Neemrana

Neemrana
—  town  —
Neemrana Fort Palace terrace and the town below.
Neemrana Location of Neemrana in Rajasthan and India
Coordinates	27°59′20″N 76°23′18″E / 27.98889°N 76.38833°E / 27.98889; 76.38833Coordinates: 27°59′20″N 76°23′18″E / 27.98889°N 76.38833°E / 27.98889; 76.38833
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District(s)	Alwar
Nearest city	Behror
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)

Neemrana (Hindi: नीमराणा) is an ancient historical town in Alwar district of Rajasthan, India, situated at 122 km from Delhi on the Delhi-Jaipur highway in Behror tehsil. It is the site of 14th century Hill-Fort ruled by Chauhans till 1947. The erstwhile ruling family, considered to be the direct lineage of Prithviraj Chauhan, being unable to maintain the fort after abolition of privy purses sold the fort to the group, Neemrana Hotels, that has converted it into a heritage hotel. Some distance from Neemrana is another fort Kesroli in Alwar district that is one of the oldest heritage sites. Historians trace it to the Matsya Janapada of the Mahabharata times. In Kesroli one gets to see the oldest remains of Buddhist Vihara at Viratnagar where the Pandavas spent the last year of their exile incognito; Pandupole, with the only reclining statue of Hanuman; the samadhi of the ruler saint Bhartrihari and Talavriksha with ancient water reservoirs.

The fort Sited atop the rare, dark Hornstone Breccia rocks, commands splendid agrarian views from its ramparts, which rise to 50–65 meters. The origins of the Fort Kesroli are traced back to over six centuries. It is reputed to have been built by the Yadavs, descendants of Lord Krishna, who converted to Islam in the mid-14th century to be called Khanzadas. It subsequently changed hands, being conquered by the Mughals and the Jats before reverting to the Rajputs in 1775 when the princely state of Alwar was founded.

It also home to the RIICO Industrial area.

Castes

Yaduvanshi Ahirs are dominant in Neemrana.^[1]

Neemrana fort

Neemrana Fort Palace

Neemrana

Built since 1464 AD, Neemrana Fort-Palace is today among India's oldest heritage resorts, started in 1986 . It is located on a high hillock and it commands magnificent views of the surrounding beauty and got its name from a valiant local chieftain named Nimola Meo, situated at 122 km on the Delhi-Jaipur highway - only 100 km from Delhi's international airport. The Chauhan capital was shifted from Mandhan (near Alwar) to Neemrana when the town was established by Raja Dup Raj in 1467.^[2] Nowadays, the Neemrana fort is a leading heritage resort and is an ideal venue for weddings and conferences. When you step inside this hotel, you will virtually get transported to an entirely different world. The ambiance is simply captivating and features period furniture, antique works of art and frescoed paintings The nearby town of Kesroli is located at a distance of 155 km from Delhi and is an ideal base for exploring the grandeur and natural beauty of Rajasthan. This place is only some distance from Neemrana and excursions from Neemrana would be ideal for exploring this magnificent town that has also its mention in the mythology. According to the historians this place can be traced to Matsya Janapada of the Mahabharata times. Here you will come across some of the oldest remains of a Buddhist Vihara where the Pandavas are believed to have spent the last year of their exile. One can catch a glimpse of the reclining statue of Hanuman; memorial of the ruler saint Bhartrihari and Talavriksha with very old water reservoirs.

Tourism

Flying Fox Neemrana

Baba Khetanath Aashram Garden

Located in the heart of the 'golden triangle'. Kesroli is almost equidistant from the tourist sites of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. It makes an ideal base to visit the Sariska tiger sanctuary, Kankwadi fort, Neelkanth Temples, Pandupol, the monuments of Tijara, Siliserh Lake, Jaisamand Lake, Bhangarh-Ajabgarh, the hot springs in Talvriksh, Rajgarh, Machari, Viratnagar, Deeg, the sanctuary in Bharatpur, the Jat mud fort of Govindgarh, the ancient city of Mathura and its renowned museum. Neemrana has Baba khetanath aashram one of the great place to visit.

Education

Neemrana is becoming an education hub with the coming of NIIT University and Raffles University.

The not for profit institution, NIIT University, which is known for its unique green campus, is situated in Neemrana. It is sponsored by NIIT Limited, and it inherits over 25 years of its rich experience, know-how and global reputation.

Set up with the vision of being the leading center of innovation and learning in emerging areas of the Knowledge Society, the not-for-profit NIIT University has been developed as an institute of excellence based on the four core principles that make learning industry-linked, technology-based, research-driven and seamless.

Nestled in the foothills of the Aravali Range in Neemrana, Rajasthan, the picturesque 100-acre fully residential green campus of NIIT University is equipped with state-of-the-art technology-enabled teaching methodology that’s backed by a strong research focused curriculum for facilitating a continuous process of learning and development. The NIIT University offers BTech Programs in Computer Science and Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Biotechnology and Electronic and Communication Engineering; MTech Programs in Bioinformatics, Educational Technology, Embedded Systems and Pervasive Systems; and PhD programs in all the above disciplines.

The University also offers an MBA Program (NU-MBA) designed to help aspiring professionals build meaningful connections to the real world of business and become successful leaders of the future. The university also has collaborated with ICICI Bank and offers MBA in Finance.

NIIT University marks a unique initiative where a campus is established on a comprehensive long-term masterplan keeping environmental considerations at the centre. Temperatures are maintained at the Campus all year around using an energy efficient, geothermal cooling system, with a minimal carbon footprint. The earth air tunnels act as enormous self-regulating heat sinks for the campus, with little electricity required to cool or heat the air. It has been designed with rainwater harvesting facilities and water recycling system which is 97% efficient. Some of the key initiatives undertaken by NU towards sustainable development include: Greening of the hills wherein, ten-thousand trees of various varieties have been planted in the neighboring hills by NU students. NU has also adopted about three hectares of nearby land for tree-planting. Almost 3,000 trees have been planted so far using drip-irrigation.

In addition to being a seat of learning and excellence, the fully residential NIIT University offers its students a vibrant social and recreational environment to enable a 24x7 development. A host of student activities interspersed along the central walking spine include volleyball, golf/putting, basketball, gym and tennis.

See also

• Yaduvanshi Ahirs
• Sohna, Manesar
• Bhiwadi
• Jonaicha khurd
• Bijwad Chauhan
• Puran Kila Barrod
• Bhim Panwa at Barrod Hills
• Hanuman Mandir Barrod
• Sikar Gaha Barrod Rundh
• BABA Kheta Nath Aashram

References

• Monika Adlakha: Hindustan times, 24 July 2006

1. ^ http://books.google.co.in/books?ei=F-RtTYXJKI_irAeundH7Bg&ct=result&id=DuAtAAAAMAAJ&dq=rajasthan+ahirs&q=Ajaraka%2C+Bahror%2C+Mandhana%2C
2. ^ "Nimrana". The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 19, p. 120-1.. 1909. http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_127.gif. 

External links

• Neemrana Fort Palace