Alwar | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Scenic view of Alwar city (RJ) from Bala Qila | |
| Nickname: Scotland of Rajasthan | |
  Alwar  Alwar | |
| Coordinates:27°33′00″N76°38′10″E / 27.550°N 76.636°E /27.550; 76.636 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Rajasthan |
| District | Alwar |
| Established | 1106 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Alwar Municipal Corporation |
| Area | |
• City | 202 km2 (78 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 268 m (879 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• City | 505,000 |
| • Rank | 8th in Rajasthan |
| • Density | 2,500/km2 (6,470/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 583,000 |
| Demonym | Alwariya |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 301001, 301002 |
| ISO 3166 code | RJ-IN |
| Vehicle registration | RJ-02 |
| Website | Alwar Municipal Corporation Alwar District |
Alwar (Rajasthani Pronunciation:[əlʋəɾ]) is a city located in India'sNational Capital Region (NCR) and the administrative headquarters ofAlwar District in the state ofRajasthan. It is located 150 km south ofDelhi and 150 km north ofJaipur.
There are several theories about the derivation of the name Alwar.Alexander Cunningham, the British Indian archeologist, believed that the city derived its name from the Salva tribe and was originally Salwapur, then Salwar, Halawar and eventually Alwar, According to another school it was known as Aravalpur or the city ofAravali.
Some others opine that the city is named afterKhanzada Alawal Khan Mewati (theMuslim Khanzada prince who wrested Alwar from Nikumbh Rajputs)[citation needed]. A research conducted during the reign of Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar revealed that Maharaja Alaghraj, second son of Maharaja Kakil ofAmber. ruled the area in the eleventh century and his territory extended up to the present city of Alwar. He founded the city of Alpur in 1106 Vikrami Samvat (1049 A.D.) after his own name which eventually became Alwar[citation needed]. It was formerly spelt as Ulwar but in the reign of Jai Singh the spelling was changed to Alwar[citation needed]. Some sources say that the name Alwar comes from the Persian word timber.[1][better source needed]
The ancient name of Alwar isSalva or Salwa.[2][3]Alwar was a part of theMatsya Kingdom, one of the 16 ancientMahājanapadas.[4] In lateVedic texts (such as theJaiminiya Brahmana), theSalva orSalvi tribe is described as a non-Vedic tribe that occupiedKurukshetra and conquered theKuru kingdom.[5]
The Salvas settled along theYamuna river and the Alwar province ofRajasthan after attacking theKuru kingdom, and they later acceptedVedic culture by the end of the Vedic era as they converged with the remaining Kurus and theSurasena mahajanapada, nearMatsya kingdom.[6]
Alwar was ruled by multiple dynasties. Notable dynasties included theJadauns of Karauli,Nikumbh Rajputs, theKhanzada Rajputs, theBadgujar Rajputs,Gaur rajputs and theRao Sahab of Rewari who took the control over this area. TheMaratha Empire also ruled this region for a short period. Rao Raja of Rewari, captured the Alwar Fort from the Rajput Naruka and laid down the foundation for modern day Alwar.Wali-e-Mewat Raja Khanzada Alawal Khan, Bahadur, son of Khanzada Zakaria Khan Mewati, was the Khanzada Rajput ruler of Mewat from 1485 till 1504.[1] He was succeeded by his son Hasan Khan Mewati as Wali-e-Mewat in 1504. In 1492 he won Bala Quila from Nikumbh Rajputs to stop the practice of human sacrifice.[2] It is also believed that the city of Alwar is named after him.
Hemchandra Vikramaditya (Hemu), born in Machari, Rajgarh, a village in Alwar, was a Hindu emperor of North India during the 16th century. This was a period when the Mughals and Afghans were vying for power in the region. Hemu captured Delhi on 7 October 1556 after defeating theMughal forces in the Battle of Delhi in the Tughlaqabad area in Delhi, and became thede facto emperor. He won twenty-two battles in succession and became the last Hindu emperor of Delhi. In 1556, after his defeat in theSecond Battle of Panipat, he was executed and Mughal regime was restored in North India. In 1781, the Battle of Mandan fought between Raos of Rewari under leadership of Mitrasen and Rajput Sardar Shardul helped by Mughals. Both side seen heavy casualties with only 6000 Ahirs defeated 25000 rajput forces. The whole area annexed by Raos of Rewari.[7]
The princely state ofAlwar was established in 1770 by aKachwaha Rajput namedPratap Singh Naruka who was earlier ajagirdar of "Dhai Gaon" (two-and-a-half villages) near Machari. His successor, Bakhtawar Singh Naruka, was defeated after launching an armed incursion into neighbouringJaipur State (ruled by their Kachwaha seniors, erstwhile overlords of his predecessor) and being forced to accept the consequent treaty mediated byEast India Company prohibiting him from political relations with other states without the consent of the colonial British.[8] According to the "Gazetteer of Ulwar" published by theBritish Raj, Alwar State was subdivided into four regions:
Alwar acceded to thedominion of India following theindependence of India in 1947. On 18 March 1948, the state merged with three neighbouring princely states (Bharatpur,Dholpur andKarauli) to form theMatsya Union. On 15 May 1949, it was united with neighbouringprincely states[which?] and the territory ofAjmer to form the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan. Alwar was designated as part of theNational Capital Region, resulting in additional development projects including rapid-rail to Delhi and drinking water improvements.[15] The military cantonment of Itarana lies on the outskirts of Alwar.
The Fairy Queen, a national treasure (cultural artifact) of India and the world's oldest working locomotive engine (c. 1855 CE),[16] operates as a touristluxury train between Delhi and Alwar. In 1998 it was listed in theGuinness Book of Records as the world's oldest steam locomotive in regular service. TheFairy Queen runs on the same route as thePalace on Wheels, thetourist train launched in 1982, and was awarded the National Tourism Award in 1999.
Bala Qila (lit. 'High Fort'), also known as Alwar Fort, is a fort approximately 300 meters above the city, Situated on theAravalli Range, the fort is 5 kilometres long and about 1.5 kilometres wide with turrets, a large gate, a temple, and a residential area.[17][citation needed]
_Alwar-001.jpg)
The City Palace, also known as Vinay Vilas Mahal, built in 1793 CE by Raja Bakhtawar Singh, blends the Rajputana and Islamic architectural styles and has marble pavilions on lotus-shaped bases in its courtyard. The foundations of the City Palace, was constructed by Maharaja ofParmarRajputs in 928 CE. The palace housesGovernment Museum, Alwar with a collection of manuscripts, including one depicting EmperorBabur’s life, Ragamala paintings and miniatures, and historic swords that once belonged toMuhammad Ghori, EmperorAkbar andAurangzeb; and a golden Durbar hall. This palace that once belonged to the Maharaja (lit. Great Ruler) has now been converted into a District Administrative office also housing the District Court.[18]
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, aNational Park andTiger Reserve, is located in theAravali hills only a few kilometres away from Alwar. Declared a Wildlife reserve in 1955 and a National Park in 1982, it is the first reserve in the world to have successfully relocated tigers. The sanctuary, which became a part of India'sProject Tiger in 1978, also preserves other species including rare birds and plants.[19] In addition to its biodiversity, Sariska is also home to ancient temples and historical ruins, adding cultural significance to its natural beauty.
Bhangarh Fort, is a 17th-century fort built byBhagwant Das for his younger sonMadho Singh I.[disputed (for: Identity of father/son are being discussed elsewhere) –discuss] The fort, a monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and is known for its association to legends and paranormal activities,[20] is a tourist attraction for visitors across the world.[21]
Siliserh Lake is 19th century lake created by Maharaja Vijay Singh of Alwar, situated 8 miles southwest of Alwar.
Hill Fort Kesroli, a 14th-century fort, has now been converted into and is conserved as a heritage hotel.[22]
As of 2019, the most common modes of medium-distance transport in Alwar are government-owned services such as flights, as well as privately operated lok pariwahan buses, taxis and auto rickshaws. Bus services operate from the Alwar old Bus Station which is 5 km away from the Alwar railway junction. In addition to this it is also planned that a metro rail system from Delhi to Alwar via Behror route will be started. The nearest airports to Alwar areIndira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi (143 km away),Jaipur International Airport (150 km away), and an airport currently under development in Bhiwadi airport (90 km away).Alwar Junction railway station, on theDelhi–Jaipur line, is connected withDelhi,Jaipur, andMumbai. Alwar is connected by roads from major cities ofRajasthan and nearby states.[23][24][25]
Alwar is located at27°34′N76°36′E / 27.57°N 76.6°E /27.57; 76.6. It has an average elevation of 271 m (889 ft). The Ruparail River is a major river near the city. Alwar is fairly rich in mineral wealth; it produces marble, granite, feldspar, dolomite, quartz, limestone, soap stone, barites, copper clay, copper ore and pyrophylite.[26]
Alwar has ahot semi-arid climate (KöppenBSh) with long, sweltering summers and short, warm to very warm winters. The average maximum temperature in the summers is 41 °C (106 °F) with an average minimum of 28 °C (82 °F). The winter temperature falls in the range of 21 °C (70 °F) to 8 °C (46 °F). Alwar experiences a short monsoon. The average annual rainfall is about 67 centimetres or 26 inches, which mostly falls in July and August when the monsoon is most active.[27] The highest temperature ever recorded in Alwar is 50.6 °C (123.1 °F) on 10 May 1956 and the lowest −0.8 °C (30.6 °F) recorded on 12 January 1967. Alwar held the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in India until 2016, whenPhalodi inJodhpur district recorded 51.0 °C (123.8 °F) on 19 May 2016.
| Climate data for Alwar (1991-2020, extremes 1956–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.0 (84.2) | 35.0 (95.0) | 39.9 (103.8) | 46.4 (115.5) | 50.6 (123.1) | 47.3 (117.1) | 43.8 (110.8) | 41.2 (106.2) | 40.1 (104.2) | 40.6 (105.1) | 35.6 (96.1) | 29.7 (85.5) | 50.6 (123.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20.5 (68.9) | 24.5 (76.1) | 30.8 (87.4) | 37.2 (99.0) | 40.1 (104.2) | 38.4 (101.1) | 33.4 (92.1) | 31.7 (89.1) | 32.6 (90.7) | 32.6 (90.7) | 27.7 (81.9) | 22.5 (72.5) | 31.0 (87.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.9 (57.0) | 17.5 (63.5) | 23.4 (74.1) | 29.7 (85.5) | 33.3 (91.9) | 33.1 (91.6) | 29.6 (85.3) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.0 (82.4) | 26.0 (78.8) | 20.9 (69.6) | 15.7 (60.3) | 24.9 (76.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 10.7 (51.3) | 15.7 (60.3) | 21.5 (70.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 27.9 (82.2) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.2 (77.4) | 23.8 (74.8) | 19.5 (67.1) | 14.5 (58.1) | 9.5 (49.1) | 19.0 (66.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −0.8 (30.6) | 2.4 (36.3) | 7.3 (45.1) | 11.2 (52.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 20.7 (69.3) | 20.6 (69.1) | 20.1 (68.2) | 16.8 (62.2) | 12.0 (53.6) | 6.1 (43.0) | 1.4 (34.5) | −0.8 (30.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 14 (0.6) | 17 (0.7) | 12 (0.5) | 12 (0.5) | 19 (0.7) | 72 (2.8) | 190 (7.5) | 223 (8.8) | 86 (3.4) | 15 (0.6) | 7 (0.3) | 5 (0.2) | 672 (26.6) |
| Average rainy days | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 61 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 61 | 52 | 38 | 24 | 27 | 43 | 69 | 76 | 64 | 46 | 48 | 56 | 50 |
| Mean dailysunshine hours | 8.8 | 9.7 | 10.6 | 11.5 | 12.1 | 11.8 | 9.4 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 10.1 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 10.0 |
| Source 1:India Meteorological Department[28] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Climate Data[29] | |||||||||||||
Alwar has been ranked 40th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 2 3-10L Population cities) in India.[30]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1891 | 52,400 | — |
| 1901 | 56,700 | +8.2% |
| 1911 | 41,300 | −27.2% |
| 1921 | 44,800 | +8.5% |
| 1941 | 54,100 | +20.8% |
| 1951 | 57,900 | +7.0% |
| 1961 | 72,700 | +25.6% |
| 1971 | 100,800 | +38.7% |
| 1981 | 140,000 | +38.9% |
| 1991 | 210,100 | +50.1% |
| 2001 | 266,203 | +26.7% |
| 2011 | 341,422 | +28.3% |
| Source:[31] | ||
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 90.71% | |||
| Islam | 4.26% | |||
| Sikhism | 2.61% | |||
| Jainism | 2.13% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.29% | |||
| Distribution of religions | ||||
At the time of the 2011 census, the population of Alwar city and Alwar district were 341,422 and 3,674,179 respectively.[33][34]
At the time of the 2011 census, 63.61% of the population recorded their language asHindi, 3.43%Punjabi and 1.60%Mewati as their first language.[35]
Raj Rishi Bhartrihari Matsya University was established in 2012–13. Alwar has several schools such as Alwar Public School, Shri Oswal Jain Senior Secondary School, St. Anselm's Senior Secondary School,Kendriya Vidyalaya, Adinath Public School, Knowledge City School, Chinar Public School, Lords International School, Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Step By Step Senior Secondary School, Raath International School, National Academy and Silver Oak, and colleges (Raj Rishi college, Siddhi Vinayak College, Presidency College, Government Law College, KCRI College, IET College). TheEmployee's State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College started operating from 2017.[36]
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alwar".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 755.
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