Bijnor district

Bijnor district is one of the 75 districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters. The government of Uttar Pradesh seeks it to be included in National Capital Region (NCR) due to its close proximity to NCT of Delhi.
Bijnor is notable for its sugarcane production and mills, with two of the top five sugar mills situated in the district.
History
Bijnor district was created in 1817 out of part of Moradabad district, and it was originally called Nagina district after its headquarters at Nagina. The headquarters was relocated to Bijnor in 1824, although the district was still called "Nagina district" until 1837, when it officially became known as Bijnor district.
Medieval history
In 1399, the district was ravaged by Timur. Later, during the time of Akbar, Bijnor was part of his Mughal Empire. In the early 18th century, the Rohilla Pashtuns established their independence in the area called by the Rohilkhand. Around 1748, the Rohilla chief Ali Mohammed Khan made his first annexations in Bijnor, the rest of which soon fell under the Rohilla domination. The northern districts were granted by Ali Mohammed Khan to Khurshid Ahmed Baig, who gradually extended his influence west of the Ganges and at Delhi, receiving the title of Najib-ud-daula with the position of the paymaster of the Mughal forces. Marathas invaded Bijnor who was also instigated by enemies of Rohillas, leading to several battles. Rohilla chief, Najib, who sided with Ahmad Shah Abdali in Panipat, was made vizier of the empire.
Colonial era
In 1772 the Nawab of Oudh made a treaty with the Rohillas, to expel the Marathas in return for a money payment. Nawab of Oudh carried out his part of the bargain, but the Rohilla chieftains refused to pay. In 1774 the Nawab concluded with the East India Company government of Calcutta a treaty of alliance, and he then called upon the British, in accordance with its terms, to supply a brigade to assist him in enforcing his claims against the Rohillas. This was done; in the Rohilla War, the Rohillas were driven beyond the Ganges to the east, and Bijnor was incorporated in the territories of the nawab, who in the same year (1774) ceded it to the British East India Company. During the rebellion of 1857, Bijnor was occupied by the Nawab of Najibabad, a grandson of Zabita Khan, on 1 June. The Barha Sayyids of Bijnor, who were hereditary enemies of the Rohillas, threw their hat in their lot with the Rohillas Pashtuns and fought on their side almost to the last man during the rebellion. In spite of fighting between the Hindus and the Muslim Pashtuns, the Nawab succeeded in maintaining his position until 21 April 1858, when he was defeated by the British at Nagina.
Geography
Bijnor, or more correctly Bijnaur, occupies the north-west corner of the Moradabad Division (historically, Rohilkhand or Bareilly region).
The western boundary is formed throughout by the deep stream of the river Ganges, beyond which lie the four districts of Haridwar, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Meerut. To the north and north-east in the hill country of Garhwal, the dividing line being the submontane road, which runs from Haridwar along the foot of the Himalayas to Ramnagar, Nainital, Haldwani, and Tanakpur. This road, popularly known as the Kandi Sadak, belongs throughout its length to Garhwal, the transfer having taken place a few years since. On the east the Phika river for the greater part of its course constitutes the boundary, separating this district from Nainital and Moradabad, as far as its junction with the Ramganga; and to the south lie the Thakurdwara Tehsil of Moradabad. Amroha and Hasanpur tahsils of Amroha District. The boundary being conventional and undetermined by natural features. The extreme parallels of north latitude are 29° 2' and 29° 58' and of east longitude 78° 0' and 78° 57' from Lalitpur, the most northerly point, to koti Rao in the furthest eastern corner the distance in ; and from Koti Rao to Kamharia in the south-westerly angle ; and from Kamharia to Lalitpur . The total area of the district is liable to change slightly from time to time by reason of the erratic action of the Ganges and Ramganga: In 1906 it amounted to the average for the last five years being .
There remains the low fringe of Khadir along the Ganges to the west. This generally resembles the lowlands that skirt the rivers of the interior, the low flats which adjoin the stream itself being purely alluvial in character, while above them rises a terrace of higher ground extending inland as far as the chain of stagnant morasses lying immediately under the bangar cliff.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census Bijnor district has a population of 3,682,713, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the US state of Oklahoma. This gives it a ranking of 74th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 17.64%. Bijnor has a sex ratio of 913 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 70.43%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 21.38% and 0.08% of the population respectively.
Religion
Majority of the people of the district follow Hinduism followed closely by adherents of Islam. Sikhism is followed by a little more than one percent of the population. Jainism, Christianity and Buddhism have small number of adherents.
Languages
Hindi and Urdu are the official languages. At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 76.33% of the population of the district spoke Hindi, 22.53% Urdu and 0.96% Punjabi as their first language.
Government and administration
Politics
The MP of Bijnor is Malook Nagar. He represents Bahujan Samaj Party.
Assembly constituencies
Najibabad, Chandpur, Noorpur, Dhampur, Nagina (reserved), Bijnor, Barhapur, Nehtaur (Reserved)
Settlements
Urban
Afzalgarh city
Basi Kiratpur
Bijnor city
Chandok
Chandpur city
Dhampur city
Haldaur city
Jhalu town
Mandawar town
Nagina city
Najibabad city
Nehtaur
Noorpur city
Sahaspur town
Seohara town
Sherkot city
Rural
Askaripur
Bahupura
Harewali
Jhalri
Linderpur
Madhusudanpur Nand Urf Jhalra
Mandawali
Naseeri
Pakhanpur
Tajpur
Ratangarh
Shahzadpur
Umri
Economy
Bijnor district has a vast sugar industry with total nine sugar mills of which Dhampur mill and Bundki mill are among India's top sugar mills. Approximately 2.09 lakh hectares of land is dedicated to sugarcane farming.
Cuisine
Bijnor Urad Chawal
Bijnor Urad Chawal is a notable rice-based dish of the region. It is served in special occasions like marriage, with or without meat.
Notable people
Najib ad-Dawlah, Mughal serviceman and founder of Najibabad
Raashid Alvi, politician
Vishal Bhardwaj, film director and producer
Rahul Chaudhari, professional kabaddi player, gold medal winner in the 2016 South Asian Games as member of India national kabaddi team
Nazir Ahmad Dehlvi, Urdu novel writer, social and religious reformer
Bakht Khan, Indian rebel chief associated with Indian Rebellion of 1857
Dushyant Kumar, Hindi-language poet
Om Kumar, politician
Manoj Kumar Paras, politician
Jagdish Prasad Mathur, politician
Prakash Mehra, film director and producer
Shadab Nazar, first-class cricketer
Swami Omvesh, politician
Hamid Afaq Qureshi, historian
Azizur Rahman, politician
Lokendra Singh, politician
Meghna Singh, cricketer and member of the India women's national cricket team
Munshiram Singh, politician
Virendra Singh, Indian physicist
Suchi, politician
Tasleem, politician
Ruchi Veera, politician
Syed Sajjad Haider Yaldram, Urdu short story writer, travel writer, translator, linguist, essayist, and humorist
References
External links
Bijnor website
Districts of Uttar Pradesh
Minority Concentrated Districts in India