Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

This article is about the municipality in Uttar Pradesh, India. For its namesake district, see Aligarh district.

Aligarh
—  City  —
Nickname(s): City of Locks ; The Mecca of Education
Aligarh
Coordinates: 27.88°N 78.08°E / 27.88; 78.08
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
Division	Aligarh
District	Aligarh
Area
• Total	200,000 km2 (80,000 sq mi)
Elevation	178 m (584 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	1,209,732
• Density	Bad rounding here6.0/km2 (Bad rounding here16/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Urdu Hindi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	20200x
Telephone code	0571
Vehicle registration	UP-81
Website	aligarh.nic.in

The city of Aligarh ( listen) is the administrative headquarters for Aligarh district, in the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and 181 miles (291 km) north-west of the largest city of state i.e. Kanpur. It is notable for being the seat of Aligarh Muslim University, and for its local lock industry. Aligarh is located approximately 90 miles (140 km) south-east of the capital city of New Delhi.

History

Moat at the Aligarh Fort

Before the 18th century, Aligarh was known as Kol or Koil.caste, the name of a place or mountain and the name of a sage or demon. Study of the place-name indicates that the district was once fairly well covered by forests and groves. The history of the district through the 12th century AD is obscure.

According to Edwin T. Atkinson, the name Kol was given to the city by Balarama, who slew the great Asura (demon) Kol there and, with the assistance of the Ahirs, subdued this part of the doab. In another account, Atkinson points out a "legend" that Kol was founded by the Dor tribe of Rajputs in 372 A.D. This is further confirmed by an old fort, the ruined Dor fortress, which lies at the city centre.

Some time before the Muslim invasion, Kol was held by the Dor Rajputs. In the time of Mahmud of Ghazni, the chief of the Dors was Hardatta of Baran. Statues of Buddha and other Buddhist remains have been found in excavations where the citadel of Koil stood, indicating a Buddhist influence. Hindu remains indicate that the citadel probably had a Hindu temple after the Buddhist temple.

In 1194 AD, Qutb-ud-din Aibak marched from Delhi to Kol, "one of the most celebrated fortresses of Hind". Qutb-ud-din Aibak appointed Hisam-ud-din Ulbak as the first Muslim governor of Koil.

Koil is also mentioned in Ibn Battuta's Rihla, when Ibn Battuta along with 15 ambassadors representing Ukhaantu Khan, the Mongol Emperor of the Yuan dynasty in China, travelled to Kol city en route to the coast at Cambay (in Gujarat) in 1341. According to Ibn Battuta, it would appear that the district was then in a very disturbed state since the escort of the Emperor's embassy had to assist in relieving Jalali from an attacking body of Hindus and lost an officer in the fight. Ibn Batuta calls Kol "a fine town surrounded by mango groves". From these same groves the environs of Kol would appear to have acquired the name of Sabzabad or "the green country".

In the reign of Akbar, Kol was made a Sirkar and included the dasturs of Marahra, Kol ba Haveli, Thana Farida and Akbarabad. Both Akbar and Jahangir visited Kol on hunting expeditions. Jahangir clearly mentions the forest of Kol, where he killed wolves.

During the time of Ibrahim Lodhi, Muhammad, son of 'Umar, was the governor of Kol. He built a fort at Kol and named the city Muhammadgarh, after himself, in 1524–25. Sabit Khan, who was then the governor of this region, of Farrukh Siyar and Muhammad Shah, rebuilt the old Lodhi fort and named the town after himself: Sabitgarh. The ruler of Koil was Bargujar Raja Rao Bahadur Singh whose ancestors ruled it from A.D 1184 after the marriage of the Raja of Koil, Ajit Singh's daughter to Raja Pratap Singh, a Bargujar Rajput.

In early 1753, the Bargujar Chief rose against the destruction of Hindu temples. The Jat ruler, Surajmal, with help from Jai Singh of Jaipur and the Muslim army, occupied the fort of Koil. TheBargujar Rajput, Raja Bahadur Singh, continued the battle from another fort and died fighting in the "Battle of Ghasera". All the women committed Jauhar. Koil was renamed Ramgarh and finally, when a Shia commander, Najaf Khan, captured it, he gave it its present name of Aligarh. Aligarh Fort (also called Aligarh Qila), as it stands today, was built by French engineers under the command of French officers Benoît de Boigne and Perron.

Battle of Aligarh (1803)

General Lord Gerard Lake who oversaw the Battle of Ally Ghur

The Battle of Aligarh was fought on 1 September 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) at Aligarh Fort. The British 76th Regiment, now known as the Duke of Wellington's Regiment besieged the fort, which was under the control of the French officer Perron, and established British rule. In 1804, the Aligarh district was formed by the union of the second, third and fourth British divisions with the addition of Anupshahr from Muradabad and Sikandra Rao from Etawa. On 1 August 1804, Claude Russell was appointed the first Collector of the new district.

Establishment of Aligarh Muslim University (1875)

Main article: Aligarh Muslim University

In 1875, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh and patterned the college after Oxford and Cambridge, universities that he had visited on a trip to England. This later became the Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.

Geography

Location

Aligarh is located at the coordinates 27.88°N 78.08°E / 27.88; 78.08. It has an elevation of approximately 178 metres (587 feet). The city is in the middle portion of the doab, the land between the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers. The G.T.Road passes through.

Towns and villages

Aligarh's neighborhoods include dhanauli near sikandra rao (by vikram singh faridabad)

Tehsil Khair

• Khair
• Jattari
• Haridaspur
• Vaina
• tappal

Tehsil Iglas

• Iglas
• Gonda
• Rajawal,gonda gorai road ,near 6 km from gonda,up (vinod chaudhary)
• Chhoti Ballah
• Uttampur
• Parta Nagla
• Beswan
• Mangarhi
• Ghanghauli prashant
• Gurjnagaria, gonda gorai road, near 4.5 km from gonda, UP
• Baksa (Sachin Kumar Chaudhary) Gindaura

Tehsil Gabhana

• Gabhana
• Somna
• Barauli Rao
• Basauli

Tehsil Kol

• Jawan Sikandarpur
• Jawan Vajidpur
• Kasimpur Power House
• Chhalesar
• Pala Kastali
• Talib Nagar
• Talaspur

Tehsil Atrauli

• Atrauli
• Chharra Rafatpur
• Gangiri
• Kauriaganj
• Jalali
• Harduaganj

Climate

Aligarh
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     15   21 7     14   24 9     7   30 14     5   37 20     13   40 25     48   39 27     230   34 26     235   32 25     144   33 24     48   32 19     2   28 12     7   22 8 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source: IMD
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.6   70 45     0.6   75 48     0.3   86 57     0.2   99 68     0.5   104 77     1.9   102 81     9.1   93 79     9.3   90 77     5.7   91 75     1.9   90 66     0.1   82 54     0.3   72 46 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Aligarh has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, typical of north-central India. Summers start in April and are hot with temperatures peaking in May. The average temperature range is 28–33 °C (82–91 °F). The monsoon season starts in late June, continuing till early October, bringing high humidity. Aligarh gets most of its annual rainfall of 800 millimetres (31 in) during these months. Temperatures then decrease, and winter sets in December, and continues till early February. Temperatures range between 12–16 °C (54–61 °F). Winters in Aligarh are generally mild, but fog and cold snaps sometimes occur.

Climate data for Aligarh
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	21 (70)	24 (75)	30 (86)	37 (99)	40 (104)	39 (102)	34 (93)	32 (90)	33 (91)	32 (90)	28 (82)	22 (72)	31 (87.8)
Average low °C (°F)	7 (45)	9 (48)	14 (57)	20 (68)	25 (77)	27 (81)	26 (79)	25 (77)	24 (75)	19 (66)	12 (54)	8 (46)	18 (64.4)
Precipitation mm (inches)	15 (0.59)	14 (0.55)	7 (0.28)	5 (0.2)	13 (0.51)	48 (1.89)	230 (9.06)	235 (9.25)	144 (5.67)	48 (1.89)	2 (0.08)	7 (0.28)	768 (30.25)
Source: IMD

Demographics

Religions in Aligarh
Religion			Percent
Hindus			50%
Muslims			48%
Jains			1%
Others†			1%
Distribution of religions †Includes Sikhs (0.2%), Buddhists (<0.2%).

The provisional data of 2011 census showed the Aligarh urban area with a population of 12,09,559. Males outnumber females 482,828 to 426,731. The literacy rate was 70.54 per cent.

Economy

The city is an agricultural trade centre. Agricultural product processing and manufacturing are important.

Aligarh is an important business centre of Uttar Pradesh and is most famous for its lock industry. Aligarh locks are exported across the world. In 1870, Johnson & Co. was the first English lock firm in Aligarh. In 1890, the company initiated production of locks on a small scale here.

Aligarh is also famous for brass hardware and sculpture. Today, the city holds thousands of manufacturers, exporters and suppliers involved in the brass, bronze, iron and aluminium industries.

Harduaganj Thermal Power Station (also referred as Kasimpur Power House) is 15 km from the city. Narora Atomic Power Station is located 50 km from Aligarh. Despite its proximity to two large power stations, frequent power cuts are normal in Aligarh.

Aligarh hosts Heinz-sauce manufacturing unit in Manzurgarhi, Satha sugar factory on the Aligarh-Kasimpur Power House route and a cement factory.

Locations of note

Cultural landmarks

Christ church in Naqvi Park, a lesser known part of Aligarh.

Aligarh has several popular landmarks. One is Aligarh fort. The Dor fortress (1524), now in ruins, lies at the city's centre; its site is in the area now called Upper Kot and is occupied by an 18th-century mosque.

Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences at Tijara House is another sightseeing place where one can see a library on the history of medicine and history of science and a museum on Indian heritage and culture. It was built by Unani Physician and philanthropist Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman.

The Annual Cultural Exhibition, popularly known as Numaish, is held at the exhibition ground in January and February.

Many cultural-based institutes are in Aligarh city. Examples include Sangeetikaat Centre Point, Durga Sanskratik Kala Kendra, and the Sanskar Bharti(Cultural wing of Rastriya Swyamsevak Sangh).

Places of worship

Another landmark is Sir Syed Masjid in Aligarh Muslim University's campus.

The city contains tombs of Muslim saints. Aligarh has a very renowned tomb, Baba Barchi Bahadur, at Kath Pula. Christ Church and Church of Ascension are two famous churches in the city .

Church of Ascension, Aligarh.

Another old Jain temple with fresco painted ceilings is located behind Khirni Gate Police Chowky at Agra Road in the main City.

One famous Jainism Teerth Dhaam "Mangalayatan Teerth Dhaam" was built at Agra Road.

Markets and shopping

Notable markets of Aligarh include the Centre Point Market, Railway Road Market, Phool chorha, Jamalpur Market, Shamshad Market, Mahavir Ganj, (Houseking Locks) Mohammad Ali Road,Upper Fort (known as Uppar Kot),is the best place for shopping for brand Locks.Tasweer Mahal and Amir Nisha. Centre Point Market is the best place for shopping for brand enthusiasts.

Railway Road and Amir Nisha markets are the major shopping hubs. Shamshad Market and Achal Tal Market are noted for educational book stores. Mahavir Ganj has a grocery focus.

Entertainment

In Aligarh, mall culture is gaining prominence; many malls are under construction. 'Cineplexes and multiplexes'

• Nandan
• Grand Surjit 3D Cinema
• Vadra Big Cinema(Adlabs)
• Meenakshi cinema
• Apsara
• Novelty
• Tasveer Mahal
• Nishat
• Lakshmi
• Krishna
• Gold Cinema Multiplex (under construction)
• Sodhi Miniplex (under construction)
• Oasis Mall (under construction)
• Ozone Mall (under construction)
• PVR Cinemas (under construction)
• Big Cinemas (under construction)
• PAYAL ODITORIUM and Music School (By Golden Group) (Under construction)

Media

Aligarh currently has 2 FM Radio stations:

• 92.7 MHz Big FM
• 101.3 MHz All India Radio,

Hindi Newspapers include Dainik Jagran, Pravada, Hindustan, Crime AND police, Amar Ujala, Avadh Nama, Punjab Kesari, DLA. . HT Media Ltd has recently come out with printing facilities in Aligarh.

Organisations

Social organisations in Aligarh city, include Rotary Club, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at Dwarikapuri, Vishwa Hindu Parishad at G.T. Road, Manav Upkar Samiti, Bharatiya Sewa Sansthan, Aligarh, Chetana Jagrati Punj . Kala Jagriti Samiti, and Golden Group and Wellfere Trust by GOLDIES and Sanskar Bharti Ekta Aligarh at Sasni Gate

Transportation

Aligarh is well-connected to other cities. The Grand Trunk Road, passes through Aligarh on its way to Bengal.

The two main bus terminals are the Masoodabad Bus Terminal and Gandhi Park Bus Terminal. Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses serve cities all over the state and cities in Uttranchal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. Aligarh Junction is the primary railway station for Aligarh city and is a major stop on the Delhi-Kolkata route. It connects Aligarh to the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, north-east and most of Uttar Pradesh, and important cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhopal, Gwalior, Lucknow, Jhansi, Puri, Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi and Jaipur. The station runs about 70 Mail/ Express/ E.M.U Trains daily. A third railway line between Aligarh and Ghaziabad has development. The 106.15-km line cost Rs 400 crore. City buses, tempos and rickshaw are convenient commuting options.

Approved projects

An international airport has been approved by the Government in Bldev (Mathura) about 70 km from the city centre.

Notable personalities

• Mohammad Habib (1895–1971), noted Indian historian and served as Professor Emeritus at Aligarh Muslim University
• Irfan Habib, eminent Indian historian and Professor Emeritus at Aligarh Muslim University
• Gopaldas Neeraj, poet, recipient of Padma Bhushan
• Akhlaq Mohammed Khan, pen name Shaharyar, Urdu poet, Bollywood lyricist and served as Professor at Aligarh Muslim University
• Prem Kishore Patakha, Hindi Humorous Poet
• Bharat Bhushan, Bollywood actor, scriptwriter and producer
• Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Unani physician and author
• Qurratulain Hyder, a Padma Bhushan, Urdu novelist, writer and journalist
• Chandrachur Singh, Bollywood actor
• Annu Raj Singh, international shooter
• Shad Khan, anchor, actor and director
• Ravindra Jain, Bollywood music director
• Piyush Chawla, Cricketer

Further reading

• Aligarh in My Days (Interviews of former Vice Chancellors of Aligarh Muslim University), Ed. Syed Ziaur Rahman, Non-Resident Students' Centre, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 1997.
• Atkinson, Edward (1875, reproduced 2010). Descriptive And Historical Account Of The Aligarh District. Nabu Press. ISBN 1-147-42719-4.