Bijnor

Overview

Bijnor is a city and municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Bijnor district and lies in the Moradabad division of western Uttar Pradesh, near the eastern bank of the Ganges river. The city has historical associations with the Mughal and colonial periods and is known in modern times for its sugar industry and as the birthplace of several notable literary figures.

Key facts

Geography

Bijnor lies in the upper Doab region of the Indo-Gangetic plain, in the foothills zone south-east of the Shivalik range. The Ganges flows along the western boundary of the district, separating it from Haridwar and Muzaffarnagar districts. The terrain is largely alluvial and supports intensive cultivation of sugarcane, wheat and rice.

History

The region around Bijnor has been continuously settled since ancient times and finds reference in epic and Puranic literature, with traditions linking the area to ashrams along the Ganges. During the medieval period it formed part of the Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire. Following the decline of Mughal authority, the territory came under the influence of the Rohilla chieftains, and Bijnor formed part of Rohilkhand.

After the Rohilla wars of the late eighteenth century, the area passed to the Nawab of Awadh and subsequently to the British East India Company in 1801. Under British administration, Bijnor was constituted as a district of the North-Western Provinces and later of the United Provinces.

During the Revolt of 1857, Bijnor witnessed significant disturbances; the writer and reformer Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who was then serving as a sadr amin in the town, recorded these events in his work Sarkashi-i-Zila Bijnor (The History of the Bijnor Rebellion).

Demographics and administration

Bijnor is governed by a municipal board (Nagar Palika Parishad) and is the headquarters of the district administration, which includes a Collectorate and District Court. Hindi is the principal official language; Urdu is also widely used. The city is part of the Bijnor Lok Sabha constituency.

Economy

The economy of Bijnor is closely tied to agriculture and agro-processing. The district is among the major sugarcane-producing areas of Uttar Pradesh, and several sugar mills operate in and around the city. Paper manufacturing, distilleries and small-scale engineering units also contribute to the local economy. Trade in agricultural produce, timber and handicrafts has historically been significant.

Transport

• Rail: Bijnor railway station lies on a branch line of the Northern Railway connecting it with Najibabad and the wider Indian Railways network.
• Road: The city is connected by state highways to Meerut, Moradabad, Najibabad and Haridwar.
• Air: The nearest major airports are at Dehradun and Delhi.

Culture and notable people

Bijnor has a notable literary heritage, particularly in Urdu and Hindi writing. Persons associated with the city include:

• The Urdu poet and critic Akhtar-ul-Iman, born in the Bijnor area.
• The Urdu novelist Naseem Hijazi, who spent his early life in the region.
• The Hindi writer Kamleshwar, born in Mainpuri but long associated with the literary milieu of western Uttar Pradesh.