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Assandh
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Assandh, historically known as Āsandīvat, is a town and municipal committee in the Karnal district of the Indian state of Haryana. Assandh is located in 45 km south-west of Karnal. The town is surrounded by four districts - Karnal, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat.
Key Information
History
[edit]Early history
[edit]Archaeological excavations have revealed Painted Grey Ware,[4] associated with the Vedic people of Iron Age India. Assandh is identified with ancient Āsandīvat,[4][5] a capital of the Kuru kingdom, which was the first recorded state in Ancient India, c. 1200 BCE.[6] Historian Charles Allen has related this town and the Stupa to the Asandhiwat Kingdom from which hailed Asandhimitra, the Chief Empress (Agramahisi) of the Maurya Emperor Ashoka.[7]
Assandh Stupa
[edit]The ruins of more-than-2000-year-old Buddhist stupa is situated at Assandh. The stupa is 25-metre high and at least 75 metres in diameter raised on an earthen platform. It is built with the help of bricks. This stupa is bigger than the much-famous stupa at Sanchi. According to historians, bricks used to construct this stupa, having a width of more than two-feet, indicate that the history of this monument dates back to more than 2000 years.
The ruins of this structure is also known as Jarasandh ka Qila/Teela or Jarasandh ka Teela (Fort/Mound of Jarasandh) named after a character of epic Mahabharat, and forms part of the 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra.[8]
According to Archaeological Survey of India, this is a Kushan stupa (belongs to Kushan period).[9]
Colonial era
[edit]Assandh had a large Muslim population before 1947. After the 1947, Muslims were replaced with the Sikhs and Punjabi Khatri refugee migrants from Pakistani Punjab.[citation needed]
Modern history
[edit]Panipat, which was the part of Karnal earlier, was carved out as a separate district on 1 November 1989, including the "Assandh Tehsil" area. To add the "Assandh Tehsil" area back to Karnal, Panipat was merged with Karnal again on 24 July 1991. Afterwards, Panipat was again carved out of Karnal on 1 January 1992, excluding Assandh Tehsil.[citation needed]
There is a gurdwara, many Hindu temples, a Sanatan Dharm Mandir, and a mosque.[citation needed]
Demographics
[edit]As of 2011 Indian Census, Assandh had a total population of 27,125, of which 14,385 were males and 12,740 were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 3,404. The total number of literates in Assandh was 18,192, which constituted 67.1% of the population with male literacy of 70.9% and female literacy of 62.7%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Assandh was 76.7%, of which male literacy rate was 81.9% and female literacy rate was 70.9%. The Scheduled Castes population was 6,183. Assandh had 5081 households in 2011.[1]
As of 2001[update] India census, Assandh had a population of 22,707. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Assandh has an average literacy rate of 62%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 58% of the males and 42% of females literate. 15% of the population was in the 0 to 6 years age group.[10]
Politics
[edit]Assandh is part of Assandh constituency of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. The following is the list of MLAs have been elected from this constituency:
- 1952 – Kasturi Lal – INC
- 1977 – Jogi Ram – JNP
- 1982 – Manphool Singh – LKD
- 1987 – Manphool Singh – LKD
- 1991 – Krishan Lal Panwar – JP
- 1996 – Krishan Lal Panwar – SAP
- 2000 – Krishan Lal Panwar – INLD
- 2005 – Raj Rani Poonam – INC
- 2009 – Zile Ram Chochra – INC
- 2014 – Bakhshish Singh Virk – BJP
- 2019 – Shamsher Singh Gogi – INC
- 2024 - Yoginder Singh Rana - BJP
Notable villages in Assandh Tehsil
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Census of India: Assandh". www.censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Report of the Commissioner for linguistic minorities: 52nd report (July 2014 to June 2015)" (PDF). Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ IANS (28 January 2010). "Haryana grants second language status to Punjabi". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ a b Prāci-jyotī: Digest of Indological Studies. Kurukshetra University. 1967.
- ^ Roshen Dalal (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
- ^ M Witzel, Early Sanskritization: Origin and Development of the Kuru state, EJVS vol. 1 no. 4 (1995)
- ^ Allen, Charles (2012). "16". Ashoka: The Search for India's Lost Emperor. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-1408703885.
- ^ "Kurukshetra map". kurukshetra.nic.in. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "List of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains of Haryana - Archaeological Survey of India". Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
Assandh
View on GrokipediaHistory
Ancient Origins and Vedic Connections
Assandh corresponds to the ancient site of Āsandīvat, recognized as the inaugural capital of the Kuru kingdom, a Vedic Indo-Aryan tribal confederation that consolidated power in northern India from approximately 1200 to 800 BCE. The Kuru realm, referenced in texts such as the Atharvaveda, marked a pivotal phase in early state formation, integrating disparate tribes through monarchical institutions and ritual sovereignty centered on fire sacrifices (agnyāyana). This polity's territory spanned the upper Gangetic doab, including parts of modern Haryana, and facilitated the evolution of Vedic orthopraxy, including the composition of Brāhmaṇa literature that emphasized royal consecration rites. Excavations at Assandh have yielded Painted Grey Ware (PGW) pottery, a fine iron-age ceramic tradition dated to circa 1200–600 BCE, emblematic of late Vedic material culture and associated with semi-urban settlements in the western Gangetic region. PGW assemblages, characterized by wheel-turned grey vessels with painted motifs, indicate agricultural intensification, iron tool use, and ritual continuity linking to Kuru-era horse sacrifices and assembly halls described in Vedic hymns. These artifacts substantiate Assandh's role in the demographic and technological shifts from Bronze Age pastoralism to Iron Age polities, predating the epic narratives of the Mahābhārata while aligning with the historical kernel of Kuru dominance.[1][7]Buddhist Era and the Assandh Stupa
The Assandh Stupa, known locally as Jarasandh ka Qila or Tila, dates to the Kushan period (c. 1st–3rd century CE), a time when the Kushan Empire actively patronized Buddhism across northern India.[8] Situated in the center of Assandh town, Karnal district, Haryana, the monument consists of a large earthen mound rising about 25 meters high, topped by an octagonal brick structure, with a base diameter estimated at around 75 meters.[7] [9] Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) explorations have yielded Kushan-era artifacts including terracotta figurines, coins, and pottery sherds, alongside baked bricks typical of the period's construction techniques, confirming the stupa's Buddhist function as a relic mound.[8] [10] These findings indicate Assandh's role in the regional dissemination of Mahayana Buddhism, supported by the empire's trade networks and religious infrastructure.[3] The site's layered deposits also reveal continuity from earlier Painted Grey Ware levels to medieval times, but the stupa proper aligns with Kushan architectural styles seen in comparable structures.[8] Despite local lore linking the stupa to earlier Mauryan patronage under Ashoka (3rd century BCE), stratigraphic evidence and artifact typology prioritize the Kushan attribution, as determined by ASI excavations.[11] The monument's preservation as ruins underscores its historical significance in Haryana's Buddhist heritage, though neglect has reduced much of its original form.[12]Medieval and Pre-Colonial Period
During the early medieval period, prior to the establishment of Muslim rule, Assandh and the surrounding Karnal region were influenced by local Rajput clans, serving as minor administrative centers amid fragmented principalities typical of northern India before centralized conquests.[13] Following Muhammad of Ghor's campaigns, Qutb-ud-din Aibak consolidated Turkish authority across northern India, incorporating Haryana—including areas like Karnal and Jind—into the Delhi Sultanate by 1206 CE, with local territories assigned as iqtas for revenue collection and military service.[14] Assandh, lacking prominent Sultanate-era monuments or battles in surviving records, functioned as a peripheral agrarian outpost within this framework, subject to the Sultanate's five dynasties (Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodi) until 1526 CE, during which the region endured Timur's devastating raid in 1398 CE that depopulated parts of Haryana.[15] The Mughal Empire's founding by Babur after the First Battle of Panipat in 1526 CE extended imperial control over Assandh as part of Subah Delhi, emphasizing revenue farming and mansabdari systems without notable local autonomy or recorded rebellions specific to the town.[14] Akbar's reign (1556–1605 CE) integrated the area through administrative surveys like the Ain-i-Dahsala, fostering agricultural stability, though Assandh remained obscure compared to nearby Panipat. By the 18th century, Mughal decline invited external pressures, including Nadir Shah's invasion route through Karnal in 1739 CE, which disrupted regional trade and security, paving the way for emergent Jat confederacies and Sikh misls in pre-colonial Haryana.[16]Colonial Era
During the British colonial period, Assandh formed part of Karnal district within the Punjab Province, annexed by the East India Company after the Second Anglo-Sikh War concluded in 1849. The town functioned as a tehsil headquarters, emphasizing revenue administration, agricultural taxation, and local governance under the direct control of British deputy commissioners stationed in Karnal. Agricultural production, centered on wheat, sugarcane, and cotton, was supported by the colonial expansion of irrigation networks, including branches of the Western Yamuna Canal system operational since the early 19th century and further developed under British engineering to mitigate flood risks from the Yamuna River.[17] Assandh witnessed significant unrest during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, with local villagers joining widespread disaffection across Karnal district against British rule, including attacks on European officials and infrastructure. Following the rebellion's suppression, British forces reasserted authority through punitive measures: the town was permitted to be looted, its brick fort—traditionally linked to ancient ruler Raja Jara Sandh—was demolished, and villagers faced fines, arrests, and forced labor. The fort's remnants were later sold by the colonial government and fully dismantled, reducing it to ruins by the early 20th century.[18][19] Post-rebellion, Assandh's economy stabilized under colonial policies promoting cash crops and railway connectivity via the nearby Delhi-Ambala line (completed in 1866), facilitating grain exports to British markets. Census records from the period, such as the 1901 Punjab census, document a mixed population of Jats, Muslims, and Sikhs engaged in farming, with the tehsil encompassing over 200 villages focused on subsistence and revenue-generating agriculture. By the 1940s, the area retained a substantial Muslim demographic, reflecting Punjab's broader communal composition before partition disruptions.[20]Post-Independence Era
Following the Partition of India in 1947, Assandh underwent profound demographic shifts, with its pre-existing substantial Muslim population migrating to Pakistan, creating space for an influx of Sikh and Punjabi Khatri refugees from regions now in Pakistan.[21] This resettlement altered the town's social fabric, integrating displaced communities into local agriculture and trade while straining initial resources amid broader regional violence and displacement.[22] Assandh's administrative status evolved with the reorganization of states; after remaining part of Punjab post-independence, it integrated into Haryana upon the state's formation on November 1, 1966, as part of Karnal district.[23] The town emerged as a tehsil and later sub-division headquarters, facilitating local governance and development planning, including controlled area declarations for urban expansion under Haryana's Town and Country Planning Department.[18] Infrastructure improvements followed, with scheduled roads such as Karnal-Assandh-Jind and Panipat-Assandh-Kaithal enhancing connectivity to district centers and markets, supporting post-independence mobility and commerce.[18] Agriculturally, Assandh benefited from Haryana's Green Revolution starting in the late 1960s, transitioning to high-yield varieties of wheat, rice, and sugarcane, which boosted productivity in its fertile blocks despite challenges like saline groundwater in the Nardak region.[24] Sugarcane cultivation expanded notably in Assandh block, contributing to the district's economic maturation, though over-reliance on submersible pumps for marginal-quality water led to groundwater depletion, with development rates reaching 176% by the 2010s.[25] Population growth slowed due to out-migration for urban opportunities, contrasting with urban influxes elsewhere in Karnal, while Karnal district as a whole advanced into a balanced agricultural-industrial hub post-1947.[26]Geography
Location and Topography
Assandh is situated in Karnal district of Haryana state, northern India, at coordinates approximately 29°33′N 76°37′E.[27] The town lies about 45 kilometers west of the district headquarters in Karnal and is part of the fertile Doab region between the Yamuna and Saraswati river systems.[28] Its elevation averages 235 meters above sea level, reflecting the low-lying characteristics of the surrounding landscape.[27] The topography of Assandh consists primarily of flat alluvial plains, forming an undifferentiated expanse of the Indo-Gangetic alluvial terrain with no prominent hills or escarpments.[28] The area is bounded by irrigation channels, including the Uplana minor canal to the north and the Nardak distributary of the Yamuna to the south, which facilitate agricultural drainage and water distribution across the level ground.[18] Soils are predominantly fertile alluvium deposited by ancient river systems, supporting intensive farming without significant relief variations.[28]Climate and Natural Features
Assandh, located in the Karnal district of Haryana, experiences a subtropical continental climate marked by extreme seasonal variations, with intensely hot summers, cold winters, and a brief monsoon period. The region features dry air throughout the year, with summer temperatures frequently exceeding 45°C and reaching maxima of up to 48.9°C, while winter minima can drop to 0.6°C.[29][30] Annual rainfall averages approximately 582 mm, predominantly occurring during the southwest monsoon from July to September, contributing over 80% of the total precipitation. This supports agricultural cycles but leads to occasional waterlogging in low-lying areas, while the rest of the year remains largely dry, exacerbating dust and aridity.[29][31] The natural landscape consists of flat alluvial plains typical of the Indo-Gangetic region, with elevations ranging from 200 to 250 meters above sea level and gentle slopes facilitating groundwater flow from northeast to southwest. Soils in the Assandh block are predominantly sandy loam to fine sandy loam, derived from Yamuna River sediments, which provide fertile conditions for crops like wheat and rice but are prone to salinity in over-irrigated zones. Groundwater levels vary from 4 to 12 meters below ground, influenced by canal irrigation networks.[31][28][32]Demographics
Population and Growth Trends
As of the 2011 Census of India, the population of Assandh town, administered by the Municipal Committee, stood at 27,125, with 14,385 males and 12,740 females.[4][33] This represented a decadal increase of 4,418 persons from the 2001 census figure of 22,707, yielding a growth rate of 19.45% over the 2001–2011 period.[33] The corresponding sex ratio was 886 females per 1,000 males, an improvement from 866 in 2001, signaling gradual enhancements in gender demographics amid broader regional migration patterns.[34][33]| Census Year | Total Population | Decadal Growth Rate (%) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 22,707 | - | Census of India via CEIC |
| 2011 | 27,125 | 19.45 | Census of India 2011 |
Socio-Economic Indicators
According to the 2011 Census of India, the literacy rate in Assandh municipal committee area stood at 76.7%, exceeding the Karnal district average of 74.7% and Haryana state average of 75.6%; male literacy reached 81.9%, compared to 71.0% for females. [4] In the wider Assandh tehsil, the overall literacy rate was 70.4%, with males at 78.2% and females at 61.7%, highlighting persistent gender gaps typical of rural Haryana.[36] The town's sex ratio was 807 females per 1,000 males, while the child sex ratio (ages 0-6) was 767, below the state average of 834.[4] Workforce data from the same census indicate that approximately 78.3% of workers in Assandh town were main workers, predominantly engaged in agriculture as cultivators or laborers, reflecting the tehsil's agrarian economy where over 50% of the employed population depends on farming.| Indicator | Assandh Town (2011) | Assandh Tehsil (2011) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literacy Rate (%) | 76.7 | 70.4 | Overall; district avg. 74.7% |
| Male Literacy (%) | 81.9 | 78.2 | - |
| Female Literacy (%) | 71.0 | 61.7 | Gender disparity evident |
| Sex Ratio (per 1,000 males) | 807 | 884 | Child sex ratio in town: 767 |
| Main Workers (% of workers) | ~78.3 | N/A | Primarily agricultural |
Economy
Agricultural Base
The economy of Assandh is predominantly agricultural, with farming serving as the primary livelihood for the majority of its rural population and contributing significantly to local employment and output.[18] The region's fertile alluvial soils, supported by the Indo-Gangetic plain's topography, favor intensive cropping patterns, particularly the rice-wheat rotation that dominates land use in the Assandh block.[40] Principal crops include rice (paddy), wheat, sugarcane, and fodder crops, with rice and wheat accounting for the bulk of cultivated area due to high market demand and suitability for the local climate.[18][41] In the Assandh block, these crops cover approximately 96% of the sown area, reflecting a focus on food grains and cash crops like basmati rice varieties, for which the area is noted.[41][42] Sugarcane cultivation is also prominent, though constrained by soil salinity and water quality issues in some pockets.[43] Kharif season emphasizes rice and fodder, while rabi centers on wheat, enabling high cropping intensity exceeding 180% through assured irrigation.[44] Irrigation relies on conjunctive use of canal water from the Western Yamuna Canal system and groundwater via tubewells, which cover a substantial portion of the net sown area despite emerging depletion concerns.[31][40] Traditional flood irrigation prevails for rice, but efforts promote water-efficient methods like direct seeded rice (DSR) to mitigate groundwater stress, with adoption varying across the block.[45] Allied activities such as dairy farming and horticulture supplement crop income, enhancing the sector's resilience amid diversification pushes toward alternatives like pulses and oilseeds.[18][46]Trade, Commerce, and Emerging Sectors
Assandh's trade and commerce are predominantly centered on agricultural produce, with the local grain market serving as a key hub for trading crops such as paddy, wheat, and sugarcane, which form the backbone of the regional economy.[18] The Assandh Grain Market, managed under the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, handles significant volumes of these commodities, including recent arrivals of over 1,46,000 metric tons of paddy in the 2024 season across Karnal district markets, with Assandh contributing to this agro-trade flow.[47][48] Local commerce thrives through established bazaars like the Main Bazar, Gurudwara Market, Sohan Singh Market, Veer Bhan Market, and Budh Singh Market, where retail trade in daily essentials, textiles, and farm inputs predominates, supporting the town's semi-urban population of approximately 15,000 residents.[49] Agricultural commission agents and dealers further facilitate vegetable and fruit trading, exemplified by entities like the Assandh Farmers Producer Company Limited, established in 2022 to aggregate and market produce from local growers.[50][51] Emerging sectors show potential in agro-processing, particularly rice milling, with Assandh hosting concentrations of mills alongside nearby areas like Taraori, leveraging the district's high paddy output for value-added processing.[52] Small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in manufacturing and services are viable due to the area's agro-base and connectivity via NH-44 and the upcoming 152-D Expressway, though industrial development remains limited, prompting calls in 2025 to designate Assandh as an industrial zone.[53][54] Food processing initiatives, such as the Gulab Fruit Vegetable Growers and Marketing Cooperative Society in Assandh, indicate nascent growth in organized agro-value chains.Government and Politics
Administrative Divisions
Assandh operates as a tehsil and sub-division within Karnal district, Haryana, encompassing rural and urban administrative units under the oversight of a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) who manages revenue collection, law enforcement, and local development initiatives.[55][23] The tehsil covers an area of approximately 488 square kilometers, primarily rural, and includes the Assandh municipal committee as its urban core alongside surrounding villages.[56] The Assandh municipal committee, responsible for urban governance including sanitation, water supply, and civic amenities, is divided into 15 wards, with Ward No. 8 being the most populous at 2,409 residents per the latest available municipal data.[30] Rural administration falls under 54 gram panchayats, each governing a village and handling local issues such as agriculture, irrigation, and community welfare through elected sarpanches.[56] Key villages in the tehsil include Alawla, Ardana, Ballah, Kheri Munak, and Uplana, which collectively form the agricultural backbone and contribute to the sub-division's demographic and economic profile.[57] The structure aligns with Haryana's statewide framework, where tehsils like Assandh report to the district collector in Karnal, approximately 43 kilometers away, ensuring coordinated implementation of state policies on land records and dispute resolution.[55]Electoral History and Representation
Assandh falls within the Assandh Assembly constituency (No. 23), a general category seat in the Haryana Legislative Assembly, which elects one Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to represent the area. The constituency encompasses the Assandh tehsil and surrounding rural segments in Karnal district, with voter turnout typically ranging from 65-70% in recent elections.[58] It is also one of nine assembly segments contributing to the Karnal Lok Sabha constituency for parliamentary representation.[59] In the 2024 Haryana Legislative Assembly election held on October 5, Yoginder Singh Rana of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory with 52,455 votes, defeating Shamsher Singh Gogi of the Indian National Congress (INC) by a margin of 2,306 votes.[60] [61] This marked a shift from the 2019 outcome, where Shamsher Singh Gogi (INC) won with 32,114 votes, edging out Narendra Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) by 1,703 votes amid a total turnout of 68.62%.[58] Earlier, in the 2014 election, Bakhshish Singh Virk (BJP) emerged victorious with 30,723 votes (19.5% of valid votes), defeating Maratha Virender Verma (BSP) by 4,608 votes.[62] The constituency has shown competitive dynamics between BJP, INC, and BSP, reflecting local agrarian and Jat-dominated voter influences, though detailed pre-2014 records indicate alternating party successes without dominant long-term control by any single party.[63]| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Margin | Runner-up | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Yoginder Singh Rana | BJP | 52,455 | 2,306 | Shamsher Singh Gogi | INC |
| 2019 | Shamsher Singh Gogi | INC | 32,114 | 1,703 | Narendra Singh | BSP |
| 2014 | Bakhshish Singh Virk | BJP | 30,723 | 4,608 | Maratha Virender Verma | BSP |