened by mouth which proved offensive to both Hindu & Muslim sepoys & sowars. Over 2000 Britishers & about 2500 sepoys of 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry were stationed in Meerut at that time.
On 24-04-1857 Lt Col of 3rd Cavalry ordered 90 of his men to perform firing drill with new cartridges. 85 of them refused & were court marshalled . 74 were punished with 10 years imprisonment & 11 younger ones five years with hard labour. The condemned prisoners were stripped of uniforms, shackled & marched to jail as all other troops at the station watched them.
Next day Sunday 10-05-1857 as the news spread, Indian troops revolted & there was general unrest in the city & Britishers were attacked. Kotwal Dhan Singh Gurjar opened the gates of jail & 85 sepoys & 800 other prisoners were freed. Lot many Britishers were killed. 'Delhi Chalo' movement started towards Delhi next day. Thus began the first attempt to be free of Britishers.
Meerut cantonment is spread in 3500 hectare & was established in 1803 by British East India Company. Meerut district has an area over 2500 sq km (Delhi is nearly 1500 sq km) & population of approx 35 lacs as per 2011 census.
Being close to Hastinapur, Indraprastha & situated in Doab region between Ganga & Yamuna several legends are associated with Meerut.
Having shifted to Meerut I was keen to know the history of the city. Following information has been gathered from internet, history books etc. Your comments are welcome.
* This area was under the rule of King Maya (or Mayasura) & hence the name Mayarashtra or Maya-Dant-Ka-Khera which over a period of time became Meerut. The King Maya had a daughter Mandodari who got married to Ravna. It is believed that Mandodari used to worship Goddess Chandi in Chandi Devi temple in Nauchandi ground.
* Another story is that Shravan Kumar carried his parents on his shoulder behngi for pilgrimage & stopped here for rest. While he was taking water in a pitcher, the sound so made was mistook by King Dashrath as that of a deer drinking water. He shot an arrow towards the source of sound & killed Shravan Kumar instead of dear. Parents of Shravan Kumar cursed the King that he would also suffer & die due to separation from his son.
* Another version is that King Yudhishter awarded the area to Mahi an architect who built a palace in Indraprastha & hence the name Mahirashtra or Meerut.
* The name is also attributed to King Mahipala of Indraprastha as this area fell under his rule.
* Alamgir, Meerut had a settlement which is considered to be the eastern most part of Indus Valley Civilisation.
* During the reign of Emperor Ashok (273 - 232 BC) it had been a Budhist centre . One of the Ashoka pillars was found here. Pillar was ordered by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351 - 1388) to be carried to Delhi & installed at Ridge near present day Bara Hindu Rao Hospital / Delhi University.
* In eleventh century part of Meerut was ruled by King Har Datt of Bulandshahr which is mentioned in Ain-i-Akbari. He built a strong fort He was defeated by Mahmud Ghazani in 1018. It was regained by local Hindu Raja shortly thereafter.
* In 1192 Qutbudin Aibak a general of Mohammad Ghori attacked & looted the city
* In 1398 came the devastating invasion of Timur (also called The Lame due to hip injury) despite tough resistance by Jats & Rajputs at Loni fort. From there & from Delhi Timur took & massacred 100,000 prisoners as per his own write ups in Tuzk-e-Taimuri.
* In 1788 Marathas took over from Ghulam Kadir despite stiff resistance. In 1803 Marathas ceded the area to British as soon as they captured Delhi.
* In 1857 began the Great Indian Rebellion against British East India Company in Meerut. The cartridges for use in new Enfield rifle were pre-greased with beef tallow & pork lard. To load the rifle cartridges had to be opened by mouth which proved offensive to both Hindu & Muslim sepoys & sowars. Over 2000 Britishers & about 2500 sepoys of 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry were stationed in Meerut at that time.
On 24-04-1857 Lt Col of 3rd Cavalry ordered 90 of his men to perform firing drill with new cartridges. 85 of them refused & were court marshalled . 74 were punished with 10 years imprisonment & 11 younger ones five years with hard labour. The condemned prisoners were stripped of uniforms, shackled & marched to jail as all other troops at the station watched them.
Next day Sunday 10-05-1857 as the news spread, Indian troops revolted & there was general unrest in the city & Britishers were attacked. Kotwal Dhan Singh Gurjar opened the gates of jail & 85 sepoys & 800 other prisoners were freed. Lot many Britishers were killed. 'Delhi Chalo' movement started towards Delhi next day. Thus began the first attempt to be free of Britishers.
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