| Voice of Farrukhabad
: Ashish Mishra
Following are the challenges of the district:
Less employment opportunities
The rate of literacy in the district is very poor. Awareness about
education, specially girl child’s education among the villagers
is very low.
The villagers are unable to access as well as obtain the benefits
of various government schemes, available for them.
Farrukhabad
District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 2279.5 Km2
Population in Farrukhabad (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 1,887,577
Male : 1,007,479
Female : 880,098
Under 6 population
Total : 292,791
Male : 155,414
Female : 137,377
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 48362
In seeing : 31400
In speech : 2353
In hearing : 1183
In movement : 10846
Mental : 2580
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : 360
Sex Ratio Rank : 37
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : A
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Disability : 165 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 356 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Farrukhabad District
ANCIENT PERIOD
The early history of the region now covered by the present district
of Farrukhabad goes back to remote antiquity. During the Bronze
age numerous pre historical weapons and tools were find here. Large
numbers of stone statues are found at Sankisa & Kampil. Farrukhabad
can claim great antiquity in sculpture. The Aryans settled in this
region who were close allies of Kurus. The traditional history
of the district from the earliest times till the end of The Mahabharata
war is gleaned from the Puranas & Mahabharata.
'Amavasu' founded a kingdom, the capital of which
later was Kanyakubja (Kannauj). Jahnu was a powerful king since
the river Ganga is said to have been named after him as Jahnaui.
This region rose into great prominence during the Mahabharata period.
Kampilya was the capital of South Panchala and it was here that
the famous Svayamvara of Draupadi. The name Panchala being used
for the entire region, of which Kampilya (Kampil) was the chief
city which has till then been the capital of South Panchala.
Panchala figures as the tenth in the list of the
sixteen premier states (Mahajanpada) in the time of Mahavira and
Buddha and is said to have comprised the region covered by the present
districts of Bareily , Badaun and Farrukhabad. About the middle
of the fourth century B.C., probably in the reign of Mahapadma,
this territory was annexed to the Nanda empire of Magadha. Ashoka
also built a monolithic pillar at Sankisa, which was noticed by
the Chinese traveller, Fa-hien. A large number of coins were found
at places like Mathura and Kannauj and in Panchala region which
are supposed to be associated with the Mitra rulers. The basis of
the coins are generally believed to have flourished between C.100
B.C. and C.200 A.D.
Kannauj was a famous and important city in the
second century is also attested to by its mention under the name
of Kangora or Kanogiza by the geographer, Ptolemy (C.140 A.D.).
The present district of Farrukhabad shared the fruits of the golden
age of the Guptas and contributed much towards its peace and prosperity.
Fa-hien, the Chinese pilgrim visited Kannauj between
399 and 414 A.D., during the reign of Chandragupta II. Fa-hien spent
his retreat at the Dragon-Shrine and when it was over he travelled
seven yojanas to the south-east, which brought him to Kannauj. Sankisa
was one of the greatest Buddhist pilgrims centre at the time of
Fa-hien's visit. Fa-hien remarks "This country is very productive
and the people are flourishing and happy beyond compare. When man
of other nations come, care is taken of all of them and they are
provided with what they require". There was a renewed invasion of
the Hunas with far greater success. After this, Harivarman appears
to have been the founder of the Maukhari house of Kannauj. Harsha
also advanced towards Kannauj. The Chinese pilgrim, Hiuen Tsang,
visited Kannauj in 643 A.D.. There were 100 Buddhist Monasteries
with more than 10000 priests. A religious assembly was also held
here by Harsha. Hiuen Tsang mentions Kah-Pi-Ta (Kapitha, identified
with Sankisa) as the other important place of the district.
The close of the 10th century was marked by the
Muslim invasion of India. Rajyapala was the ruler of Kannauj when
Mahmud of Ghazni attacked India. After sacking Mathura, Mahmud proceeded
towards Kannauj in 1018 A.D. He saw "a city which raised its head
to the skies and which in strength and beauty might boast of being
unrivalled." Mahmud captured all the seven forts of Kannauj in 1019
A.D.
An inscription of the Chalukya dynasty of Lata,
dated 1050 A.D. associates the Rashtrakuta dynasty with Kannauj.
During 1089-90 A.D. Chandradeva the first Gahadavala king of Kannauj
ruled and have protected the sacred places of Kushika (Kannauj).
Kannauj once more recovered a large measure of its old importance
during 1114 A.D. to 1154 . During the reign of Chauhans (1170-1194
A.D.) Kannauj became powerful and annexed to Delhi. Kannauj (Jaichandra's
capital) was the scene of Svayamvara of his daughter Samyogita,
who was carried off by Prithviraj III. Mohammad Ghauri invaded India
and killed Jaichandra in 1193 A.D.
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
Jaichand's son, Harichandra continued to occupy
Kannauj even after 1193 A.D. The Muslim supremacy over the kingdom
was perplexing or abhorrent to him and so he discreetly omitted
any specific reference to Harichandra or his Muslims overlord. In
1233-34 Iltutmish ordered the Kannauj Garrison to join the imperial
forces in an expedition against Kalinjar. In 1244, The district
of Kannauj was conferred by the dissolute Alauddin Masaud
on his uncle Jalaluddin for his maintenance. The royal forces reached
Kannauj and besieged the fort of Balsandah. This fortress was very
strong and the royal forces returned with immense booty.
Ghiasuddin Balban, who then possessed the Delhi
throne, (1268-87) marched towards this region and divided the whole
area into a number of military commands. At each of these place
he erected forts,garrisoned with seasoned Afghan troops. Balban
himself remained in the vicinity for many months. Ziauddin Barani
writes "Sixty years have passed since these events, but the roads
have ever since been free from robbers." In 1290 Jalaluddin Firoz
Khalji visited the fort of Bhojapur and is believed to have built
bridge across the Ganga near the fort. In 1346-47 Muhammad Tughlaq
went on another expedition on to this region and reach Sargdaori.
In 1392, after a gap of about forty five years, this region was
once again up in arms against the imperial authority of this area.
In collusion with the Chauhans and Solankhis of the surrounding
tracts, the Rajputs of this area broke out in open rebellion. In
1394, the suspected outbreak of another rebellion in this region,
the sultan conferred on Khwaja Jahan the title of Malik-ul-Sharq
"and appointed him governor of Hindustan from Kannauj to Bihar devolving
upon him full power." Malik-ul-Sharq died in 1399 and his adopted
son, Mubarak Shah became the virtual ruler at Delhi and reached
Kannauj.
In 1414, Khizr Khan (whom Timur had left in charge
of his possessions in India) occupied the throne of Delhi and inaugurated
the rule of Saiyid dynasty. Immediately after his accession in 1423,
Mubarak Shah Saiyid marched to Kampil to suppress the Rajputs of
the place.
On Sikandar Lodhi's death in 1517, his son, Ibrahim,
became emperor. He reached Kannauj where he was greeted by Azam
Humayun Sarvani, the governor of Kannauj. The result was that several
Afghan chiefs willingly joined and Kannauj became a fief under the
sovereignty of the Mughals. Kannauj appears to have been recovered
by Afghans. In 1527 Babar mobilised his forces against the rebel
chief of Chanderi. Babar now captured Chanderi but lost Kannauj
and Shamsabad to the Afghans. Kannauj became a dependency of the
rebels who found themselves at the head of Muslims and Rajputs.
Humayan's continued occupation in the north and gave the ambitious
Sher Shah Suri a free hand to prosecute his designs in the east.
In July 1537, he entrusted the government of Kannauj to his brother-in-law
Nur-ud-din Mohammad. Sher Shah Suri now cut off Humayun's
communication with Delhi while the desertion of Hindal and Nur-ud-din
(governor of Kannauj) completely blocked Humayun from all sides.
Humayun fled across the river to Mainpuri and later in 1543 left
India for Kandahar.
It appears that immediately after the capture
of Kannauj Sher Shah destroyed the old city and built a fort of
burnt brick there "and on the spot of gaining victory he built a
city Sher Sur." In 1555 the Afghans were over thrown and the power
of the Mughals was once again established by Humayun, who returned
India after 12 years but he died soon in January 1556 and he was
succeeded by his son Akbar. Kannauj was the headquarter of a Sirkar
containing 30 Mahals. Kampil, Saurikh, Sakrawa, Sakatpur and Kannauj
of Akbar's time have also retained their old names except Kannauj.
In 1592 Kannauj was given to Muzaffar Hussain Mirza, but he proved
to be a drunkard and was soon deprived.
In 1610, Jahangir (1605-27) granted the government
of Kannauj to Abdurrahim, the son of great Bairam.
MODERN PERIOD
After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the references
to the district become more frequent. The decay of the Mughal empire
led to the establishment of several independent principalities in
north India of which was the territory of Farrukhabad which played
an important part in the subsequent history of the district.
In 1665 was born at Mau-Rashidabad (a suburb of
Kaimganj) Pathan child, who was named Mohammad Khan. When he was
20, Mohammad Khan joined the bands of Pathan freebooters. At the
emperor Farruksiyar's invitation to join forces with him to suppress
his cousin Jahandar Shah, he joined him. when Jahandar Shah was
defeated Mohammad Khan was rewarded and received the title of Nawab.
After having successfully commanded he obtained leave to return
home where he founded the towns of Kaimganj and Mohammadabad. The
first name after his eldest son, is not far from Mau-Rashidabad.
Mohammadabad (about 23 km. from Farrukhabad) which he named after
himself. On a high mound called Kal-ka-khera, he built a fort, of
which only the ruins now remain. It is said that Farrukhsiyar became
angry when he heard that Mohammad Khan had founded a town in his
own name. To abate his benefactor's wrath, the nawab announced
his intention of founding another town which he would name after
the emperor. Mohammad Khan asked for and obtained a grant of fifty
two Bamtela villages as the site of the new city which he named
FARRUKHABAD after Farrukhsiyar, the foundations which were laid
in 1714.
Ahmad Khan, Mohammad Khan's second son was chosen
leader of the revolt. Ahmad Khan was made Amir-ul-umra and imperial
pay-master, served the emperor well at the battle of Panipat. In
1769 the Marathas again made their appearance under Mahdaji Sindhia
and Holkar and attacked Farrukhabad. Hafiz Rahmat whose territory
in Etawah was also threatened, joined hands with Ahmed Khan and
encamped between Fatehgarh and Farrukhabad. Ahmad Khan died in July
1771. Shah Alam was then at Kannauj and decided to resume the Farrukhabad
territory. In 1773 Shuja-ud-daula succeeded in expelling the Marathas,
the south parganas of the district included all Farrukhabad south
of Kali Nadi except Chibramau. From 1780 to 1785 a British resident
was appointed in the district, probably at Fatehgarh. Warren Hastings
has also promised to withdraw the resident of Farrukhabad, but did
not do so. From the early part of 1857, there had been great excitement
in the district as rumours that the government was issuing leather
rupees coated with silver in order to depreciate the currency and
to destroy casts. The freedom struggle started in Meerut on May
10 and the news reached Fatehgarh on the 14th. At Fatehgarh (a few
km. from Farrukhabad) was posted the 10th Indian Infantry, Commanded
by (Colonel) Smith.
On June 1, the officer of Aligarh Police Station
rode into Fatehgarh with the information that there was uprising
in the trans gangetic parganas under the freedom struggle. The two
regiments marched up the Grand Trunk Road through Gursahaiganj and
Chibramau, sacking the police stations at these places. On 18th
the Avadh freedom fighters entered the Fatehgarh regiments lines.
By Sept. 1857, Delhi was back in British hands which completely
changed the fate. Niyaz Mohammad evaded capture for many years by
taking to a life of wandering in the course of which he visited
Mecca many times. The close of the 19th century saw the rise of
the activities of the Arya Samaj in Farrukhabad and other towns.
The 20th century saw the down of nationalism in the country. During
the anti partition of Bengal agitation of 1905, public meeting,
strikes and protests were held. Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi the
great nationalist leader's movement for boycotting foreign goods
also went ahead.
The non-co-operation movement started by Mahatma
Gandhi in August,1920 also had its impact in the district. Meeting
and Hartals were held at Farrukhabad, Fatehgarh, Kampil, Shamsabad,
Kannauj, Indergarh and other towns. In 1928 a complete Hartal was
held, large number of people staged demonstrations by marching in
procession, waving black flags and carrying banners with the words
"GO BACK SIMON." In 1930, the civil disobedience movement was started
in Farrukhabad. Salt was also manufactured at Sikandarpur, Bholepur,
Chibramau and Kannauj. En route from Kanpur on Nov.30, 1931 Jawahar
Lal Nehru was met at each station in the district by large crowds.
Subhash Chandra Bose visited Farrukhabad on Jan.25,1940. He made
a violent speech. On Aug.15,1947 the country was liberated from
alien rule. The district also remembers those of its people who
participated in the struggle for freedom.
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES :-
Farrukhabad is situated between Lat. 26° 46' N &
27° 43' N and Long. 79° 7' E & 80° 2' E. It forms a part
of Kanpur division. It is bounded by Badaun & Shahjahanpur on
the north, Hardoi on the east, Kannauj on the south and Etah
& Mainpuri on the west.
TOPOGRAPHY :-
The district is a level plane, varied only by
a few gentle undulations and slopes, sometimes abrupt, which lead
down to the river valleys. The highest recorded elevation is 167m.
above sea level at Mohammadabad and the lowest 145.69 m. at
Mau Rasulpur in the Trans Ganga flats of Tehsil Farrukhabad. The
only marked variation of level is between the two divisions, the
upland or bangar, which is a continuation of the doab and the low
lands or Tarais, cut away from the upland by the erosive action
of the rivers.
CLIMATE :-
The climate of the district is characterised by
a hot dry summer and a pleasant cold season.
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