Saharanpur division

Saharanpur division is an administrative geographical unit of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The city of Saharanpur is the administrative headquarters of the division.

Administrative jurisdiction

This division has two districts under its jurisdiction: Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar

Historical

See also: History of Uttar Pradesh, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar

The entire Saharanpur division is a part the Yamuna-Ganges Doab region, which has had human habitation since pre-Indus Valley Civilisation times, witnessed the arrival of Aryans from the present Punjab and the mighty war of Mahabharata in the epics period, when it was considered a part of the Kuru (East) Mahajanapada territory; Usinara and Panchala Mahajanapadas were its eastern neighbours then. Most of the invasions, from the West to the vast swathe of Gangetic plains of India, passed through it; the last of the invaders were the British, who marched into it from the east.

Economy

Agriculture is the backbone of division's economy. The fertile Doab land and well developed Gangetic-canals and tube-wells based irrigation system support multiple cropping and good yield. In addition to farming of major crops like wheat, rice etc, cash crops like sugar cane and potatoes etc are cultivated on a wide scale. Fruit orchards and horticulture are also important.

The division has several agro-based and other industries: paper, hardboard, wood-work, tobacco, leather, chemicals, brass etc. A notable presence is that of the multinational Indian Tobacco Company, ITC Limited.

Cultural aspects

Culturally, the Division is representative of western Uttar Pradesh. There is a sizeable Muslim population through out the Division, with a relatively good reputation in terms of inter-religious communal harmony. The old quarters of several cities and towns are predominantly Muslim, whose religious seminaries in Deoband and Saharanpur cities are internationally reputed. It is home to the Paper and Pulp Technology Institute which is affiliated to the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (formerly Roorkee University). There is no university of its own in the division since 2000, when the university town of Roorkee was separated from it and merged with the newly formed Uttarakhand state.

Neighbouring attractions

Southern areas of Saharanpur division are close to New Delhi, the capital of India. Hindu's holy city of pilgrimage Haridwar is very near. Uttarakhand's famous animal sanctuary in Shivalik hills, the Rajaji National Park, is also near.

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