Rudrapur, Uttarakhand

Rudrapur ( Kumaoni: ''रुद्रपुर'') is a city that serves as the headquarters of the Udham Singh Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Located at a distance of about northeast of New Delhi and south of Dehradun, Rudrapur is located in the fertile Terai plains in the southern part of Kumaon division over an area of 27.65 km². With a population of 140,857 according to the 2011 census of India, it is the 5th most populous city of Uttarakhand.

Rudrapur was established in the 16th century by King Rudra Chand of Kumaon to serve as the seat of the governor of the southern Tarai plains of the kingdom. Since the establishment of the SIDCUL industrial area in its vicinity, the city has undergone rapid development, along with literacy growth and higher employment. Rudrapur is a major industrial and educational hub of the state.

In this area, some artesian water wells produce water under pressure and no pump is required. However, in the last two decades, this auto-flow system has drastically declined, leading Rudrapur into a groundwater crisis.

Etymology

The name "Rudrapur" comprises two words "Rudra" and "Pur". It is believed to be named after the King Rudra Chandra who was handed over this region by the Emperor Akbar in 1588. Pur is a placename element common to the Indian subcontinent which is derived from the Sanskrit word 'pura' which refers to a city or settlement.

History

The Terai area, where Rudrapur is located was considered an impenetrable forest for much of the ancient period. Marshy land, extreme heat, rains which lasted months, wild animals, diseases and no means of transportation prevented people from settling here. No historical settlements, except Govishana ( northwest of the city), has been recorded in the area. Mughal historians mention that the Chand ruler of Champawat, ''Gyan Chand'', visited Delhi Sultanate and received the regions of Bhabar–Terai up to the Ganges as a grant from then Sultan; thus bringing it under the Kingdom of Kumaon. This area remained under local chieftains; it was ''Kirti Chand'' (1488–1503), who first ruled the Terai area, along with the rest of Kumaon.

Rudrapur town was established in the 16th century by King Rudra Chand of Almora. It was the residence of the Adhikari (Governor) of Tarai, till the town of Kashipur was Established in 1718. The Kumaoni Army, under Shiv Deo Joshi faced severe defeat during the Battle of Rudrapur, that was fought between Chands and Rohillas in AD 1744. Later, King Deep chand built a fort at Rudrapur to keep vigil over the Rohillas.

By the end of Eighteenth century, Nand Ram, the Adhikari of Kashipur, murdered the governor of Rudrapur, Manorath Joshi, and declared himself the de facto ruler of the low-lying Terai land, with his capital at Kashipur. After the fall of Almora in 1790, Rudrapur and its surrounding areas were ceded to the Nawab of Oudh, who remained its suzerain until the British occupation in 1801.

In 1837, Rudrapur was annexed to the collectorate of Rohilkhand. Rudrapur was brought under Kumaon Division in 1858, however it was brought back to Rohilkhand division in 1861. In 1864–65 the whole Tarai and Bhabar was put under "Tarai and Bhawar Government Act" which was governed directly by the British crown. In 1891, the Tarai district was dismantled, and Rudrapur was put in the newly created Nainital district. Post independence Rudrapur and other parts of Nainital district were merged with United Provinces, which was later renamed the state of Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Agricultural University, the first agricultural university of India, was established near Rudrapur on 17 November 1960. The University was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, and soon became a significant force in the development and transfer of High Yielding Variety seeds and related technology.

After Operation Blue Star in 1984, several Sikh extremists fled Punjab and took refuge in U.P. Tarai. Subsequently, several cases of explosions and Bombings were reported in 1991. A bomb blast occurred in Rudrapur market in mid 1991, and another bomb in a state roadways bus was defused in the nick of time. On 17 October 1991, Two bombs exploded at Ramlila celebration in the town, killing 41 people and wounding more than 140. Later, two members of the Khalistan Commando force were shot dead by a joint team of the commandos of the National Security Guard and the Delhi Police.

By 1994, the demand for separate statehood for Uttarakhand achieved almost unanimous acceptance among both the local populace and political parties all over the region. Rudrapur was made the headquarter of the district of Udham Singh Nagar, which was carved out from the Nainital district on 30 September 1995. After the Parliament of India passed the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 on 9 November 2000, Rudrapur became a part of Uttarakhand, the 27th state of the Republic of India.

Culture and Cityscape

Culture and Lifestyle

The land lends itself to different forms of agriculture, giving rise to agriculture related activities and industry. Pantnagar University is a place of learning in the fields of agriculture and technology.

Bengali, Punjabi & Baniya community is a major community in Rudrapur . Punjabi & Baniya (caste) people came here during the partition of India at 1947. The first refugee in this City who was settled and allotted land by an Indian Government, who was Merchant and Farmer Late. Gurumukh Ram Chhabra ji (Kanakpur Village), All refugees from Pakistan after division were settled here by Indian government in lait 1948. The Punjabi culture is also affecting the regional culture and in return getting affected by it.

The history of development started with 1948, when the problem of partition brought the refugee problem with it. Immigrants from north west and eastern areas were re-established in 164.2 square km land area under "Uttar Pradesh nivesh yojana". Individual citizens were not allotted land in accordance with crown grant act. The first batch of immigrants came in December 1948.

People from Kashmir, Punjab, Kerala, Eastern UP, Garhwal, Kumaon, Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan and Nepal live in groups in this district. This community is an example of unity in diversity with people from many religions and professions and so is the Tarai, which has its heart at Rudrapur.

Landmark

Rudrapur is known as the 'Gateway to Kumaon', which is in close proximity to regional attractions like Nainital, Corbett National Park, Bhimtal and Almora. The city itself has numerous antient monuments spread through the city, though not maintained in the best condition. Rudrapur is lined with suburbs around the city which offer spiritual reflief to those who visit the city.

Nanak Matta Gurudwara

Nanakmatta (also called, Gurdwara Sri Nanak Matta Sahib Ji ) is an important Sikh pilgrimage centre, located at Nanakmatta. It is located on the Rudrapur–Tanakpur route, 17 km from Khatima and 56 km from the Rudrapur district headquarter. The gurudwara is named after Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh guru, who is believed to have visited the place on his way to Kailash Parvat in 1515 AD. The gurudwara is a sacred place for the Sikh community and is visited by thousands of pilgrims year-round.

Local Attraction

Nanak Matta Dam

Located close to the Nanak Matta Gurudwara, is the Nanak Matta Dam which is built over the Saryu river. The area around the Nanak Matta Dam with its rich greens, still lake waters and fresh air, serve as a picnic spot for the locals and tourists, where one can enjoy boating and fishing.

Atariya Temple

Atariya Temple is an old temple with mythological significance, which is locally preached. The temple encompasses a sacred shrine dedicated to the deity goddess Atariya. The temple is known for its 10-day fair held during sacred Navratras week during which the pilgrims visit the shrine in thousands. Atariya Temple is located at a distance of 2 km from the Rudrapur bus stand.

Metropolis Mall

The Metropolis mall in Rudrapur is the upcoming local attraction which is located on main Delhi–Nainital NH-87. It has 3 floors which has 3,00,000 sqft of retail space and 400 ft frontage. The mall offers a Wave cinema 4-screen Cineplex, which will be the first cineplex-mall development in the region. This mall is a part of 55 acre group housing development. which also proposes to have serviced apartments, multi-specialty hospitals as well as banquet halls.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the Rudrapur Urban Agglomeration (Rudrapur UA) has a population of 154,485, with the municipality contributing 140,884 of it. The Rudrapur Urban Agglomeration consists of area falling under Rudrapur Municipal Corporation, Rudrapur SIDCUL and 2 Out growths of Jagatpura and Rampura. This makes Rudrapur the Second most populous city in Kumaon, and the Fifth most populous city in Uttarakhand. About 80% population of Rudrapur lives on Illegally encroached Government land. In addition to that, 41.95% of total population of Rudrapur lives in Slums.

The city has witnessed massive population growth most of the time. The population of the city increased around three times during the census years 1961–1971 and nearly doubled during 1981–1991. Rudrapur surpassed Jaspur in 1971 and Kashipur in 2011 to become the second most populous city in Kumaun. The high growth rate has been attributed to the migration of people from upper hills, and the development of SIDCUL Industrial Estate in recent years.

As of the 2001 India census, Rudrapur had a population of 88,720, which increased to 140,857 in 2011. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47% according to the 2011 census. Rudrapur has an average literacy rate of 71%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 63%. In Rudrapur, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Religion

According to the 2011 Census of India, 80.29% people in Rudrapur were Hindus. 15.76% people followed Islam, making it the second most popular religion in city. Christianity was followed by 0.43%, Jainism by 0.12%, Sikhism by 3.17% and Buddhism by 3.17%. Around 0.03% stated 'Other Religion' while approximately 0.17% stated 'No Particular Religion'.

The city witnessed communal clashes on 2 October 2011 following an alleged act of sacrilege, prompting authorities to impose an indefinite curfew. Though unconfirmed reports said three persons were killed, an official statement later confirmed two deaths in the violence that spread to different parts of the town. In the ensuing clashes, nearly 5 shops and scores of vehicles were also torched.

Language

Hindi is spoken by 1,14,691, Bangla by 20,362, Punjabi by 6,740 people, Urdu

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