History of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh

History of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh

 On   3rd  of  May   has announced the creation of a  new district  named Hathras by merging some tehsils of district Aligarh and Mathura  in the Hathras tehsil of Aligarh.The notification of creating District Hathras 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 .