Culture & Heritage
Economy
Muzaffarnagar is an important industrial district with sugar, steel and paper being the major products. It has 11 sugar mills such as Tikaula Sugar Mills & Distilleries run by Mr. Nirankar Swarup s/o Shri Somansh Prakash which receive produce from district and the surrounding region; more than 70% of its population is engaged in agriculture. The Muzaffarnagar market of Jaggery (heat-dried sugar-cane juice, called ‘Gud’ in local language) is the largest in the world. There are a number of steel plants viz. Rana Steels, Barnala Steels, U.P Steels, Sidhbali Steels etc.
Culture of Muzaffarnagar
Culturally, it is part of Western Uttar Pradesh, with Indo-Islamic flavor. The older parts of the city have a Mughal feel, many monuments of Mughal period are spread in the villages and towns of this district. Jansath Tehsil, about 22 km from district headquarters, has many Havelies (grand mansions) of the Sayyids: Sheeshmahal, Killi Darwaja etc. are a few of them. “Jansath House” is an old palatial bungalow situated at Ansari Road.This bungalow was earlier owned by Sayyid Brothers (King Makers) of Jansath .
Bohoron Ka Mandir, situated on Ansari Road, Muzaffarnagar is a very quiet spiritual place to spend time as very few people visit it. The special thing about this temple is its Ekadash Shivalinga(eleven Shivlingas).
Vahelna, 4 km from the city, is a holy site for Jains. Vahelna is an excellent example of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood as the walls of Mosque, Shiv Mandir and Jain Mandir touch each other.
Government Educational Museum, Muzaffarnagar -Government Educational Museum, established in 1959, is famous for several historical metal images, terracotta, coins and stone sculptures. The museum also has varied types of paintings and dolls dressed in traditional costumes, along with stamps and cannons. Timing: 7 am – 12 pm (Summer) 11 am – 4 pm (Winter)
Vahelna Jain Temple, Muzaffarnagar -Vahelna is an important pilgrimage site for Jains. This site has a mosque, a Shiva temple and a Jain temple sharing a common wall, signifying secularism. The Vahelna Jain Mandir, also known as Shri 1008 Parshwanath Digamber Jain Atishye Chetra, has an old idol of Lord Parshwanath. This temple complex also has a 57 ft high Manasthamb and a Naturopathy Hospital & Research Centre. A newly built 31 ft monolith statue of Lord Parshwanath has been installed in the Jain Mandir. Vahelna is a small industrial village situated 4 km from the Muzaffarnagar City.
Sankirtan Bhawan, Muzaffarnagar -Sankirtan Bhawan, also known as the Kirtan Bhawan, enshrines the idol of Lord Tirupati Balaji. The temple is named as Kirtan Bhawan because kirtan is performed every evening in the temple by the devotees. A daily bhandara is organized at the Anna Kshetra of the temple at 12 noon, serving more than 1,00,000 poor people annually. This initiative was started in 1979 by a philanthropist and businessman Giani Ram Gupta and later, the bhawan received heavy donations from other sources as well to continue it.
Zoology Museum, Muzaffarnagar -Zoology Museum, established in 1970, is situated within the campus of the Sanatan Dharam College in Muzaffarnagar. The museum was initiated by the P.G. Department of Zoology of the University. Different invertebrate phyla and vertebrate classes can be seen in this museum. The Insect Gallery is one of the prime attractions of the museum.Timing: 10:30 am – 4:30 pm (Sunday closed)
Ganeshdham, Sukartaal -Ganeshdham is popular among devotees for the 35 ft high statue of Lord Ganesh. This idol was installed by two residents of Muzaffarnagar, Lala Shukhbir Singh and Lala Lakshmi Chand Singhal. At Ganeshdham, there is River Tripatha flowing on one side and Vat Vraksha on the other. It also has a huge idol of Lord Hanuman at the back side, near the Sukhdeva Teela.
Hanumatdham, Shukartaal -Hanumatdham, situated in the Shukratal town of Muzaffarnagar District, was constructed in 1687. A 72 ft high idol of Hanuman was installed by Shri Sudarshan Singh Chakra and Inder Kumar. The idol was made by Shri KeshavRam of Shahdol and was inaugurated by Swami Kalyandev Maharaj. In the front of the idol, there is an open courtyard of yagyashala and on the other side, there is katha-manch. Just behind the idol, there are shrines of Lord Rama, Shri Radha Krishna and a hut of Shri Sudarshan Chakra.
Kamla Nehru Vatika, Muzaffarnagar -Kamla Nehru Vatika is maintained by the local Nagar Palika Authorities. There are many trees in the garden of different kinds of fruits which are sold in an auction every year.
Durga Dham, Shukartaal -Durga Dham is a popular site of the district, where the idol of Goddess Durga is placed near the idol of Lord Shiva. The statue of Goddess Durga is 51 ft high. There is also a cave located at this site.
Akshya Vat Vraksha, Shukartaal – Akshya Vat Vraksha, also known as Akshya Vat, is more than 5,100 years old and is situated in Shukratal town. This 150 ft high tree is the place where sage Sukdev narrated Shrimad Bhagwat Katha to Raja Parikshit. It is believed that this tree is a symbol of peace, forgiveness and uniqueness.
PROMINENT PERSONALITIES from Muzaffarnagar
Swami Kalyan Dev Ji – ( Birth – 26 June 1876 – Death – 14 July 2004) – SANT SWAMI KALYANDEO JI MAHARAJ
Among the great sages, ‘munis’ and ‘sants’ of the country, Sant Swami Kalyandeo ji Maharaj is one who is said to be born in1876. A spontaneous instinct for ‘vairagya’ arose in his heart in his childhood. At the age of 10 years being ambiguous for ‘vairagya’ with intensive curiosity, he left his house for ‘tapasya’ in Uttara-khand hills. In 1900, getting ‘diksha of sanyas’ in the form of ‘Reti of Muni’ from the most respectable Sant Shiromani Swami Purnanand ji Maharaj he earned the name as Swami Kalyandeo. Inspired by the Nation’s father – Mahatma Gandhi, he served the poor day and night, pity and helpless ones, barefooted visiting them from village to village. For renovation of
‘Shuka – teerth’ (Shuktar), Swami ji constituted Shri Shukdev Ashram Society and to develop the sacred pilgrimage Shuktar (Shukratal), he constructed temples, ‘yagya shala’, ‘Bhagwat Bhawan’, Sanskrit vidyalaya, cow-sheds, hermitages etc in a handsome number and also with his efforts the facilities of roads, electricity, post office, telecommunication, police statipon, various inns, ashrams etc could be attained. With his devotion to mankind and hard labour, near about 300 institutions have been established and his dream of making the Shukratal, the
“Heaven of the today’s earth”, came true. Swami ji realizes that service to mankind is the worship of God. He believes in simple living and high thinking and likes to accept food and other eatables from the poor and farmers in place of accepting valuables and precious gifts from the rich section of the society. On account of his meritorious social services rendered towards the nation he was honored with ‘Padmashri’ and with ‘Padambhushan’ by the then His Excellency The President of India.
Chaudhary Mahender Singh Tikait -Mahendra Singh Tikait, the BKU Chaudhary (‘Headman’) was born in 1935 at village Sisauli in Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh. Ch. Mahendra Singh Tiakait inherited the Chaudharyship of the Khap Baliyan at the age of eight when his father Ch.Chauhal Singh died in 1943.
On 17th October 1986 he formed a non-political organization named ‘Bhartiya Kisan Union’ to protect the interests of all the farmers of India whose are 80 percent of the population of the country. In this way, he headed so many movements to protect the interest of all the kisans of India.
Bhartiya Kisan Union president Ch, Mahender Singh Tikiat died in Muzaffarnagar on 15th May 2011 (Sunday) due to protracted illness from cancer. He was 76. Mr. Tikait also served as the council head of Baliyan Khap.
Mr. Liyaquat Ali Khan -First Prime minister of Pakistan. ‘Kehkashan’, a white bungalow with manicured lawns, rows of trees and iron grills located in the Company Bagh area of Muzaffarnagar was once owned by Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan’s (Born and hail from Karnal) connection with Muzaffarnagar dates back to 1926 when he won the election here for the provisional legislative council by a huge margin with no opponent to challenge him.
Vishnu Prabhakar – Famous Hindi writer Vishnu Prabhakar is from Mirapur in Muzaffarnagar.
Sri. Virender Singh, Ex-Governor -He has special interests in Education, Agriculture, Games, and sports including Wrestling; Captained Volley-Ball, Hockey and Sports First teams in the College. He takes the keen interest in the upliftment of Farmers, Mazdoor, Backward Classes and Harijans.
Member (i) U.P. Legislative assemble 1952-62, 1967, 1969-77 (ii) Chairmen, Public Undertakings Committee UP 1973-75. He was (i) deputy Minister, Co-operatives in UP 1959-60; (ii) Cabinet Minister in UP with portfolios of Irrigation, Power, Industries, Labor, education, technical education and home 1970-71 and (iii) Agriculture Minister in UP 1975-77. Elected to the Rajya Sabha in April, 1984: Leader, Lok Dal Party there 1984-88: Became a Member of Committee on Privilege, Rajya Sabha in 1984 and Member Joint Select Committees of parliament on (i) Lok Pal Bill, 1985 and (ii) Indian Medical council Bill, 1987; Vice President, Rashtriya Lok Dal 1987-88: Deputy Leader Janta Dal and National Front parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha from 1988 to June 1990; re-elected to Rajaya Sabha in the year 1990.
Shri Virendra Verma was appointed the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory Chandigarh on June 14, 1990. He took over as Governor of Himachal Pradesh on 19th December, 1990. He was a member of the Lok Sabha from 1998 to 1999.
Mr. Nawazuddin Siddiqui – Nawazuddin Siddiqui is an Indian film actor who has appeared in some of Bollywood’s major films including, Black Friday, New York, Peepli Live, Kahani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2, Manjhi and Talaash. He hails from Budhana.
Mr. Javed Ali – Javed Ali is playback singer who has been singing in Hindi movies since 2000. Ali shot to fame in 2007 when he sang the song “Ek Din Teri Raahon Mein” from the movie Naqaab and thereafter another big hit “Jashn-e-Bahaaran” from the movie Jodhaa Akbar (2008). He is currently one of the leading playback singers in Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. He judged a reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs 2011 on Zee TV. He is a recipient of Yash Bahrti Samman from Up Government. He hails from Qwaal harana of Shahpur (Muzaffarnagar).
Mr. Brij Gopal – Resident of Muzaffarnagar plays bad and character roles in Bollywood films
Mr. Anuj Chaudhry – Anuj who hails from Badari village of Muzaffarnagar.He was given the Laxman award (the highest state award in sports) in 2001 and the Arjuna award in 2005.