Hastinapur

Hastinapur () is a city in the Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Hastinapura is described as the capital of the Kuru kingdom in Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata and the Puranas; it is also mentioned in ancient Jain texts. Hastinapur is located on the right bank of the Ganga river.

Etymology

In Sanskrit, Hastinapura translates to 'the City of Elephants' from Hastina (elephant) and pura (city). Its history dates back to the period of Mahabharata. It is said that the city was named after King Hasti.

It is also mentioned in the Ramayana, the 13th and 14th verses of which say (translated):

History

Excavations at Hastinapur were carried out in the early 1950s by B. B. Lal, Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India. Although the main aim of this excavation, according to Lal himself, was to determine the stratigraphic position of Painted Grey Ware concerning other known ceramic industries of the early historical period, Lal found correlations between the text of the Mahabharata and the material remains that he unearthed at Hastinapur. This led him to historicize some of the traditions mentioned in the Mahabharata as well as link the appearance of the Painted Grey Ware with Aryans in the upper Ganges basin areas.

Earliest period: to 500 BCE

The original excavations in the 1950s suggested that the site of Hastinapur appears to have been abandoned and reoccupied several times;

According to Lal's report for the 1950s excavation, the first phase appears to have been before about 1200 BCE. Settlement seems to have been rather sporadic during this period, and no structures from this time have been found. The main find from this layer is some scattered fragments of Ochre Coloured Pottery, A distinct break between the first and second phases indicates that the site had been abandoned for some time before it was reoccupied.

The report for the 2020s excavation, on the other hand, described a bottom layer from approximately 1500-1000 BCE, with Painted Grey Ware pottery predominating, and structures with mud and mud brick walls. No complete houses have been found from this phase, but some traces of walls were found, and they were made variously of mud, mud bricks, or reeds (Saccharum spontaneum, arranged horizontally and vertically) with mud plaster. The mud plaster was mixed with rice husks for reinforcement; this building technique is still used in modern times. Charred grains of rice have also been found in this layer, indicating that rice cultivation was practiced here during this period — one of the earliest archaeological attestations of rice cultivation in the Indian subcontinent. Copper appears to have been the main metal used during this period. No objects made of iron were found, although some lumps of iron ore and iron slag were found in the uppermost parts of this layer (that is, closer to the end of this period). Cattle bones, belonging to the zebu and the water buffalo, were found "in very large numbers" from this period, indicating that cattle-rearing played a key role in this society. The presence of "definite cut-marks" on cattle, sheep, and pig bones indicates that they were slaughtered for food, indicating that eating beef and pork was not frowned upon during this period. and Karna Ghat) reference Mahabharata personages.

thumb|left|200px|[[Balarama pulling Hastinapur toward the Ganges, shown on a page from a "Bhagavata Dasamskanda" series]]

The first reference to Hastinapur in the Puranas presents the city as the capital of Emperor Bharata's kingdom.

thumb|left|200px|A 2nd century stone relief of 170 Jain [[Tirthankars in lotus position excavated in Hastinapur]]

Major flood 800 BCE and abandonment?

Perhaps around 800 BCE, according to Lal, there seems to have been a major flood in the Ganga, which is suggested by a major "erosional scar" in the mound. The site seems to have been abandoned for a couple centuries. Notably, the Mahabharata mentions that, during the reign of the Kuru king Nichakshu, "a great flood occurred in the Gangā which carried away a considerable portion of Hastināpura", after which the capital was moved to Kaushambi. Because of the similarity to the apparent flood at Hastinapur, Lal suggested that this bit about the flood ravaging Hastinapura and the capital being moved to Kaushambi may have a historical basis.

British Raj

In British India, Hastinapur was ruled by Raja Nain Singh Nagar, who built many Hindu temples in and around Hastinapura.

Geography and climate

Present-day Hastinapur is a town in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh in India, about from Meerut and nearly north-east of Delhi on National Highway 34. It is a small township re-established by Jawaharlal Nehru on 6 February 1949, located at . With an average elevation of , Hastinapur experiences temperatures ranging from . Summer season is from March to May, during which the temperatures range from . The monsoon season is from July to September, during which the temperature is relatively low. Winter lasts from December to February, with December usually being the coldest month of the year. During this time, temperatures can drop to around and don't usually go above .

Demographics

According to the 2011 Census of India, Hastinapur Nagar Panchayat had a population of 26,452, of which 14,010 are males while 12,442 are females. The literacy rate of the town was 74.5% slightly higher than the national average of 74%. Around 14% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Places of interest

Located on the banks of an old ravine of the Ganges, Hastinapur is considered one of the holiest places for Hindus and Jains. It is believed to be the birthplace of three Jain Tirthankaras. There are many ancient Hindu temples including Pandeshwar Temple and Karna Temple, as well as Jain temples such as Shri Digamber, Jain Mandir, Jambudweep, Kailash Parvat, and Shwetambar Jain Temple.thumb|[[Digamber Jain Mandir Hastinapur|Digamber Jain Bada Mandir Hastinapur|left]]

Temples and monuments

Digamber Jain Bada Mandir Hastinapur

Digamber Jain Bada Mandir Hastinapur is one of the oldest Jain temples in Hastinapur. The main temple is believed to have been built in 1801 under the aegis of Raja Harsukh Rai, who was the imperial treasurer of Emperor Shah Alam II. The temple has many other facilities, including, police station, Digamber Jain Gurukul, and a Udaseen Ashram. Several tourist attractions including Jal Mandir, Jain Library, Acharya Vidyanand Museum, 24 Tonks, and the ancient Nishiyajis are situated few kilometres from the main temple.thumb|Ashtapad

Shri Shwetambar Jain Ashtapad Teerth

Shri Ashtapad Teerth was built under the aegis of Shri Hastinapur Jain Shwetambar Teerth Trust. It is a structure dedicated to first tirthankara Rishabhnath.

Kailash Parvat Rachna

Kailash Parvat is a structure, constructed under the aegis of Shri Digamber Jain Mandir, Hastinapur. The Kailash Parvat premises are home to several Jain temples, including Yatri Niwas and Bhojanshala. Kailash Parvat also has an auditorium and a helipad on the premises.thumb|[[Jambudweep]]

Jambudweep Jain Tirth

Jambudweep, depicting a model of Jain cosmology, was designed here under the supervision of Shri Gyanmati Mataji in 1985.

Pandeshwar Temple

Situated in the historic location of the ancient city of Hastinapur, the Pandeshwar temple is dedicated to Shiva. This temple is believed to be the place where Kauravas and Pandavas received their education in Vedas and Puranas. A temple of the Hindu goddess Kali and many Hindu ashramas are also present on a hillock between the ruins. Legend has it that in the Mahabharata period, Pandu's eldest son Yudhishthira had established the shivalinga at the Pandeshwar Mahadev temple before the war of Mahabharata and prayed to Shiva for a blessing of winning the war.

Karna Temple

thumb|150px|Karneshwar Mandir

The Karna Temple is located near the Pandeshwar temple on an old ravine along the bank of the Ganges. The Shivling inside the Karna Temple is believed to be established by Karna, one of the prominent figures in the Mahabharata.

Bhai Dharam Singh Gurdwara

This is a small Gurdwara located in the village of Saifpur, around from Hastinapur.thumb|200px|Migratory birds at [[Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary|left]]

Hastinapur Sanctuary

Hastinapur Sanctuary, established in 1986, is one of the prominent wildlife projects in India. The sanctuary extends over a wide area, encompassing the districts of Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Bijnor, Hapur, and Jyotiba Phule Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. It is a sprawling forest, occupying an area of nearly .

Festivals and fairs

Various cultural events and religious celebrations are held in Hastinapur annually, including Akshaya Tritiya, Das Lakshana, Kartik Mela, Holi Mela, and Durga Puja. These festivals, among others, are organized by non-government organizations (NGOs) and the State Tourism Department.