MUZAFFARNAGAR, Uttar Pradesh

Main Attraction: SANT SWAMI KALYANDEO JI MAHARAJ

Among the great sages, ‘munis’ and ‘sants’ of the country, Sant Swami Kalyandeo ji Maharaj is one who is said to be born in1876. Spontaneous instinct for ‘vairagya’ arose in his heart in his childhood. At the age of 10 years being ambiguous for ‘vairagya’ with intensive curiosity, he left his house for ‘tapasya’ in Uttara-khand hills. In 1900, getting ‘diksha of sanyas’ in the form of ‘Reti of Muni’ from the most respectable Sant Shiromani Swami Purnanand ji Maharaj he earned the name as Swami Kalyandeo. Inspired by the Nation’s father – Mahatma Gandhi, he served the poor day and night, pity and helpless ones, barefooted visiting them from village to village. 

For renovation of ‘Shuka - teerth’ (Shuktar), Swami ji constituted Shri Shukdev Ashram Society and to develop the sacred pilgrimage Shuktar (Shukratal), he constructed temples, ‘yagya shala’, ‘Bhagwat Bhawan’, Sanskrit vidyalaya, cow-sheds, hermitages etc in a handsome number and also with his efforts the facilities of roads, electricity, post office, telecommunication, police statipon, various inns, ashrams etc could be attained. With his devotion to mankind and hard labour, near about 300 institutions have been established and his dream of making the Shukratal, the “Heaven of the today’s earth”, came true. Swami ji realizes that service to mankind is the worship of God. He believes in simple living and high thinking and likes to accept food and other eatables from the poor and farmers in place of accepting valuables and precious gifts from the rich section of the society. On account of his meritorious social services rendered towards the nation he was honoured with ‘Padmashri’ and with ‘Padambhushan’ by the then His Excellency The President of India.

Brief History

The district is named after its headquarters town, Muzaffarnagar, which was founded in the reign of Shahjahan at the site of an old town known as Sarot or Sarwat. Abdul Muzaffar Khan, a minister of the emperor Shahjahan, received from him in jagir forty villages in Parganas Khatauli and Sarwat, along with the title Khan-i-Jahan Shah-Jahani. Sarwat was the chief town of his possessions but it was at that time almost deserted. Khani-Jahan started building a new town near Sarwat on lands taken from Sujru and Khera. He founded the city of Muzaffarnagar in 1633 with lands of KHERA & SUJRU. It was, however, completed by his son, Abdul Mansur Khan and named Muzaffarnagar after his late father Abdul Muzaffar Khan. The name did not remain restricted to the town only and in course of time the district also came to be called Muzaffarnagar.

The early history of the district is associated with Rigveda when the entire region of doab of Ganga and Yamuna was called Madhyadesha. It came into prominence when the Aryans settled here and developed their culture and civilization. According to the traditional history as gleamed from Purans and the epics, the earliest known king who ruled over this part was Pureravas Aila, progenitor of the Lunar dynasty. During Mahabharata about 1400 BC, the district was part of Kuru Empire under Parikshita, grandson of Arjun, the third of the five Pandav brothers. It may be surmised from Buddha literature that the area of the district in the 6th century B.C. was forming a part of Kuru Mahajanpad. The coins and archaeological findings conjecture that the district was dominated by Mauryan rulers, Shungas and Kushanas.

In the middle of the seventh century A.D. it was included in the principalities under the king Harsha. These territories were visited by Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang. During the Muslim rulers, the area formed part of Delhi Sultanate and was ruled by Mohammad Ghauri and then ruled by Mohammad Tughlaq. After the battle of Taraori in 1192 A.D., Prithvi Raj chauhan was defeated and the domination of the district came under the sway of Shahab-ud-din Ghauri. He left Qutab-ud-din Aibak as incharge of his conquered territories to hold over his possession including the area covered by this district. But the Jats who by now had risen into prominence in the district did not allow the Muslim conquerors to establish themselves in 1398-99 A.D., the district was overrun by invading hordes of Temur from Central Asia.

Towards the latter half of the 14th century Saiyeds of Bahra influenced the local history of the district. Later on this district was adopted by the Saiyeds of different clans. During Mughal period this area became a favorite resort of royal nobles of Mughal court and many of them obtained JAGIRS here. The history of Barha Saiyeds is intimately connected with this district. But the derivation of word BARHA is very uncertain. In later part of Munhall era famous Saied brothers Hasaan and Abdulla have great influence.

In the Mughal period, Babar in his fifth expedition passed down the doab through this district. In the days of Akbar, the entire district belonged to Sarkar of Saharanpur with the exception of Pargana Kandhla, which was then part of Sarkar of Delhi. At that time Pargana of Muzaffarnagar was known as Sarvat, later on this was changed to Muzaffarnagar in the empire of Shahjahan when Sarwat and Khatauli were bestowed upon Saiyed Muzaffar Khan Khan-i-jahan, in the honour of whom the town Muzaffarnagar was founded. Sikhs came next plundering the towns of Bhat, Saharanpur and Ambahta. The period of 1707 to 1720 was their prime time. But after fall of Saiyed brothers the political scenario changed and Muzaffarnagar was plundered by Sikhs and other adventurers.

After the capture of Meerut and execution of Ghulam Qadir in 1788 the Marathas marched northwards through doab and annexed the northern districts of which Ghani Bahadur of Banda became the first Governor. After the conquest in 1803 by the British, the district was attached to Moradabad. In August 1804 the area comprising the present district of Muzaffarnagar was assigned to Saharanpur. For the first two years the part of the district was administered by resident of Delhi. It was in 1824 when the district was formed by creating a sub-collectorship at Muzaffarnagar. Soon the British established themselves in India and 1826 Muzaffarnagar became a revenue district of East India Company regime. In 1826 sub-collectorship was converted into regular district and further changes took place. Consequent upon the settlement of 1838-40 the next great series of change took place in 1841. In 1853 settlement villages from Meerut transferred to Muzaffarnagar district and the process continued to the next successive settlements of 1860-68.

The district has a history of active participation in freedom struggle during twentieth century. The people of the district took part in all the movements initiated by the great national leaders. During the first struggle for freedom in 1857 a lot of action was done in the District. During that period British property was destroyed and treasury was looted. British officers and soldiers were killed. But this reprisal against British rule was ruthlessly crushed. After those attempts the course of Indian National Movement changed and the Indian National Congress came into fore. The educated elite took the path of peaceful constitutional methods. On the 6th of April, 1919 office of Indian National Congers was opened. Freedom struggle in Muzaffarnagar was guided by the national movement in India. A lot of police atrocities took place in the district. Many freedom fighters were put in the jail on fabricated charges; but they refused to be cowed down. In 1939 the 10th district political conference was held at Muzaffarnagar on 23rd December, under the President-ship of Purshottam Das Tandon who appealed participants to suspend all aid to British government. 

The quit India movement of 1942 saw lots of activities in Muzaffarnagar also. Mr. Hardam Singh of Bherathru made the declaration of Independence. Lot of students of the district went to jails. But their enthusiasm was not weakened by the police torture. Mr. Keshav Gupta’s residence was the venue of the flag hoisting ceremony on the day of independence when India had ‘Tryst with Destiny'. Pt. Sunder Lal, Lala Hardayal, Shanti Narayan of Khatauli are some of the most famous names of intellectuals who were related to national movement. Apart from them there is an unending list of the persons who sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle. Liyakat Ali Khan the first Prime Minister of Pakistan was from Muzaffarnagar. Thus we have tried to scan through the historical out lines of the district. From the period of Harrapan culture to present day Muzaffarnagar has been full of activities and always in the news.