People of Haryana - Meos: Meos inhabit a territorial region that falls between the important urban centers of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Mewat, consisting of some adjoining parts of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, where the Meos have lived for a millennium, was a terrain of peasant radicalism in the pre-independence period. It saw intensive work by the communist leaders such as the historian-activist Kunwar Mohammad Ashraf and others then working with the Indian National Congress. There was a close inter community relationship between the Meos and other peasant-pastoral castes such as the Jats, the Ahirs and the Gujars. In Haryana the Mewat region falls in the districts of Gurgaon and Faridabad.
Meo men are tall and dark, with ponderous turbans woven around their heads, dressed in long flowing robes. The Meos are about a million-strong tribe, a Muslim Rajput community living in southern Haryana and north eastern Rajasthan known for its admixture of Hindu and Islamic customs, practices and beliefs. Only one in ten Meos is able to properly read and write. The Meos have two identities, both of which they are equally proud of. On the one hand, they claim to be Muslims, tracing their conversion to various Sufi saints who began settling in their territory from the eleventh century onwards, and whose shrines or 'dargahs' today dot the entire Mewati countryside. On the other hand, they also claim to be Rajputs, and believe that they are direct descendants of Krishna and Rama. These Hindu deities are respectfully referred to by the Meos as 'dada' or grandfather'.
Almost every Meo village has a mosque, but in many places Meos also worship at Hindu temples. Many Rajasthani Meos still retain mixed Hindu-Muslim names. Names such as Ram Khan or Shankar Khan are not unusual in the Meo tracts in Alwar. The Muslim community of Meos is highly Hinduised. They celebrate Diwali and Holi as they celebrate Ids. They do not marry within ones Gotras like Hindus of the North though Islam permits marriage with cousins. Solemnization of marriage among Meos is not complete without both nikah as in Islam and circling of fire as among Hindus. People with double identities, Meos believe that they are direct descendants of Krishna and Rama even as they claim to be among the unnamed prophets of God referred to in the Holy Quran.
Who is a Meo? Try and insult the Pandun Ka Kara before the Meos, see the angry result and you will get the answer. The Meo version of the Mahabharat called the Pandun Ka Kara, is performed by Mirasis or Jogis to an audience comprised of Meo Muslims, as also non-Meos. The authors, performers and audience are, thus, all Muslim. The Meos regard the Mahabharata clans as the ancestors of their own lineage. The folk epic then is far more than mere "myth" and is central to the cultural identity of the Meo Muslims. It is important to understand what the great epic means to them, how they remake, modify and recreate it and also how in the process they both draw upon, modify and critique the so-called "great tradition" of Vedic and Puranic Hinduism.
Muslim musicians, called Mirasis, dressed in flowing white Kurtas and dhotis and bright crimson turbans. They play a musical rendering of the 'Pandun Ke Kara', the Meo Muslim version of the famous Hindu epic, the Mahabharat, after a brief ode in praise of the Prophet Muhammad and the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. The entire epic in its Meo form, rendered in the Mewati dialect, consists of some 800 verses or 'dohas', and takes more than three hours to recite. It relates the story of the five Pandava brothers, whom it describes as ancestors of the Meos. Finally, it ends with verses in praise of its composer, an early eighteenth century Meo Muslim called Sadullah Khan. 'Pandun Ke Kada' is the only Muslim form of the Mahabharat that exists. Sadullah Khan is regarded by the Meos as their 'national poet' ('qaumi shair'). Today, barring a few Mirasis, no one else can recite the Pandun Ke Kada.
Meo men are tall and dark, with ponderous turbans woven around their heads, dressed in long flowing robes. The Meos are about a million-strong tribe, a Muslim Rajput community living in southern Haryana and north eastern Rajasthan known for its admixture of Hindu and Islamic customs, practices and beliefs. Only one in ten Meos is able to properly read and write. The Meos have two identities, both of which they are equally proud of. On the one hand, they claim to be Muslims, tracing their conversion to various Sufi saints who began settling in their territory from the eleventh century onwards, and whose shrines or 'dargahs' today dot the entire Mewati countryside. On the other hand, they also claim to be Rajputs, and believe that they are direct descendants of Krishna and Rama. These Hindu deities are respectfully referred to by the Meos as 'dada' or grandfather'.
Almost every Meo village has a mosque, but in many places Meos also worship at Hindu temples. Many Rajasthani Meos still retain mixed Hindu-Muslim names. Names such as Ram Khan or Shankar Khan are not unusual in the Meo tracts in Alwar. The Muslim community of Meos is highly Hinduised. They celebrate Diwali and Holi as they celebrate Ids. They do not marry within ones Gotras like Hindus of the North though Islam permits marriage with cousins. Solemnization of marriage among Meos is not complete without both nikah as in Islam and circling of fire as among Hindus. People with double identities, Meos believe that they are direct descendants of Krishna and Rama even as they claim to be among the unnamed prophets of God referred to in the Holy Quran.
Who is a Meo? Try and insult the Pandun Ka Kara before the Meos, see the angry result and you will get the answer. The Meo version of the Mahabharat called the Pandun Ka Kara, is performed by Mirasis or Jogis to an audience comprised of Meo Muslims, as also non-Meos. The authors, performers and audience are, thus, all Muslim. The Meos regard the Mahabharata clans as the ancestors of their own lineage. The folk epic then is far more than mere "myth" and is central to the cultural identity of the Meo Muslims. It is important to understand what the great epic means to them, how they remake, modify and recreate it and also how in the process they both draw upon, modify and critique the so-called "great tradition" of Vedic and Puranic Hinduism.
Muslim musicians, called Mirasis, dressed in flowing white Kurtas and dhotis and bright crimson turbans. They play a musical rendering of the 'Pandun Ke Kara', the Meo Muslim version of the famous Hindu epic, the Mahabharat, after a brief ode in praise of the Prophet Muhammad and the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. The entire epic in its Meo form, rendered in the Mewati dialect, consists of some 800 verses or 'dohas', and takes more than three hours to recite. It relates the story of the five Pandava brothers, whom it describes as ancestors of the Meos. Finally, it ends with verses in praise of its composer, an early eighteenth century Meo Muslim called Sadullah Khan. 'Pandun Ke Kada' is the only Muslim form of the Mahabharat that exists. Sadullah Khan is regarded by the Meos as their 'national poet' ('qaumi shair'). Today, barring a few Mirasis, no one else can recite the Pandun Ke Kada.
Mewat district was carved out from erstwhile Gurgaon and Faridabad districts, which came into existence on 4th April 2005 as the 20th district of Haryana. The newly constituted district comprises of three sub-divisions namely Nuh, Firozpur Jhirka and Hathin. The district headquarter is located at Nuh. The district comprises of six blocks namely Nuh, Tauru, Nagina, Firozpur Zhirka, Punhana and Hathin. There are 532 villages in the district.
Geographically, Mewat district is situated between 26-degree and 30-degree North latitude and 76-degree and 78-degree East longitude. Gurgaon district bounds it on its North, while Rewari district lies to its West and Faridabad district to its East. On South, the district shares its boundary with Rajasthan. Mewat district is largely comprises of planes. Inconsistency in Mewat topography is evident from its patches of land with hills and hillock of the Aravali Mountain on the one hand and plains on the other.
Mewat, land of the Meos, has its genesis in its tribal inhabitants, the Meo tribals, who are agriculturalists. The area is a distinct ethnic and socio-cultural tract. The Meos, who trace their roots to the early Aryans of North India, call themselves Kshatriyas and have preserved their social and cultural traits to a surprisingly large extent, unlike the other tribes of nearby areas. During the regime of the Tughlak dynasty in the 14th century A.D., these people embraced Islam but till today, they have maintained their age-old distinctive ethno-cultural identity.
According to the Census of India 2001, the total population of Mewat district was 9,93,617 of which 46,122 (4.64%) lived in urban areas and the major chunk 9,47,495 (95.36%) of the population lived in rural areas. Out of the total population of 9,93,617, the district has 5,24,872 males and 4,68,745 females. The SC population in the district is around 78,802. The total numbers of households are 1,42,822 out of which 1,35,253 (95%) are in rural areas and remaining 7569 (5%) are in urban areas. The total number of BPL households in the district are 39667 and APL households are 1,03,155.
The main occupation of the people of Mewat district is agriculture and allied and agro-based activities. The Meos are the predominant population group and are completely agriculturists.
AGRICULTURE: The soil of the district is light in texture, particularly sandy, sandy loam and clay loam. The upper hills are mostly barren. The agriculture in Mewat is mostly rain fed except in small pockets where canal irrigation is available. Agriculture production measured in terms of crop yield per hectare in Mewat is comparatively low.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: Animal husbandry is the secondary source of income. Those who live closer to the hilly ranges of Aravali also keep sheep and goats. Milk yield is not so low, but due to heavy indebtedness the income from the' milk is much reduced, as many farmers have to sell the milk to the lender at lower than normal price. The poultry population in Mewat is much less than in rest of Haryana.
CLIMATE: Mewat falls under the Sub-Tropical, Semi-arid climatic zone with extremely hot temperature in summer. Dryness of air is standard feature in Mewat except during the monsoon season. May & June are the hottest months of the year with the temperature ranging from 30 C to 48 C, January, on the other hand is the coldest month with temperature ranging between 4 C to 25 C. Mewat experiences a high incidence of thunderstorms and dust storms, often accompanied by violent squalls (andhar) during the period April to June. Sometimes the thunderstorms are accompanied by heavy rain and occasionally by hailstorms. In the winter months, fog sometimes appears in the district.
RAINFALL: The annual rainfall varies considerably from year to year. The maximum rainfall is experienced during the monsoon season, which reaches its peak in the month of July. The principal precipitation occurs during monsoon period from June to September when about 80% of the rainfall is received. The average rainfall varies from 336 mm to 440 mm in the district. Humidity is considerably low during the greater part of the year. The district experiences high humidity only during the monsoon period. The period of minimum humidity (less than 20%) is between April and May.
RESORTS & CLUBS
Classic Golf Resort
Classic Golf Resort is a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Limited, one of India’s leading corporate organizations. The golf course comprises of 27 holes of 3 nines each (The Ridge, The Valley and The Canyon), which bear witness to the Master’s virtuously and golfing skills.
Classic Golf Resort is the first South Asia Signature Championship Golf Course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Resort has been built on a 300 acre expanse, at the foothills of the picturesque Aravalis, on the outskirts of India’s National Capital, New Delhi. The Golf Course comprises of a par 72, 18-hole, 7114 yard Signature Championship Course and a par 36, 9-hole course of 3135 yard, a Social Club and Sports Complex, which offers various sports activities. Challenges exist in the form of bunkers and water hazards, which give all levels of golfers an opportunity to hone their mental and physical agility. Classic Golf Resort which is exclusively a members Club and is located off the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and only 35 km away from the International Airport and about 75 miles drive from central Delhi.
Separate Health Club for men and women with Steam and Sauna, Swimming Pool, Squash Courts, Billiards & Snooker and Table Tennis. A Separate children’s area earmarked for their activities. The Golf Sanctuary stands on the periphery of the Valley Championship Course and offers furnished tented accommodation with all requisite facilities of comfortable living; yet giving you the experience and thrill of living in the wilderness. 14 well appointed luxury tents open out to a central pavilion and is available between October and March.
Country Club
The Best Western Resort Country Club is situated near Manesar on the Delhi Jaipur Highway. The Resort is only 25 kilometers from Nuh District Headquarter (Mewat). Pink City (Jaipur) and Taj Mahal (Agra) are only 200 kilometers away. Vrindavan and Mathura are 150 km. Other nearby attractions are Tijara Jain Temple (60 km) and Neemrana Fort (70 km). The Resort is only 25 km from sprawling Gurgaon Shopping Mall.
A relaxed 45 minutes drive from Delhi International Airport on the Jaipur Highway and you drive India’s first Country Club—The Resort Country Club. Away from the pollution & congestion of Delhi, the lush green environment set in the most picturesque surroundings make it the perfect place for your conferencing & holidays. Selection of 90 well appointed rooms/suits. Unmatched facilities which include on site Golf Course, Spa, Disco, Health Club, Swimming Pools, Billiards, Table Tennis, Lawn tennis, Joy-rides and a lots more for everyone. The Resort is spread over 30 acres of green; it’s an interesting Golf Course, a real delight to play on, it is registered with IGU.
Geographically, Mewat district is situated between 26-degree and 30-degree North latitude and 76-degree and 78-degree East longitude. Gurgaon district bounds it on its North, while Rewari district lies to its West and Faridabad district to its East. On South, the district shares its boundary with Rajasthan. Mewat district is largely comprises of planes. Inconsistency in Mewat topography is evident from its patches of land with hills and hillock of the Aravali Mountain on the one hand and plains on the other.
Mewat, land of the Meos, has its genesis in its tribal inhabitants, the Meo tribals, who are agriculturalists. The area is a distinct ethnic and socio-cultural tract. The Meos, who trace their roots to the early Aryans of North India, call themselves Kshatriyas and have preserved their social and cultural traits to a surprisingly large extent, unlike the other tribes of nearby areas. During the regime of the Tughlak dynasty in the 14th century A.D., these people embraced Islam but till today, they have maintained their age-old distinctive ethno-cultural identity.
According to the Census of India 2001, the total population of Mewat district was 9,93,617 of which 46,122 (4.64%) lived in urban areas and the major chunk 9,47,495 (95.36%) of the population lived in rural areas. Out of the total population of 9,93,617, the district has 5,24,872 males and 4,68,745 females. The SC population in the district is around 78,802. The total numbers of households are 1,42,822 out of which 1,35,253 (95%) are in rural areas and remaining 7569 (5%) are in urban areas. The total number of BPL households in the district are 39667 and APL households are 1,03,155.
The main occupation of the people of Mewat district is agriculture and allied and agro-based activities. The Meos are the predominant population group and are completely agriculturists.
AGRICULTURE: The soil of the district is light in texture, particularly sandy, sandy loam and clay loam. The upper hills are mostly barren. The agriculture in Mewat is mostly rain fed except in small pockets where canal irrigation is available. Agriculture production measured in terms of crop yield per hectare in Mewat is comparatively low.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: Animal husbandry is the secondary source of income. Those who live closer to the hilly ranges of Aravali also keep sheep and goats. Milk yield is not so low, but due to heavy indebtedness the income from the' milk is much reduced, as many farmers have to sell the milk to the lender at lower than normal price. The poultry population in Mewat is much less than in rest of Haryana.
CLIMATE: Mewat falls under the Sub-Tropical, Semi-arid climatic zone with extremely hot temperature in summer. Dryness of air is standard feature in Mewat except during the monsoon season. May & June are the hottest months of the year with the temperature ranging from 30 C to 48 C, January, on the other hand is the coldest month with temperature ranging between 4 C to 25 C. Mewat experiences a high incidence of thunderstorms and dust storms, often accompanied by violent squalls (andhar) during the period April to June. Sometimes the thunderstorms are accompanied by heavy rain and occasionally by hailstorms. In the winter months, fog sometimes appears in the district.
RAINFALL: The annual rainfall varies considerably from year to year. The maximum rainfall is experienced during the monsoon season, which reaches its peak in the month of July. The principal precipitation occurs during monsoon period from June to September when about 80% of the rainfall is received. The average rainfall varies from 336 mm to 440 mm in the district. Humidity is considerably low during the greater part of the year. The district experiences high humidity only during the monsoon period. The period of minimum humidity (less than 20%) is between April and May.
RESORTS & CLUBS
Classic Golf Resort
Classic Golf Resort is a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Limited, one of India’s leading corporate organizations. The golf course comprises of 27 holes of 3 nines each (The Ridge, The Valley and The Canyon), which bear witness to the Master’s virtuously and golfing skills.
Classic Golf Resort is the first South Asia Signature Championship Golf Course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Resort has been built on a 300 acre expanse, at the foothills of the picturesque Aravalis, on the outskirts of India’s National Capital, New Delhi. The Golf Course comprises of a par 72, 18-hole, 7114 yard Signature Championship Course and a par 36, 9-hole course of 3135 yard, a Social Club and Sports Complex, which offers various sports activities. Challenges exist in the form of bunkers and water hazards, which give all levels of golfers an opportunity to hone their mental and physical agility. Classic Golf Resort which is exclusively a members Club and is located off the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and only 35 km away from the International Airport and about 75 miles drive from central Delhi.
Separate Health Club for men and women with Steam and Sauna, Swimming Pool, Squash Courts, Billiards & Snooker and Table Tennis. A Separate children’s area earmarked for their activities. The Golf Sanctuary stands on the periphery of the Valley Championship Course and offers furnished tented accommodation with all requisite facilities of comfortable living; yet giving you the experience and thrill of living in the wilderness. 14 well appointed luxury tents open out to a central pavilion and is available between October and March.
Country Club
The Best Western Resort Country Club is situated near Manesar on the Delhi Jaipur Highway. The Resort is only 25 kilometers from Nuh District Headquarter (Mewat). Pink City (Jaipur) and Taj Mahal (Agra) are only 200 kilometers away. Vrindavan and Mathura are 150 km. Other nearby attractions are Tijara Jain Temple (60 km) and Neemrana Fort (70 km). The Resort is only 25 km from sprawling Gurgaon Shopping Mall.
A relaxed 45 minutes drive from Delhi International Airport on the Jaipur Highway and you drive India’s first Country Club—The Resort Country Club. Away from the pollution & congestion of Delhi, the lush green environment set in the most picturesque surroundings make it the perfect place for your conferencing & holidays. Selection of 90 well appointed rooms/suits. Unmatched facilities which include on site Golf Course, Spa, Disco, Health Club, Swimming Pools, Billiards, Table Tennis, Lawn tennis, Joy-rides and a lots more for everyone. The Resort is spread over 30 acres of green; it’s an interesting Golf Course, a real delight to play on, it is registered with IGU.