Mathura A Gazetteer-6
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MATHURA A GAZETTEER,
edited and compiled by, D.L. DRAKE-BROCKMAN [1911]
DIRECTORY
AIRA KHERA, Tahsil MAHABAN
Aira Khera lies in 27°31'N. and 77°50'E., nearly 4 miles north-east from Raya and 11 miles from Muttra. It is an old township with no arable land attached to it, and is popularly said to be the mother of 360 villages. It is still the recognised centre of eighteen, namely, Aira, Baron, Bhankarpur, Bhura, Bibaoli, Bindu Bulaki, Barahna, Birbal, Gainra, Gaju, Kakarari, Lalpur, Manina Balu, Misri, Nimgaon, Piri, Sabali and Sampat Jogi The founder is said to have been a Pramar Rajput, by name Nain Sen, who himself came from Daharua in this tahsil, but whose ancestors had migrated from Duar in the Deccan. He had four sons among whom he portioned out his property; and they in turn had eighteen sons, who settled the villages mentioned above. The bazar is considered the joint property of the descendants of Rupa, the eldest son of Nain Sen; while the market, which is held on a spot close the bazar on Wednesdays and Saturdays, is the property of the zamindars of the four villages founded by the sons of Sikhan, another son of Nain Sen. The lands of the eighteen villages are all intermixed and are occupied almost exclusively by the Jat community, with the exception of Lalpur which is held by Brahmans, the descendants of the founder's purohit. The old occupants of the place whom Nain Sen dispossessed are said to have been Kalars. Though Nain Sen himself was a Rajput, his des cendants are all reckoned as Jats of the Godha subdivision. This they explain by saying that the new settlers, being unable to secure any better alliances, intermarried with Jat women from Karil in Aligarh, and the children followed the caste of their mothers. The population of Aira Khera has increased of recent years. In 1891 it numbered 1,955 souls and this rose to 2,072 in 1901: of the latter 1,906 were Hindus, 134 were Muhammadans and 32 were of unspecified religions, Brahmans being the numeri cally strongest Hindu caste. The village contains a primary school and a post-office. There is a general meeting for the members of the clan at the festival of the Phut Dol, which is held on the fifth day of the dark half of Chait.
AKOS, Tahsil MAHABAN
This is a large village situated on the banks of the Jumna in 27°17'N. and 77°53'E., at a distance of 18 miles in a direct line from Muttra and of 14 miles from Mahaban by the unmetalled road which leads from Baldeo to Agra. Near the village is situated a curious hill known as the Bhim Tila; and the village lands cover 3,568 acres, the revenue demand being Rs. 6,600. The proprietary rights are owned by Jats and Brahmans; and the population of the village has increased from 2,819 persons in 1891 to 3,193 in 1901. Of the latter number 3,016 were Hindus, 115 Muhammadan and 62 of unspecified religions, Jats being the prin cipal Hindu caste. Market is held every Monday and there is a primary school in the village, while a private ferry plies over the Jumna.
ARING, Tahsil MUTTRA
Aring is a large agricultural village lying in the centre of tahsil Muttra; it is situated in 27°29'N. and 77°32'E., at a dis tance of 12 miles from headquarters on the metalled road from Muttra to Dig in Bharatpur. The name of the place is popularly derived from Aringsaur, a demon slain here by Krishna. Other suggestions are that the name is from the root ar, to hesitate, because the tax which Krishna imposed was here reluc tantly paid; or that arang is the local name for a mart, which Aring has always been, thanks to its favourable situation on the high road between two large towns. Mr. Growse however would derive the name from Arishta-grama, arishta being the original Sanskrit form of ritha, the Hindi name of the soap-berry tree (Sapindus Detergens). Aring is generally accounted one of the 24 Upabans: it has a sacred pond called Kilol Kund, and three small temples dedicated respectively to Baladeva, Bihari-ji and Pipalesvar Mahadeva; but there are no signs of a wood. There are also the ruins of a mud fort built during the last century by one Phunda Ram, a Jat, who held a large tract of territory in jagir under Raja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur. A trigonometrical survey station lies in the fort at an elevation of 670.5 feet above the level of the sea. The upper markstone of the survey is on the vaulted roof of the old fort, and is about 57 feet above the level of the surrounding country. Aring contains a police station, a vernacular secondary school with a primary branch attended by about 100 pupils, a branch post-office and a cattle-pound. A weekly market is held on Sundays. The population in 1901 numbered 4,225 persons, of whom 3,932 were Hindus and 291 Musalmans, and appears to have largely increased of late years for in 1881 it amounted to 3,579 souls. The Agra canal passes close to the site, and is bridged at the point where the road to Dig crosses it. The Hindu inhabitants are for the most part Chamars, Brahmans, Gaurua Rajputs and Jats. For many years Aring was the headquarters of a pargana of the same name; but in 1868 the offices were all transferred to the capital of the district and the parganas of Muttra and Aring were amalgamated. Until 1818 the village was held in jagir by a Kashmiri Pandit named Baba Biswanath. On his death it was resumed and assessed to revenue of Rs. 6,447, settlement being made with the resident Gaurua Rajputs. In 1852 their estate was transferred by auction sale to Seth Gobind Das, who made it part of the endowment of the temple of Rangji at Brindaban. Aring was the scene of a defeat of the Maratha army under Holkar by Lord Lake in October 1804. At the Mutiny rebels marched upon the place with the intention of plundering the treasury, but were stoutly opposed by the zamindars and resident officials, and driven back after a few shots had been fired. Lala Ram Baksh, the hereditary pat wari, who also acted as the Seth's agent, was conspicuous for his loyalty, and subsequently received from the Government a grant of Rs. 1,000, and a quarter of the revenue of the village of Kothra, on the Bharatpur border. Munshi Bhajan Lal, who was tahsil dar at the same time, also received a grant of Rs. 1,200, and smaller rewards were conferred on several other inhabitants of the village, chiefly Brahmans.The avenue of trees extending from Muttra through Aring to Gobardhan was mainly planted by Seth Sukhanand. The village of Aring has an area of 5,459 acres and is assessed to revenue of Rs. 9,995.
ARUA, Tahsil MAT
Arua lies in the south of tahsil Mat about three miles off the metalled road from Raya to Mat, in 27°37'N. and 77°47'E. It is 12 miles by road from Muttra and only 4 miles from Mat. The area of the village covers 4,118 acres and includes a large number of inhabited sites, including the deserted site of Bindrauli. The population has somewhat decreased since 1881 and in 1901 amounted to 3,389 souls, of whom 3,308 were Hindus and 81 were Musalmans. Market is held on Thursdays in Darwa, the largest hamlet, where there is also a primary school. Arua is an old Jat village, but much of the land has been now alienated to Banias of Raya and to Brahmans. The revenue demand amounts to Rs. 9,901. At the time of the Mutiny, Udha, one of the zamindars, was put to death by the people of the next village, Jawara. Hereupon his friends at Arua and Airs Khera assembled a large force for an attack upon Jawara, and in the engagement many lives were lost on both sides. For this and other acts of depredation Arua was fined Rs. 10,000. On the borders of the village is a lake called Man Sarovar, and there are the ruins of two old indigo factories.
AURANGABAD, Tahsil MUTTRA
Aurangabad lies on the metalled road from Agra to Dehli, two miles south of Muttra, in 27°26'N. and 77°45'E. The population in 1901 numbered 2,141 persons, out of which 1,425 were Hindus, 681 Musalmans and 35 of other religions, the prevailing castes being Banias, Brahmans, Jats and Mewatis. A reach of sandy and broken ground, extends from the town to the Jumna, where a bridge-of-boats affords means of communication with Gokul and Mahaban on the opposite bank. On the banks of the river is an extensive garden, and beside the high road are the ruins of a handsome red sandstone mosque built in the time of Aurangzeb. From the name of that monarch the village derives its name: he is said to have made a grant of it to one Bhim Bhoj, a Tomar Rajput, with whose descendants it continued for many years. For sometime previous to 1861 however, it was, held revenue free by a faqir, commonly called Bottle Shah from his bibulous propensities, who was. a grantee of Daulat Rao Sindhia. On his death it was assessed at Rs. 691, but at the present time the revenue is Rs. 699, the total area of the village being 713 acres. The place is frequently, but incorrectly, called Naurangabad. It has also the subsidiary name of Mohanpur, from one Mohan Lal, a Sanadh Brahman and a man of some importance who came from Mat and settled here in the 18th century. Aurangabad is the chief place in Muttra for the manufacture of wicker chairs and couches: and a weekly market is held on Fridays, the articles of traffic being for the most part cotton and thread. The village has a police outpost and a primary school, attended by some 40 boys. For the accommoda tion of the latter Mr. Growse had a handsome and substantial building erected, with pillars and tracery of carved stone, which now forms the most conspicuous ornament of the place.