GARHMUKTESHWAR - DOR, DODA / BARAN, HARIPUR, KOIL - IMMORTAL RAJPUTS

COLONEL JAMES TOD QUOTE REGARDING DOR OR DODA TRIBE OF RAJPUTS :-

We have little to say of this race, though occupying a place in AU the genealogies,

Time has destroyed all knowlege of the past history of the Doda tribe, 

To gain a victory over whom was deemed by prithviraja worthy of a tablet.

The Dors give a' curious account of the derivation of their tribal name. They state that one of their kings offered his head to some local goddess, and was thus called Dundy which was afterwards corrupted into Dor, They claim kinship with the country and their name is certainly found in the genealogical tables of that tribe. The Dors are supposed to have emigrated from the middle to the upper Doab, early in the 9th century. They appear to have held a large tract of country between the Jumna and the Ganges, long anterior to the Muhammadan invasions. Hardatta, a Dor chieftain, who founded Meerut and built Hapur (Haripur), preserved possession of his family domain at Baran (Bulandshahr) by paying a large ransom to Mahmud of Ghazni. About the beginning  lof the 12th century, the power of the Dors began to wane- They were attacked by Meos, who at last became such a source of trouble to the Dor Raja, that he was glad to call in others to aid him in restoring order. A large hand of Bargurjars were on their way from ' Alwar to aid Pirthviraj in his war with the Mahoba Chandels. To Raja Partap Singh, the leader of the party, was entrusted the duty of subduing the Meos, and after a long and determined struggle he succeeded in driving them out. As a reward the Dor Raja gave him his daughter in marriage, with a dowry of 150 villages. The Bargurjars remained nominal feudatories of the Dors until 1193, when the latter were again attacked by the Mosalmins under Kutub-ud-din Aibeg, who captured Meerut and Baran. 

King Chandra Sen who was the Dor Raja at this time, repelled the attacks of the enemy with great vigour, until betrayed by his kinsman Ajaipal, and a confiden- tial Brahman retainer. King Chandra Sen perished in the assault of his fort, but not before he had killed with an arrow Khwaja Lal Ali, the leader of the Muhammadan troops. 

The power of the Dors rapidly declined after this, and the clan has now but little influence and no land. 

History. Geographical distribution 

The Rajputana Dors are found in small number in Mewar and Dungarpur. In the North-West Provinces they are chiefly settled in _ .... til® Meerut, Aligarh, Bulandshahr, Moradabad and Banda districts. Their total male population is about 1,000. A few Dors are also scattered through- out the Sagar district of the Central Provinces.

Dors contract marriages with Rajputs of the following clans Give their daughters to Take wives from Gahlot* Gaur.

To qwan Janghra Chauhan. Gautam* Bargurjar* Katheriya. Chauhan• Samwal. Pundir. Jhotiyana*

ALIGARH - ( KOIL )

  

The town of Kol or Koil is of undoubtedly great antiquity. Legend connects the foundation of Koil with the Dor tribe of Rajputs, of whom so much has been said in the Bulandshahr District. The story runs that in 429 Sambat (or 372 A.D.) Raja Vikrama Sen, of the Dor tribe, ruled at Baran (Bulandshahr), and his brother Kali held Jalali, 

Vikrama Sen had two sons, Indur and Mokindur; the former succedcd his father in Baran, and the latter his uncle at Jalali. 

Mokindur was succeeded by Gobind Sen, and 

He by Nahar Singh, the founder of Sambhal. 

After him came his grandson Dasrath Singh, the founder of Jalesar, who, dying childless,

Succeeded by his brother Bijai Ram, and 

He was followed by Budh Sen.

 "One day as Budh Sen was riding from Jalali to Dehli, considerably ahead of his followers, he came to a jhil (called in old Hindi 'koV) and dismounted. Whilst waiting for his retiune a fox came up and barked at him, which so irritated the Raja that he drew his axe and struck the fox.

The fox retreated to a hole and continued to bark at the Raja and attack him until his suite arrived. 

After consoling their master, they suggested that there must be some excellent inherent quality in the soil which had imparted to a contemptible creature like the fox, vigour and audacity enough to enable him to set at nought a royal Rajput; and  that therefore it would be a desirable site for the foundation of a city and fort. Raja Budh Sen, after consulting his astrologer, found that it was an auspicious moment for the purpose, so at once he dug up a little clay from the jhil with his own dagger, and laid the foundation of a city which he named Koil after the jhil. 

In a few years the fortress and city were finished, and the seat of government was removed from Jalali to Koil, which became the capital of a large kingdom, comprising Patiali, Jalesar, Budaon, Sambhal, Kampil, and Baran. 

After a reign of 55 years the Raja was suoceeded by his son Mangal Sen. Thelatter made an alliance with the Raja Bena of Atranji and Etawa, and gave his danghter Padmavati in marriage to the heir of the Etawa Raja. 

On Raja Bena's death his sons deposed and murdered their eldest brother, and Padmavati returned a widow to her father's house at Koil. She became a devotee of Ganga, and her father built for her a lofty column in the centre of his fortress, from whence she might be able to view daily the sacred river. Another version of the legend is that the unfortunate Padmavati was built up alive in this column".

This much, however, may be said, that some time before the Musalman invasion the district was held by the Dor Rajputs, and that in the time of Mahmud of Ghazni the chief of the Dors was Hardatta of Baran. 

Koil continued an outpost of the Raja of Baran until the close of the twelth century.Kutubuddin, fully trained in treachery by his Muslim masters, feigned friendly alliance with the Dor Rajputs who ruled in Bulandshahr alias Baran, and by deceit and treachery had their leaders kidnapped and held as hostages.

Later under threat of torture and murder of the hostages, he made the Rajput garrisons surrender. Raja Chandrasen, a Dor chieftain put up a brave fight against Kutubuddin but one of his relations, Ajaypal, defected to the Muslim enemy for a big bribe and abetted the destruction of his own patriotic Hindu kinsmen.This victory brought Meerut under Muslim sway. In 1193 A.D. 

Kutubuddin deposed the Tomar ruler of Delhi on the plea that he had failed to show enough hospitality to the barbarous Muslim hordes billeted in the metropolis. That marked the beginning of Muslim rule in India from the throne of Delhi.One of Prithvi Raj's brothers, Hemraj, besieged the Muslim-held fort of Ranthambhore which was garrisoned by Aibak's commander Kiwan-ul-Mulk. 

In Ajmer, some Chauhan noblemen seized power from Prithvi Raj's son who had accepted Ghori tutelage bringing shame to his brave and patriotic father's name and house. 

This shows how dynamic Hinduism never tolerated weak and unpatriotic rulers. Prithvi Raj's son had to flee from Ajmer. Aibak left at the head of Ghori's Muslim desperadoes and re-established Muslim power in Ranthambhore and Ajmer. Prithvi Raj's son was once more restored to his tutelage in Ajmer but the brave Hemraj was still unvanquished. 

The Dor Rajputs of Koil under Raja Anang now reasserted their independence and Aibak had to rush his army across the Yamuna. It was at this time that he captured what has since come to be called Aligarh.The Aligarh town, its so called Muslim University and the so called Muslim residents there ought to recall that day on which Aibak forcibly converted their Hindu ancestors to Islam, and changed the name of the town to Aligarh. 

Their pride in that conversion is totally misplaced. That was a day of personal humiliation, terror and torture to their Hindu ancestors and of shame to entire Hindusthan and Hindudom. India would be a happy and more united country if Aligarh town resumed its ancient name and its citizens once again returned to the Hindu faith which their terrorized ancestors were forced to forsake.

ABOUT DOR FORTRESS-

Dor Fortress, one of the major sightseeing attractions, is located on a small hillock in the Upper Kot of the city centre. The testament is named after King Buddhsen Dor., who laid foundation of the testimony.

During olden times, King Dor's court proceedings were organised at the site. Those days the site was known as Mohalla Ghosiyan-Parkatan, which is Police Kotwali's Southern corner at present.

There was a large well, horse stable and a stable for elephants during yesteryears located in the west of Kotwali. A tall minaret was constructed within this fortress by a Rajput ruler, Mangalsen for his widow daughter Padmawati who used to view Holy River Ganga from it’s top galleries. The minaret was destroyed due to some reasons by British Governor Admeston in the year 1861-1862. 

Some time before the Muslim invasion, Kol was held by the Dor Rajputs. At the time of Mahmud of Ghazni, the chief of the Dors was Hardatta of Baran.[3] Statues of Buddha and other Buddhist remains have been found in excavations where the citadel of Koil stood, indicating a Buddhist influence. Hindu remains indicate that the citadel probably had a Hindu temple after the Buddhist temple.

In 1194, Qutb-ud-din Aibak marched from Delhi to Kol, "one of the most celebrated fortresses of Hind". Qutb-ud-din Aibak appointed Hisam-ud-din Ulbak as the first Muslim governor of Koil.

HAPUR - ( HARIPUR )

In Lok-shruti (local legend) says that Hapur was founded by Dod Ke Sardar, Hardatta, in 983. After this Hapur was called Haripur. It is also said that Hapur came from the word 'Hapar' which means garden. Hapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 213 meters (699 feet). It is bound on the north by Meerut, in the south by Bulandshahr while Ghaziabad form the southern and western limits. Jyotiba phule nagar district lies to the east of the district. The river Ganges forms the eastern boundary and home to the sacred place known as `Garhmukteshwar` where lakhs of people come every year for pilgrimage. The ground is not rocky and there are no mountains. The soil is composed of pleistocene and sub-recent alluvial sediments transported and deposited by river action from the Himalayan region. These alluvial deposits are unconsolidated. Lithologically, sediments consist of clay, silt and fine to coarse sand.

BULANDSHAHER - (BARAN)

This town was earlier known as Vana (वाणा). This was ruled by Dod Kshatriyas, foundation of the town laid by Raja Vikrama Sen of Dod Rajputs. Succeeded Indur sen During reign of Prithvirah the ruler of this area was Anang. Anang had left a grant of v.s. 1233 (1176 AD). According to this grant 16 generations of Dods ruled here. 

When Mahmud Gazanvi attacked Mathura, Bulandshahr was ruled by Hardatt Dod. 

In 1193 kutb-ud-din apeeared before baran (Bulandsheher).which was for some time strenuously defended by the Dod Maharaja ChandraSen; but through the treachery of his kinsmen Jaypal and his servant Hira Das, the fort was taken. 

MAHARAJA CHANDRASEN perished in the assualt but not before he had killed with an arrow Khwajah Lal Ali, whose Dargah still exist to the east of the balai kot to the present day. 

The traitor ajaipal was rewarded wih the title of Malik Muhammad Daraz Kad. His descendants are still properietors of the portions of the township of baran and profess to have a document in their possesion conferring the right of CHAUDHARISHIP upon them.

The resisting Dod tribe remainants in adjoining areas after the qutub- ud-din retreat.. were too came in prithviraj way who lent his influence against the remaining Dod royals and raised a monument to commemorate a victory that he gained over them . The Dods rapidly decline after the conquest and posses only one entire village in the district.

Raja Hardatta, son of Yashodharman dor a leader of the Dor Rajputs, who took possession of Meerut, Koil, and Baran, and built at each place a fort. The ruins known as the Balai Kot, or upper fort, at Bulandshahr are pointed out as the remains of the buildings erected by Hardatta. One of the earliest authentic references in Musalman histories to this district is connected with Raja Hardatta. The author of the 7'dr(kh-i- Yam'mi mentions that in 1018-19 A. D. Mahmud of Ghazni arrived at Baran, the fort of Hardat, who was one of the Rais of the country. When Hardat heard of the approach of the invader he trembled greatly and feared for his life. "So he reflected that his safety would be best secured by conforming to the religion of Islam, since God's sword was drawn from the scabbard and the whip of punishment was uplifted. He came forth, therefore, with ten thousand men, who all proclaimed their anxiety for conversion and their rejection of idols." Baran was there upon restored to Hardatta.

One of the immediate consequences of this raid of Mahmud was a general upheaval of the western tribes and a marked immigration towards the Duah. Tradition has it that the Mewatis or Meos, about this time, entered the district in large numbers and sett!sd towards the southern borders. Undeterred by the presence of the Dors, 1 Duwsou's Elliot, IX., 4».

they pursued their hereditary occupation of thieving and murder, and became such a source of trouble to the Dor chieftain Raja chait singh that he was glad to call in others to aid him in restoring order. A large party of Badgujars were on their way from Raju in Alwar to aid Prithiraj in his war with the Mahoba Chandels. To Raja Part&p Singh, the leader of this party, was intrusted the duty of clearing out the Meos, and after a long and determined struggle he succeeded in ousting them from Pahasu, Dihai, and Anupshahr. He made Chaundera his head-quarters, and gradually acquired other villages by marriage, purchase or violence. The Badgujars were nominally feudatories of the Dors, and the supreme power remained in the family of Hardatta until the arrival of the Mu

salman general Kutb-ud-din Aibak, who in 1193 A.D. Kutb-ud-din, 1193 A. D. captured Meerut and Baran, and- established his own officers in each place as governors. Chandrasen was the king at this time, and he repelled the attacks of the enemy with great vigour until betrayed by his kinsman Ajayapal Dor and his servant Hira Singh, Brahman, the fort was taken.

King Chandrasen perished in the assault, but not before he had killed with an arrow Khwajah Lai Ali, whose dargah still exists to the east of the Balai Kot to the present day. The traitor Ajayapal was rewarded with the office of Chaudhri of Baran, and on his conversion to Islam received the title of Malik Muhammad Daraz Kad. His descendants are still proprietors of portions of the township of Baran, and profess to have a document in their possession conferring the right to the Chaudhriship upon them.1 The governorship was bestowed upon one Kazi Niir-ud-din Ghaznavi, whose descendants still reside in the town and bear the hereditary honorific title of Kazi. Prithiraj, too, lent his influence against the Dors, and raised a monument to commemorate a victory that he gained over them.

The Dors rapidly declined after the conquest, and, now, possess only one entire village in the district. The Meo's date their arrival in the north of the district from the Musalman conquest; they came from Gujrat in the Panjab. The fourteenth century is also marked by a general immigration of Rajptft tribes. The Bhals under Kirat Singh invaded the south of the district and expelled the Meos 

Bhawan Bahadur Naqar, a village of parganah Sayana and tahsil Baran of the Bulandshahr district, lies 5 miles west of Sayana and 16 miles north of the civil station. The population in 1865 was 3,301, and in 1872 was 3,306. It was founded by a Dor Rajput during the rule of that dynasty, t>ut about 1104 A.D. the Dors were supplanted by one Bhojraj Taga, from whose descendants the proprietary right was purchased in 1761 A.D, by the Kuchchesar talukadar. There is a school and a fine masonry haveli here.

the founder of the town, and who are now found all over India. The office of kanungo has been until lately hereditary in their family. One of them, Sital Das, kanungo, mentioned below, immortalized himself by founding a gar.j in the city and calling it by his name. The Chaudhris, called also Tantas, are the descendants of one of the men who in the time of Chandrasen opened the gates of the fort to Muhammad Ghori. For this service he was rewarded by the conqueror with the Chaudhriship of the parganah, and, on his becoming a Musalman, with the title of M&lik Muhammad. These Chaudhris have a bad reputation for irascibility, and have shown themselves to be dangerous and untrustworthy on more than one occasion. True to their blood they aresaid to have opened the gates of the upper town to the Sikhs in 1780, and during the disturbances of 1857 to have been the first to plunder the bazar.

Baran is a place of some antiquity, and even to the present day coins of Alexander the Great and the Indo-Bactrian Kino-8 of History. . upper India are found in and around the town. The

late Mr. G. Frceling collected a large number. Its early history is given in the history of the district (page 82). First called Banchati, it subsequently received the name of Baran from Raja Ahibaran, and again from its position the name of Unchhanagar, which has been Persianised into the form Bulandshahr, or "high town." Hardatta, Dor, who ruled here at the time of Mahmud's invasion of India, bought off the conqueror by large presents, or, as some say by his apostacy to Islam. The last Hindu Raja was Chandrasen, Dor, who gallantly defended his fort against Muhammad Ghori. With his own hand he slew Khwajah Lai Ali, one of the principal officers of the invading army, whose tomb still stands about 900 yards to the east of the town. But his valour was of no avail, since two of the Raja's own servants opened the gates to the enemy. The Raja was himself killed in the defence.