Anupshahr

Geography

Anupshahr is located at 28.37°N 78.27°E / 28.37; 78.27. It has an average elevation of 182 metres (597 ft).

Demographics

As of the 2001 India census, Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Anupshahr has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the males and 41% of females literate. 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.

History

According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India the founder of Anupshahr was Bargujar Raja Anup Rai, and thus the date of foundation of present day Anupshahr was between 1605 and 1628 (during the reign of the Moghul emperor Jahangir). Raja Anup Rai saved Jahangir during a lion hunt, by intercepting and then helping to kill a lion that attacked the emperor. Jahangir presented this area to Raja Anup Rai, and the city is named after him. Anup Rai built a fort nearby.

During the period of King Tarasingh (the 8th generation from Raja Anup Singh) this area progressed very much. At that time the area was known for Ayurvedic medicine and for business by boats in northern India.

In the 18th century when the Mughal empire set into a decline and the former satraps attained the status of suzerain rulers Anupshahr came to be located on the western periphery of the 'Nawabi' of Oudh (Avadh) and became an important garrison. Though the Nawab of Oudh soon lost control of the area, this small town remained a cantonment of sorts for a long time to come.

In 1857, during the first war of independence the town of Anupshahr was the scene of incidents against British rule. One message of revolution was carried from Aligarh to Bulandshahr by Pandit Narayan Sharma on 10 May 1857. The Gujjars of Dadri and Sikandrabad destroyed inspection bungalows, telegraph offices and government buildings as they were symbols of foreign rule. Following recapture of Delhi by the Army of the East India Company and the subsequent assumption of direct responsibility for administering India by the British Crown the first Viceroy, Lord Canning on his march to Delhi camped at Anupshahr with his Army. (As per John Beames, "Memoirs of a Bengal civilian".

Facilities

Anupshahr is also known as Chotti Kashi ("Little Kashi"). It is located on the banks of the holy river Ganges. Krishna Temple is an important temple in the town.

Anupshahr has adequate educational facilities, with a post graduate degree college, a CBSE affiliated 10+2 school, and six intermediate colleges. Jaypee University has been established there under UP act no.8 2014 offering undergraduate courses in five streams namely Computer Science, Electronics and Communication, Information Technology, Civil and Mechanical Engineering Courses. University also offers honours courses.