Gurgaon Past and Present

Before partition Gurgaon had a significant Urdu speaking Muslim population. They had almost the same cultural and lingual traits as are of Delhi and U-P. The rural areas have always been dominated by ``Jaats``. They share the same language and cultural traits as are of ``Jaats`` of western U-P.

Outside Gurgaon ``city`` are some of the most fascinating sociological scenarios in North India. The smaller towns in the rural areas nearby (and do they become rural with a vengeance within a couple of kilometres, I mean, head for Pataudi, and that`s it, just his little droopy castle . . .) are of the 40/60 kind, which means the Hindu - Muslim ratios are pretty much equal.

A generation or so ago, the Hindu girls started going to school and then college, which has caused its own resurgence in the area.

Now, over the last few years, you can`t stop the Muslim girls either.

And not just Government schools. The poorest of the poor will sell their jewelry if it comes to that, to educate the children.

The other thing is the number of children in a family.

The downside is female foeticide. Ouch. Terrible. But now there are no brides.

But all the same, drive a few kilometres out of Gurgaon, get off the main Jaipur Highway onto the backroads, and that`s India coming up too.

Thanks for the historical background. They do honour the memory of Dronacharya by naming colleges and schools after him in Gurgaon. When I go to old Gurgaon -``old`` only in relative sense as it developed in the 50s-80s - the one delicacy people always recommend is its ``milk-cake``, locally called `palang-tod` (bed-breaker!), especially from Kishen`s shop in New Colony.

BTW isn`t Faridabad part of the Gurgaon district?

Zehra:
Locals do pronounce it as `Gurh-gaanwaaN`.

``From then on the region was used for consolidating their pre-mutiny status as a spying post to watch movements of Begum Samru of Sirdhana whose main cantonment was in village Jharsa, 1.5 kilometers south east of Gurgaon town. ``


Sardhana is where Begum Samru was located which is an hour and a half from Delhi by car near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.. It has a famous church where many Christians as well as Non Christians visit. She had a small empire, so it is unlikely that her main cantonment would be located in Jharsa, or that she would have had land near Gurgaon.

Here`s a link to pics of Gurgaon......

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=162287&page=1&pp=20

See for yourself if the pics have any relation to the narrative by this has-been.

Shopping was way down on my list as I do not like the heavily embroidered stuff and cannot wear the American and European brands of clothing strutted ................

Well, Ms.Chopra, didn`t your mother tell you not to go near the `dalda` jar when you were little?.

I was shocked to read the write-up this author has put out.I have lost my respect for `khaleej times`,` femina` et alia after reading this article.That any of these rags would pay good money for what can, at best, be described as mediocre, amateurish drivel, if the above is a sample of the writer`s work,is scary.I shall have to rethink my subscription to some of the magazines that this author says she writes for.

Re: # 1

The after effects of `verka` milk continue to make its` effect.

Anil #7:

Yup Zila Bijnore I meant.And I am not well familiar but can count some names of Blocks in Bijnore District like Najeebabad, Chandpur, Kiratput, Kotwali and had a glimpse of idea that Gurgawa.n is a Tehsil located near Tehsil Nagina in U.P.

Re: # 6

Nadia:

Zila Bignore. You probably mean Zila Bijnore. It is in U.P. One of my relatives is from Bijnore.

Anil

A very nice write up of compiling complicated history of Gurgao.n.

A little query is there any other village/city named Gurgao.n in India pronounced as (GurGawa.n) in Tehsil Nagina which have population of eminent Saadat before Partition and residing there after as well.
Would be glad if you give a brief introduction to Tehsil Nagina and Zila Bignore.

I agree with the views...it is a dusty village transformed into a IT hub and hope the dream lasts regardless of good or bad publicity...the latest BPO scam involving a Gurgaon based out sourcing/content writing firm is a case of one bad apple................

some more problems in Gurgaon (the DLF region)-electricity shortage, lack of police stations, traffic jams thanks to the umpteen malls, no real system of public transport, bad roads. Also, the people here are such snobs!

may be to Jaipur.... i went both places a few times.....and went thru Guragon...was just a dusty town.

Very nice article about Gurgaon AKA Gurgawa, good points describing the true picture.

#1: I don`t know how could Gurgaon be on the way to Agra from Delhi, Fardabad yes, Gurgaon NO.

I still remember it as a small town on the way to Agra. - about a decade back - everyone talked about Faridabad. - rapid changed - will bring consequences later.