Bareilly

Overview

Bareilly is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Bareilly district and Bareilly division, and lies in the Rohilkhand region between the Ramganga and Deoha (Gomti) rivers, in the upper Gangetic plain. Historically the seat of the Rohilla nawabs, the city is today an important commercial, educational and military centre of western Uttar Pradesh.

Key facts

Etymology

The city is traditionally said to have been founded in the 16th century and named after Bansaldev and Baraldev, sons of Raja Jagat Singh Katehria, from whose names the form "Bareilly" is believed to derive. Bareilly is also widely known as Nath Nagri on account of its cluster of ancient Shiva temples — Alakhnath, Madhinath, Trivatinath, Dhopeshwarnath and Tapeshwarnath — which together form a circuit of pilgrimage within the city.

Geography

Bareilly stands in the doab between the Ramganga and the Deoha (also called the Gomti or Bahgul). The terrain is alluvial plain, well watered and agriculturally productive, with sugarcane, wheat and rice as the principal crops of the surrounding district. The city lies roughly midway between Delhi and Lucknow on the Indo-Gangetic axis.

History

Early and medieval period

The Bareilly region corresponds to ancient Panchala, with archaeological remains at sites such as Ahichchhatra in adjoining Aonla tehsil. The town of Bareilly itself is generally dated to a foundation in 1537 by Jagat Singh's sons under the Mughals; it later took shape as a settlement under Mughal administration during the reign of Shah Jahan.

Rohilla period

In the 18th century Bareilly emerged as the capital of the Rohillas, an Afghan-origin community who established the principality of Rohilkhand. Hafiz Rahmat Khan, regent of the Rohilla state, made Bareilly an important political and cultural centre. The First Rohilla War of 1774, fought between the Nawab of Awadh (supported by the East India Company) and the Rohillas, ended with Rahmat Khan's death at the Battle of Miranpur Katra and the absorption of much of Rohilkhand into Awadh. The region passed to the British under the Treaty of 1801.

Colonial era and 1857

Under the British, Bareilly became a divisional headquarters and a significant military cantonment. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the city was a major centre of the uprising in the North-Western Provinces, with Khan Bahadur Khan, a descendant of Hafiz Rahmat Khan, proclaiming himself ruler of Rohilkhand. British forces under Sir Colin Campbell recaptured Bareilly in May 1858.

Post-independence

After 1947 Bareilly continued as a divisional headquarters of Uttar Pradesh and grew steadily as an industrial, educational and trading hub. The Indian Veterinary Research Institute at Izatnagar, the Indian Air Force station at Trishul, and the headquarters of major defence and paramilitary establishments contributed to the city's expansion in the second half of the 20th century.

Economy

Bareilly is historically known for the manufacture and export of zari and zardozi embroidery, cane and bamboo furniture, and surma (kohl). The city is also a centre for processing of agricultural produce, particularly sugar, and hosts industries in textiles, rosin and turpentine, and wood products. The Bareilly–Pilibhit belt is one of India's principal regions for menthol and mint oil production and trading.

Education and research

• Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar — one of the oldest veterinary research institutions in Asia, established in 1889.
• Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University — the principal state university of the region, founded in 1975.
• Aaj Shikshan Sansthan, Bareilly College and Government Medical College serve as major centres