PROFILE OF SONEPAT DISTRICT

143 CHAPTER-5 PROFILE OF SONEPAT DISTRICT The Universe of the present study is Sonepat District of the Haryana State. Before analyzing the need and justification of selecting this district we shall try to look into the main features of Haryana. The present Haryana, a tiny state of 27,638 square miles (Chaudhry, 1994; 12) was carved out of the erstwhile composite Punjab on 1 st November, 1966 under the Punjab reorganization bill passed by the Parliament on 10 th September, 1966. The State of Haryana lies about 300 miles north of the Tropic of Cancer. It shares its boundaries with Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan (Singh, 1994). The origin of the name Haryana is associated with Hari-ka-ana (Place where Hari, the God Vishnu, came) or hariyali (greenery) (Singh, 1994; XIII). Probably the earliest and most explicit reference to Haryana occurs in Palam Baoli inscription of 13 August, 1276 found in a stepwell at Palam, which refers to the land of Hariyanka. It is also mentioned as Haritan in the inscription dated 1316 found at Ladnu. Later, another reference is made in the inscription of 1327 A.D. found at village Nadayana (modern Nariana) which tells us, There is a great and virtuous province named Hariyana, where Krishna alongwith Partha wandered for the suppression of sin, Haryana the green land thus becomes associated with the abode of Hari (a la Haridwar). A few, if not all, of the present day communities of Haryana were covered by an earlier ethnographic study conducted in the colonial period, Punjab Ethnography (1883) by Denzil Ibbetson, which was based on the Census of the Punjab province (1881). A portion of this material was also published by Ibbetson later under the title Punjab castes (1916), which dealt with many types of castes. Ethnographic accounts of some of the communities of Haryana also appeared in H.A. Rose s A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province, (1919). Besides incorporating the description of communities, based on the census reports of 1883 and 1892 of Punjab, authored by Denzil Ibbetson, Rose s account covered history, prehistory, and religion particularly folk aspects centering around snake worship, propitiation of the dead, worship of the rivers and sun, fairs,

144 shrines, rites-de-passage, and so on. Under the people of India project all the present day communities of Haryana were studied for the first time by trained anthropologists from the Anthropological Survey of India, and by sociologists from Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, and Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. The study was undertaken from November, 1985 to June, 1988. This resulted in the first ever ethnographic survey of all communities of Haryana (Singh, 1994). The people of Haryana are thus an amalgam of different castes, communities and races. Haryana possesses a diverse demographic structure. It consists of different ethnic group, caste group and its regional variations which reflect in the four administrative divisions of Haryana i.e. Ambala, Hissar, Gurgaon and Rohtak. Culturally all these administrative divisions of Haryana also represent diverse cultural traits. As a matter of fact cultural traits of Haryana located in the bordering reasons of Rajasthan, Punjab, UP and Delhi have also become part of Haryana society. Its varied regions are reflected in local sayings which described it as: bara kos pe badle banni, char kos pe panni (Every twelve miles change the dialect, and every four miles change the water.) Infact Haryana represents a social structure well described by an acronym called AJGAR 1 In folk perception Haryana stands into five-eco cultural zones viz. Ahirwal, Mewat, Bagar Nardak and Khadar defined by ethnicity dialectical variations and ecology. The Map (5.1) shows that the region of Ahirwal, comprising Mahindergarh, Rewari, Gurgaon districts which are dominated by the Ahirs, and the Mewat zone consisting of districts of Gurgaon (some part), Faridabad, Mewat and Palwal by the Meos. Bagar, bordering Rajasthan, consisting of the districts of Sirsa, Hisar, Fatehabad and Bhiwani derives its identity from the Bagari dialect of Rajasthan and shares the ecology of Rajasthan. Another region, Nardak, comprising the districts of Kaithal, Yamuna Nagar, Panchkula, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal and Panipat bordering, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh is marked by the influence of Punjabi, in the area adjoining Himachal Pradesh, some influence of Phari dialect is also observed. The heartland of Haryana is Khadar, where Khadiboli is spoken.

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146 The region consists of the districts of Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Jind, and shares with Nardak such features of fertile soil, irrigated land, the green revolution. The distinctiveness of these regions is getting blurred under the growing impact of the development process and the rise of vibrant Haryana identity. In Haryana state there are four administrative divisions, i.e. Ambala, Rohtak, Hissar and Gurgaon. Now the state has 21 districts, the five new ones are Jhajjar, Fatehabad, Panchkula, Palwal and Mewat. PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF SONEPAT DISTRICT People of Sonepat district are hard working whose main occupation is agriculture. They are religious people. The district Sonepat represents Khadar culture where Khadi boli is spoken. In dietary habits, vegetarianism is more prevalent, though non-vegetarianism is also being adopted. Non-vegetarian food habits are prevalent among the scheduled castes and lower social strata. Avoiding meat and liquor on Tuesdays is becoming prevalent. Milk consumption is directly related to the social-economic status of the community (Singh, 1994). There is a famous proverb about Haryanvi people Desha Mein Desh Haryana, Jitt Doodh Dahi ka Khana (Haryana is the region where milk and ghee are used in food very much). Nuclear families are replacing the joint family system. Arrange marriages are common in the region. The monogamous marriages are popular in the district. The general tendency is to suffer hardship from ill-matched and maladjusted marriage, so the divorce is not common. The regular dress of male consists of Turban, Kurta or Kamij, Dhoti and Juti. The dress may be made of silk, cotton, or synthetic fiber. Jats wear their turban with a slant either on right side or on left. They wear their chaddar etc. in the style. They also use Kamri, Khes, Dohar, Loee and Blanket according to season. Salwar and Jamphar or Suit for girls and Kurta-Payjama or shirts and trousers among men are very common among the young generation. Hansli, kanthi, chhann-pachheli are the most popular ornaments for Jat ladies in the region. There is a special ornaments, called chaand (crescent) of gold, presented by the maternal uncle to his bhanja (sister s son) at the latter s birth.

147 The customs of ghunghat or purdah (these two words are used interchangeably in this region) is very common. Another kind of purdah is also very common which is called Dhadha (just permits to show the eyes) in the Sonepat district. The high visibility of women in Sonepat district in all sorts of work in the field, working alongside men, from preparing the fields to irrigating and harvesting the crop, tending the animals, fetching and carrying water with heavy ghagras earthen water pots on their heads, or involved in numerous other domestic chores (Singh, 1994). SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF SONEPAT DISTRICT In this section we have tried to explain the main features of Sonepat district (see table 5.1). It is often believed that Sonepat was one of the five Parastha or Towns demanded by Yudhishtara from Duryodhana as the price of peace. 2 Table 5.1: District Sonepat At A Glance As On January 2007 Sr.No. Item Haryana Sonepat 1. Population 21082989 1279175 2. Male Population 11327658 695723 3. Female Population 9755331 583452 4. Sex Ratio per 1000 males 861 839 5. Child Sex Ratio (0-6) 820 783 6. Female literacy 56.31 61.65 7. Share of SC Population 19.35 18.02 8. SC Literacy 55.45 62.33 9. Area in Sq. Kms. 44212 384 9. Density of population 477 603 10. Female participation in main work 13.37 15.75 11. Female participation in marginal 13.94 14.65 work 12. No. of Panchayats 6187 321 Source: Statistical Abstract, Haryana, 2009. District Sonepat came into existence on 22 nd December, 1972. It was part of Rohtak District till 21 st December, 1972. According to 2001 Census the population of the district is 12.79 lacs. The district population constitutes 6.07 percent of the state population. Sonepat is the largest tehsil in the district followed by Gohana tehsil. Over most of the district, the soil is fine loam of rich colour. However, some areas have sandy soil and others are comprised of kallar. The plain has a gradual slope to

148 the south & east. The district may be divided roughly in three regions namely the Khaddar, Plains and Sandy region. Climate of the district is dry with an extremely hot summer and cold winter. District Sonepat is one of the districts of Rohtak division which is located in the central part of Haryana, about 48 kms. away from the national capital New Delhi on National Highway No.1. Inspite of its close promptness and being a part of the National Capital Region (NCR), its weak infra-structural development could not attract migration from other places. Only 25 per cent population of the district resides in urban areas. At present there are four tehsils and four towns/cities in the district. After 1991 census, Gohana tehsil was being transferred from Rohtak district and included in this district. In 2001 census, the district had a population of 12,78,830 occupying 5 th place in the state, and its position is 343 rd among 593 districts of the country. It accounts for 6.07 percent of the total population of the State with a population density of 603, it has 155 th place among the 593 districts of the country. The percentage of scheduled caste population representing in the district is 18.2 percent which is just below 1.00 percent of the state average i.e. 19.5 percent (see table 5.1). Table 5.2: Blockwise Population of Sonepat District as per 2001 Census Name of CD Block No.of village Village Analysis Population SC Population SC% Area in K.M. No. Panchayats Total Male Female Total Male Female to Population Sonepat 68 370.55 70 188323 102672 75651 34440 18669 15771 18.29 Rai 64 279.59 55 167151 92263 74888 32454 17469 14985 19.41 Kharkhoda 45 276.12 44 143672 78528 65144 27214 14736 12478 18.94 Gannaur 76 351.29 65 167284 91041 76243 28960 15636 13324 17.31 Gohana 35 296.17 35 115874 61580 54294 22510 12078 10432 19.42 Kahura 17 291.39 18 69590 48067 31523 13811 7484 6327 19.84 Mudlana 31 200.70 34 105906 57531 48375 21771 11692 10079 20.55 Total *336 2065.81 321 957800 521682 436119 181160 97764 83396 18.91N Note: *323 villages are inhabited and 13 villages are un-inhabited. Sex ratio in the age group 0-6 has relatively come down in Sonepat as it has acquired a dubious 584 th rank in child sex ratio, out of 593 districts of the country. During 1991-2001 the decline was significantly more in Sonepat district with the child sex ratio (0-6) falling from 878 in 1991 to 783 in 2001 i.e. fall of 95 points.

149 Education is the key to development. The government of Haryana is spending huge amount of funds on education, especially in rural area. So as far as the Sonepat district is concerned, there are 702 primary school, 155 middle schools, 376 High / Senior Secondary School in government aided and unaided sector. Table 5.3: Educational/Technical and Government/Non-Government Institutions As On 31 st March, 2005 Institutions No. No. of students No. of SC Students Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Primary Schools 702 64508 60747 124255 16282 14984 31266 Middle Schools 155 12035 8376 20411 1604 1350 2954 High/Sr. Sec.Schools 376 87876 58653 146529 132500 9874 23124 Degree Colleges 11 3704 6737 10440 301 369 670 I.T.I. 5 640 340 1000 73 45 118 Polytechnic Colleges 3 109 3 611 1704 207 89 296 Engg.Colleges 5 1609 204 1813 290 32 322 Universities* 2 1406 70 1476 281 10 291 Vocational Colleges 7 534 281 815 56 34 90 * Figures are related to C.R.Engg. College, Murthal, Sonepat only. Source: Statistical Abstract of Haryana, 2009 Table 5.4: Out of School Children (06-14 year) in District Sonepat as per Educational Survey 2006-07. Name of Tehsil Never enrolled Drop out Grand Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Sonepat 408 334 742 307 328 635 715 662 1377 Gohana 574 441 1015 330 333 663 904 774 1678 Gannaur 106 220 226 146 151 297 252 271 523 Kharkhoda 66 51 117 153 135 288 219 186 405 Total 1154 946 2100 936 947 1883 2090 1893 3983 Source: Statistical Abstract of Haryana, 2009 In the field of education many institutions are playing an important role in the district, like Hindu Education Society and Tika Ram Education Society etc. To uplift education level in rural areas of the district, particularly women education, Bhagat Phool Singh Educational Institution has been established. Now this institution has been declared by the Govt. as BPS Mahila Vishavavidyalya (a women University, which is the only University of its type in India. The government has decided to set up Rajiv Gandhi Education City in the district to meet out the adequacy of quality education and to prepare the professionals, according to the demand of the industries and companies. Besides this, the government of Haryana has declared the Deen

150 Badhu Chhotu Ram University for Science and Technology at Murthal, to provide quality education in the field of science and technology. The literacy rate of district is 73.71 percent which is relatively better than the literacy rate of the state (68.59 percent). In female literacy (61.65 percent) the district occupies 6 th rank among other districts of Haryana state. Sonepat district is a part of National Capital Region (NCR) and many Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are coming in the region. To eradicate the unemployment among educated, it is essential to provide quality education according to the requirements of the time, in this age of globalization. Socio-economic and educational upliftment of the scheduled caste and backward classes of the society has been a special focus. In this context, Haryana government has also been providing various welfare incentives to the member of scheduled caste and backward caste for their overall development under various schemes. Table 5.5: Schemes Implemented by District Welfare Officer, Sonepat as on 31 March, 2006 Name of Scheme District Sonepat Haryana State Nos. Expenditure (In lacs) Nos. Expenditure (In lacs) Indira Gandhi 617 53.57 15279 1526.05 Priyadarshni Vivah Shagun Yojna Meritorious Scheme 71 0.82 1100 13.00 Monthly Relief Scheme 250 37.85 -- -- House Scheme S.C. 19 1.90 400 200.00 Incentive to Gram 4 0.20 80 4.00 Panchayat Harijan Basti Sudhar 14 5.65 -- -- Scheme Intercaste Marriage 2 0.50 42 10.50 Scheme Post Matric Scholarship 185 34.93 18000 800.05 (SC Students) Legal Aid Assistance 1 0.03 30 1.00 Post Matric Scholarship 63 3.94 -- -- (BC Students) Students Loan 67 0.78 -- -- Tailoring Training 296 1.38 1740 30.00 Scheme Misc. Scheme 35 1.86 -- -- Source: Statistical Abstract of Haryana, 2009

151 Table 5.6: Number of Women Beneficiaries through Various Schemes (April, 2009 to March, 2011) Sr. Department Schemes Rasoi Bhalgarh Lehrara Barwasni No. 1. Social Welfare Budhapa pension 91 75 183 380 Department Widow Pension 103 102 186 265 Pension for 12 10 14 25 (Rs. 500/- for each) Widow s Children 2. District Welfare Indira Gandhi 1 7 1 17 Office (Rs. 31000/- for SC, 11000/- for BC) Priyadarshani Vivah Shagun Yojana 3. Women and Child Development (Rs. 2500/- per year upto the age of 5 Ladli Yojana 13 15 38 32 yrs.) 4. Health Department (Rs. 500/- at the time of delivery, only for BPL Families) Janani Suraksha Yojana 35 55 78 104 Source: Concerned Departments of Sonepat district. A large number of schemes in the field of education and social welfare have also been formulated and are being implemented by the Haryana government. The Institute, WAMA (Women s Awareness and Management Academy) have also been situated in Sonepat district. This institute was inaugurated in January, 1995, which is a unique institute of its kind in the country. The main objective of the Institution is to impart training on women issues for empowerment and development of women. Table 5.7: Panchayat Details of Sonepat District upto 2008 Sr.No. Male Female BC Total General SC Total General SC Total 1. Panch 1599 (25611) 315 (6538) 1914 (32149) 927 (15732) 344 (6558) 1271 (2290) 320 (5951) 3505 (60390) 2. Sarpunch 166 (3307) 35 (765) 201 (4072) 92 (1654) 28 (461) 120 (2115) - 321 (6187) 3. Member of Panchayat 90 (1373) 20 (372) 110 (1745) 47 (717) 13 (245) 60 (962) 7 (126) 177 (2833) Samities 4. Member of Zila 12 3 15 6 2 8 1 24 Parishad 5. No. of Chairmen in Zila Parishad (181) (49) (230) (102) (33) (135) (19) (384) 4 (47) -(10) 4(57) 2 (51) 1(11) 3(62) - 7(119) Source: Statistical abstract Haryana: 2010. Total No. Gram Panchayat = 321. Total No. of Panchayat Samities =7 Note: Figures given in groups belongs to Haryana state

152 Table 5.8: Number of Elected Members in Vidhan Sabha and Parliament from Sonepat District in 2009 House Male Female Total Vidhan Sabha 5 (81) 1(9) 6(90) Lok Sabha 1(8) -(2) 1(10) Source: Statistical Abstract Haryana, 2010 The above socio-demographic analysis of Sonepat district reveals that the process of social and economic development has not brought the desired changes in socio-economic and political milieu in Sonepat district. Taking into account the above, we selected two blocks of Sonepat district namely Sonepat and Rai for intensive field work. Empirical data was collected for the present study from the four villages of the said blocks of the district. It is important to mention here that the district has in common the social characteristics of other districts falling under Rohtak division.

153 NOTES 1. AJGAR consisting of four major caste groups of Ahir, Jat, Gujjar, and Rajput. 2. Another tradition ascribes its foundation to Raja Soni, 13 th in decent from Arjuna, brother of Yudhishtara. Both these traditions are without substance. There is no mention of Sonepat in Mahabharata although it has been noted much earlier by the great grammarian Pannini in his celebrated book Ashtadhayayi. The town was, therefore, already in existence around 600 B.C. During the British rule it was a part of Delhi State till 1912. After shifting the capital from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi, it was merged in Rohtak district. *********