Tohana

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Tohana | type = city | latd = 29.7 | longd = 75.9
locator_position = right | state_name = Haryana
district = Fatehabad
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 224
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 51,518| population_density =
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone = 01692
postal_code = 125120
vehicle_code_range = HR23
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website =
footnotes =

Tohana is a city and a municipal council in Fatehabad district in the Indian state of Haryana.

Geography

Tohana is located at coord|29.7|N|75.9|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/10/Tohana.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Tohana] ] . It has an average elevation of 224 metres (734 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census [GR|India] , Tohana had a population of 51,518. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Tohana has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 67%, and female literacy is 55%. In Tohana, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Tohana is situated just 8 kilometers from the Haryana-Punjab border in North-West of Haryana. One of the neighbouring cities is Hisar 72 miles stone away from Tohana (by which most of the people can identify it), which used to be the district for Tohana until 1997. Fatehabad was cut as a separate district from Hisar and Tohana was included in the part of land which went to Fatehabad. 70% of the population consists of Dhillon and Sidhu Sikhs.Fact|date=September 2008

History

Tohana has had a rich history in Sikhism and it is found in most of the references to Banda Bahadur where Banda issued letters to Malwa Sikhs to join him in his crusade against Wazir Khan of Sarhind. It used to be a desert land until the Bhakhra Nangal sub-branch brought a source of irrigation for the town and neighbouring villages. After this, Tohana developed into a major agricultural hub.

Aryans at first on the banks of the rivers -the Saraswati and the Drishadvati, and in the course of their expansion covered a wider area of Hissar and Fatehabad. The area was probably included in the kingdom of Pandavas and their successors1. Panini mentions quite a few towns of the region-Aisukari, Taushayana (Tohana) and Rori which have been identified with Hissar, Tohana and Rori, respectively2. According to Puranas, the areas of Fatehabad district remained a part of Nanda empire. The discovery of Ashokan pillars at Hissar and Fatehabad shows that the area of the district remained a part of Mauryan empire. The people of Agroha area assisted Chandra Gupta Maurya in the war against Greeks.

After the fall of the Mauryas and Sungas, the Agras along with the Yaudheys-the republican tribes of the region-asserted for their independence. The Agras settled in the region covering Agroha and Barwala. They issued coins from Agroha, the capital headquarters. As attested by the discovery of coin-moulds and terracottas, the region was a part of Kushan empire. According to A.S. Altekar, the Yaudheys made a second bid for independence towards the end of the second century A.D., came out successful in their venture and succeeded in freeing their home-land and ousting Kushans.

This finds support from the Agroha seal1. The early 11th century saw the Ghaznavid inroads in this area. Sultan Masud led the expeditions towards Agroha. The Chauhans seem to have taken special measures for protecting the area against Muslim incursions. The area of Agroha passed on to the Muslim rule after the defeat of Prithvi Raj III in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192). After the Battle of Tarain, Sultan Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Ghuri placed one of his ablest generals in the Indian campaigns. But it appears that any meaningful control could not be established. Seizing the opportunity, a Rajput clan, Jatus, believed to be an offshoot of Tomaras, widely extended their power in Fatehabad area including Agroha2. Firuz (1351-88) shot these areas into prominence. The ruler came to have somewhat unusual fancy for the tract (Hissar). It is a great credit to him that he established new towns of Fatehabad and Hissar and built two canals; one taking off from Ghaggar at Phulad and following the course of Joiya up to the town of Fatehabad. After the death of Firuz (1388), chaos and confusion spread all round . The situation deteriorated still further when Timur invaded in 1398. During his marching, Timur invested Fatehabad which was captured without any opposition from the inhabitants. Lastly, the invader reached Tohana but he could not set- up his permanent rule over the area. He soon left for Samana after looting these areas. The areas of Fatehabad came under the control of Mughals-Babar and Humanyun. There is a small and beautiful mosque known as Humanyun mosque at Fatehabad . The legend assigns the association of the mosque to the Mughal Emperor Humanyun who in his flight after his defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri happened to pass through Fatehabad. Fatehabad was one of important Mahals during Akbar's time.By 1760, the areas became the scene of a sort of triangular duel between the sturdy Sikhs of north-east, marauding Bhattis of north-west and the Muslim chiefs of the south. None of them could, however, hold the region permanently except for the Bhattis who became the masters of Fatehabad pargana. In 1774, Maharaja Amar Singh of Patiala along with his famous minister Dewan Nanumal laid seize to the stronghold of Bighar near Fatehabad which fell shortly afterwards. The Raja then took Fatehabad and Sirsa and invested Rania held by Bhattis. Tohana also was seized by the Chief of Patiala. But after a treaty of Jind in 1781, Fatehabad and Sirsa were made over to the Bhattis and remaining territories were allowed to be retained by the Sikhs .. By 1798, Agroha and Tohana were important parganas under the control of George Thomas. When George Thomas was driven out from here by the Sikh-Maratha-French Confederacy, a French Officer Lt. Bourquian controlled these areas on behalf of Marathas . He is said to have rebuilt the towns of Tohana and Hissar. Later these areas were placed under the charge of Illias Beg, a Mughal noble of Hansi. With the treaty of Surji Anjangaon 1803, the British became the rulers of this area and Marathas were vanquished forever. In November, 1884, the Sirsa district was abolished and Sirsa tahsil after the distribution of villages was formed . In 1889, 15 villages forming a detached block known as Budhlada were transferred form Kaithal tahsil to Fatehabad tahsil. The Barwala tahsil containing139 villages was abolished with effect from January 1, 1891 and its area was distributed between 3 contiguous tahsils ; 13 villages going to Hansi, 24 to Hissar and 102 to Fatehabad. At the same time 13 villages were transferred from Hissar tahsil to Bhiwani tahsil and a sub-tahsil was established at Tohana in Fatehabad tahsil. In 1923, the Tohana sub-tahsil was transferred from Fatehabad to Hissar tahsil. In 1972, Tohana sub-tahsil was upgraded to tahsil. Two sub-tahsils, one at Ratia of tahsil of Fatehabad and other at Adampur of Hissar tahsil were created in 1979. By the end of 1978, the Hissar district comprised 486 villages, divided between tahsils of Fatehabad -166; Hissar-115, Hansi-119 and Tohana-86. Fatehabad came into existence as a full-fledged district with effect from 15-7-1997, now having three sub-divisions, three tahsils and three sub-tahsils.

People & Attractions

The Tohana grain market is the trading place for a number of villages in the vicinity and boasts of high amount of crop input, the main ones being Cotton, Wheat, Paddy. Most of the industries in the town are agriculture based and almost 70% of the population is employed in the same. Agriculture is the main backbone of the town. Kharif and rabi are the main crops which are cultivated here.

The main attraction of this small town is " Baliala Guest House" where you can enjoy the disribution of the water of Bhakhra Nagnal Main Branch Canal into seven different canals. Hence this town is surrounded by the seven canals. Tohana is well connected by northern railways dierctly to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Ludhiana, Jammu and other major cities. and it is well connected by the road network too. Tohana is located in the Punjabi speaking belt of northern Haryana. Punjabi, Hindi, Haryanvi, Multani languages are common here in the town. The strongest part of this small town is communal harmony. Tohana is now a days developing as a medical hub for the areas nearby to it.

Education

The town has two UG level colleges, one of them is a co-ed I.G. Govt. College, Tohana [http://www.gctohana.gov.in I.G. Govt. College, Tohana Website] (Now BBA and BCA also available in I.G. Govt College Tohana affiliated with K.U.Kurukshetra) and other one being women college Shri Durga Mahila Maha Vidyalaya. The courses available are mostly arts and commerce, but there has been an increase in the number of computer courses like MCA etc. Both the colleges are affiliated to the Kurukshetra University. The town has a DAV school which has been building futures from last 15 years. As there is not much scope for professional education, students go to major education centres like Chandigarh, Hisar and Delhi. Now there are two Polytechnic Colleges and 3 B.Ed College in City or nearest village. Colonal Groups (School & Colleges) also responsible to given a Higher Level Education Society to people of Tohana.

Booming TOHANA