Hathras district -Uttar Pradesh

 Hathras is a historical city in Uttar Pradesh. On   3  of  May has announced the creation of a  new district  named Hathras by merging some tehsils of district Aligarh and Mathura  in the Hathras tehsil of Aligarh.The notification of creating District Hathras From Hathras was released on 06 May-1997.

Area: 1800.1q. Km.

Population: 15,64,708

Language: Hindi

Village: 683

Male: 8,36,127

Female: 7,28,581

History of Hathras-

Historically and according to Purans Hathras can be of the age of Mahabharata. Because old folk tales and archiological remains prove it.The Kushan, The Gupt , The Rajput and The Maratha Rulers Rule over the Region.It is also related to folk stories of The Hathrasi Devi from which it may have got the name Hathras. The temple of the Lord Balram ji is in the fort of Hathras .Today this Temple still exists and tells his great story. Every year “Lakkhi mela” is celebrated on “Dev Chat” at this temple. 

Archaeological significance-

The archaeological significance of Hathras is also estimable as it is wide resource hub of ancient ruins, sculptures and keepsakes. The city welcomes the curious visitors with the ruins of an ancient fort of raja Dayaram Singh. At this area a brown coloured vessel from Maurya period of 2nd century BC), Kushan period’s clay statue, “Sapta Matrikafalam” and some other remains were discovered/ excavated. 

An ancient statue of Balram Ji which holds huge archaeological value and its remains are kept at the Mathura Museum. But the oldest statue in Hathras was found in the Jain temple of Nayaganj. The temple is an evidence of the Jain culture prevalent in this section from an ancient period. Another archaeologically significant temple in the city is the Bhadrakali temple of Sahpau.

Another famous place which is worshipped by numerous people is the grave of Sant Tulsi Sahab, the noted author of ‘Ghat Ramayana’ in Siyal, Qila Gate. 

Major tourist attractions in Hathras are-

1) Hathras fort-

The Hathras Fort is an 18th-century fort. The fort was constructed by Jat  king Raja Dayaram, and is located in the town of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh.Commonly known as Kila Gate, Hathras Fort is a popular tourist site. 

2) Dauji Maharaj Temple-

Shri Dauji Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna`s elder brother Balram Ji and is about 200 years old. The images of Lord Balram and his wife Devi Revati is the main spirit of the temple.There is a tank near the temple which has been covered with bricks, known as Ksheer Sagar. It has been believed that the original image of Gold was found there.

3) Bhadra Kali temple-

 Bhadra Kali Temple of Shahpau possesses great archaeological value. 

4) Baghraya Temple-

This is another famous temple in the city in where Baba Jaharveer is worshipped. It also salutes the 51 freedom fighter fom the Hathras district who fought for India’s independence. 

5) Teerthdham Mangalayatan-

The city boasts an astonishing Jain pilgrimage complex which is called the Teerthdham Mangalayatan and has become a great reason to be proud of. The complex was built by the Shri Adinath Kund-Kund Kahan Digambar Jain Trust. 

Image credits- wikipedia, hathras. Nic. In, google

Hathras-Land of Asafoetida

 Hathras district (previously called Mahamaya Nagar district) is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The city of Hathras is the district headquarters. Hathras district is a part of Aligarh division. 

Hathras has been a large scale producer of Asafoetida or hing for the last 100 years. This has given the district a distinct identity.

What is Asafoetida? 

Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) is the dried sap — or gum resin — obtained from the roots of Ferula plants. It’s commonly dried, ground into a coarse, yellow powder, and used for either culinary or medicinal purposes. As a seasoning, asafoetida is known for its strong, pungent odor, which is due to its high concentration of sulfur compounds. In fact, due to its unpleasant smell, it’s sometimes referred to as stinking gum. 

For most foodies, though, it comes as a surprise that this signature flavour and household staple was never cultivated in India. Or the fact that the raw produce comes from distant lands of Iran and Afghanistan and has been produced in a small village of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh for over 100 years now.Hathras was an industrial hub during the British Raj. Cotton milling, knives, the spice asafoetida or and Desi Ghee products were the main industries.The aroma of food after asafoetida is so rich, that the spice counts as a must-have for culinary enthusiasts. Known to also have medicinal properties, it was rumoured to cure many “women’s ailments’ and also act as an antidote to opium.

In Hathras now, hing continues to be a mainstay for residents. The region, boasting of about 135 factories and about 60-70 crores worth of business, provides steady employment. 

Medicinal Uses of Hing-

People use asafoetida for conditions such as breathing or throat problems, digestion problems. Asafoetida is also sometimes applied directly to the skin for corns and calluses, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.In manufacturing, asafoetida is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and as a flavouring ingredient in foods and beverages.

 

You will find many manufacturing companies of Asafoetida in Hathras which produce unaltered hing powder.... 

Images-google