MEERUT Story of an Old City
MEERUT Story of an Old City

MEERUT: Story of an Old City

through the ages – from past to present

Ever thought of what an old city is like? Just close your eyes for a moment, and imagine you are in an old town. Go back into the past and think what life was like long ago. How would you describe what you see? Isn’t it like stepping back in time? You see no high-rise buildings, no metro stations, no heavy traffic on the road or aircrafts in the sky. What you find is many archaic structures recognizable by their age-old architectural styles, fortified walls, ancient monuments, temples and mosques, crowded markets, narrow streets, grand mansions, old houses, residents dressed in traditional attire, etc. Such a glimpse into the past might be something that makes you feel quite nostalgic.

At first sight, Meerut may look like any other city in India’s heartland; but this place has a glorious history buried under multiple layers of the past. The city has countless stories to tell. Situated on a fertile land between two great holy rivers—Ganga and Yamuna, in north-western Uttar Pradesh, Meerut has been a hub of diverse human activities in every historical era, even in the age before the existence of written records. Its establishment could be traced to ancient times. From the time as early as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas to the British colonial rule, the city has left a sign of strong presence in each period of India’s history, from ancient to modern.

Meerut, one of the oldest cities in India, has an interesting relation to Ramayana. The city is believed to have derived its name from Mayarashtra, the capital of the kingdom of Mayasura, Mandodari’s father. Needless to say, Mandodari was the wife of Ravana, the antagonist of the epic Ramayana.

Meerut has a connection with the Indus Valley civilization. Alamgirpur, the easternmost settlement of the civilization, is located in Meerut district. Hastinapur, a town in Meerut district, has a history that dates back to the period of Mahabharata. This ancient place is portrayed as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom of the Kauravas. Many incidents in the Mahabharata were set in the city of Hastinapura. Archaeological excavations at Hastinapur were carried out in the early 1950s by B. B. Lal, the then Director General of the ASI. He found correlations between the text of the Mahabharata and the material remains that he unearthed at Hastinapur. Besides that, the reference to Hastinapura in the Puranas presents the city as the capital of Emperor Bharata’s kingdom.

Meerut had been a centre of Buddhism in the period of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, and remains of Buddhist structures were found near the Jama Masjid in the present day city. The Ashoka Pillar, at Delhi ridge, was carried to Delhi from Meerut, by Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

In the 11th century AD, the city was ruled by the Dor Raja of Bulandshahr who built a fort which was known for its strength, and gets a mention in Ain-i-Akbari. He was later defeated by Mahmud of Ghazni. During the Sultanate period, Meerut had a pretty tough time. Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who established the Delhi Sultanate, attacked and captured the city in 1193. Timur in 1399 attacked and sacked the city; but met with the fierce resistance offered by the brave locals. Numerous inhabitants were brutally killed, women & children were enslaved, and the fortifications and houses were razed to the ground. The city remained in a state of relative peace under the rule of the Mughal Empire. During the rule of Akbar, there was a mint for copper coins here. In the 18th century, the city saw Sikh and Maratha invasions.

In 1803, with the fall of Delhi, Daulat Rao Scindia of the Marathas ceded the Meerut territory to the British East India Company. With the capture of power by the British, the town evolved into a military garrison. Meerut is closely associated with the Indian Rebellion of 1857, better known as the First War of Independence against the British Rule. The rebellion began on 10 May, 1857 in the form of a mutiny of Indian soldiers of the Company’s army in Meerut. This particular incident marked the beginning of a widespread revolt across northern India as these soldiers marched towards Delhi. The spark that began in Meerut soon spread all over and acquired the form of a nationalistic struggle for independence posing a serious threat to the British power in India.

In recent decades, Meerut has rapidly developed from an old city with a rich tradition and a fascinating history into an increasingly urbanized society marked by new residential towers, rapid rail corridor, various industries & commercial activities, and an advanced life style. A lot has changed over the years. Meerut, which is presently on the cusp of great socio-economic change, is included among the fastest growing cities in India.

Mr. Shubhra Atreya
Content Writer
IT Department, SVSU

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