History Of Ambala

AMBALA: Ambala district came into being as a distinct administrative body nearly a decade before the first war of Independence.

The contours of Ambala district have changed dramatically over the last couple of decades and the size of the present district is a pale shadow of what it was more than 150 years back.

According to the district gazetteer, Ambala district was constituted in 1847 from territories which had lapsed to the Government or been confiscated for “misbehaviour” during the period of 1809-1846. However, according to another reference, Ambala district came into being in 1849.

“The remainder of the district, as then constituted covering five tehsils, included the large areas held in jagir by the representatives of hitherto independent chiefs, whose sovereign powers had been finally been resumed in 1846-47. Tehsil Pipli was at that time a portion of the district of Thanesar, a district like Ambala formed from lapsed and forfeited territory, and was not added to Ambala till Thanesar district was broken up in 1862,” the gazetteer states.

The district of Thanesar included the estates of Thanesar, which lapsed in 1832 and the remainder in 1850, Kaithal, which lapsed in 1843 and Ladwa confiscated in 1846. “Upto 1849, these estates had been administered by the political agent of Ambala and his assistants. In that year, being incorporated with Punjab, they were formed into one district under a Deputy Commissioner subordinate to the Commissioner of the Cis-Sutlej Division.”

In 1862, the district was abolished as a separate charge and its territory distributed between the districts of Ambala and Karnal. “The parganahs of Shahabad, Ladwa and a part of Thanesar fell to Ambala and the remainder, including Kaithal went to Karnal. In 1866 the Pehowa parganah was transferred from Karnal to Ambala but in 1876, 14 villages and in 1889, 89 villages were again transferred from Pipli to Kaithal tehsil of Karnal,” the gazetteer states.

The gazetteer points out that the most important lapses of jagir estates between the regular settlement and 1887 were due to failure of heirs in Sialba estate in 1886 and Manimajra in 1875. The lapse in the former case covered 63 villages with a revenue of Rs 29,000 and in the latter, 69 villages with a revenue of Rs 39,100.

Pipli tehsil was transferred to Karnal district in 1897 and Kalka-cum-Kurari, Kasauli and Sanawar had been added to Ambala from Shimla district.

Incidentally, the first edition of the Ambala district gazetteer, published in 1885, was prepared mainly from a draft gazetteer compiled between 1870 and 1874 by Mr F. Cunningham, Barrister-at-Law, which again was largely based upon the settlement reports of the district by Messrs Wynyard and Melvill, written about 1855.

A revised settlement of the district was begun in 1882 and 1883 and finished in 1889. The assessment and final reports of the settlement officers, Messrs Kensington and Douie, supplied the chief material from which a revised edition of the gazetteer was prepared in 1892-93.

History Of Delhi

Delhi, the capital of India has a strong historical background. It was ruled by some of the most powerful emperors in Indian history.

The history of the city is as old as the epic Mahabharata. The town was known as Indraprastha, where Pandavas used to live. In due course eight more cities came alive adjacent to Indraprastha: Lal Kot, Siri, Dinpanah, Quila Rai Pithora, Ferozabad, Jahanpanah, Tughlakabad and Shahjahanabad.

Delhi has been a witness to the political turmoil for over five centuries. It was ruled by the Mughals in succession to Khiljis and Tughlaqs.

In 1192 the legions of the Afghan warrior Muhammad of Ghori captured the Rajput town, and the Delhi Sultanate was established (1206). The invasion of Delhi by Timur in 1398 put an end to the sultanate; the Lodis, last of the Delhi sultans, gave way to Babur, who, after the battle of Panipat in 1526, founded the Mughal Empire. The early Mughal emperors favoured Agra as their capital, and Delhi became their permanent seat only after Shah Jahan built (1638) the walls of Old Delhi.

From Hindu Kings to Muslim Sultans, the reins of the city kept shifting from one ruler to another. The soils of the city smell of blood, sacrifices and love for the nation. The old 'Havelis' and edifices from the past stand silent but their silence also speaks volumes for their owners and people who lived here centuries back.

In the year 1803 AD, the city came under the British rule. In 1911, British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi. It again became the center of all the governing activities. But, the city has the reputation of over throwing the occupants of its throne. It included the British and the current political parties that have had the honour of leading free India.

After independence in 1947, New Delhi was officially declared as the Capital of India.

History of Agra

The history of Agra bears testimony to the city’s glorious past. Agra is visited by many who love to explore the rich history and culture of the city. The early reference to the history of Agra can be traced in the famous epic Mahabharata where the city has been called "Agravana". Prior to this source, Agra was called the “Arya Griha” meaning the abode of the Aryans. The 1st person to refer the city with its present name was the famous Ptolemy.
Agra was founded by Badal Singh in the year 1475. In the year 1506, Sikandar Lodi started the reign of the Delhi Sultanate in Agra. The death of Sikandar Lodi made his son Ibrahim Lodi to ascend the throne. Later in 1526, the once capital of the Lodhis, Agra was captured by Babur, after defeating the Lodhis. Thus a long reign of the great Mughal rule started in the city. Agra became a major city for the Mughal Empire after the first battle of Panipat.
The rich historical facts of Agra are clearly reflected in the large number of historical monuments that abounds the city. The Mughal dynasty contributed immensely to the establishment of these magnificent monuments and buildings like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and many more. During the reign of the Mughal kings like Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan, the history of Agra reached its glorious peak. It was Akbar who developed the city as a seat of art, culture, learning and commerce. With the death of Aurangzeb, the Mughal rule also came to an end. This was followed by the emergence of many regional kingdoms in the city. Post Mughal period, the city of Agra was ruled by the Marathas, Jats and the British.
Present Agra comes as city with some of the world famous tourist attractions. Being located at a distance of 200 kms from New Delhi, Agra is a fascinating city with a rich traditional background and interesting religious aspects which makes the city even more interesting. Three UNESCO World Heritage sites find place in the city of Agra. These are Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.