Nuh (Hindi/Urdu pronunciation: [nũːɦ]) is a city in the Indian state of Haryana with a predominant Muslim population. It is the administrative headquarter of the Nuh sub-division in Nuh district of Haryana.[1] It lies on the National Highway 248 (NH 48), also known as the Gurgaon-Sohna-Alwar highway, about 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Gurgaon. It is also a part of Delhi National Capital Region.[2]
It is 70 km from New Delhi. It is located in the far southwest area of Haryana.
History
Khanzada Rajput Era
At the time of the invasion of Timur in 1398, Bahadur Nahar, formerly known as Sonpar Pal, of the Jadu clan was the prominent king of the area, who constructed the Kotla Bahadur Nahar fort near Kotla lake at Kotla village of Nuh. Sonpar Pal converted to Islam in 1355 and adopted a new title, Raja Nahar Khan (not to be confused with Jat king Nahar Singh) by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq. He became the founder of Khanzada Rajputs. After the fall of Tughlaq dynasty in 1398, Nahar Khan reconciled with Timur. In 1420, during the era of Nahar Khan's grandson, Khanzada Feroz Khan, Mewat was attacked by Sultan Khizr Khan of Delhi Sayyid dynasty. The Mewati army fortified themselves for one year in Kotla Fort, after which the Delhi army retreated. In 1425, great-grandsons of Bahadur Nahar named Khanzada Jalal Khan and Khanzada Abdul Qadir Khan (Jallu and Qaddu) revolted against Delhi Sultanate but were defeated by Delhi Sultan Mubarak Shah ( 1421– 1434 CE) who overran Mewat and killed Qaddu. Jallu continued the native Mewati rebellion against the Delhi sultanate, in 1427, the Mewati army fortified themselves for one year in the hills of Tijara, after which the Delhi army retreated. In 1527, Hasan Khan Mewati, a descendant of Raja Nahar Khan, sided with the Rajput king Rana Sanga and they were defeated by Babur at Battle of Khanwa where Hassan Khan Mewati was killed by the Mughals and his son Naher Khan II ruled Mewat as a vassal of the Mughals.[4][5][6]
Mughal Era
Aurangzeb sent Jai Singh I to crush the revolting Khanzada chief Ikram Khan, jagir of Tijara a descendant of Raja Nahar Khan (through his son Malik Alaudin Khan). After the death of Aurangzeb, Bahadurgarh and Farrukhnagar in the north were under the Baloch nawab who were granted jagir in 1713 CE by Mughal king Farrukhsiyar; the central area of Badshapur was under Hindu Badgurjar king Hathi Singh and the south including Nuh were under the Jat king of Bharatpur State, Maharaja Suraj Mal. During the Maratha Empire the area was conquered by French generals in late 18th century and they granted Farukhnagar to George Thomas and Jharsa (Badshahpur) to Begum Sumro; the south area including Nuh remained under the Bharatpur Jat Kings and their vassal relatives, one of whom was Nahar Singh.[4][5][6]
Climate
The climate in Nuh is varied. The low temperature can reach 0 degrees Celsius, while the high temperature can go up to 45 degrees Celsius.[citation needed]
As of the 2001 India census,[8] Nuh had a population of 11,038. Males constitute 45% of the population and females 47%. Nuh has an average literacy rate of 54%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 63%, and female literacy is 44%. In Nuh, 20% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Visitor attractions and monuments
The town assumed importance at the time of Bahadur Singh of Ghasera because of the trade in salt manufactured in neighbouring villages. To the west of the town is a masonry tank of red sandstone featuring a chhatri adorned with floral designs. The tomb of Sheikh Musa combines Muslim and Rajput forms of architecture and is about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) from the town.
In 2018, five monuments were noted as state-protected monuments, including Ghasera fort, Chuhi Mal Ka Taalab, Old tehsil building in Nuh, Kotla mosque, and a group of monuments at Meoli.[9] Various ancient monuments of historical importance are scattered in this region, including:
The Nalhar Pandava Reservoir and Nalhshwar Mahadev Temple (Nalhar Shiv temple) are located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Nuh city within the U-shaped Nalhar valley surrounded by several picturesque peaks near Nalhar village in the foothills of Nalhar hills of Aravalli range. It can be reached by the Nalhar road from Nuh city through a large ceremonial Hindu religious gate short distance from the temple. There is also a natural reservoir at base of Kadamb tree higher up in the Nalhar hill, which can be reached by climbing 250 paved and iron stairsteps behind the Nalhar Shiva Temple. According to the popular oral tradition, Pandavas stayed here, prayed to the god Shiva and drank water from this reservoir during a visit in their 14 years long exile. Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Government Medical College is located nearby.[14][15] View from the top of Nalhar hill is the best.
Swami Gyan Giri found the temple in ruins. He restored it with the help of the local villagers and installed a natural lingam here which has the images of Aum, Shiva, Ganesha, Ganges, Janau and Naga. The temple is now managed by the Shri Shiv Rudra Jan Kalyan Sanstha headquartered in Mojowal near Nangal Dam. A large fair and bhandara (langar) is held on Maha Shivaratri.[14]
Kotla Fort, Kotla mosque and tomb of Bahadur Khan Nahar
The Kotla Fort and Tomb of Raja Nahar Khan in the Kotla Mosque are 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) from Nuh city in the Kotla village. Square-shaped Kotla mosque (dating back to 1392-1400 CE) on a plinth, with grey quartzite tomb and red carved sandstonejalis has inscription on the ruined gateway, was notified as a state protected monument in June 2018.[10][16]
Nuh System of Lakes, a collection of several lakes lying in each other's vicinity, includes the permanent swamp of Khalilpur lake 1,500 acres (610 ha) in size which gets flooded during rains, lies north-west of Nuh around Khalilpur and Indari villages on Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway, permanent swamp with standing water of Chandaini lake 1,500 acres (610 ha) in size which lies 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Khalilpur village, Sangil-Ujina lake is not a clearly defined basin of the lake as it carried only the overflow water in the rainy season from Khalilpur lake and other lakes, and Kotla Dahar lake at the foothills of Aravalli Range is the largest lake which is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) broad and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) long and lies across Nuh and Ferozpur Jhirka tehsils. Through a system of bunds and artificial drains the lakes of Khalilpur, Chandaini, and Kotla Dahar are drained by November to make the land available for cultivation.[4]
In 2018, the Haryana government released INR82 crore (820 million) to rejuvenate Kotla Lake and other lakes in the Nuh system of lakes, which will recharge the ground water and irrigate 27,000 acres of farm land.[17]
India