Meerut

Meerut is one of the fastest developing cities of Uttar Pradesh.

In the eleventh century, it was ruled by King Har Dat. Over time, the city was attacked by Mahmud Ghazni, Mohammad Ghori, and Timur. This led to widepread destruction and the city never really recivered from it. In 1857, the first war of Indpenedence against the British began here. Hindu and Muslim soldiers refused to use rifle cartridges that were coated with animal fat.

Present day Meerut is the 63rd fastest growing urban area in the world. It has two large industrial estates populated with Textile, Transformer, Sugar, Distillery, Chemical, Engineering, Paper, Sports Goods Manufacturing, and IT industries. What’s more, its gold market of Meerut is one of Asia’s largest, employing over 25,000 skilled craftsmen and processing around 60 kilograms of gold. Meerut is the largest supplier of sports goods. SG, one of the largest Indian cricket goods manufacturer and exporter is based in Meerut. It has the 2nd largest army cantonment in the country.

Meerut has very hot summers and extremely cold winters. During summer, temperatures reach 48 degree Celsius. Whereas, the lowest recoreded temperature is .5 degrees! During the winter months, the city is covered with fog and visibility is poor.

Sightseeing:
Jain temples of Hastinapur – Hastinapur is the birth place of three Jain tirthankars, Shantinatha, Kunthnnath and Arahanatha. The Jain temples here are known for their intricate carvings and architectual splendour.

Jain Temple at Mohalla Teergaran - This is the oldest Jain temple of Meerut and has been preserved by the Indian government for its old art work. It houses a majestic digumber statue and is frequented by pilgrims and tourists alike.

St. John's Church - Chaplin Reverend Henry Fisher established this Church in 1819 on behalf of the East India Company. One of the oldest churches in North India, it was was dedicated to the people by Bishop Wilson. During the war of 1857, this church was the scene of heavy fighting between Indians and the British.

Augarnath Temple - This grand temple is located at the site where the soldiers of the war of 1857 planned their operations. The old temple has been renovated now and is a must-see for histroy buffs!