Behat
Encyclopedia
Behat is an ancient town and a nagar panchayat
(municipality)
in Saharanpur district
on the northern tip of the state of Uttar Pradesh
, India
. It is located on the State Highway No 57 on the banks of Eastern Yamuna Canal, about 26 kms (about 16 miles) north of Main Saharanpur
City, 190 km (118 miles) from the Indian Capital New Delhi
, and 77 km (48 miles) from Haridwar
, at an average elevation of 275 m from sea level. It is famous for production of fruits such as mangoes and guava
, moorhas (reed
stools), brass
bells
, and wrought iron
handicrafts.
(circa 500 B.C.). Indeed it is a place of considerable antiquity.
An Ashokan
Pillar excavated from Topari (Khiderabād), near Saharanpur
, was taken to Delhi by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughluq, and it is still in Feroze Shah Kotla
. Mayapur
(Haridwar
) and Behat were well-known cities at the time of Mauryan Dynasty (circa 180 B.C.). Behat was next to Mayapur
(Haridwar
) in importance, because it was an important Buddhist center.
Xuanzang
traveling in search of Sacred Buddhist Texts and Scriptures, had traveled through Behat and had come across important Buddhist Monasteries in Behat (circa 630 A.D.).
During the reign of Bahlul Khan Lodi (1451 - 1489), a Muslim
colony was founded at Behat by Shah Abdullah, who was a descendent of the Saint Sheikh Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Suhrawardi. Western part of Behat along the Naugaon Rau is named after him as Abdullah Mazra.
Behat remained headquarters of a Paragana
, during the times of Akbar, and was known as Behat Kanjawar.
In 1834, Captain Proby Thomas Cautley
, while leading the redesigning of the Eastern Yamuna
Canal (which at that time was known as Doab
Canal or Delhi
Canal), discovered a buried town 5.18 m (17 ft) below the surrounding country and 7.62 m (25 ft) below that of existing site. That township belonged to the Pre Indo-Scythian times as established from the archaeological evidences found here. Captain Cautley also found a large number of Indo Scythian coins and other evidences about the existence of a large Buddhist Settlement at this place.
After the Mutiny of 1857, a Police Station was established at Behat. Towards the end of the 19th Century
, the town had a Post Office and an Upper Primary School as well. Also till towards the end of 19th Century an Annual Fair
used to be held in honor of Shah Abdullah, chiefly organized by the local Pirzadas who then fell to difficult times due to their excesses and extravagance.
After the British
left India in 1947, Government has largely chosen to ignore this area, and as a result Behat has made little progress in last 70 years or so. It looks more like a big village than a town.
, Behat had a population of 17,177. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Behat has an average literacy rate of 51%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the males and 41% of females literate. 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The town is also serviced by various state Roadways such as UPSRTC ,HRTC, DTC, etc., as it falls en route to Dak Patthar (Uttarakhand), and Nahan (Himachal Pardesh)
Besides in the Main Saharanpur City, there is a bus stand named as "Behat Adda" situated at Behat Road (Behat Road is the stretch of State Highway No 57 between Saharanpur City and Behat, sometimes also referrred to as Chakrauta Road)ahead of "Dehaat Kotwali", from where one could take a bus to reach Kalsia, Behat, Raipur, Shakumbhari Devi, Mirzapur, Badshahi Bagh, Herbertpur, Vikas Nagar, Kalsi, Chakrauta, and Nahan (Himachal Pardesh)
There is no local transport to travel in and around Behat.
Nagar Panchayat
A nagar palika or nagar panchayat is a form of an urban political unit in India comparable to a municipality.An urban centre with more than 30,000 and less than 100,000 inhabitants is classified as a nagar panchayat....
(municipality)
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Saharanpur district
Saharanpur District
Saharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
on the northern tip of the state 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...
, 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...
. It is located on the State Highway No 57 on the banks of Eastern Yamuna Canal, about 26 kms (about 16 miles) north of Main Saharanpur
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
City, 190 km (118 miles) from the Indian Capital New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, and 77 km (48 miles) from Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
, at an average elevation of 275 m from sea level. It is famous for production of fruits such as mangoes and guava
Guava
Guavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...
, moorhas (reed
Reed
- Musical instruments :* Single-reed instrument, a woodwind instrument that uses only one reed to produce sound* Double reed instrument, a woodwind instrument that uses two reeds to produce sound...
stools), brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
bells
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, and wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
handicrafts.
History
Archaeological excavations and surveys have provided evidences of the existence of many ancient settlements over the ages in and around Behat. On the basis of artifacts discovered during these excavations, human habitation can be traced as far back as 2000 BC in and around this area. Behat was probably known as Brihat-vat during the reign of the Nanda DynastyNanda Dynasty
The Nanda Empire originated from the region of Magadha in Ancient India during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. At its greatest extent, the Nanda Empire extended from Bengal in the east, to Punjab in the west and as far south as the Vindhya Range...
(circa 500 B.C.). Indeed it is a place of considerable antiquity.
An Ashokan
Ashokan
Ashokan may refer to:* The Ashokan Center, a Catskills outdoor education center and retreat facility* Ashokan Reservoir, part of the New York City watershed* "Ashokan Farewell", a song* Ashokan , an actor in Malayalam cinema...
Pillar excavated from Topari (Khiderabād), near Saharanpur
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
, was taken to Delhi by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughluq, and it is still in Feroze Shah Kotla
Feroz Shah Kotla
The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla was originally a fortress built by Sultan Ferozshah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Ferozabad. A pristine polished sandstone pillar from the 3rd century B.C...
. Mayapur
Mayapur
Mayapur is located on the banks of the Ganges river, at the point of its confluence with the Jalangi, near Navadvip, West Bengal, India, 130 km north of Kolkata...
(Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
) and Behat were well-known cities at the time of Mauryan Dynasty (circa 180 B.C.). Behat was next to Mayapur
Mayapur
Mayapur is located on the banks of the Ganges river, at the point of its confluence with the Jalangi, near Navadvip, West Bengal, India, 130 km north of Kolkata...
(Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
) in importance, because it was an important Buddhist center.
Xuanzang
Xuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
traveling in search of Sacred Buddhist Texts and Scriptures, had traveled through Behat and had come across important Buddhist Monasteries in Behat (circa 630 A.D.).
During the reign of Bahlul Khan Lodi (1451 - 1489), a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
colony was founded at Behat by Shah Abdullah, who was a descendent of the Saint Sheikh Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Baha-ud-din Zakariya was a Sufi of Suhrawardiyya order . His full name was Al-Sheikh Al-Kabir Sheikh-ul-Islam Baha-ud-Din Abu Muhammad Zakaria Al-Qureshi Al-Asadi Al Hashmi....
Suhrawardi. Western part of Behat along the Naugaon Rau is named after him as Abdullah Mazra.
Behat remained headquarters of a Paragana
Pargana
A pargana is a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent, used primarily, but not exclusively, by the Muslim kingdoms.Parganas were introduced by the Delhi Sultanate, and the word is of Persian origin. As a revenue unit, a pargana consists of several mouzas, which are the smallest...
, during the times of Akbar, and was known as Behat Kanjawar.
In 1834, Captain Proby Thomas Cautley
Proby Cautley
Sir Proby Thomas Cautley KCB , English engineer and palaeontologist, born in Suffolk, is best known for conceiving and supervising the construction of the Ganges canal in India...
, while leading the redesigning of the Eastern Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
Canal (which at that time was known as Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
Canal or Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
Canal), discovered a buried town 5.18 m (17 ft) below the surrounding country and 7.62 m (25 ft) below that of existing site. That township belonged to the Pre Indo-Scythian times as established from the archaeological evidences found here. Captain Cautley also found a large number of Indo Scythian coins and other evidences about the existence of a large Buddhist Settlement at this place.
After the Mutiny of 1857, a Police Station was established at Behat. Towards the end of the 19th Century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
, the town had a Post Office and an Upper Primary School as well. Also till towards the end of 19th Century an Annual Fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
used to be held in honor of Shah Abdullah, chiefly organized by the local Pirzadas who then fell to difficult times due to their excesses and extravagance.
After the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
left India in 1947, Government has largely chosen to ignore this area, and as a result Behat has made little progress in last 70 years or so. It looks more like a big village than a town.
Geography
To the east of Behat, flows The Eastern Yamuna Canal (or Eastern Jumna Canal), and to the west beyond Abdulla Mazra, flows the Naugaon Rau (Rau means an ephemeral stream, torrent or rapid, which is dry for most part of the year). To the south about two miles from the center of the town flows the Maskara Rau (flows from the confluence of two Rau/torrents at Jasmour, and crosses Eastern Yamuna Canal at Kalsia). The average elevation is about 275 meters above the mean sea level. The entire place slightly slopes from north-east to south-west though unevenly.Demographics
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...
, Behat had a population of 17,177. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Behat has an average literacy rate of 51%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the males and 41% of females literate. 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Travel and Transport
Behat has two bus stands on the State Highway No 57 connecting Saharanpur with Yamunotri - known as Tehsil Behat and Behat Bus Stand, respectively. Tehsil Behat, which is situated outside the Tehsil Building, is the bus terminus from where one can take buses for Kalsia - Chhutmalpur. From Behat Bus Stand one could take a bus for Kalsia - Saharanpur, Herbertpur - Vikas Nagar - Dakpatthar - Chakrauta, Shakumbhari Devi Shrine etc. The buses are owned by private bus operators who have formed a union. The members of the union have to obey the Departure and Arrival time table strictly (upto the minute) otherwise they are levied penalty by their own Union. Thus, it is a very reliable bus service for this route.The town is also serviced by various state Roadways such as UPSRTC ,HRTC, DTC, etc., as it falls en route to Dak Patthar (Uttarakhand), and Nahan (Himachal Pardesh)
Besides in the Main Saharanpur City, there is a bus stand named as "Behat Adda" situated at Behat Road (Behat Road is the stretch of State Highway No 57 between Saharanpur City and Behat, sometimes also referrred to as Chakrauta Road)ahead of "Dehaat Kotwali", from where one could take a bus to reach Kalsia, Behat, Raipur, Shakumbhari Devi, Mirzapur, Badshahi Bagh, Herbertpur, Vikas Nagar, Kalsi, Chakrauta, and Nahan (Himachal Pardesh)
There is no local transport to travel in and around Behat.