Sikandra Rao Town, 1908
Sikandra Rao Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Head-quarters of the tahsil of the same name in Aligarh District, United Provinces, situated in 27 41' N. and 78 23' E., on the grand trunk road and on the Cawnpore- Achhnera-Railway. Population (1901), 11,372. The town was founded in the fifteenth century by Sikandar LodI, and afterwards given as a jagir to Rao Khan, an Afghan, from which circumstances the double name is derived. During the Mutiny of 1857, Ghaus Khan, of Sikandra Rao, was one of the leading rebels, and held Koil or Aligarh as deputy for Walidad Khan of Malagarh in Bulandshahr District. Kundan Singh, a Pundlr Rajput, did good service on the British side, and held the pargana as ndzim. Sikandra Rao is a squalid, poor-looking town, on a high mound surrounded by low, badly-drained environs. A great swamp spreads eastwards, attaining a length of 4 miles in the rains. There is a mosque dating from Akbar's time, and a ruined house in the town was once the residence of a Muhammadan governor. The public buildings include the tahsih, dispensary, and school. Sikandra Rao has been a municipality since 1865. During the ten years ending 1901, the income and expen- diture averaged Rs. 8,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 13,000, chiefly derived from octroi (Rs. 9,000) ; and the expenditure was Rs. 14,000. The town is declining, and its trade is chiefly local. There is a small export of glass and saltpetre, which are made in the neighbourhood. The middle school has 220 pupils, and five primary schools 270 pupils.
