Hathras
Encyclopedia
Hathras is a city and a municipal board in Mahamaya Nagar district
(formerly Hathras district) in the India
n state
of Uttar Pradesh
. It is the headquarters of the district that was created on 3 May 1997 by incorporating parts of Aligarh, Mathura and Agra
districts. It forms a part of Aligarh Division. Hathras district was recently renamed Mahamaya Nagar.
Hathras lies within the Braj
region in Central or Middle Doab
, associated with the epic Mahabharata
and Hindu
mythology. The principal spoken language is Hindi
. Its dialect Braj Bhasha which is closely related to Khariboli
is spoken in this region.
Highways crossing. Temperature Variations are extreme Temperature Variations
, Rajput
and Maratha
rulers ruled over the region. In 1716 CE nearby Jaat ruler Raja Nandram’s son Bhoj Singh took over the rule of Hathras from the Rajput
rulers. After Bhoj Singh, his son Sadan Singh became the ruler of Hathras followed by his son Bhoori Singh. It is believed that during the reign of Bhoori Singh the temple of the Lord Balarama
was built in the fort of Hathras. At the end of the 18th century the kingdom was held by a Jat chieftain Indrajeet Singh Thainua, whose ruined fort (Quila) still stands at the east end of the town. The railway station there is called Hathras Quila. The region was annexed by the British in 1803, but insubordination on the part of the chief necessitated the siege of the fort in 1817. Every year “Lakkhi mela” is celebrated on “Dev Chatt” at the Lord Balram temple popularly known as "Dau Baba". Real great history of Hathras begins after Shri Bhoori Singh when his son Raja Dayaram was crowned in 1775 CE. In 1784 Scindia ruler Madhavrao I Scindia established his regime around Hathras.
Archaeological remains of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain culture and also of the Shung and Kushan period were found at many places in Hathras. Among these archaeological and historical places is the fort of Raja Dayaram located in the Hathras town from where Maurya
period Brown coloured pot of 2nd century B.C., Kushan period clay statue, ”Sapt Matrikafalam” etc . were found. Among old Temples the temple of Lord “Veereshwar Mahadev” is special .Shaiv rulers and Naag Rajas also dominated here , remains of there rule are scattered here and there .During the period of Nagavanshi Kshatriya Clan Rulers : Nair
s Seshavtara lord Balram Ji got great importance and his temples can be found in all of the region . Old broken statues which have great archeological value are still worshiped in the Braj region. The archeological remains and statues obtained here are kept in the Mathura Museum . The Jain Temple at “Nayaganj” tells the story of Jain Culture .samvat
1548 “Vi.” is written on the oldest statues here. More History is covered under the remains of forts of Sikandra Rao, Maho , Sasni etc. which can be the topic of further research. Remains of statues of the period of Buddhist were scattered in places like Sahpau , Lakhnoo etc ,many were collected and kept in the museum of Mathura and Jila Parishad Office at Aligarh . The Bhadra Kali temple of Sahpau also fall under the category of archeological temples. By writing “Ghat Ramayana” Sant Tulsi Saahab spread the fame of Hathras to far away places,his disciples gather in thousands at his grave at Siyal, Kila Gate, Hathras to express their devotion. In addition to the above mentioned temples the chain of temples contain “Bohrey Wali Devi”, “Chaubey wale Mahadev” temple, “Chinta Haran” temple, “Masani Devi“ temple, “Shri Naath Ji” ``Chamunda Maa`` temple at Chawar Gate, Lord “Varah” temple at Dibba Gali and many temples of Lord “Balram”. Among temples of rural area the temple of Lord Dauji Maharaj Ji is very special. Garhis, Hawelis and Forts whose remains still exist belong to old Jamindars. Nawab Mendu and Sadabad, Haweli of Jamindar of Laakhnu, Paharpur and Hasayan can be mentioned in this category.
After coming under British rule, Hathras rapidly rose to commercial importance. On October 19, 1875, first train ran between Hathras Road and Mathura Cantonment. Hathras city is now connected by Broad Gauge railway with Mathura Jn., and by a branch with Hathras junction, on the North Eastern line.
While the history of the city dates back to ancient times, it also appears that there was an ancient fort in Hathras at the site of the ruins of the modern day fort.
Hathras had a reckoning during India's freedom struggle too. Raja Mahendra Pratap, Munshi Gajadhar Singh, etc. were the eminent personalities from Hathras during the freedom struggle
.
. Cotton
milling, knives, asafoetida
(hing) and Desi Ghee
products were the main industries. The last two continue to thrive.Cotton Mill was there in Purana Mill Compound from Which Major Export of Cotton took place to different parts of the World. The chief articles of commerce are sugar and grain. Hathras is now also notable for Readymade Garments, Chemicals, Carpet, Artificial Moonga-Moti
, Hing, Brass, Artware and Hardware, Edible Oil, Beverage,Pulse etc.
Literature & Poetry: Hathras has stayed a seat of great works both in prose and poetry in various varieties and periods. It has been the home of the famous saint of 18th century Tulsi Sahib whose works consists of Shabdavali, Ratan Sagar & Ghat Ramayan.saint gaya prassad ji and Pandit Bansh Gopal tiwari known as most renowned vedantic personality from this city. Of the modern times, Prabhu Lal Garg famously known as ‘Kaka Hathrasi
’, a poet, musician and painter, has been the most renowned personality in this field from this city. He was conferred with the ‘Padamshree’ award by the Govt. of India. Kaka ke Kartoos (Bullets of Kaka), Kaka ke Prahasan, Kaka ki Cocktail, Kaka ki Phuljhariyan, Hasant-Basant, Kaka-Kaki ke Love Letters, etc. are some of his famous works. Even to this day, people of this place have an immense interest in poetry.
Music & Drama: The important folk songs of the city are the - Rasiya
while the traditional folk dance of the city is the Swang or Ras
. The city has been a regular centre for the development of these arts and has thrived on its cultural richness. The most eminent figure in this field has been Natharam Gaur, the master of the art of 'Swang & Nautanki
', a form of dramatics. A proponent of the legendary ‘Indaraman’ school of Swang his works include Amar Singh Rathore, Harishchandra, Siri Farhad etc. These traditional arts are still cheered all over the district and are frequently conducted round the year.
Architecture: The city still has many buildings from the old times with intricate designs on their facades and excellently carvings at their entrances. There are various Haveli
built by rich people in the past, Bagla ki Haveli is the famous one. The old havelis are mostly built of Red stone from Rajasthan and the style also imitates that of Rajasthani Havelis.
Eating Habits: The city is famous in the region for its sweets made from Desi Ghee
. Unlike nearby Mathura city which is famous for sweets made from milk and milk products, In Hathras sweets are mainly prepared from Ghee. These sweets are Sohan Halwa or Son Papdi
, Balushahi
, Jalebi
and Imarti
, Gajar Halwa, Mung Halwa. In the city there is a tradition and culture to distribute/ share sweets on celebrations and used as a gift on occasions. People living in the region love sweets and traditionally take sweets in their day to day life. There are several sweet-shops in every nook and corner of the city.
Chaat
is popular as a snack in the area which is mostly savoury snacks including Tikki
, Padake, Dahi Vada
etc.
In breakfast you will find Bedami Poori, which are poori's filed with Moong lentils served with potato curry and curd Raita
. Generally sweet shops in the morning serve this dish as breakfast.
Fairs and Festivities: All throughout the year the city organizes various cultural fairs and events, the most popular of all is the historical Dauji Fair held in the vicinity of the 19th century ruined fort which has the famous Dauji temple at its top. The fifteen day fair hosts wrestling competitions, Poet Summits(kavi sammelan), 'Swangs' and 'Nautankis' besides other cultural programmes.
The 'Baghichis' or the gardens of the city are still popular rendezvous for evening sittings.Bohrey Wala Bagh named on Bohre Natthi Lal ji was known in Agra Region for its natural beauty and Ancient Mahadev Temple and renowned Bohre Wali Devi. A typical feature of almost every 'bagichi' is the 'Akhara' or the Wrestling Ring where juveniles and the grown ups practice various forms of wrestling. As such the city has been always there on the wrestling circuit of the country and has produced top notch wrestlers or the 'Pahalwans' for the country time and again.
The city, owing to its historical cultural background, has numerous temples. Besides them a temple-cum-research complex -'Mangalaytan' has been developed on the Aligarh-Agra Highway. The 'Mangalaytan' complex is one of the largest Jain religious centers of its kind in the country and houses a university, too.
, Hathras had a population of 126,355. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Hathras has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 66%, and female literacy is 53%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Mahamaya Nagar District
Mahamaya Nagar district , earlier known as Hathras district, is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The town of Hathras is the district headquarters. Mahamaya Nagar district is a part of Aligarh Division. This district occupies an area of 1800.1 km²...
(formerly Hathras district) in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. It is the headquarters of the district that was created on 3 May 1997 by incorporating parts of Aligarh, Mathura and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
districts. It forms a part of Aligarh Division. Hathras district was recently renamed Mahamaya Nagar.
Hathras lies within the Braj
Braj
Braj is a region mainly in Uttar Pradesh of India, around Mathura-Vrindavan. Braj, though never a clearly defined political region in India but is very well demarcated culturally, is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanskrit word vraja...
region in Central or Middle Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, associated with the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
mythology. The principal spoken language is Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. Its dialect Braj Bhasha which is closely related to Khariboli
Khariboli
Khariboli , also Khari Boli, Khadiboli, Khadi Boli or simply Khari, is a Western Hindi dialect spoken mainly in the rural surroundings of Delhi, the northern areas of Western Uttar Pradesh and the southern areas of Uttarakhand in India...
is spoken in this region.
Geography
Hathras is located at 27.6°N 78.05°E. It has an average elevation of 178 metres (584 feet). It is situated on Agra - Aligarh and Mathura- BareillyBareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
Highways crossing. Temperature Variations are extreme Temperature Variations
| Name of District | Distance from Hathras town | Direction from Hathras town |
|---|---|---|
| Aligarh | 34 Km | Towards North |
| Mathura | 41Km | Towards West |
| Agra Agra Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most... |
53Km | Towards South |
History
No documentary proof is available for when this town was built and who populated it. The Kushan, the GuptaGupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
, Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
and Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
rulers ruled over the region. In 1716 CE nearby Jaat ruler Raja Nandram’s son Bhoj Singh took over the rule of Hathras from the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
rulers. After Bhoj Singh, his son Sadan Singh became the ruler of Hathras followed by his son Bhoori Singh. It is believed that during the reign of Bhoori Singh the temple of the Lord Balarama
Balarama
Balarama , also known as Baladeva, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine being, Krishna in Hinduism. Within Vaishnavism Hindu traditions Balarama is worshipped as an Avatar of Vishnu, and he is also listed as such in the Bhagavata Purana...
was built in the fort of Hathras. At the end of the 18th century the kingdom was held by a Jat chieftain Indrajeet Singh Thainua, whose ruined fort (Quila) still stands at the east end of the town. The railway station there is called Hathras Quila. The region was annexed by the British in 1803, but insubordination on the part of the chief necessitated the siege of the fort in 1817. Every year “Lakkhi mela” is celebrated on “Dev Chatt” at the Lord Balram temple popularly known as "Dau Baba". Real great history of Hathras begins after Shri Bhoori Singh when his son Raja Dayaram was crowned in 1775 CE. In 1784 Scindia ruler Madhavrao I Scindia established his regime around Hathras.
Archaeological remains of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain culture and also of the Shung and Kushan period were found at many places in Hathras. Among these archaeological and historical places is the fort of Raja Dayaram located in the Hathras town from where Maurya
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...
period Brown coloured pot of 2nd century B.C., Kushan period clay statue, ”Sapt Matrikafalam” etc . were found. Among old Temples the temple of Lord “Veereshwar Mahadev” is special .Shaiv rulers and Naag Rajas also dominated here , remains of there rule are scattered here and there .During the period of Nagavanshi Kshatriya Clan Rulers : Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
s Seshavtara lord Balram Ji got great importance and his temples can be found in all of the region . Old broken statues which have great archeological value are still worshiped in the Braj region. The archeological remains and statues obtained here are kept in the Mathura Museum . The Jain Temple at “Nayaganj” tells the story of Jain Culture .samvat
Samvat
Samvat is any of the various Hindu calendars. In India, there are several calendars in use:* Vikrama Samvat: lunar months, solar sidereal years* Shaka Samvat : lunar months, solar sidereal years* Shaka Samvat : solar tropical...
1548 “Vi.” is written on the oldest statues here. More History is covered under the remains of forts of Sikandra Rao, Maho , Sasni etc. which can be the topic of further research. Remains of statues of the period of Buddhist were scattered in places like Sahpau , Lakhnoo etc ,many were collected and kept in the museum of Mathura and Jila Parishad Office at Aligarh . The Bhadra Kali temple of Sahpau also fall under the category of archeological temples. By writing “Ghat Ramayana” Sant Tulsi Saahab spread the fame of Hathras to far away places,his disciples gather in thousands at his grave at Siyal, Kila Gate, Hathras to express their devotion. In addition to the above mentioned temples the chain of temples contain “Bohrey Wali Devi”, “Chaubey wale Mahadev” temple, “Chinta Haran” temple, “Masani Devi“ temple, “Shri Naath Ji” ``Chamunda Maa`` temple at Chawar Gate, Lord “Varah” temple at Dibba Gali and many temples of Lord “Balram”. Among temples of rural area the temple of Lord Dauji Maharaj Ji is very special. Garhis, Hawelis and Forts whose remains still exist belong to old Jamindars. Nawab Mendu and Sadabad, Haweli of Jamindar of Laakhnu, Paharpur and Hasayan can be mentioned in this category.
After coming under British rule, Hathras rapidly rose to commercial importance. On October 19, 1875, first train ran between Hathras Road and Mathura Cantonment. Hathras city is now connected by Broad Gauge railway with Mathura Jn., and by a branch with Hathras junction, on the North Eastern line.
While the history of the city dates back to ancient times, it also appears that there was an ancient fort in Hathras at the site of the ruins of the modern day fort.
Hathras had a reckoning during India's freedom struggle too. Raja Mahendra Pratap, Munshi Gajadhar Singh, etc. were the eminent personalities from Hathras during the freedom struggle
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
.
Industries
Hathras was an industrial hub during the British RajBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. Cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
milling, knives, asafoetida
Asafoetida
Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...
(hing) and Desi Ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
products were the main industries. The last two continue to thrive.Cotton Mill was there in Purana Mill Compound from Which Major Export of Cotton took place to different parts of the World. The chief articles of commerce are sugar and grain. Hathras is now also notable for Readymade Garments, Chemicals, Carpet, Artificial Moonga-Moti
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
, Hing, Brass, Artware and Hardware, Edible Oil, Beverage,Pulse etc.
Art & Culture
The city boasts a rich cultural heritage and presents a wide array of prosperity in literature, architecture, music, drama, poetry, cuisine and local festivities.Literature & Poetry: Hathras has stayed a seat of great works both in prose and poetry in various varieties and periods. It has been the home of the famous saint of 18th century Tulsi Sahib whose works consists of Shabdavali, Ratan Sagar & Ghat Ramayan.saint gaya prassad ji and Pandit Bansh Gopal tiwari known as most renowned vedantic personality from this city. Of the modern times, Prabhu Lal Garg famously known as ‘Kaka Hathrasi
Kaka Hathrasi
Kaka Hathrasi was a noted Hindi satirist and humorist poet of India. His real name was Prabhu Dayal Garg, though he wrote under the pen name Kaka Hathrasi, after his home town Hathras, and published over 42 collections of humorous verse, in all...
’, a poet, musician and painter, has been the most renowned personality in this field from this city. He was conferred with the ‘Padamshree’ award by the Govt. of India. Kaka ke Kartoos (Bullets of Kaka), Kaka ke Prahasan, Kaka ki Cocktail, Kaka ki Phuljhariyan, Hasant-Basant, Kaka-Kaki ke Love Letters, etc. are some of his famous works. Even to this day, people of this place have an immense interest in poetry.
Music & Drama: The important folk songs of the city are the - Rasiya
Rasiya
Rasiya is a style of folk song of North India's Braj region .Rasiya songs are sung in the regional Hindi dialect of Brajbhasha, and are performed in a variety of styles, ranging from unpretentious women's songs to group performances by semi-professional akharas of men, who sing in a more...
while the traditional folk dance of the city is the Swang or Ras
Rasa lila
The Rasa lila or Rasa dance is part of the traditional story of Krishna described in Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavata Purana and literature such as the Gita Govinda, where he dances with Radha and her sakhis...
. The city has been a regular centre for the development of these arts and has thrived on its cultural richness. The most eminent figure in this field has been Natharam Gaur, the master of the art of 'Swang & Nautanki
Nautanki
Nautanki is one of the most popular folk operatic theater performance traditions of South Asia, particularly in northern India. Before the advent of Bollywood , Nautanki was the single most popular form of entertainment in the villages and towns of northern India...
', a form of dramatics. A proponent of the legendary ‘Indaraman’ school of Swang his works include Amar Singh Rathore, Harishchandra, Siri Farhad etc. These traditional arts are still cheered all over the district and are frequently conducted round the year.
Architecture: The city still has many buildings from the old times with intricate designs on their facades and excellently carvings at their entrances. There are various Haveli
Haveli
Haveli is the term used for a private mansion in India and Pakistan. The word haveli is derived from the Persian word hawli, meaning "an enclosed place"...
built by rich people in the past, Bagla ki Haveli is the famous one. The old havelis are mostly built of Red stone from Rajasthan and the style also imitates that of Rajasthani Havelis.
Eating Habits: The city is famous in the region for its sweets made from Desi Ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
. Unlike nearby Mathura city which is famous for sweets made from milk and milk products, In Hathras sweets are mainly prepared from Ghee. These sweets are Sohan Halwa or Son Papdi
Sohan Halwa
Sohan Halwa or Sohan Halva is a traditional Indian/Pakistani sweet.It is made by boiling a mixture of water, sugar, milk and cornflour until it becomes solid. Saffron is used for flavoring. Ghee is used to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Almonds, pistachios and cardamom seeds are added...
, Balushahi
Balushahi
Balushahi is a traditional dessert in northern Indian Cuisine, Pakistani Cuisine and Nepali cuisine, similar to a glazed doughnut. In South India, a similar pastry is known as Badushah.-Balushahi:...
, Jalebi
Jalebi
-Further reading:*Epicure's Delectable Desserts of the World By Asha Khatau ISBN 81-7991-119-5...
and Imarti
Imarti
Imarti is a dessert from Rajasthan made by deep-frying urad flour batter in a kind of pretzel or circular shape, then soaked in sugar syrup. It was one of the food items presented by Rajputs to Mughals during cultural exchanges. Imarti was considered one of the items of Raj Bhog...
, Gajar Halwa, Mung Halwa. In the city there is a tradition and culture to distribute/ share sweets on celebrations and used as a gift on occasions. People living in the region love sweets and traditionally take sweets in their day to day life. There are several sweet-shops in every nook and corner of the city.
Chaat
Chaat
Chaat is a term describing savoury snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or carts in India. With its origins in east India, chaat has become immensely popular in the rest of India and the rest of South Asia...
is popular as a snack in the area which is mostly savoury snacks including Tikki
Aloo Tikki
Aloo tikki is a North Indian snack made of boiled potatoes and various spices. "Aloo" means potato, and the word "tikki" means a small cutlet or croquette. It is found in almost every chaat shop or stall all over Delhi majorly and even other parts of India...
, Padake, Dahi Vada
Dahi vada
Dahi vada is an Indian chaat, prepared by soaking vadas in thick yogurt ....
etc.
In breakfast you will find Bedami Poori, which are poori's filed with Moong lentils served with potato curry and curd Raita
Raita
Raita is an Indian/Pakistani condiment based on yogurt.Raita may also refer to:* Henna Raita, Finnish alpine skier* Marjatta Raita, Finnish actress* Mikko Raita, Finnish music mixing and recording engineer and producer- See also :...
. Generally sweet shops in the morning serve this dish as breakfast.
Fairs and Festivities: All throughout the year the city organizes various cultural fairs and events, the most popular of all is the historical Dauji Fair held in the vicinity of the 19th century ruined fort which has the famous Dauji temple at its top. The fifteen day fair hosts wrestling competitions, Poet Summits(kavi sammelan), 'Swangs' and 'Nautankis' besides other cultural programmes.
The 'Baghichis' or the gardens of the city are still popular rendezvous for evening sittings.Bohrey Wala Bagh named on Bohre Natthi Lal ji was known in Agra Region for its natural beauty and Ancient Mahadev Temple and renowned Bohre Wali Devi. A typical feature of almost every 'bagichi' is the 'Akhara' or the Wrestling Ring where juveniles and the grown ups practice various forms of wrestling. As such the city has been always there on the wrestling circuit of the country and has produced top notch wrestlers or the 'Pahalwans' for the country time and again.
The city, owing to its historical cultural background, has numerous temples. Besides them a temple-cum-research complex -'Mangalaytan' has been developed on the Aligarh-Agra Highway. The 'Mangalaytan' complex is one of the largest Jain religious centers of its kind in the country and houses a university, too.
Demographics
The population of Hathras was 42,578 in 1901 census. India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Hathras had a population of 126,355. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Hathras has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 66%, and female literacy is 53%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Education
Hathras has a number of schools and colleges, some of which are listed below.- Kendriya Vidyalay
- Seth Phool Chand Bagla (PG) College
- Saraswati Degree College
- Rameshwar Das Agrawal Girls (PG) College
- SS memorial Degree College
- Murlidhar Gajanand Polytechnic
- Phool Chand Bagla Anglo-Sanskrit Inter College
- Akrur Inter College
- Saraswati Inter College
- Daulat Ram Barahsaini Inter College
- St. Francis Senior Secondary School
- Ram Chandra Girls Inter College
- Seth Harchararan Das Girls Inter College
- Rajendra Lohia Vidya Mandir
- Adarsh Inter College
- Government Girls Inter College
- CLRN Seksaria Inter College
- Saraswati Vidya Mandir