For the historical and cultural region, see Mewat.
Nuh district, formerly known as the Mewat district, is one of the 22 districts of the northern Indian state of Haryana. The district is known for having the largest Muslim population in Haryana. It lies within the National Capital Region as well as the historical Mewat region and Braj region of India.
In 2018, the Government of India's think tank NITI Aayog listed Nuh district as the most underdeveloped of India's 739 districts.[2] Despite bordering Gurgaon district, Haryana's rich industrial and financial heartland, this district had the worst health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development and basic infrastructure.[3][4]
The Nuh district area is a small part of the vast historical and cultural region of Mewat.
During the Maratha Empire, Mahadaji Shinde, had conquered most of the region from the Mughals and northern Mewat (Nuh district) came under the Maratha Confederacy. All of the Gurgaon district area of Punjab (which consisted of present-day districts of Faridabad, Rewari, and Mahendargah and Nuh) was conquered by French generals in late 18th century.
After the Rebellion of 1857, the Nuh district area became a part of the Gurgaon district in the Punjab Province of British India. The Meos of southern Gurgaon (modern-day Nuh district) were leaders in the Rebellion and even momentarily formed their own government of Chaudharies as they drove the British out.[8]
During the British Era, The Meo Muslims who inhabited this region were syncretic in past rituals.
"The Meos (Muhammadans) of the eastern Punjab still participate in the observance of the Holi and Diwali festivals. On the latter occasion they paint the horns, hoofs, etc.,of their bullocks and join in the general rejoicings".[9]: 174
— Excerpt from the Census of India (Punjab Province), 1911 AD
In the 1920s the grassroots Islamic movement Tablighi Jamaat arose from this region under Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlwai as a reformist movement.[10] This Muslim region was heavily inflicted by partition violence of 1947, which in turn naturally altered the syncretic life style of people in the region.[11] During partition some Meo Muslim villages were attacked; when the Meos retaliated they were attacked by the Hindu princely state maharajas. The violence has been remembered by the Meo Muslims and lead them to embrace a more Islamic identity.[12] The Meos' Islamic identity has also been enhanced due to better education, communication and transportation. As secular schools have increase in the area, so have the religious madrassas. Many Meos have traveled to Delhi to attend religious gatherings, or visited their relatives in Pakistan.[12]
During Indian independence, there was a surge in Communal tension when Jinnah demanded for a separate nation as a result of which Partition of India was proposed by the British rulers. A branch of the All India Muslim League was established in the area, which had proposed a separate province for Meos and a significant number of Meos became members of the organization.[13]
Yasin Khan's political leadership created three infamous political dynasties in the region, the Tayyab Husain clan, Rahim Khan clan and the Ahmed clan. Yasin Khan put forward two political leaders during his lifetime, his own son, Tayyab Husain and Khurshid Ahmed. Later on, Rahim Khan also emerged as political leader in rebellion to these two in the region. These political dynasties have gained notoriety and continue to have significant influence in the politics and culture of district.[15]
The district was officially established on 4 April 2005, by taking areas from Gurgaon district and the Hathin sub-division of Faridabad district. However, in 2008, Hathin sub-division was reorganized in the new district of Palwal. The district was renamed from Mewat to Nuh in 2016, because Mewat is a historical and cultural region which spans farther into the states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The Nuh district, although was called Mewat, did not encompass the entire historical Mewat region, rather only a small part of it[16][17] The district currently comprises Nuh, Taoru, Nagina, Ferozepur Jhirka, Indri, Punhana and Pinangwan blocks, 431 villages and 297 panchayats. There had been 512 villages and 365 panchayats in district before Hathin Block was transferred to Palwal district.[citation needed]
The total area of Nuh district is 1,507 square kilometres (582 sq mi).[18]
Administrative divisions
There are 4 subdivisions or tehsils in the district with one sub-tehsil for the Nuh tehsil. There are a total of 7 blocks in the district as mentioned below:[19]
According to the 2011 census, Nuh district had a population of 1,089,263.[1] By population, it ranks 420th among the 640 districts of India.[1] The district had a population density of 729 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,890/sq mi).[1] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 37.94%.[1] It had a sex ratio of 906 females for every 1000 males,[1] and a literacy rate of 56.1%. 11.39% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes make up 6.91% of the population.[1]
The main occupation in the district is agriculture, followed by allied and agro-based activities. The Meos are the predominant population group and are all agriculturists.[25]
Transport
Nuh town is on National Highway 248A (NH 248A) (previously known as the Gurgaon–Sohna–Alwar road),[26] connecting the district to Gurugram and Alwar. The Kundli–Manesar–Palwal (KMP) Expressway provides high-speed access to the district from Palwal and Manesar. Major District Roads 131 and 135 connect to the Delhi–Agra Highway. The nearest railway station is Hodal which is around 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Punahana town. The closest railway station to the district headquarters, Nuh town, is 37 kilometres (23 mi) away in Palwal.[citation needed]
^1941 figures are for Nuh and Firozpur Jhirka tehsils of the former Gurgaon District, which roughly corresponds to present-day Nuh district. Historic district borders may not be an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
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