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Alwar is a district in the
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * '' Our ...
of
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...
in northern
India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
, whose district headquarters is Alwar city. The district covers 8,380 km2. It is bound on the north by Rewari district of
Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...
, on the east by Bharatpur district of Rajasthan and Nuh district of
Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...
, on the south by Dausa district, and on the west by Jaipur district. As of 2011 it is the third most populous district of Rajasthan (out of 33) after
Jaipur Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known as ...
and
Jodhpur Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the ...
.


Topography

The district is a fairly regular
quadrilateral In geometry a quadrilateral is a four-sided polygon, having four edges (sides) and four corners (vertices). The word is derived from the Latin words ''quadri'', a variant of four, and ''latus'', meaning "side". It is also called a tetragon, ...
in shape with its central northern portion consisting of tahsil Mandawar hemmed in by the protruding north of tahsil Behror on the west and tahsil Tijara on the east and its south eastern corner consisting of Lachhmangarh tahsil slightly flapping outward into Bharatpur district. Ridges of rocky and precipitous hills, for the most part parallel, are a feature observable throughout the whole district which, however, is generally open to the north and east. The conspicuous feature of the district is the Aravalli range. It may be said that the hills decrease in height and breadth from south to north and west to east. The northern and some portion of the western part of the district have shifting
sand dunes A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...
. There is no river in the district which is perennial on its entire course. Ruparel, Sabi, Chuhar Sidh and Landoha are the only rivers which flow through the district and carry the drainage of the hills. There is no natural lake in the district. However, there are about many
artificial lakes A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
and tanks. The history of some of these can be traced to as far back as the second century A.D. Baghola Bund (tank) near Rajgarh. Some of the bunds like were constructed during the time of
Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
when Alwar forest was considered to be a haunt of wild animals and the favorite ''Shikar Gah'' of the Mughal Emperors. Later on, Maharajas of the Alwar Stale built many bunds.


Climate

The district has a dry climate with a hot summer, a cold winter and a short monsoon season. The cold season starts by about the middle of November and continues up to about the beginning of March.


History


Ancient period

Archaeological excavations at different places in the area have given inkling of the presence of hand-axe culture in the district. The region was historically known as Matsya. The territory around Bairath was included in the Maurayan empire is evidenced by the discovery of the Minor Rock Edict I and Bhabra Edict of
Ashoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...
at this place. The disintegration of Mauryan empire was followed by the invasions of the foreigners and evolution of small principalities. The numismatic material excavated at Bairath is a clear indication that the
Indo-Greek The Indo-Greek Kingdom, or Graeco-Indian Kingdom, also known historically as the Yavana Kingdom (Yavanarajya), was a Hellenistic-era Greek kingdom covering various parts of Afghanistan and the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent (p ...
rule. The tribal republic that emerged around this area after the fall of
Pushyamitra Pushyamitra Shunga (IAST: ) or Pushpamitra Shunga (IAST: ) (ruled ) was the co-founder and the first or second ruler of the Shunga Empire which he and Gopāla established against the Maurya Empire. His original name was Puṣpaka or Puṣpami ...
and end of Greek invasion about the closing years of the first century B. C., was that of Arjunayanas and Yaudheyas. About the end of the first century B.C., the Arjunayanas were subdued by the
Sakas The Saka (Old Persian: ; Kharoṣṭhī: ; Ancient Egyptian: , ; , old , mod. , ), Shaka (Sanskrit ( Brāhmī): , , ; Sanskrit (Devanāgarī): , ), or Sacae (Ancient Greek: ; Latin: ) were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples who hist ...
. After the decline of Kushanas, the Arjunayanas recovered their independence but had to submit to the suzerainty of the
Guptas The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period is considered as the Gol ...
about the middle of the fourth century. They were one of the nine tribal states subjugated by
Samudragupta Samudragupta ( Gupta script: ''Sa-mu-dra-gu-pta'', (c. 335–375 CE) was the second emperor of the Gupta Empire of ancient India, and is regarded among the greatest rulers of the dynasty. As a son of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I and the ...
"who paid taxes, obeyed orders and performed obeisance in person to the great power". The Pratiharas who came into prominence about the second half of the sixth century A. D., took advantage of the tottering Gupta empire and established their hold in the heart of
Rajputana Rājputana, meaning "Land of the Rajputs", was a region in the Indian subcontinent that included mainly the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan, as well as parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and some adjoining areas of Sindh in modern-day ...
. Throughout the later period of Gurjar Pratihara rule, there was a triangular contest between the Pratiharas, the Palas and Rashtrakutas for supremacy in Northern India. Nagabhata I, the Pratihara king in the second quarter of eighth century A. D., successfully resisted the Arab invasions and augmented his territories. The Gwalior Inscription tells us that Matsya was seized by Nagabhata II. Nagbhata II was succeeded by
Ramabhadra Ramabhadra (833–836) was an Indian king , of Gurjara Pratihara dynasty. According to Jain '' Prabhavakacarita'', Nagabhata II was succeeded by Ramabhadra, sometimes also called ''Rama'' or ''Ramadeva''. His mother's name was Istadevi. Ramab ...
and the later by Bhoja. Bhoja ruled for more than 46 years and consolidated a mighty empire in Northern India. An inscription dated 960 A. D. discovered at Rajorgarh (near modern Rajgarh, Alwar) records an order issued by the Maharajadhiraja, Parameshvara, the illustrious Mathanadeva of the Gurjara-Pratihara lineage residing at Rajyapura (i.e. Rajor). Here he invoked the name of the Pratihara Emperor Vijayapaladeva as his suzerain, yet he ruled as a ''de facto'' independent king. In 1009 A.D.
Mahmud of Ghazni Yamīn-ud-Dawla Abul-Qāṣim Maḥmūd ibn Sebüktegīn ( fa, ; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi ( fa, ), was the founder of the Turkic Ghaznavid dynasty, ruling from 998 to 1030. At th ...
led an army against the king of Narayan, a place now identified by Cunningham as Narayanpur in the district. The king fought bravely in defence of his country but was defeated. The Sultan smashed the idols and returned to Ghazni with the booty. Meanwhile, Tomaras and
Chauhans Chauhan, historically ''Chahamana'', is a clan name historically associated with the various ruling Rajput families during the Medieval India in Rajasthan. Subclans Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branches or subclan ...
were the two rising powers to be reckoned with. The areas covered by Rewari and
Bhiwani Bhiwani is a city and a municipal council in Bhiwani district in the state of Haryana, Bhiwani was also known as "Gate of Rajputana". Besides being a seat of spiritual learning, the city is at the centre of regional politics and hometown of ...
and parts of Alwar district, were then, included in the Bhadanaka kingdom. The Kharataragachchhapattavali of Jinapala (died V. 1295) mentions the defeat of the
Bhadanakas The Bhadanaka Kingdom was a medieval kingdom in India that included the Rewari, Bhiwani, Mahendragarh regions of Haryana and parts of Alwar in Rajasthan during the 11th and 12th centuries. The kingdom of the Bhadanakas was probably bounded on the s ...
as the chief achievement of Prithviraj Chauhan up to the Vikram year 1239. The overthrow of the Bhadanakas by the Chauhans seems to have been decisive. However, the Chauhan authority was impaired considerably after the second battle of Tarain in 1192 A.D. Thereafter, the hold of the Chauhans over this area (Alwar) slackened and the territory was retained for quite some time by the Sultans of Delhi.


Medieval period

According to the tradition, a Jadon dynasty throve in the area now comprising the Bharatpur and
Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the to ...
districts. The Tajul-Maasir records that in A. D. 1196 Muizuddin Muhammad Ghori defeated Kunwarpala, the Jadon ''rai'' of Tahangarh (a fort about 14 miles south of Bayana). After this debacle, the lords of the history chore rajput ( Jadon- Bhatti) Rajputs left that area and got scattered in the Mewat region, also at Kaman, Tijara and Sarhatta of Alwar. The descendants of Prithviraj Gurjar of Ajmer had already settled in (about 1070 A. D.) the area known as Rath (north-west region of the Alwar district) and the ''raja'' of Nimrana claims to represent the family of that great Hindu emperor.


Delhi Sultanate

Shamsuddin Altamash, the Sultan of Delhi started his campaigns in Rajputana about 1226 and invaded Ranthambor and attained some success in Bayana, Thangir and Mewat. After his death in 1236 A. D., a concerted effort was made by the dispossessed Chauhans to regain the lost territories under the leadership of Bhagawata. Soon, Chauhan supremacy seems to have prevailed even on Mewat, thus ample opportunity to the turbulent Rajputs to regain their lost power and present a serious menace to the Delhi authority. Balban marched in 1248 A.D. to curb the growing power of the Chauhans but attained little success. Jadon Bhatti Rajputs of Bayana (progenitors of Khanzadas) who had settled in Mewat coalesced with the Chauhans and other Rajput dynasties and commenced offensive
guerilla war Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tacti ...
, sometimes even into the Delhi territory itself. After his ascendancy to the throne and consolidating his conquests, Balban paid serious attention to the raids of the Mewatis. He therefore, cleared the forest in the vicinity of the capital and built a fortress. The capital was thereby cordoned off and freed from the Mewati robbers, and for the first time in several years, the citizens breathed freely. Throughout the 13th century, the whole of Mewat was held by Hindu Jadon Bhattis. For a hundred years, any significant trouble given by the Mewatis to the Sultans of Delhi is not heard.The relations between the Sultan and the Mewatis, by then were cordial. After the death of Sultan Firoz Shah Tughluq of Delhi, Bahadur Nahar, a Khanzada chief of Mewat is heard of gaining prestige, power and favour at the Delhi court. His stronghold was Kotila, in the Tijara hills. He played important role in wars of succession between
Abu Bakr Abu Bakr Abdallah ibn Uthman Abi Quhafa (; – 23 August 634) was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha, a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as the first caliph of Islam. He is known with the honori ...
and
Muhammad Shah Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah (born Roshan Akhtar; 7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748) was the 13th Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the ...
.


Mughal Empire and Hemu

After his victory at Panipat,
Babur Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
had settled himself at
Agra Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is ...
.
Hasan Khan Mewati Raja Hasan Khan Mewati (died 17 March 1527), son of the previous ruler Raja Alawal Khan was a Muslim Khanzada Rajput ruler of Mewat.His dynasty had ruled Mewat State for nearly 200 years. He was a descendant of Raja Nahar Khan Mewati, who wa ...
joined the powerful confederacy with 12,000 horses, which was organised by
Rana Sanga Sangram Singh I ( IAST: Rāṇā Saṅgrāma Siṃha; c. 1482 – 1528 CE), popularly known as Rana Sanga or Maharana Sanga, was an Indian ruler from the Sisodia dynasty. He ruled Mewar, the traditional territory of Guhilas (Sisodias) in presen ...
against Babur, The forces marched to Khanwa and Hasan Khan was among those who were slain in the
battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
that ensued (1527). After his victory over Rana Sanga, Babar marched towards Mewat to reduce it and entered Alwar on 7 April 1527. Hasan Khan's son, Nahar Khan, arrived begging for pardon and was bestowed a ‘pargana’ by Babur for his support. He bestowed the city of Tijara on Chin Timur Sultan who had fought in the battle of Khanwa on the right flank of Babar's army. Fardi Khan, his another follower, was given the charge of the
Alwar fort Alwar (Pronunciation: lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region and the administrative headquarters of Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 150 km south of Delhi and 150 km north of Jaipur. At ...
. Babur himself visited and examined the fort, where he spent a night. After the death of Shershah, his son Jalal Khan was enthroned under the title of Islam Shah. Hemu who was responsible to enthrone
Adil Shah Ali-qoli Khan ( fa, علیقلی‌خان), commonly known by his regnal title Adel Shah (also spelled Adil; , "the Just King") was the second shah of Afsharid Iran, ruling from 1747 to 1748. He was the nephew and successor of Nader Shah (), ...
at Delhi after the death of Islam Shah in 1552. Hemu was a native of Macheri in Alwar district and is said to be a hawker of salt petre in the streets of Rewari, but rose to the status of prime-minister of Muhammad Shah Adil Sur (1554-1557) by his intelligence, loyalty and great qualities of leadership. He fought and won twenty-two battles against his master's rivals. Gradually he became the de facto ruler of Sur kingdom as his master sank into sloth and obscurity. He fought successfully a battle against the Mughal governor of Delhi, and occupied the city, and proclaimed himself as an independent ruler. He distributed the spoil among the Afghans and thus won them over to his side. He assumed for himself the title of Vikramaditya, but an arrow accidentally struck his eye and pierced his brain in the battle of Panipat (1556). He lay unconscious and was brought before the young emperor
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, H ...
, who gave a blow of sword to Hemu, and Bairam Khan finished him off. Hemu's head was sent to Kabul and his trunk to Delhi to be placed on a gibbet. Soon, forces were sent to strongly defended forts of Deoti and Macheri (now in Rajgarh, Alwar district) where Hemu's wife and his father had taken shelter with their precious goods and treasures. After some resistance, Hemu's father was captured and his conversion to Islam attempted. But he declined and said, "For eighty years I have worshipped my God according to this ( Hindu) religion why should I change it at this time, and why should I, merely from fear of my life, and without understanding it, come into way of your worship". At this, he was put to death. Hemu's widow, however, escaped with elephants and treasures to the jungles. She was pursued and a part of treasure was recovered from her. Khanzadas of Mewat reconciled with the Delhi rulers by matrimonial alliances.
Humayun Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad ( fa, ) (; 6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556), better known by his regnal name, Humāyūn; (), was the second emperor of the Mughal Empire, who ruled over territory in what is now Eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, Norther ...
had married the elder daughter of Jamal Khan, nephew of Hasan Khan Mewati. The Khanzadas became distinguished soldiers in the Imperial army. During the reign of Akbar, Mewat was divided into two Sarkars or districts-Tijara and Alwar, in
subah A Subah was the term for a province (State) in the Mughal Empire. The word is derived from Arabic and Persian. The governor/ruler of a ''Subah'' was known as a ''subahdar'' (sometimes also referred to as a "''Subeh''"), which later became ''subed ...
of Agra. Akbar while on his way to
Fatehpur Sikri Fatehpur Sikri () is a town in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. Situated 35.7 kilometres from the district headquarters of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri itself was founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar, serving thi ...
in 1579 visited Alwar and local traditions attribute to him the butchering of Malliks (probably Hindu converts) at Mungana (a few miles south of Alwar town on National Highway No. 8 towards Jaipur) and renaming this village as Akbarpur. Alwar formed a very important base for the launching of attacks by the Mughals on the fort of Ranthambor. It was also an important halting station between Agra and
Ajmer Ajmer is one of the major and oldest cities in the Indian state of Rajasthan and the centre of the eponymous Ajmer District. It is located at the centre of Rajasthan. It is also known as heart of Rajasthan. The city was established as "''Aj ...
. But the turbulent people of Mewat continued their plunderings of the imperial government and even a strong ruler like Akbar could not completely subdue them. Akbar bestowed the jagir of Mewat on his Khanzada brother-in-law Sharffuddin Hussain. Sensing his rebellious attitude,
Jahangir Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti. Ea ...
appointed Nawab Mubarij Khan as governor of Mewat. In 1661 A.D. (1058 A.H.), Alwar was bestowed as a jagir on Khalilulla Khan and some time later,
Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
gave this tract to Mirza Jai Singh of Amber. However, looking to the growing influence of Mirza and the strategic position of the fort, Aurangzeb took the fort back and bestowed it on Abdul Rahim in 1077 A.H.


Petty Chieftainships

An inscription dating Samvat 1426 and 1439 found at Macheri attests that Rajgarh, Macheri and Devati (Deoti) villages were the possessions of the Badgujar Rajputs who were bound by matrimonial alliances with the rulers of Amber. Ashokmal or Ishwarmal who was the son of Raja Kumbh, refused to send dola to Akbar and also had quarrels with Raja Man Singh of Amber. Thereupon, a combined force of Raja Man Singh and the Delhi emperor, was dispatched against him and he was dispossessed of Devati and Rajorgarh. Kyaranagari in Thanaghazi was the capital of Mewal Meenas whose ruler was Mokalsi at the time of Akbar's reign. The imperial forces plundered Kyara and in its place founded Mohamadabad. About the Samvat 1656 (1599 A. D.) Madho Singh, the second son of Maharaja Bhagwandas of Amber, established a chiefship at
Bhangarh Bhangarh is a village situated in Rajgarh Alwar, Rajasthan state of India. It is situated in the Rajgarh municipality of the Alwar district in Rajasthan. Bhangarh is at the edge of the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Bhangarh is also a pre-histor ...
and made it his capital. In Samvat 1777 (1720 A.D.), Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur attacked Bhangarh, and incorporated the territory in his kingdom. Madan Singh, commonly known as Rao Made Chauhan, had founded the village Madanpur now known as Mandawar. In course of time,
Barrod Barrod is a village in Behror Tehsil, Alwar district, Alwar District, Rajasthan, India. Some times this is also called Bardod. It is situated on State Highway No-14, RJ SH 14. The name is sometimes written as Bardod. Two villages come under th ...
was also acquired by his descendants. Firoz Shah had forced Rao Jhama (son of Rao Hasa) to embrace Islam but the latter preferred death. However, Rao Chaand, son of Rao Jhama is said to have embraced Islam in Samvat 1499 (1442 A.D.). Thereupon, as a protest, Rajdeo who was the uncle of Chaand, abandoned Mandawar and chose Nimrana as the capital of his chiefship. The descendants of Rao Chaand extended their hold up to Bansur. But they were expelled in Samvat 1560 (1503 A.D.) from Bansur by the Shekhawats of whom Rao Shekhaji, Rao Sujaji and Rao Jagmal were most significant. Rao Sujaji made Basai as his capital whereas Jagmal established himself at Hazipur. After the death of Sujaji in Samvat 1594 (1537 A.D.) his sons Lunkaran, Raimal, Chaand and Bheruji extended their hold up to Khetri,
Sikar Sikar is a city and municipal council in the Sikar district of the state of Rajasthan in India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Sikar district. It is part of the Shekhawati region, which consists of Sikar, Churu and Jhunjhun ...
, Khandela and Shahpura. After the death of
Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
, internal dissensions encouraged the petty chieftains to acquire power. Maharaja Surajrmal of Bharatpur conquered the Alwar fort and some of the adjacent territory. But his son Jawahar Singh, after being defeated by the Jaipur ruler at the battle of Maonda-Mandoli and lost the territory gained by his father.
Marathas The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a ...
occupied Tijara and Kishangarh. In 1775 A.D. Pratap Singh of Naruka family acquired Alwar fort and founded the State of Alwar.


Alwar State


Maharao Raja Pratap Singh (1740-1791)

Later, Pratap Singh was the son of Muhabbat Singh of Macheri. He was born in 1740 A.D. Sensing a danger to his life in Jaipur, he left for Rajgarh. From there, he went to
Jawahar Singh Jawahar Singh () ( hi, महाराजा जवाहर सिंह) was a Jat ruler of the Bharatpur State. He succeeded to the throne when his father Suraj Mal died in 1763. Early life During Ahmed Shah Abdali's invasion of India ...
of Bharatpur who bestowed on him a jagir. In 1768, Jawahar Singh insulted the Jaipur Chief by marching without intimation of his motive, through his Stale, to visit the holy lake of Pushkar near
Ajmer Ajmer is one of the major and oldest cities in the Indian state of Rajasthan and the centre of the eponymous Ajmer District. It is located at the centre of Rajasthan. It is also known as heart of Rajasthan. The city was established as "''Aj ...
. On his return journey, he was attacked by the Rajputs and was defeated at Maonda-Mandholi in the Tanwarati hills, north of Jaipur. "The victory was, in a great measure, due to the transfer by Pratap Singh of his supporters to the side of his liegelord on the eve of the battle." As a result, Pratap was restored to his fief of Macheri and was also allowed to build a fort at Rajgarh. Pratap Singh gained great influence at the Jaipur court. At this time Najaf Khan, the imperial commander aided by Marathas, proceeded to expel Jats from Agra and Bharatpur. Pratap Singh aligned himself with Najaf Khan and aided him in defeating the Jats, "This aid in defeating the Jats, obtained for him the title of Rao Raja and a Sanad for Macheri, to hold direct of the crown." Pratap Singh found an opportunity of reducing the fortress of Alwar which then belonged to the Jat princes of Bharatpur and seized it. He entered the fort of Alwar in November 1775. The followers of Pratap Singh began to own him as their feudal lord as soon as the Alwar fort was taken. He died on 26 September 1791.


Maharao Raja Sawai Bakhtawar Singh (1791-1815)

Pratap Singh left no sons to succeed him. He had adopted Bakhtawar Singh of Thana (near Rajgarh, Alwar), younger son of Dhir Singh. When Bakhtawar Singh occupied lands of other chiefs and strengthened his position by allying himself with the British Government. To checkmate the menacing power of the Marathas, he coalesced his troops with those of British Commander-in-Chief, Lord Lake in the
battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
of Laswari, a small village in the district. Mahharaja Bakhtawar Singh of Alwar concluded a defensive and offensive treaty with the British on 14 November 1803. By this time, British supremacy was established in Northern India. The Alwar chief was rewarded with the grant of several Parganas. His vakeel, Ahmad Baksh Khan received as reward the districts of Ferozpur (from British Government) and Loharu (285 sq. miles) from the Alwar ruler under the title of Nawab. He is said to have become deranged in the evening of his reign and showed his insanity principally by his cruelty to Muslims. The mosques were razed to the ground; the tombs of Muslim saints were dug out and the dwelling of Kamal Chisti (nephew of
Salim Chisti Salim Chishti (1478–1572) () was a Sufi saint of the Chishti Order during the Mughal Empire in India. Biography The Mughal Emperor Akbar came to Chishti's home in Sikri to ask him to pray for a male heir to the throne. Chishti blessed ...
) at Alwar, was destroyed. Observing of namaz and offering the sacrifices were forbidden. The Rao died in 1815 A.D. One of his concubines, Musi by name, committed Sati. A magnificent chhatri or
cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although the vast majority of cenot ...
was erected as a memorial at the side of the tank in the rear of the Alwar Palace.


Maharao Raja Sawai Viney Singh (1815-57 A.D.)

Bakhtawar Singh adopted his nephew Viney Singh son of his brother Salah Singh of Thana, . Great changes were made in the administrative system of the nascent State. He was a great patron of arts and letters, and attracted painters and skilled artisans from various parts of India to his service.He has left many splendid monuments to his name, such as a grand city palace, and a smaller one at Moti Dungri called Viney Vilas. But his greatest work was building of a large bandh at Siliserh, now a fine lake and tourist destination. During the last five years of his life he suffered from paralysis. Bed ridden as he was during the Mutiny of 1857, he despatched a force consisting of about 800 infantry, 400 cavalry and four guns, to the assistance of the beleaguered British garrison at Agra. The cavalry, among whom were all Rajputs - the remainder principally Mahomedans. The Nimach and Nasirabad brigade of mutineers came upon them on the road to Agra. Deserted by their leader and the Mahomedan portion of the force, including the artillery the Rajputs suffered a severe defeat. Viney Singh died in August 1857, before the sorrowful news reached him.


Maharao Raja Sawai Sheodan Singh (1857-1874)

Viney Singh was succeeded by his only surviving son, Sheodan Singh, who was twelve years of age at the time. The actual administration passed on to his Dewan, The Dewan had a domineering influence over the young ruler. On a night in 1858, the Rajputs, under the leadership of Lakhdhir Singh, the Thakur of Bijwar, raised the standard of revolt and raided the dwelling of the Dewan. The Dewan, sensing the danger fled away. British Political Agent got constituted a Council consisting of five Thakurs for salvaging the administration, ruined by Dewans. Another council was also constituted to carry on its duties in a most satisfactory manner until the Maharao Raja was invested with power in 1863. As soon as the Maharao acquired the reins of his State, he renewed his contacts with the expelled Dewan. Several jagirs of Charans, Brahamans and Rajputs were escheated. This resulted in a general unrest. When the Maharao ignored their grievances,disgruntled Rajputs resolved to expel the Muslims from the State. However, Political Agent for East Rajputana took timely action. With permission of the British Government, he interfered in the administration of the State by dismissing the unscrupulous and inefficient officers. The financial bankruptcy of the State was inevitable. A Council was composed of four Thakurs, and a Brahman. A fixed allowance and an establishment was granted to the Maharao. Reforms in the road system were effected, Post and Telegraph lines were laid and systematic survey of the land was made. The Maharao, being divested of all powers, fell ill, and soon passed away.


Maharaj Sawai Mangal Singh (1874-1892 A. D.)

The ruler left no heir to the throne and the families of the Barah Kothri were not unanimous in his selection. At last, Mangal Singh of Thana was supported by a majority and consequently, the Viceroy confirmed him as the ruler of Alwar. He ascended the throne on December 14, 1874. He was fifteen years and a month old at the time. He was created an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the British army in 1885 and the following year, was enrolled as a Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India. He received the dignified title of Maharaja as a hereditary distinction in 1889 A.D. He died at the age of 34 years, on May 22, 1892, A.D. at
Nainital Nainital ( Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a city and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters ...
, owing to excess doze of liquor.


Sawai Maharaja Sir Jey Singh (1892-1937 A.D.)

Maharaja Mangal Singh was succeeded by his minor son, Jey Singh, was invested with ruling powers on December 10, 1903, by Lord Curzon, Under his reign, the police department of the State was reorganised. In 1907-08 the official language was changed from Urdu to Hindi. The Alwar State liberally supported the war effort of the British Government during the
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. The Mangal Lancers and Jey Paltan fought on various fronts-Suez Canal, Egypt, Sinai, Ghaza and Rapha. The Maharaja was appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the British army on January 1, 1915, and an Honorary Colonel on 1 January 1921. At the end of the war, the title of G.C.I.E, was conferred on him on January 1, 1919, and that of G.C.S.I., on June 3, 1924. He attended the Imperial Conference held in London in 1923 as a representative of India and was a prominent figure in the
Chamber of Princes The Chamber of Princes (''Narendra Mandal'') was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of King-Emperor George V to provide a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs and aspirations ...
and at the First Round Table Conference. He was a fine Polo and
Racquet A racket, or racquet, is a sports implement used for striking a ball or shuttlecock in games such as squash, tennis, racquetball, badminton and padel. In the strictest sense a racket consists of a handled frame with an open hoop across which ...
player, a scholar of
Hindu philosophy Hindu philosophy encompasses the philosophies, world views and teachings of Hinduism that emerged in Ancient India which include six systems ('' shad-darśana'') – Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.Andrew Nicholson ...
and an orator of higher order. He was an outstanding personality in many ways and participated in many National and International conferences. He frequently and fearlessly gave vent to his ideas of nationalism. He always spoke eloquently of the fine cultural heritage and greatness of India as a whole. He had equal command over English and Hindi and also knew Sanskrit. The high British officers in India were already unhappy with him because he would never acknowledge their superiority or submit to them. Bad finances of the State coupled with Meo agitation and the Neemuchana massacre, gave the British authorities opportunity to interfere in his administration and he was in 1933, ultimately asked to leave the State. He died in Paris on 19 May 1937 leaving no lineal or adopted son. He was succeeded by a distant relative: Tej Singh Prabhakar Bahadur.


Maharaja Tej Singh (1937-1947)

Sawai Maharaja Sir Tej Singh born on March 19, 1911, was installed on the throne on July 22, 1937. Education made strides during his reign. A number of schools were opened and upgraded. Various communities also started hostels with State aid. Sanskrit College was also opened. The area where Hope Circus now stands was made into a beautiful marketing centre. The closing period of the Maharaja's rule was marred by communal frenzy in which several hundred people died and many more, migrated from the State. After attainment of
independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the s ...
, the ruler signed the instrument of accession which made the Stale a component part of the United States of Matsya.


Administration

Alwar district has 18
tehsil A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
s: Alwar, Bansur, Behror, Govindgarh, Kathumar, Kishangarh Bas, Kotkasim,
Laxmangarh Laxmangarh is a town in Sikar district of Rajasthan state in India. History Laxmangarh was founded by Rao Raja Lakshman Singh of Sikar, in 1805. He also built a fort there now called Laxmangarh Fort Laxmangarh Fort ( hi, लक् ...
, Mundawar, Rajgarh,
Ramgarh Ramgarh may refer to: Bangladesh * Ramgarh Upazila, a sub-district of Khagrachari District India * Ramgarh, Bihar, a village near Munger, Bihar * Ramgarh, Kaimur, a town in Kaimur district, Bihar * Ramgarh, Uttarakhand, a hill station in Nainit ...
, Thanagazi, Tijara, Neemrana,
Reni Reni may refer to: Places * Reni, Alwar, Alwar district, Rajasthan, India * Reni, Chamoli (also ''Raini''), Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, devastated by the 2021 Uttarakhand flood * Reni, Churu, Churu district, Rajasthan, India * Reni, U ...
, Malakhera Naugawan Tapukara It has only one Lok Sabha constituency,
Alwar Alwar (Pronunciation: lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region and the administrative headquarters of Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 150 km south of Delhi and 150 km north of Jaipur. At ...
.


Industry

The district has industrial estates such as Alwar, Bhiwadi, Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, Behror where companies such as G. S. Pharmbutor, Ashok Leyland, Pepsi, Parryware, Kajaria Ceramics, and Honda Motors have manufacturing plants.


Agriculture

Alwar has an important place in agriculture production in Rajasthan. The total geographical area of the district is 7,83,281 hectares which is about 2.5 percent of the State. In 2010–2011 the net cultivated area is 5,07,171 hectares from which about 83 percent area viz. – 4,51,546 is irrigated and the remaining 17 percent area viz. – 82,903 is unirrigated. Double cropped area is nearly 2,52,000 hectares of which 32,230 (12%) is irrigated and remaining 2,19,819 (88%) is unirrigated. Thus, the total cropped area of the district is 8,12,873 hectares. In
Kharif Kharif crops, also known as monsoon crops or autumn crops, are domesticated plants that are cultivated and harvested in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh during the Indian subcontinent's monsoon season, which lasts from June to November dependin ...
season bajra,
maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn ( North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. ...
, Jowar, Kharif pulses, Arhar, sesamum, cotton, guar etc. are sown in about 3,29,088 hectares (42%) and in Rabi season wheat, barley, gram, mustard, taramira, rabi pulses are sown in about 4,52,527 hectares (58%). The main source of irrigation are wells and tube wells. By 26064 tube wells, about 192861-hectare area is being irrigated and by 57196 Wells about 265169 hectares area is irrigated. By other sources like canals, tanks about 404 hectares area is irrigated. About 35470 electric motors and 66502 Diesel pump sets are being used for irrigation purposes. The normal rainfall for the district is 657.3 mm. The average rainfall in the last ten years in the district is 724 mm. The rainfall distribution in the district is uneven and scattered which resulted in some times flood problems and some time drought position which affect the agriculture production as well as cropping pattern in Kharif & Rabi season. Thus, the agriculture in the district by and large depends on rainfall distribution. The average rainfall in 2016 up to September is 217 mm.


Places of interest

Bala Qilla (
Alwar fort Alwar (Pronunciation: lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region and the administrative headquarters of Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 150 km south of Delhi and 150 km north of Jaipur. At ...
) situated in the Aravali Hills is one of the best forts present in Rajasthan. It is said that it has never been invaded or conquered by any king. Just behind it is the Nikumbh Mahal. There are many small palaces in the city and an old museum with a collection of paintings, armours, and old weapons. Neelkanth temple is an old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, built between the 6th to the 9th century.


Bhangarh Haunted Fort

Banghar Fort The Bhangarh Fort is a 16th-century fort built in the Rajasthan state of India. The town was established during the rule of Bhagwant Das as the residence of his second son, Madho Singh. The fort and its precincts are well preserved. Geography ...
is a haunted fort and the Archaeological Survey of India has put up a board on the fort gate that it is prohibited for tourists to stay inside the fort area after sunset and before sunrise. This fort has become a major tourist attraction. This Royal Rao Haveli (300 years old), Nizam Nagar (Laxmangarh) is only 25 km from Kesroli fort, Agara-Delhi Road. Ruled & established by H.H.Rao Bhero Singh (Riyastdar), who was the Relative of H.H Yashwant Singh, the king Of Alwar. Sariska Tiger Reserve is also located in the district, and Arvari River flows through this district.
Hill Fort Kesroli The Hill Fort of Kesroli is a 14th-century fort located in Alwar district, Rajasthan, India. It is now a heritage hotel managed by Neemrana Hotels group., known for its turrets, ramparts, and arched verandahs and today considered one of th ...
, currently a heritage hotel, is also nearby at Kesroli. Neemrana is an important heritage fort on NH-48 near Behror.


Demographics

According to the 2011 census Alwar district has a
population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using ...
of 3,674,179, roughly equal to the nation of
Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. It ...
or the US state of Oklahoma. This gives it a ranking of 77th in India (out of a total of
640 Year 640 (Roman numerals, DCXL) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 640 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar er ...
). The district has a population density of . Its
population growth rate Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 22.7%. Alwar has a
sex ratio The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species de ...
of 894
females Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females a ...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 71.68%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 17.77% and 7.87% of the population respectively. Alwar districtcomes under mainly Mewat and Ahirwal or Rath region. Behror, Mundawar, Neemrana, Bhiwadi, Tijara tehsils come under Ahirwal region. Ramgarh, kishangarh Bas, Tijara, Govindgarh, Laxmangarh comes under Mewat Region. Rajgarh, Reni, Thana Ghazi tehsils come under Meenawati and Dhundhar Region. Kathumar, Laxmangarh, Govindgarh, Ramgarh Tehsils come under Mewat - Braj Region.


Languages

Mewati and Rathi are main language of Alwar. Mewati and Braj are spoken in East Alwar. Ahirwati is spoken in North and West Alwar. Meenawati and Jaipuri is spoken in South and South west Alwar.


Transport

National Highway NH8 (Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer-Ahmedabad-Bombay highway) passes through the Behror district. Alwar district is reached from
New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the NCT Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati B ...
by NH8 or by Gurgaon- Sohna-Alwar highway that is being widened to six lanes. Delhi-Jaipur railway line also passes through the district. Alwar city railway station is one of the railway stations in the district.


Education

* Step By Step Public School, Alwar. * Alwar Public School, Alwar * St. Anselm's Sr. Sec. School * Chinar school, Alwar * Vivekanand public school, Katopur, Kotkasim * MMS Memorial School, Kotkasim *St.Xavier's School, Behror * Happy Public School, Alwar. * Raath International School, alwar.


References


External links


Alwar district, Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alwar District Districts of Rajasthan Districts in Jaipur division