Sonipat is a city and a municipal corporationin Haryana state of India. It comes under the National Capital Region and is around 44 kilometres (27 mi) from Delhi. It is also around 214 km (128 miles) southwest of Chandigarh, the state capital. The Yamuna River runs along the eastern boundary.
On 22 December 1972, Sonipat was created a full-fledged district. Sonipat Junction railway stationis the main railway junction on Delhi-Kalka line. It lies on Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway(NE II) and Grand Trunk Road (NH 44) as well as the planned Delhi–Sonipat–Panipat Regional Rapid Transit System.
Contents
- Etymology
- History
- Geography and topography
- Climate
- Demographics
- Places of interest
- Khwaja Khizr Tomb
- Mughal architecture
- Yamuna River
- Food
- Economy
- Industrial estates
- Education
- Colleges
- Universities
- Sports
- Bus Port
- Municipal corporation
- Sonipat Lok Sabha
- Notable people
- See also
- References
- External links
Etymology
According to legend, Sonipat was earlier known as Sonprastha, which later on became Swarnprastha (lit. ‘Golden City’). Later, the name Swarnprastha changed into Swarnpath, and then to its current form, Sonipat.
History
Reference to the city comes in the epic Mahabharata as Swarnprastha. It was one of the five Prastha demanded by Pandavas as the price of peace from Duryodhan in lieu of the kingdom Hastinapur. The other four Prastha were Panprastha (Panipat), Baghprastha (Baghpat), Tilprastha (Faridabad) and Indraprastha (Delhi).
Sonipat is listed in the Ain-i-Akbari as a pargana under Delhi sarkar, producing a revenue of 7,727,323 dams for the imperial treasury and supplying a force of 1000 infantry and 70 cavalry. It had a brick fort at the time, which was also mentioned.
Geography and topography
Sonipat is located at 28.98°N 77.02°E.
Climate
| hideClimate data for Sonipat | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 21 (70) |
24 (75) |
30 (86) |
37 (99) |
40 (104) |
38 (100) |
35 (95) |
34 (93) |
34 (93) |
33 (91) |
28 (82) |
22 (72) |
31 (88) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 8 (46) |
11 (52) |
16 (61) |
22 (72) |
27 (81) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
21 (70) |
14 (57) |
9 (48) |
20 (68) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 19.7 (0.78) |
24.6 (0.97) |
24.6 (0.97) |
10.1 (0.40) |
40.7 (1.60) |
96.9 (3.81) |
190 (7.5) |
201 (7.9) |
134.3 (5.29) |
12 (0.5) |
4 (0.2) |
10 (0.4) |
767.9 (30.32) |
| Average relative humidity(%) | 66 | 58 | 47 | 32 | 35 | 53 | 68 | 71 | 66 | 55 | 51 | 63 | 55 |
| Source: http://www.myweather2.com | |||||||||||||
Demographics
As of 2011 Indian Census, Sonipat city had a total population of 278,149, of which 148,364 were males and 129,785 were females. The population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 32,333. The total number of literates in Sonipat was 210,112, which constituted 75.5% of the population with male literacy of 79.7% and female literacy of 70.8%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Sonipat was 85.5%, of which the male literacy rate was 90.8% and the female literacy rate was 79.5%. The Scheduled Castes population was 42,013. Sonipat had 55,599 households in 2011.
The urban agglomeration, which includes suburbs outside of the city’s jurisdiction, had a total population of 289,333.
Places of interest
Khwaja Khizar Tomb
The prophet Khizr Khan Khwaja
Khwaja Khizr Tomb
The Khwaja Khizr Tombsituated in Jatwara houses the remains of the saint and son of Darya Khan who lived during the rule of Ibrahim Lodhi. The structure was built between 1522 and 1525 AD. The tomb stands on an elevated platform and is one of the few monuments where red sandstone along with ‘kankar’ blocks have been used. The ceiling is decorative and made of multicolor floral designs. The cenotaph chamber is surrounded by a dome-shaped structure that rests on a small drum of octagonal shape. Now the site is under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India and surrounded by four acres (1.6 ha) of gardens.
Mughal architecture
There are several Mughal buildings on the outskirts of the city, including the Mosque of Abdullah Nasir-ud-din, who was a descendant from Mushid of Iran.
Yamuna River
The main water system in the district is the Yamuna River and the irrigation canals flowing out of it. The river flows besides the rural belt in the eastern side of district. It also acts as a natural boundary between the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Food
A cake of ghevar
Sonipat is famous for its monsoon time sweet dish ghevar which has its roots of origin here.
Economy
Industrial estates
There are six HSIIDC industrial estates namely Sonepat city, Barhi, Kundli, Murthal and Rai. The development of Sonepat Industrial area in the city started in the 1950s with Atlas Cycle. Since then, many small and big industries have been established here. Atlas, E.C.E. or the Birla Factory, OSRAM India (formerly part of E.C.E., but in October 1998 it was acquired by OSRAM).
Education
Colleges
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Murthal
Universities
- Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University Of Science and Technology
- Ashoka University
- O. P. Jindal Global University
- Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya
- SRM University, Haryana
- World University of Design
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University
Sports
In July 1973 the government established the Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, Sonipat to provide education facilities with extra emphasis on sports. It trains athletes in hockey, basketball, lawn tennis, horse riding, gymnastics, swimming, rifle shooting, volleyball, boxing, cricket and football.
Bus Port
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways proposed first Bus Port in the pattern of Airport on GT Road in Sector 7, Sonipat. It will be the joint venture of Government of Haryana and NHAI.
- In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Union ministry of road transport and highways has decided to set up a bus port on the pattern of an airport in Sonipat.
- The proposed bus stand will be an ultra-modern ‘bus port’, with infrastructure at par with an international airport.
- To be constructed under design, built, finance, operate and transfer model, new bus ports will have digital display, variable message signboards, CCTV camera, surveillance system, deluxe waiting room, tourist information center, clock room, restaurant, food court, plaza, budget hotel, multiplex, administrative office, parcel room, maintenance workshop, fuel station, etc. facilities.
Municipal corporation
Sonipat Municipal Corporation is the governing civic body of the Urban Area in Sonipat. The Municipal Committee Sonipat was establishment in the year 1933.
Sonipat Lok Sabha
Sonipat (Lok Sabha constituency) is one of the 10 Lok Sabha (Parliamentary) constituencies in Haryana state in northern India.*Ramesh Chander Kaushik is Member of Parliament from Sonipat Seat
Notable people
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- Seema Antil (discus thrower)
- Sanchit Balhara (Bollywood score composer)
- Preeti Bose (cricketer)
- Aakash Dahiya (Bollywood actor)
- Amit Kumar Dahiya (wrestler)
- Jai Tirath Dahiya (leader)
- Padam Singh Dahiya (politician)
- Rohit Dahiya (cricketer)
- Vikas Dahiya (Indian hockey player)
- Vinod Kumar Dahiya (wrestler)
- Vivek Dahiya (actor)
- Yogeshwar Dutt (wrestler)
- Himanshu Malik (Bollywood actor)
- Jitender Malik (politician)
- Meghna Malik (actress)
- Pardeep Narwal (kabbadi player)
- Sanjay Pahal (cricketer)
- Rajat Paliwal (cricketer)