Meerut (Hindi: मेरठ, Urdu: میرٹھ) is a metropolitan city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is an ancient city located 70 km (43 mi) northeast of the national capital New Delhi, and 453 km (281 mi) northwest of the state capital, Lucknow. It is a part of the National Capital Region of India. It is the second Largest city of National Capital Region of India after Delhi, the 16th largest metropolitan area in India and the 17th largest city in India. It ranked 292 in 2006 and 242 in 2010 in the list of largest cities and urban areas in the world and is the second fastest developing city in Uttar Pradesh (after Noida). It covers an area of about 172 km2 (66 sq mi). The total metropolitan area is 198 km2 (76 sq mi), which is the third largest in Uttar Pradesh after Lucknow and Kanpur. It has the 2nd largest army cantonment in the country.
Etymology
The city may have derived its name from maya Rashtra, the capital of the kingdom of Mandodari's father, Ravana's father-in-law, Mayasura. This name may have mutated to Mairashtra, Mai-dant-ka-khera, Mairaath and eventually Meerut.
According to another version Maya, a distinguished architect, got from king Yudhishther the land on which the city of Meerut now stands and he called this place Mayrashtra, a name which in course of time became shortened to Meerut. Tradition are so has it that the district formed part of the dominions of Mahipal, Gujjar king of Indraprashta and the word Meerut is associated with his name.
History
After the archaeological excavations at ‘Vidura-ka-tila’, a collection of several mounds, in 1950-52, a site 37 km (23 miles) north-east of Meerut, it was concluded to be remains of the ancient city of Hastinapur, the capital of Kauravas and Pandavas of Mahabharata, which was washed away by Ganges floods.
However, even before the vedic period, Meerut contained a Harappan settlement known as Alamgirpur. It was also the Easternmost settlement of the Indus valley civilization. Meerut had been a centre of Buddhism in the period of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (r. 273 BC to 232 BC.), and remains of Buddhist structures were found near the Jama Masjid in the present day city. The Ashoka Pillar, at Delhi ridge, next to the ‘Bara Hindu Rao Hospital’, near Delhi University, was carried to Delhi from Meerut, by Firuz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351 - 1388), it was later damaged in a 1713 explosion, and restored in 1867.
During the rule of Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great (r. 1556-1605), there was a mint for copper coins here.
Meerut is famously associated with the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company, known as First Indian War of Independence or The Sepoy Mutiny (as the British called it). The famous slogan "Dilli Chalo" ("Let's march to Delhi!") was first raised here. Meerut cantonment is the place where the rebellion started when Hindu and Muslim soldiers were given rifle cartridges rumoured to have a coating made of animal fat.
During this revolt, Meerut leapt into international prominence, when on 24 April 1857 eighty-five of the ninety troopers of the third cavalry refused to touch the cartridges and after court-martial were sentenced to ten years imprisonment. On Sunday, 10 May 1857, these soldiers, supported by other soldiers, escaped the prison and declared themselves free, attacked and killed several British authorities to take the city in their control. This marked the beginning of a widespread revolt across northern India as these soldiers marched towards Delhi. 10 May is still celebrated as a local holiday in Meerut.The bullet wrapping was to be opened by mouth before use, which affected the religious sensibilities of both Muslims and Hindus as the fat used was alleged to be derived from lard and tallow; cows are held sacred by Hindus and Muslims consider the pig unclean. Meerut soldiers set fire to the bungalows of English. From the city of Meerut the revolt started in all India.
Meerut was also the venue of the controversial Meerut Conspiracy Case in March 1929, in which several trade unionists, including three Englishmen, were arrested for organizing Indian-rail strike. This immediately caught attention back in England, inspired the 1932 play titled Meerut Prisoners, by Manchester street theatre group, the 'Red Megaphones', highlighting the detrimental effects of colonization and industrialization.
Geography
Meerut lies between 28°57’ to 29°02’N latitude and 77°40’ to 77°45’E longitude in the Indo-Gangetic plains of India.
Meerut Cantonment
Meerut Cantonment is the 2nd largest cantonment of India both in land area and population. It was established in 1803. It is the cleanest part of city and a beautiful sight at night. Meerut Cantonment is the place from where the Revolution of 1857 started. The Mall road is one of the oldest and most beautiful roads of Meerut and a very peaceful Dogra Temple is situated here. Mall road is surrounded with clean footpaths, statues and trees. A tank of Pakistan army is standing as an exception in cantonment. One of the most convenient clubs of the city, Wheelers Club, is situated in the cantonment. The cantonment surrounds the city from 3 sides. A Race course, Golf course and RVC center are also situated in the cantonment.
Demographics
Meerut City is the headquarters of Meerut district which, according to the 2011 census, with a population of around 3.44 million.
District | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Total | 1,829,192 | 1,618,213 | 3,447,405 |
Literacy | 82.91% | 65.69% | 74.80% |
Tourist destinations
Meerut, with its imminent history and luxuriant picturesque backdrop, has a well-developed tourism sector. The notable tourist destinations include:
- Jain temples of Hastinapur - According to Jain tradition, Hastinapur was one of the earliest Indian cities like Ayodhya and Kashi and came into existence during the time of Rishabhadeva (the first tirthankara) whose grandson, Somaprabha, was the first ruler of the place. It is also said to be the birth place of three Jain tirthankars, Shantinatha, Kunthnnath and Arahanatha.
- Jain Temple at Mohalla Teergaran - It is the oldest Jain temple of Meerut amongst 40 Jain temples. Its main statue is of Jain tirthanker Shantinath, which was built at the same time when the main statue of Jain Temple, Hastinapur was built. This temple is preserved by the Indian government for its old art work. The Digumber statues in the temple are really fascinating. Its full name is 'Shri Shantinath Digamber Jain Madir - Teergaran (Meerut)'.
- St. John's Church - This church was established by Chaplin Reverend Henry Fisher on behalf of the East India Company in 1819 in the cantonment area and was completed in 1822. It is considered one of the oldest churches in North India. The Church was dedicated to the people by Bishop Wilson. It has a seating capacity of 10,000 people. During the war of 1857, this church was the scene of heavy fighting between Indians and the British forces.
- Augarnath Temple - This grand temple(also known as Kalipaltan Mandir locally) is located at the site where the soldiers of the war of 1857 planned their operations. The old temple has been replaced by a modern version.
- The Jama Masjid was built by Hasan Mahdi, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi's Wazir (chief minister) in 1019 AD (older than the Qutb Minar). That makes it the first Masjid in North India. And although it was restored by Humayun, it is one of the oldest Muslim mosques in India.Qutb-ud-din Aybak is believed to have built the Maqbara of Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud (Baley Miyan). There are other mausoleams and mosques indicating the strong Muslim presence in Meerut.
- Martyr's Memorial (Shaheed Smarak)
- Gandhi Bagh - This centrally located garden has a very beautiful and serene environment. Locally known as "Company Garden", it has been present since before independence, when it got renamed to its current name. It runs a musical fountain show every evening. Earlier, the garden used to have multiple entrances like the one shown on the right, which were always kept open, and there was no entry fee. But now, only one entrance is kept open and a ticketing system with nominal charges has been put in place.
- Suraj Kund
- Chandi Devi Temple
- Mansa Devi Temple
- Bale Miyan ki Dargah
- Shahpeer Sahab ki Dargah - The Tomb of Shah Pir was erected by the empress Nur Jahan in honour of a local Muslim Hazrat Shahpeer. Shahpeer gate was built in 1829 by a local Jagirdar "Raja Ji". The tomb is adorned by intricate nakashi(stone painting). There is no roof on the main tomb. It is said that rain does not fall on the main tomb despite the fact that it has no roof. People say that Shahpeer was the Teacher of Mughal Emperor Jehangir. It is said that the tomb was built in 24 hours before Shahpeer's death and that's why it is incomplete. The tomb is listed by the Archaeological Survey of India as a national heritage monument.
- Shahi Eid Gaah (Capacity of 1,00,000 Namazi)
- Basilica of Our Lady of Graces, Sardhana (Sardhana Church)
- Parikshitgarh - The place is associated with and derives its name from King Parikshit of Hastinapur (the grandson of Arjuna). The fort was built by Parikshit and restored by Gurjar King Nain Singh in the eighteenth century.
- Baleni
