Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 338
Sex Ratio Rank : 62
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : D
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Disability : 200 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 330 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Water : Flouride in Groundwater above permissible limits
Challenges of the district : Our research with local communities
In Hathras, we do not have industries and factories.
This has led to a major issue of unemployment.
The facilities and infrastructure provided by the Government is
very weak.
People lack awareness about health and sanitation.
Brief About Hathras District
On 3rd of May – 1997 then Chief
Minister M/s Mayawati has announced the creation of a new
district named Mahamaya Nagar by merging some tehsils of
district Aligarh and Mathura
in the Hathras tehsil of Aligarh.The notification of creating
District Mahamaya Nagar From Hathras was released on 06 May-1997.
Hathras
fall under the Brij region of Nothern India and was famous for its Industrial
, Literature related , and cultural activities as a part of Aligarh .Historically and
according to Purans Hathras can be of the age of Mahabharata.
Because old folk tales and archiological remains prove it.
According
to a story of Chotoo Banmali’s “Gokul Mahatm” at the time of the Birth
of the Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva-Parvati arrived the Brij
from this rout and the place where The Mother Goddess Parvati halted was called the Hathrasi Devi. Probably
as the place of Hathrasi Devi
this place was called Hathras. No dcumentary proof
is available for when this town was built and who populated
it .But the remains of old fort in the town are telling there
own story. The Kushan, The Gupt , The Rajput and The Maratha Rulers
Rule over the Region. In 1716 A.D. nearby
Jaat Ruler Raja Nandram’s son Bhoj Singh has
taken over the rule of Hathras from the Rajpoot rulers. After Bhoj Singh his son Sadan Singh became
the ruler of Hathras. After Sadan Singh his son Bhoori Singh Became
the Ruler of Hathras. Probably Bhoori Singh had established the
temple of the Lord Balram ji in the fort of Hathras .Today this
Temple still exists and tells his great story. Every year “Lakkhi
mela” is celebrated on “Dev Chat” at this temple .Real great history
of Hathras begins after
Shri Bhoori Singh when
his son Raja Dayaram worn the crown in 1775 A.D..In 1784
when Sindhia ruler Mahad Ji Sindhia established his regim around
Hathras ,Raja Dayaram made pact with him.When in 1792 Sindhia
went towards South ,Raja
Dayaram became totally free. In 1794 mischief of British intensified
in Nothern India .They forwarded merging all princely states which
came in their way . Yet Hathras remained free. Raja Dayaram refused
the proposal of British to become their slave . At last
war started in 1817. The British warned Raja Dayaram to quit the
fort and surrender . But the brave king Raja Dayaram had taken no notice of the warning of
Major General Marshal . Terrible war took place in the
february – march of 1817
A.D. .At last Raja Dayaram quitted the fort on 2nd March 1817 through a secret route because
of lack of resources and surrendering of nearby princely states. Hathras became a part of British
rule. Govind Singh , son of Raja Dayaram joined hands with the
British and took the Jamindaari of some villages
and started living in
Vrindawan (today a part of Mathura). The adopted son of
shri Govind Singh named Shri Harnarayan Singh also remained devotee
of British in Vrindawan. Shri Harnarayan Singh had no descendent
, so he adopted third son of Raja GhanShayam Singh of Mursan state
named Shri Mahendra Pratap
Singh later on who proved himself as an struggling Freedom
Fighter . Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh while living abroad remained
ignited the torch of freedom struggle for 32 years
.He was appointed as the president of
the temporary independent government of free India
in Kabul’s “Baagh –E-Babar”. Raja Mahendra Pratap returned to
home land. Thakur Malkhan Singh and Munshi Gajadhar Singh were
the main freedom fighters .
Archaeological
remains of Hindu , Buddhist , Jain culture and also of the Shung
and Kushan period were found at many places in Hathras. Among
these archaeological and historical places is the fort of Raja
Dayaram located in the Hathras town
from where Mourya period
Brown coloured pot of 2nd century B.C. , Kushan
period clay statue ,”Sapt Matrikafalam” etc . were found. Among
old Temples the temple of Lord “Veereshwar Mahadev” is special
.Shaiv rulers and Naag Rajas also dominated here , remains of
there rule are scattered here and there .During the period of
Naag Rulers Seshavtara lord
Balram Ji got proper importance and his temples can be found in
all of the region . Old broken statues which have great archeological
value are still worshiped in the Brij region.
The archeological remains and statues obtained here are kept in
the Mathura Museum . The Jain Temple at “Nayawaas” tells the story
of Jain Culture .Sanwat 1548 “Vi.” is written on the oldest statues
here. More History is covered under the remains of forts of
Sikandra Rao, Maho , Sasni etc. which can be the topic
of further research. Remains of statues of
the period of Buddhist were scattered in places like Sahpau ,
Lakhnoo etc ,many were collected and kept in the museum of Mathura
and Jila Parishad Office at Aligarh . The Bhadra Kali temple of
Sahpau also fall under the category of archeological temples.
By writing “Ghat Ramayana” Sant Tulsi Saahab spread the fame of
Hathras to far away places. His disciples collect in thousand
of numbers at his grave at Siyal, Kila
Gate, Hathras to express their devotion. In addition to
the above mentioned temples the chain of temples contain “Chaubey
wale Mahadev” temple, “Chinta Haran” temple, “ Masani Devi “ temple,
“ Shri Naath Ji” temple at Chawar Gate, Lord “Varah” temple at
Dibba Gali and
many temples of Lord “Balram”.Among temples of rural area
the temple of Lord Dauji Maharaj Ji is very special.In
the category of Garhis, Hawelis, Forts who’s remains still exists
of old Jamindars ,specially quoted are
Nawab Mendu and Sadabad ,Haweli of Jamindar of
Lakhnu,Paharpur and Hasayan .
The
Freedom struggle started by Raja Dayaram continued untill India
became free in which many people of Hathras participated.
On October 19, 1875, the train between Hathras
Road and Mathura Cantonment was started.
Malla vidya (the art of wrestling) is an old
hobby of people of Hathras who’s remains can still be seen today
in the form of “Bagichis”(small Gardens) and “Akharas”(the place
where people use to excercise and practice wrestling etc.).
In
the memory of Swami Vivekanand’s first arrival at Hathras a Shilalekh
was eshteblished at Hathras city Railway Station, which reveals
that Swami Vivekanand has
given the name Sadanand to his first disciple who was the station
master of Hathras
city Railway station .
Kanya
Gurukul at Sasni played a great role in spreading the reputation
of this district. Many girls of different states obtain their
graduate and postgraduate education dependent on Indian culture.
Similarly
newly established Mangalaytan is developing as a world famous
Jain pilgrimage .This pilgrimage is situated on Hathras – Aligarh
road in the Sasni tehsil of this district .
