Churu

This article is about the municipality in Rajasthan, India. For its namesake district, see Churu district.

Churu चूरु
—  city  —
Churu चूरु Location of Churu चूरु in Rajasthan and India
Coordinates	28°18′N 74°57′E / 28.30°N 74.95°E / 28.30; 74.95Coordinates: 28°18′N 74°57′E / 28.30°N 74.95°E / 28.30; 74.95
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District(s)	Churu
Population	97,627 (2001[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 292 metres (958 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 331001 • Telephone • +1562

Churu (Rajasthani: चूरु) is a town in the desert region of Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Churu District. It lies in the Thar Desert on the National Highway-65 connecting Pali to Ambala and is a junction station on the railway line to Bikaner. It is near the shifting sand dunes of the Thar Desert and has grand havelis with marvelous fresco paintings, namely Kanhaiya lal Bagla ki Haweli and Surana Haweli, with hundreds of small windows. It also has some fine Chhatris. Near the town is a religious seat of the Nath sect of Sadhus where there are life-size Marble statue of their deities and a place for prayers. There stands a Dharam Stup, a symbol of religious equality. At the centre of the town is a fort built about 400 years ago.

History

The town is said^{[by whom?]} to have been found by a Jat named Chuhru in C1620 AD. Churu, like an oasis, situated in the middle of the shifting golden sand dunes, opens the gate to the great desert of Thar. Geographically, it lies in 28º 18' N latitude and 74º 58' E longitude. Administratively, it is the headquarter of the district. , The temples of Salasar Balaji & Balaji Babosa are situated in the Churu district.

Before independence, it was a part of Bikaner State. The district came into existence in 1948 comprising three tehsils Churu, Rajgarh and Taranagar when the administration of Bikaner State was reorganized.

A view of the desert near Churu

Economy

The economy of the town and surrounding area is mainly based on agriculture and animal husbandry. The oilseeds, especially mustard seed, is the predominant crop in recently developed small, well-irrigated fields. Wheat, kharif pulses, bajra (pearl millet), and gwar are other produces.

Churu is the main mandi (market) for agricultural produce of the area. The town has a Krishi Upaj Mandi Samiti (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) . The Food Corporation of India has its warehouses in Churu. The town is the main supply point for surrounding villages.

There is no large or medium size industry in the industrial area. The main small-scale industries are granite slabs and tiles, cutting and polishing, and mustard seed crushing. the city is recognise by the main area of the city name KALERA BASS surrounding areas of CHANDANI CHOWK, ADARSH NAGAR, BALMIKI BASTI, MOCHIWARAH,VANVIHAR COLONY,NAYA BAAS, SUBHAS CHOWK, NAI SARAK, etc.

Geography

Churu is located at 28°18′N 74°57′E / 28.30°N 74.95°E / 28.30; 74.95.^[1] It has an average elevation of 292 m (958 ft).

CHURU is a district of enchanting topography in Thar Desert. The Churu City is encircled by large shifting sand dunes. The area is scanty in vegetation. Phoge and Kair bushes and Khejra, Royara and Babul trees are to be mainly found on the sand dunes. In the towns Neem and Peepal and Sira trees can also be noticed. One can find Sand dunes all over the area with a couple of small limestone hills.

The region boasts record temperatures ranging from below freezing point in the winters to over 50 degrees in the summer afternoons. Before dawn in the months of December/ January one may not be surprised to notice ice in small waterpots or frozen water dews on the little vegetation. Yet one may find that summer nights are cooler and winter days are warmer. The variation in the minimum and maximum temperature is perhaps greatest for any place in the world. Perhaps it is the only place in the world where temperature dips below sub-zero but does not have snowfall.

Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[2] Churu had a population of 97,627. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Churu has an average literacy rate of 62%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72% and, female literacy is 51%. In Churu, 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Infrastructure

Sanitation Churu was rated as the least sanitary city in India, coming bottom of the ranking list of 423 towns and cities in the country.^[3]

Transport Churu is a junction station on Rewari-Bikaner railway line. The railway track is metre gauge and is being converted to broad gauge. Churu lies on NH 65 and is connected to all major cities by all-weather roads.

Electricity There is one sub grid station of 220 KV at Churu itself. The town receives power from Power Grid Corporation of India's grid station in Hissar Haryana. Almost all villages of the Churu sub division are electrified.

Water The town gets drinking water from local wells which is hard and brackish. The town area drinking water supply is managed by water dept. of Govt. of Rajasthan. The Govt. is trying to get drinking water for the area from Indira Canal. The main source of irrigation for farmers continues to be rain water and wells at a few places. Safe Water Network India in association with Bhoruka Charitable Trust has augmented natural water storage at homes through Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting by creating household kunds (970) and has also refurbished existing community kunds (40) to provide water to families living in huts and children in schools. This initiative has reduced the drudgery of women and the girl child in this water-challenged region of Rajasthan.

Accommodation There are a few hotels in the town. Rathore Lodge and Hotel Natraj are two of them. There is a Government Rest house and Circuit House run by Public Works Department(PWD) of Rajasthan government.

Education The town has a post-graduate college (Lohia College) affiliated to University of Bikaner, Balika Mahavidalya and Govt. Law College, also affiliated to Maharaja ganga Singh University, Bikaner. There are several higher secondary, secondary and primary schools in Churu. Major schools of Churu are: The Walden Pond Sr. Sec. School, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Adarsh Vidya Mandir, Montesory School, Goeanka School, Jain Swetambar School and Bagla senior secondary school the oldest of Shekhawati region by Bhagwandas Bagla(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagwandas_Bagla), Eurokids pre-school teaching children education services(Dr. Ravi Sharma). There are also some Computer Diplomatic Programmer Institutes Shri Nath Institute, S.S.I.,Narayna infotech CAD canter,Etc.

NGOs There are a few NGOs in the town. Marudhar Yuva Sansthan, Dudhwa Mitha is one of them. It is a youth orgenisation which works on youth development and sanitation. In the Rajgarh block of Churu district, Safe Water Network India-led rainwater harvesting consortium of Bhoruka Charitable Trust, the Centre for Microfinance, and the Institute of Health Management Research, has provided Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting kunds to 55 villages in Churu district impacting a population of over 16,000. The project is funded by PepsiCo Foundation.

Telecommunications All the basic phone and cellphone service provider companies like BSNL, Vodafone, Airtel,TATA and Idea have their network in Churu. Internet and fax services are available.Tata teleservices cater the rural telephony in the villages having base of 70 k rural ph in villages

Hospitals Churu has good medical facilities. The town has a government hospital(bharatiya) which has very good medical facilities and a few private hospitals. There is an Ayurvedic hospital too.

Sports The town has a sports stadium. It has indoor and outdoor games facilities. The yearly state-level tournaments can be held here. Adventure sports like Parasailing, Paramotoring, Rappelling are also conducted in Churu by Youth Adventure Sports Institute.

Banking Many nationalised banks State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Rajasthan Bank, State Bank of India, ICICI, HDFC and some other banks have branches here. Some co-operative banks (Churu Central Cooperative Bank and Bhumi Vikas Bank) also have branches in the town.

Library The town has a public library managed by the government.

Places of worship and sites

There are many temples in the city mostly dedicated to Hindu deities – Hanuman, Balaji Babosa, Bhagwan Ram, Krishana, Satyanarain, Durga Mata, Santoshi Mata Local Deities Gogaji, Ramdeoji, Veer Vigga Karni Mataji, Shitala Mata and there are many Mosques in the city mostly dedicated to Muslims deities – Madinah Masjid, Mohammadi Masjid, Halal Masjid, Nagina Masjid, Masjid Bhistiyan, Masjid Vyapariyan, Baba ka Takiya, Noor Masjid, Masjid Telyan, Chimpo ki Masjid, Tokalshah ki Masjid Masjid Abu Bakar Siddiq Aguna Mohalla and many other Mosques.

• Salasar Balaji.
• Icchapurna Balaji Mandir, Sardarshahar.
• Babosa murti sthal (65-foot-tall (20 m) statue on NH 65)
• Marda SatiI Mandir
• Balaji Babosa Temple
• Digambar Jain Temple
• Upahshara Jatiji
• Ganesh Temple

Dar-E-Gah of Hajarat Sabir Ali Shah Jasrasar Churu

• Shyam Temple
• Ram Mandir
• Punchmukhi Balaji
• Shaniji
• Gogaji
• Shitala Mata
• Bherav mandir Nosariya

Others

• Bhaninath Muth
• Nh Fossil Museum Asia ( Bharpalsar Rly Gate Ichchhapurn Manshapurn Balaji Temple Nh-11 )
• Dharam Stupa [All religion Tower Temple].
• Shri Akshay Shakti dham, parsneu(ratangarh)
• Shri Ram Mandir Dulrasar, Jiwani Sakati Ashram (Balaji Dham)
• Gurukul Vidyalaya
• Bhagwati Bhadrakali Shaktipeeth Ashram, Rajaldesar
• Dandiswami Jogendrashram, Rajaldesar
• Jeen Mata mandir near kalera bass forest chowki
• Siv ji mandir near Kalera Bass forest chowki
• Lok sanskri sodh sansthan Nagar shree Museum

Havelis

The Marwari merchants of the town, having business connections all over India, added to its splendour by building beautiful majestic havelis, made of lime and brick and decorated them by the best of the frescoes on the facade as well as inside of the rooms. The best of the masons and 'Chitera' or painters were employed to decorate these buildings. Initially, the Chiteras practised dry and wet methods using mineral and vegetable colours. Later on, around in 1860s they made brighter and colorful paintings with the help of chemical colours. Some merchants, the Mantries, Suranas & Kotharis got few rooms painted in gold with extensive mirror work. The prosperity of Churu reached its zenith in 18th century when the atmosphere of peace and security prevailed and the caravans passed through. Consequently, the business of wool, silk, opium and spices flourished. The merchants moved away to the British India and onwards to Calcutta and other business centers in central India. They made a lot of money using their unique business acumen and decided to raise the palatial houses for their families in Churu. The best example of such a haveli is almost 100 year old 'Mal ji ka kamra' or 'Malji's Haveli'. [1][2]. It was built by Malaji Kothari and it took 17 years to complete the construction of this haveli. It gives a picturesque look and is renowned for its Italian-Rajasthani architecture, fresco art and royal lavish look. This is situated in the heart of the old city and surrounded by crowded group of other havelis.

The havellies were impressively decorated with Belgian etched kaleidoscopic glasses in many shapes and designs. Their intricate designs and their carved woodwork doorframes are admirable. Their arch shaped gateway with provision for two seats on both the sides and their stipulations for privacy in the inner courtyard for the womenfolk are of note. Special care was taken about the security of the inmates and thus they used to make thick and blind outerwalls in the earlier times. Only the upper stories had windows small and big neatly decorated with wooden inlaid doors.

These Havellies are best known for their colorful murals {wall paintings} within fresco artwork. The variety of the subjects incorporated in these murals can be of great interest for any Research Scholar. Once can discover the portraits and details of Hindu mythological gods such as Raja Ram along Sita, Hanuman, the Bhairav, Goddess Kali and the Romantic and artistic depiction's of Lord Krishna along with Radha and other maids. The pre- historic Epic Ramayana's portraitures in golden n works also find place on many ceilings of the massive temples & Havelis and the domes of the Chhatris. Wall paintings of a sea Vessel made in Germany, Dhola-Maru and Sassi-Punnu {the Rajasthani versions of Romeo-Juliet}. The Hess Christ, Railway Station to the center plan of a city, Jesus smoking a cigar, a Railway Train, a Limousine etc., etc. are the other themes that can be noticed among many. AT some sites neatly placed one may find erotic scenes as well.

Many people from Churu are now settled in Mumbai, Kolkatta and are engaged in trade, building, construction and export-import and other businesses. Some well known business houese are MARDA GROUP,Surana group, Bagla group business houses,. Some people from Churu presently reside in Bangalore, and Ahmedabad too. They keep regular contact with Churu through social and religious functions.

Administration

Churu constituency elects one member to the Vidhan Sabha ( Rajasthan State Assembly) & one to LokSabha (Indian Parliament)

Notable people

• Lakshmi Mittal, Steel tycoon born in Sadulpur village in Churu district
• Bharat Vyas,was a noted Indian lyricist who wrote the songs for Hindi films in 1950s and 1960s

Monuments

• Fort Churu

Climate

Churu city is situated at 26° 36'N 75° 27'E. This City shows maximum range of temperature in any given 12 month and often comes into news for extreme temperatures in winters and summers; with lowest rain. The recorded minimum and maximum temperatures are -6 °C (21 F) and 52 °C (125 F) respectively.

See also

• Churu District
• Churu (Lok Sabha Constituency)

External links

• Official website

References

1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Churu
2. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
3. ^ Government of India, National Urban Sanitation Policy - Rank of cities 2009-2010