Etah is a municipality and the headquarters of the Etah District of the Uttar Pradesh state in India. Etah district is a part of the Aligarh Division and is located at the midpoint of the Kanpur-Delhi Highway Known as G.T.Road. The nearest cities are Aligarh and Agra, and the nearest Railway Station is Etah Railway Station situated on railway road.
Etymology
According to one story, a person who was lost here dug into the land and struck a brick (einth), which led to the name Einta which later became Etah.
In another story, the town gets its name from the Yadavs who were called ‘Aintha’ by the king of Awagarh, which meant ‘to respond aggressively.‘ The area was therefore called Aintha, which was later mispronounced as Etah.
History
 |
This section needs expansion with: Post-Raj history. You can help by adding to it. (December 2019)
|
Etah was an early seat of an Aryan civilization, and the surrounding country is mentioned by Xuanzang, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim of the 7th century, as rich in temples and monasteries. After the repression of Buddhism before the 8th century and an intermediate period of tribalism, it was controlled by Yadavs during the course of their migration eastward. With the rest of upper India it passed under the sway of Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017, and from that point forward followed the fortunes of the Muslim empire. At the end of the 18th century, it formed part of the territory over which Wazir Ali Khan had made himself ruler. It then passed to the British Raj in 1801 under the treaty of Lucknow.
Geography
Etah is located at 27.63°N 78.67°E. It has an average elevation of 170 metres (557 feet).The upper and lower Ganga Canal flow through Etah.
Demographics
As of the 2011 census, Etah’s urban agglomeration had a population of 131,023 with 69,446 males and 61,577 females. The literacy rate was 85.62%. 11,786 of the population are of scheduled castes, while 65 are of scheduled tribes. The local languages are Brajbhasha and Kannauji.
Government and politics
Etah city is governed by a type of municipality called the Etah Nagar Palika Parishad. The city covers an area of 13.49 km2 and is divided into 25 wards for the purpose of administration. The municipality is headed by the municipal commissioner or president and represented by one Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha, currently Rajveer Singh, and MP Rajya Sabha. The incumbent is Harnath Singh Yadav. The Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the city is Vipin David.
Civic Amenities
The masterplan of the city (1984-2001) was created by the U.P. Town and Country Planning Department. The U.P. Jal Nigam is the body responsible for water supply, and electricity is provided by the Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., the southern discom of the Uttar Pradesh state government.
A thermal power project of 1320 MW has been proposed at Malawan, approximately 15 km from Etah, and Ministry of Environment has cleared the project. Land acquisition work has been completed and construction is scheduled to be completed in 2021.
Culture
Ravana awaits his destruction in Ramlila Ground Etah.
Etah lies in the cultural region of Braj. Etah is a developing city and has been the district headquarters since British rule. The Padav maidan (open field) is the name of a field used by the army, and every year this field is used for Ram-Lila at Dussehra in the months of September and October and for exhibitions from December to February.
Amir Khusro was born in Patiyali, Kasganj and is considered as one of the best poets of Urdu.
Dress
The people of Etah dress in a variety of traditional and Western styles. Traditional styles of dress include colourful draped garments such as sari, dhoti or lungi and tailored clothes such as shalwar kameez and kurta-pyjama. Men often sport head gear like topi or pagri. Sherwani is a more formal male dress and is frequently worn along with chooridar on festive occasions. European-style trousers and shirts are also common.
Food
Etah’s food consists of the cuisine prepared in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It consists of Mughlai cuisine and both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. Dum biryani, kababs, and kormas are some of the dishes made in this region.
-
Assorted halva including sooji, chana, and gajar halva
-
Paratha served with tea
-
Puri with accompaniments
-
Chicken Dum Biryani
-
Navratan korma
-
Chicken curry with chapati
-
Raita
-
Samosa