Kanwari

History

After Independence of India in 1947, Kanwari became part of Punjab. Once Haryana was formed as a separate state in 1966, Kanwari became part of the Hisar district, state of Haryana State.

Kanwari has an old Shiva temple called Baba Shri Giri (the lord of mountains) and an Akhara (abode) for sadhus (Hindu mystics) as well as a temple of the dhok (Haryanvi: धोक, meaning worship), bhaiyan (Haryanvi: भईयाँ, from भूमिया or of land), or jathera (Punjabi: जठेरा, from जेष्ठ which means elder) village ancestor deity called Bua Kanwari Dham (the abode of Virgin Deity), where newlyweds go for blessings before entering the village.

Demographics

As per a July 2010 official report, Kanwari has 1,147 households with a total population of 5,733 with 1,196 Scheduled Caste inhabitants.

All of the people living in the village are Hindus. The majority of people living in the village are ((Nai))Nai;There are Brahmins, Lohar, Khati, Balmiki, Harijans, Nai, Baniya, ((Jat));and other Hindu castes.

There were a few Kumhar (potter) families who converted to Islam during the Mughal Empire era (1526–1858). After the 1947 partition of India, these families reconverted to and were accepted into the Hindu religion. Since 1947, Kanwari is a 100% Hindu village.

Kanwari is influenced by the reformist Hindu Movement of Arya Samaj.

As per 2001 census, Kanwari had 896 households and a population of 5,119. There were 2,712 males and 2,407 females. 835 people were below the age of 6. The number literate were 2,655, of which 1,739 were male and 916 were female. The working population was 2,581.

Kanwari is covered by The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and 135 Job cards were issued under this legislation as of July 2010.

Jat gotras

The following Jat gotras are found in the village.

Road

Kanwari is well-connected by the Matelled Asphalt (paved bitumen) road; five different roads converge at Kanwari. Places in clock-wise direction from Kanwari are: To North is Hisar (city) 24 km on Hisar-Tosham-Bhiwani MDR 108 (Major District Road 108). To North-East is Hansi 43 km via Umra link road number 1409. To East is Muzadpur 2 km via link road. To South are Balawas 2 km and Nalwa 4 km; further South-West continuing on the same Hisar-Tosham-Bhiwani MDR 108 (Major District Road 108) are Tosham 16 km and Bhiwani 40 km. To West is Badya Jattan 4 km via a link road, that also leads to Hisar via Mangali 15 km and Kaimri 22 km.

Train connectivity

Kanwari does not have a rail station. Nearest major train stations accessible by road are 24 km (15 mi) at Hisar, 24 km (15 mi) at Hansi and 45 km at Bhiwani city.

Airport connectivity

Hisar Airport, the nearest functional airport and flying training club is 24 km (15 mi) away. Currently no commercial domestic or international flights from this airport. Nearest domestic and international airports are 200 km (120 mi) at Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi and 260 km (160 mi) Chandigarh International Airport.

Geographical and electoral administration

Kanwari is under Hansi land and revenue Tehsil, Hisar-1 Rural Development Block, Hansi (Vidhan Sabha constituency) and Hisar (Lok Sabha constituency) of the Hisar District of Hisar Division in the Haryana state of India.

Panchayat and local governance

Kanwari is an administrative unit and has a democratically elected panchayat samiti (village council). Kanwari is under Hisar Zilla Panchayat parisad and Hisar block panchayat smiti, and has its own unreserved Gram Panchayat under Gram Panchayat code 25444 and census village code 00412900. Mr. Bhoop Singh s/o Ganeshi Ram of scheduled caste category was elected as Sarpanch during the Gram panchayat elections held in February 2016.

Haryana Government has appointed Mr. Pravesh s/o Dharam Vir to run Customer Service Center (CSC) to deliver e-Seva government e-services including G2C Services such as Birth certificate, death certificate, Nakal of Jamabandi, Caste certificate, etc. and B2C Services such as payment of mobile phone bills and top-ups, PAN card, Voter card for delivery through the CSCs.

Water for drinking and irrigation is sourced from Himalaya via Sunder Branch of Hansi-Butana branch of Western Yamuna Canal of Yamuna river. Electricity is distributed by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam.

Village divisions

The village is subdivided into various 'Panna' (पान्ना) or subsectors, such as 'Parla Panna' (the upper sub-sector) or Sheoran Panna (the sub-sector of the Sheoran gotra) (clan) of the Hindu Jat, 'Nichla Panna' (the lower subsector) where majority of the residents are Hindu Jat people of Duhan gotra (clan) and 'Bahrla Panna' (the outer subsector), each having their own community center called paras (परस) or chaupal (चौपाल).

Revenue, Agriculture, Health and Other Services

There is a Patwari (Government Land Records Officer), an Agriculture Development Officer (ADO), a Rural Health Officer (RHO), and an Anganwadi (Community Childcare) worker based at Kanwari.

There is Kanwari Yuva Mandal (Kanwari Youth club) established in 1990 by the youths of the village to spread the social awareness among the villagers about the importance of education, their rights and creation of attitude for a positive change. Currently, Baljeet Jangra is the Pardhan (Chairman) and Sudarshan Sheoran is the Cashier for the same. It received an award for the Best Yuva Mandal in the Hissar district.

Jan Sahayak e-Governance Services

Government of Haryana services are accessible via their Official website.

Government of India e-governance services can be availed online at their website for various govt departments including land & revenue (land rights and ownership records), transport (driving license and vehicle registration), health (birth and death certificates), public health (water and swerage connection), food (ration cards), Power (electricity connection) and HUDA or Municipal Committee/council (house tax and building plans), etc.

Education

Kanwari has a two government schools, a private government approved teachers training college and few more private schools.

Climate

Kanwari is a semi-arid region and agriculture is supported mainly by canals and ground water irrigation. Kanwari lies 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away from the northeast edge of the Thar Desert. Hot winds, locally known as 'Loo', are strong and frequent from May to July. Intermittent dust storms are common. In the winter some rain is received due to western disturbances.

The Sunder Branch of Western Yamuna Canal (originating from Yamuna river) passes through the agricultural fields of Kanwari on the eastern side between Kanwari and Muzadpur villages, and goes towards Balawas village.

Kanwari has a continental climate, with very hot summers and relatively cool winters. Summer starts in April and lasts till the middle of October. May is the hottest month, with the maximum day temperatures in the 48 °C (118 °F) range. Hisar experiences a weak monsoon, from late June to September, with about 15 inches (380 mm) of rain. Winter starts in November and is mild and sunny, although temperatures may reach freezing on some nights.

Main ecological issues are desertification, deforestation, encroachment and land grabbing of common Panchayat forest and grazing land called "bani".

Fauna

Animals and bird of various species are found including sparrow, large Indian parakeet, parrot, crow, rat, rabbit, nilgai (state animal of Haryana), pied crested cuckoo, koel, pheasant, kingfisher, bulbul and Indian magpie robin.

The national bird of India, the common peafowl (mor) is quite common and is seen in the fields and common village land.

Reptiles

Snakes: The poisonous snakes like common krait, Russel’s viper, phoorsa and other snakes like blind snake, John’s sand boa, wolf snake, rat snake and sand snake are found around the village.

Lizards

The common lizards can be seen in the houses. Kirla or girgit is found in the hedges and attracts the attention by changing its colours. Sanda is found in sandy areas.

Amphibians

Two species of tortoises found are black pond turtle and three-striped pond turtle in around village and the common frogs found in the village are Indian bull frog, Indian cricket frog, Indian burrowing frog and common toad.

In May 2007, Kanwari villagers stopped a transport truck full of cattle, rescued the cattle (which were on their way to the slaughterhouse), and set the truck on fire. The slaughter of cows is not permitted in the Hindu religion, as the cow is sacred and worshiped by the Hindus as mother (giver of life-nurturing milk).

Bua Kanwari temple

The Bua Rani Kanwari Dham is a temple complex of the village deity called 'Bua Kanwari' (Virgin Deity) where newlyweds go for blessings before entering the village. During renovations of the Bua Kanwari temple carried out in 2001 to 2003, ancient stone statues of Hindu deities were found. These stone statues are yet to be scientifically dated or examined by trained archaeologists. The statues are stored in the basement under the temple.

Notable people