Najibabad Town

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Najibabad Town, 1908

This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.

Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Head-quarters of the tahsil of the same name in Bijnor District, United Provinces, situated in 29° 37' N. and 78° 21 E., at the junction of the main line of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway with the branch to Kotdwara in Garhwal. Popu- lation (1901), 19,568. Najibabad was founded by Najib-ud-daula, paymaster and for a time Wazir of the Mughal empire, who built a fort at Patthargarh, a mile to the east, in 1755. In 1772 the town was sacked by the Marathas, and in 1774 it passed into the hands of the Nawab of Oudh. During the Mutiny Mahmud, great-grandson of Najib-ud-daula, revolted, and in 1858, when the place was recovered, the palace was destroyed. Najibabad is close to the forest and its climate is unhealthy, but the town is well drained into the Malin. The principal relic of Rohilla rule is the tomb of Najib-ud-daula ; and a carved gateway still marks the site of the palace, now occupied by the tahsiTi. A spacious building called the Mubarak Bunyad, which was built at the close of the eighteenth century, is used as a resthouse. The fortress of Patthargarh, also known as Najafgarh, is in ruins. The stone used in its construction was taken from an ancient fort, called

Mordhaj, some distance away. Najibabad contains a dispensary and police station, and a branch of the American Methodist Mission. It has been administered as a municipaUty since 1866. During the ten years ending 1901 the income and expenditure averaged Rs. 15,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 25,000, chiefly from octroi (Rs. 20,000) ; and the expenditure was Rs. 28,000. Najibabad is of considerable importance as a depot for trade with the hills. Metal vessels, cloth, blankets, shoes, &c., are made here, and exported to Garhwal, while there is a through trade in salt, sugar, grain, and timber. The town is also celebrated for its production of sweetmeats and small baskets, and in former days its matchlocks were well-known. The tahsili school has over 220 pupils and an English school about 100. A primary school and 11 aided schools have about 350 pupils.