Karnal Town

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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.

Karnal Town

Head-quarters of the District and tahsil of Karnal, Punjab, situated in 29° 41' X. and 76 degree 59' E., on the old bank of the Jumna, about 7 miles from the present course of that river, and on the Delhi-Umballa-Kalka Railway ; distant 1,030 miles by rail from Calcutta, 1,056 from Bombay, and 895 from Karachi. Population (1901), 23,559. Its name is derived from Kama, the rival of Arjuna in the epic of the Mahabharata, by whom it is said to have been founded. It would seem to have been a place of little impor- tance in early historical times, as no mention of it occurs until towards the end of the Pathan period. Karnal was plundered in 1573 by Ibrahim Husain Mirza in his revolt against Akbar, and its neighbourhood laid waste by Banda Bairagi in 1709. In 1739 it was the scene of the defeat of Muhammad Shah by Xadir Shah. After the fall of Sirhind in 1763 the town was seized by Gajpat Singh, Raja of Jind, but in 1775 it was recovered by Najaf Khan, governor of Delhi. It again fell into the hands of Gajpat Singh, but his son Bhag Singh lost it to the Marathas in 1787, and it was sub- sequently made over by them to George Thomas.

It then came into the hands of Gurdit Singh of Ladwa, from whom the British took it in 1805. A cantonment was formed at Karnal, which was abandoned in 1 84 1 owing to the unhealthiness of the station. The place is still unhealthy, though drainage and sanitation have done much to improve its condition. There is a fine marble tomb, built by the emperor Ghiyas-ud-din to the memory of the saint Bu-All Kalandar. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has a mission at Karnal. The municipality was created in 1867. The income and expenditure during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 32,500 and Rs. 32,100 respectively. The income in 1903-4 was Rs. 33,800, mainly derived from octroi ; and the expenditure was Rs. 33,500. The chief manu- factures are country cloth for local consumption, and shoes.

The principal educational institution is the Anglo-vernacular high school, managed by the Educational department. There is a civil hospital, with a branch in the town. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel also maintains a female hospital and dispensary.