Jonaicha Khurd is a village of Neemrana tehsil and the Alwar district in Rajasthan state, India, with a population around 3,000. [[Khurd and Kalan]|Khurd and Kalan] are Persian language words which mean small and big respectively. When two villages have the same name then one is distinguished as Kalan (big) and the other Khurd (small) with the village name.
Location
Jonaicha Khurd is located at 28°01′23″N76°26′46″E / 28.023°N 76.446°E / 28.023; 76.446, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) inside the north-eastern border Rajasthan-Haryana. This village is the tapobhumi of Baba Kundandas Maharaj, one of the greatest saints of the area. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from National Highway number 8 (NH-8) at Shahajahanpur}. It is connected with all major cities of India by the best roads in the country. Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, is 100 kilometres (62 mi) away and the nearest railway station, Bawal, is 20 kilometres (12 mi) Joniacha Khurd is surrounded by Bani Jonaicha to the south, Sanseri and Jonaicha Kalan to the west, Gugalkota to the east and Khandoda (Haryana) to the north. One of the major tourist and industrial spots of the area, Neemrana, is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the village.
Baba Kundan Das Ji Maharaj
Jonaicha Khurd is the "karmbhumi" and "tapobhumi" of Baba Kundan Das Ji Maharaj. He claimed many paranormal powers including samādhi which he earned by practicing yoga. Today the "Dhuna" of Baba is a temple andplace to visit in the centre of the village both in terms of location and social activities. Important meetings, political gatherings and [kirtan]]s usually take place here including annual fairs. Married couples start their married life after taking the blessings of the holy saint. An annual fair is held on the 6th (chhath) of the Hindi month of Bhadrapada in his memory. Many sports competition such as wrestling (all-India level, witnessing the participation of many national level wrestlers), kabaddi and volleyball are major attractions of the fair.
Vedic Vankhandi Aashram
The ancient Indian teaching system and the vedic ashram concept are still alive in this village. This ashram has a vast lush green area including fruit trees, medicinal herbs and various other plants. It is open for everyone in terms of its resources and accessibility. People from all ages, castes and religions visit frequently in search of mental peace and good health.
Education
Jonaicha Khurd has a leading place in education in Neemranatehsil with an above national average literacy rate. It has one government co-educational secondary school and several private schools.
Political situation
Jonaicha Khurd is part of the Alwar constituency of the Lok Sabha of the Indian parliament[1] and of the Mundawar constituency of the state legislative assembly Vidhansabha. Until 2007, it was in the Behror legislative assembly seat. It is in Neemrana panchayat samiti and is the headquarter of Jonaicha Khurd Panchayat. Currently,[when?] both Loksabha (Alwar) and Vidhansabha (Mundawar) seats are held by the Bhartiya Janta Party.
Economy
The economy of Jonaicha Khurd was based mainly on agriculture and government jobs predominantly in teaching, the army and police services. In the last few years,[when?] this is undergoing a change because of the less remunerative nature of agriculture and more awareness about the importance of education. Now major contributing factors in the economy of the village are government and industrial jobs, business and agriculture. The proximity to various industrial hubs like Gurgaon, Shahajahanpur, Neemrana, Behror, Bhiwadi, Khushkhera and Alwar provides many jobs. The turnaround in the infrastructure of the village, especially telephone and road connectivity, coupled with the availability of electricity, have changed the image of an Indian village. This, in turn, is resulting in a higher family income and living standards.
Culture
The culture of the village has a vast influence of Haryana, which is no surprise because of its location on the Haryana-Rajasthan border. Rath is the main spoken language as of most of the Rath area. It comes close to the Haryanvi language. Jonaicha Khurd has a 100% Hindu population so the culture involves all of the Hindu festivals and rituals. The festival of light Deepawali, the colourful festival of Holi and the annual fairs are among the most awaited festivals. Since 1999, Jonaicha Khurd has hosted an annual multi-team cricket event, the Akhil Bharatiya (all-India) Baba Kundandas Smriti Cricket Pratiyogita (competition). This usually starts a few days before Diwali with a final on the great festival of light. Villagers take all the responsibilities for organising the competition including expenses and other preparations.
India