Mewat

For other uses, see Mewat district.

Mewat is a historical region of Haryana and Rajasthan states in northwestern India. The loose boundaries of Mewat are not precisely determined but generally include Mewat District of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan.[1]

The region roughly corresponds to the ancient kingdom of Matsya, founded in the 5th century BCE. Mewati dialect, a slight variant of the Haryanvi and Rajasthani dialects of Hindi, is spoken in rural areas of the region. Mewati Gharana is a distinctive style of Indian classical music.


Hasan Khan Mewati is the most well-known chieftain of Mewat. He fought against Babur in Battle of Khanwa in 1527. Under Mughal rule Mewat came under Rajputs. It was a part of Alwar princely state until independence.

Demography

The population of the area is predominantly rural with a few small towns.

Mewat's population is primarily Meo Muslims, with some Hindus. The Muslim residents are known as "Meo," thus the word "Meo" is both region-specific and religion-specific. Meo Muslims converted from Hinduism under Sufi influence in 13th century. Meos, who are said to be Muslim Rajputs, follow the clan culture of the pals and gotra of Hindu Kshatriyas. As Meos were originally a rebellious tribe, they were forced to relocate from their villages whenever the Delhi rulers became strong. A region near Bhopal settled by Meos who ran away from Mewat is called Chotti Mewat Small Mewat). Meos are divided into 13 pals and 52 gotras. Mirasi singers keep an oral history tradition of their Meo patrons.

The main source of income in Mewat is agriculture. In the absence of good canal system, agriculture is mainly dependent on the monsoon. The "Mewat region" comprises parts of Alwar, Bharatpur Districts in Rajasthan; Mathura Districts in Uttar Pradesh; and Nuh and Palwal Districts in Haryana.

Recent developments

The Gurugram Sohna Nuh Alwar Road has been upgraded to four lane National Highway and is known as NH 248A. Kundli Manesar Palwal expressway passing through Mewat also provides high speed connectivity to National Highway 8 and National Highway. A Government Medical College is now operational near Nuh.

However, due to expansion of real estate activities in nearby Gurgaon, the land prices in Mewat have gone up considerably and the land is being bought by investors and developers.

The planned Rewari-Bhiwadi-Palwal railway line and Delhi Sohna Nuh Ferozepur Jhirka Alwar will pass through Mewat and near its district headquarter town, Nuh, if and when it is constructed.

Haryana Wakf Board has set up its first engineering college in Mewat which is operational near Nuh

Media

Mewat has two community radio stations: Radio Mewat and Alfaz-e-Mewat.

Radio Mewat, launched in 2010, endeavors to give voice to the voiceless in backward communities.

Alfaz-e-Mewat, launched in 2012, provides rural communities in and around the Mewat district with information and participatory dialogue about agriculture, water and soil health, and governance issues.


References

  1. ↑ Mewat The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 17, p. 313.

External links

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