Tosham is a town and a
Gram Panchayat
Gram Panchayat () is a basic village-governing institute in Indian villages. It is a democratic structure at the grass-roots level in India. It is a political institute, acting as cabinet of the village. The Gram Sabha work as the general bod ...
on the foot of
Tosham Hill range
Tosham hill range (Tusham hill range old spelling), located at and in the area around Tosham, with an average elevation of 207 meters (679 feet), and the rocks exposed in and around Tosham hills are part of subsurface north-western spur of '' ...
in
Bhiwani district
Bhiwani district is one of the 22 districts of the northern Indian state of Haryana. Created on 22 December 1972, the district was the largest district of the state by area, before the creation of Charkhi Dadri as a separate district, as it occu ...
in the
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 so ...
n
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 S ...
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 ar ...
. It has been awarded the title of "Adarsh Village". It is situated in the foothill of
Tosham hill range
Tosham hill range (Tusham hill range old spelling), located at and in the area around Tosham, with an average elevation of 207 meters (679 feet), and the rocks exposed in and around Tosham hills are part of subsurface north-western spur of '' ...
of
Aravali Mountain Range. The hill has several historic places, such as forts, carvings, paintings, temples, sacred ponds, dating as far back 1800 years. It is a
rural area
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...
.
The mountain an important
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
area within the "western-southern Haryana" spur of the
Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor, but remains at due to the polluting and ecologically destructive unsustainable mining activities.
History
Early and medieval history
Tosham was under Gupta rule in the 4th Century as per the inscription. History of Tosham dates back to at least the 4th century, as evident by the
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
language
Tosham rock inscription
The Tosham rock inscription, dating from the 4th or 5th century, on Tosham hill in Tosham town of Haryana state in India, is an epigraph documenting the establishment of a monastery and the building of water tanks for followers of the Satvat ...
at Tosham hill. Later it came under
Tomar
Tomar (), also known in English as Thomar (the ancient name of Tomar), is a city and a municipality in the Santarém district of Portugal. The town proper has a population of about 20,000. The municipality population in 2011 was 40,677, in an a ...
during the rule of
Anangpal Tomar
Anangpal II, popularly known as Anangpal Tomar, was a ruler from the Tomar Rajput dyansty. He is known to have established and populated Delhi in the 11th century.
He is often confused with Anangpal I, the founder of Tomar Dynasty of Delhi, w ...
and then
Chauhan Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
rulers during the rule of
Prithviraj Chauhan
Prithviraja III ( IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in presen ...
who built the Baradari, before falling into the hands of
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526). s,
Mughal Empire
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 ...
,
Shekhawati
Shekhawati is a semi-arid historical region located in the northeast part of Rajasthan, India. The region was ruled by Shekhawat Rajputs.
Shekhawati is located in North Rajasthan, comprising the districts of Jhunjhunu district, Jhunjhunu,
part ...
and
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
. Pre-Indus Valley Civilization mine, smelt and houses have been found at Khanak hills of Tosham Hill range
Post-independence
According to the data maintained by the Government of India's Department of Statistics, following were established at Tosham:
[Establishment details and start dated, page 30, 37, 38, 49, 51](_blank)
*
Public Health Engineering Department
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) is a public agency in Pakistan and India that is responsible for west coast to East coast to Middle east water supply.
During natural disasters the agency has the responsibility to get drinking wate ...
(1970)
*
Haryana Police
The Haryana Police Department is the law enforcement agency for the state of Haryana, India. Present DGP of Haryana Police is P. K. Agarwal since August 16, 2021. He is an IPS officer of 1988 batch.
History
The Haryana Police were formed when ...
station (1970)
*
Public Works Department
This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure.
See also
* Public works
* Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...
(1972)
*
Agricultural produce market committee
An Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is a marketing board established by state governments in India to ensure farmers are safeguarded from exploitation by large retailers, as well as ensuring the farm to retail price spread does not rea ...
(1972)
*
Tosham rural development block and
BDO office (1975)
*
Haryana Roadways bus stand (1975)
*
Telephone exchange
A telephone exchange, telephone switch, or central office is a telecommunications system used in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or in large enterprises. It interconnects telephone subscriber lines or virtual circuits of digital syst ...
(1980)
* Tosham Jindal public school (1993)
*
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 ...
office (1995)
* Government girls senior secondary school, Tosham (1995)
Demographics
India
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, Tosham had a population of 11,271. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Tosham has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 54%. In Tosham, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Geography
Tosham is located at . It has an average elevation of 207 metres (679 feet).
Tosham tehsil
There are total 108 villages in Tosham tehsil where the main villages are:
* Bahal
* Baganwala
* Dhani Mah
* Dulheri
* Indiwali
* Isharwal
* Jhanwari
* Khanak
* Kharkari Makhwan
* Laxmanpura
* Miran
* Nigana Kalan
* Sagwan
Tosham hills range
Tosham Hill range
Tosham hill range (Tusham hill range old spelling), located at and in the area around Tosham, with an average elevation of 207 meters (679 feet), and the rocks exposed in and around Tosham hills are part of subsurface north-western spur of '' ...
or ''Tosham Wala Pahad'': larger and taller of two hills, to the immediate south of Tosham town with roughly 200-meter-high spur mountain of
Aravalli Range
The Aravalli Range (also spelled ''Aravali'') is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. ...
, with a full view of nearby villages and greenery all around. It has many temples in this some of them are Baba Mungipa, Hanuman temple, and seasonal Paleo waterfall.
Tosham Hill Fort
There are also remains of a medieval fort wall in the ruined condition present on top of the
Tosham hill, said to be from the times of
Prithviraj Chauhan
Prithviraja III ( IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in presen ...
major part of which was destroyed in 1982 when an aircraft crashed on the fort.
Its remnants still exist.
[Vaman statue to be taken to Hisar Museum](_blank)
Dainik Bhaskar
''Dainik Bhaskar ''is India's largest Hindi-language daily newspaper owned by the Dainik Bhaskar Group. According to Audit Bureau of Circulations, it is ranked 3rd in the world by circulation and is the largest newspaper in India by circula ...
, 14 Mar 2018.
Tosham rock inscription
Two interesting antiquities are to be seen in the neighborhood of Tosham. A baradari and another Sanskrit inscription on a rock on the face of the hill to the west of the town.
The Toshām rock inscription is an epigraphic record documenting the establishment of a monastery and the building of water tanks for followers of the Sātvata religion. Found in Tosham, Haryana (India), It is not dated but can be assigned to the early fifth century CE. The inscription records the lineage and building activities of a line of Sātvata religious preceptors (''ācārya'') dating to the 4th and 5th centuries CE. This is an important record for the history of the Vaiṣṇava faith. The kinship and clan position of the Sātvatas is described in the article on the
Yadavas
The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and S ...
. It does not appear to have been as yet satisfactorily translated. It seems to refer to a Scythian king Tushara who appears to have conquered the Gupta Galotkacha who reigned from about A. D. 50 to A. D. 79 and is referred to in the inscription. There appears to be evidence to show that the Tosham hill was a monastery of Buddhist monks or Bhikshus. The date of the inscription is said to be A. D. 162–224.
[ ]
Tosham rock paintings
In 2013, rudimentary rock paintings (supposedly circa 5th century CE) at the site of
Tosham rock inscription
The Tosham rock inscription, dating from the 4th or 5th century, on Tosham hill in Tosham town of Haryana state in India, is an epigraph documenting the establishment of a monastery and the building of water tanks for followers of the Satvat ...
were discovered. These rock painting included several figures, such as a royal family, a saint, and dinosaur-like creature.
Rare rock painting of dinosaur discovered from Tosham Hills in the state- by Sushil Manav, Tribune News Service, dated: 2 July 2013
/ref>
Vaman statue
Tosham Vaman statue, a 1,000 years old 60 kg carved red stone statue dating back to 8th to 10 century, of Vaman Vaman is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Vaman Shivram Apte (1858–1892), Indian lexicographer and a professor of Sanskrit at Pune's Fergusson College
* Vishnu Vaman Bapat (born 1871), Indian philosopher, famous for his comme ...
incarnation of Hindu deity Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
was found atop Tosham hill in January 2018 while policemen protecting the Haryana Police
The Haryana Police Department is the law enforcement agency for the state of Haryana, India. Present DGP of Haryana Police is P. K. Agarwal since August 16, 2021. He is an IPS officer of 1988 batch.
History
The Haryana Police were formed when ...
wireless repeater antennae system were clearing the rubble to clean the water tank there.[8वीं सदी की विष्णु की प्रतिमा मिली](_blank)
Navbharat Times, 6 Jan 2018.
The Tribune (Chandigarh)
''The Tribune'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Chandigarh and New Delhi. It was founded on 2 February 1881, in Lahore, Punjab (now in Pakistan), by Sardar Dyal Singh Majit ...
, 6 January 2018. In March 2018, this statue was relocated to the Jahaj Kothi Zonal Museum at Hisar.
Prithvi Raj Ki Katchery
''Prithvi Raj Ki Katchery'' is a Baradari on a small 80 meter ''Baradari hill'' in the northwest corner or Tosham town. According to the folklore it is said to be built by the 12th century Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
king Prithviraj Chauhan
Prithviraja III ( IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in presen ...
whose rule had covered Tosham. He had regional setup administration at Asigarh Fort
Asigarh Fort, also called Hansi Fort, is located on the eastern bank of ''Amti lake'' in Hansi town of Haryana, India, about 135 km from Delhi on NH9. Spread over 30 acres, in its prime days this fort used to be in control of 80 forts in ...
(present-day Hansi). The Baradari has 12 doors, 3 on each side. According to the folklore, it is where Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
king Prithviraj Chauhan
Prithviraja III ( IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in presen ...
use to preside over the court proceedings to pass judgment.
Tosham Temple Complex
Panch Teerth Temple
The temple is on the Tosham Hill.
Baba Mungipa Mandir
''Baba Mungipa Mandir'' (temple) at Tosham hill is a very famous temple of the Tosham area. Temple has a great following and people visiting this temple believe that wishes will be fulfilled by the Baba. The temple is a Samadhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
of Mungipa. ''Sodha Mungipa'' laid himself in the samadhi as he believed that he killed the cow during meditation. Tourists can reach this site from the eastern side by climbing up to the Tosham hill. Moreover, tourists can see the domed structure where a large number of food grains and oils are offered. Visitors can also explore the water pool in a cavern and a Shiva temple that lies in proximity. Folklore has it that Baba Mungipa was a contemporary of Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
.
Sacred Sulphur Ponds of Tosham Hill
There are several holy ponds on Tosham Hill inside the caves, namely Pandu Teerth Kund, Surya Kund, Kukkar Kund, Gyarasia/Vyas Kund, and a reservoir or a small tank on the summit of the hill to store rainwater. Water in these ''kunds'' (ponds) in various caverns contain sulfur
Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...
which is considered sacred by the devotees and pilgrimages as it heals skin diseases.[2004]
"Records, Volume 135, Part 1."
Geological Survey of India
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India. It was founded in 1851, as a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines, one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey ...
, Page 144.
Pandu Tirath, Tosham
There are several sacred ''kunds'' or reservoirs on the hill; one of them, the ''Pandu Tirath'', is considered so sacred that some of the neighboring villages deposit the ashes of their dead in it instead of taking them to the Ganges.
Surya Kund, Tosham
The Surya Kund is one of many ''kunds'' (pond) found in caverns of Tosham hill. It is considered sacred.
Kukkar Kund, Tosham
The Kukkar Kund is one of many ''kunds'' (pond) found in caverns of Tosham hill. It is considered sacred.
Gyarasia Kund, Tosham
The Gyarasia Kund (Vyas Kund) is one of many ''kunds'' (pond) found in caverns of Tosham hill. It is considered sacred.
Parks
Tosham lake
Tosham lake is a wetland area inhabited by many birds and animals also have a landscaped park. It is located near Government Girls College and new bus stand. Before the establishment of to sham lake. There was a pond there and on its shore, there was a temple of hanuman that exists until now.
Tosham
Ch. Surender Singh Memorial Herbal Park, Tosham
Ch. Surender Singh Memorial Herbal Park, Tosham is a herbal park set up to preserve and propagate the endangered herbs. It also aims to educate people and farmers in the commercial cultivation of these herbs to engage in profitable pursuits.
Interesting infrastructure
Police Telecomm Tower
Haryana Police has wireless repeater antennae in three locations, at Tosham Hill range
Tosham hill range (Tusham hill range old spelling), located at and in the area around Tosham, with an average elevation of 207 meters (679 feet), and the rocks exposed in and around Tosham hills are part of subsurface north-western spur of '' ...
in Bhiwani district, Takdi hill in Rewari district, and at Sarahan
Sarahan is a small town in Himachal Pradesh of India. It is the site of the Bhimakali Temple, originally known as Bhimadevi Temple (Bhīmā Kālī), dedicated to the mother goddess Bhimakali, presiding deity of the rulers of the former Bus ...
hill in Himachal Pradesh. Police HQ uses Sarahan tower to transmit signals to Tosham Hill. Tosham Hill tower boosts and sends the signal to Takdi Hill. Tosham Hill tower covers the area of the signal of Bhiwani, Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Rohtak, and Jhajjhar District Police Headquarters. Take Hill tower covers the Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Nuh, Rewari, Narnaul and Haryana Bhawan Delhi.
Civil Court Tosham
Civil Court was established on 18/04/2017 at Tosham near the BDPO office. The first judicial officer was Sh. Sunil Dewan ACJ Cum SDJM, Tosham, and secondly Sh. Saurabh Gupta is presently seating Judge at Civil Court Tosham. Prabhu Ram was the first president of Advocate, Bar Association Tosham, and Sh. Dharambir Singh Siwach was the first elected Secretary of Bar Association Tosham. Now Sh. Jitender Singh Chahal is the president of Advocates, Bar Association Tosham, and Sh. Sanjay Baganwala is presently secretary of Bar Association Tosham, elected on 22/12/2016.
References
{{Haryana
Cities and towns in Bhiwani district
Forts in Haryana