GENERAL INFORMATION

 

 

ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF THE DISTRICT

 

The Mahendragarh town was previously known as Kanaud which took its name from the Kanaudia group of Brahmans. It was founded by Malik Mahdud Khan, a servant of Babar. There is a fort at Mahendragarh which was built by Maratha Ruler, Tantia Tope during the 17t^h century. The above fort was named as Mahendragarh in 1861 by Narinder Singh, the then ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala, in honour of his son, Mohinder Singh1 and consequently the town came to be known as Mahendragarh. The name of Narnaul Nizamat was changed "to Mohindergarh Nizamat"2

The Mahendragarh district was formed in 1948 by grouping different tracts of erstwhile princely states; Narnaul and Mahendragarh tahsils from Patiala State, Dadri (Charkhi Dadri) from Jind State and a part of Bawal nizamat from Nabha State. The headquarters of the district are at Narnaul. Mahendragarh, in fact, is the only district in the state which has its headquarters at a town different than the one from which the district takes its name.

LOCATION, BOUNDARIES, AREA AND POPULATION

Location and Boundaries – The district lies between north latitude 27⁰ 47 to 28⁰ 26 and east longitude 75⁰ 56’ to 76⁰ 51’. It is bounded on the north by Bhiwani and Rohtak districts, on the east by Rewari district and Alwar district of Rajasthan, on the south by Alwar, Jaipur and Sikar districts of Rajasthan, and on the west by Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan.

Area – The district has an area of 1,683 square kilometres. It comprises 2 tahsils covering the area given below :-

	Area(Sq. kilometres)
	Total	Urban	Rural
Narnaul	953.29	11.32	941.97
Mahendragarh	986.18	12.96	973.22
Total	1683.00	24.28	1658.72

 

1.      Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series, Punjab Vol. II, 1908, pp. 305-306.

2.      Punjab State Archives, Record of Foreign Office, Patiala, F.H. II-B/1906 A.D. (22-10-1906).

 

Population

The population of the district computed on the basis of the 1991 census, was 6,81,869. Tahsilwise population of the district was as follows :-

Narnaul	3,84,771
Mahendragarh	2,97,098
Total	6,81,869

 

HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT

 

The first mention of the administrative division of the tract now comprising Mahendragarh district is available in thereign of Iltutmish who divided his knigdom into several iqtas and the present Mahendragarh district was parcelled into two iqtas, namely Narnnaul and Rewari. During Sher Shah’s reign, the district was under the sarkars of Narnaul and Rewari. It was further sub-divided into parganas but no direct evidence is available to give the exact number of parganas into which the district was divided. It is, however, surmised that their number was six, namely, Rewari, Bawal, Pataudi (Gurgaon District), Narnaul, Kanaud and Kanti. Akbar divided his kingdom into subahs, sarkars and mahals or parganas, the district was in the subahs of Delhi and Agra and the sarkar of Rewari had principal mahals of Rewari and Bawal while sarkar of Narnaul consisted of principal mahals of Kanaud, Kanti, Khudana and Narnaul¹.

The administrative arrangement remained intact during Mughal rule but with the decline of Mughal empire the area remained disturbed in consequence of fighting between the neighbouring chiefs till it was taken over by the British in 1803. The British gifted Narnaul-Kanaud territory to Nawab of Jhajjar. He remained its (Mahendragarh & Narnaul tracts) ruler for about half a century, upto 1857 A.D., the year of the First War of Independence. These tracts, however, were confiscated, because the Nawab of Jhajjar, Abdul Rehman Khan, defied the authority of the British and took part in the uprising of 1857. Jhajjar, including, some areas of Narnaul Kanaud (present Mahendragarh) and Dadri was at first created as a new district but was aboilished in 1860. The neighbouring princely states of Punjab helped the British with their resources and forces. Had these states not supported the British in their hotly contested battle, the results would have been different. The British in their turn amply and liberally rewarded the loyal states. By the sanad of 4^th January, 1861, the pargana of Kanaud (Mahendragarh), Budhwana and the ilaqa of Narnaul was gifted to Maharaja Narinder Singh of the Patiala State for taking side with the British during the war of 1857. Princely states of Nabha and Jind got respectively Bawal and Dadri (now a part of Bhiwani district).

In 1901, the nizamat of Mahendragarh which consisted of two tahsils, viz. Mahendragarh or Kanaud with 111 villages and Narnaul with 157 villages, ahd in all 268 villages1. The position of the territiries changed after 1947.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY OF REWARI (formerly in Mahendragarh district)

 

In the time of Akbar (A.D. 1556-1605), the area of Rewari was a part of Delhi subah. The sarkar of Rewari had the dasturs : Bahora, Taoru, Rewari, Sohna and Lehna. The administrative arrangement reamined intact during mughal rule but after the decline of Mughal empire, the area reamined disturbed on account of fightings between neighbouring chiefs of princely states. On the collapse of the Mughal empire, Rewari fell first to the Marathas and afterwards to the ruler of Bharatpur. After taking the area from the chief of Bharatpur, the British in 1808-09 handed over fifty eight villages to Rao Tej Singh in istamrar.

In 1810, the whole of Delhi territory ceded by the Marathas was subject to the Resident of Delhi, and was divided into two districts. Delhi already under the Resident, and the outlying districts including Rewari, were under the immediate charge of an Assistant to the Resident. In 1819, the Delhi territory was divided into three districts : the central district which included Delhi, the southern which included Rewari; and the north-western a had the areas of Panipat, Hansi, Sirsa and Rohtak.

On the outbreak of so called mutiny and cessation of all effective British authority, Rao Tula Ram proclaimed himself ruler of the paraganas of Rewari and Bahora with the headquarters at Rampura, 1.5 kilometres south-west of Rewari. Rao Tula Ram was defeated by the British and his estate was confiscated. The territory of Rewari was included into Gurgaon district which was attached to the Punjab in the beginning of 1858.

Rewari tahsil remained a part of Gurgaon district upto 1972. Prior to 1947, Bawal was a part of princely state of Nabha. After Independence, the areas of Bawal were merged with Gurgaon district.

In 1948, with the formation of Pepsu, Mahenderagarh territory from Patiala State, Dadri Territory from Jind State and Bawal territory from Nabha State were constituted into Mahendragarh district with headquarters at Narnaul. There were three tahsils, namely, Narnaul Dadri and Bawal and Mahendragarh was a sub-tahsil. In 1949, Mahendragarh sub-tahsil was made a tahsil.

Under the Provinces and States (Absorption of Enclaves) Order, 1950, 2 villages of Mahendragarh district were transferred to Rajasthan and Bawal tahsil was broken and 78 villages transferred to Gurgaon district forming Bawal sub-tahsil and the remaining villages were added to Narnaul and Mahendragarh tahsils. The tahsilwise position of villages in 1991 is as follows :-

Tahsil	No. of Villages
Narnaul	223
Mahendrgarh	148
Total	371

 

With the merger of Pepsu with Punjab in 1956, the Mahendergarh district became one of 19 districts of Punjab.

The district became part of Haryana State at its formation as a separate State of the Indian Union on Ist November, 1966 and remained unaffected upto 1972 except that four villages of Dadri tahsil were transferred to Bhiwani tahsil, 3 (Dharana, Rajgarh and Halluwas) in 1962 and one (Umrawat) in 1969. On December 22, 1972 a new Bhiwani district was constituted under districts re-organisation plan alongwith Sirsa and Sonipat districts during Shri Bansi Lal’s Chief Ministership. Dadri sub-division was excluded from Mahendragarh district and included in the Bhiwani district. Simultaneously the Rewari sub-division of Gurgaon district with the exception of 61 villages was added to Mahendragarh district. The number of villages, as shown below, was included in the Mahendragarh district following the territorial re- organisation on 1991 :-

 

 

Tahsil/Sub-Tahsil	Villages of Mahendragarh District
	Inhabited	Un-inhabited	Total
Narnaul	219	4	223
Mahendragarh	147	1	148
Total	366	5	371

 

SUB DIVISIONS, TAHSILS

The district comprises two tahsils, namely; Mahendragarh, and Narnaul . There are 2 sub-divisions, viz. Narnaul. and Mahendragarh..

TOPOGRAPHY

The Mahendragarh district is the domain of dry-land topography throughout. Presence of inland streams, sandy plain, shifting sand dunes devoid of vegetation, fixed or fossil sand dunes, dissected upland tract, and often barren, denuded rocky hill ranges and their outcrops provide an ensemble of terrain features truly associated with semi-arid to arid environment. In east-west traverse, many of the above referred features may be recognised. The features are morphologically symmetrical and provide rapid and often large variations in relief and slope characteristics. Consequently, the overall relief is undualtory with a regional north to north-east slope.

Floodplain of seasonal streams – The Sahibi, the Dohan and the Kasaunti or Krishnawati streams of the district make irregular flood plains. The flood plains occur in association with sandy terrain and dunes or variable morphology.

Sandy Plain – Two prominent areas of sandy plain may be noted in the district. The first area generally encloses the western and eastern sections of the Aravali ranges, mostly in the Mahendragarh tahsil. Almost a flat sandy surface at 210 to 230 metres above the mean sea level, it is scattered with shifting sand dunes of low height. The second, and the largest of the two, is a notable landscape feature, east of the Aravalli hills. The plain with a regional slope from west to east falls in elevation from 250 to 190 metres in the same direction. The region is impregnated with sand dunes or variable dimensions. Mostly fixed in nature, dunes reach 3 to 6 metres from the ground level. Since the sandy plain is associated with the Aravali hills, it may be inferred that the sand composing the plain was probably transported across the low relief Aravalli ranges or through the gaps in the hills where it settled due to loss of wind speed.

Sand Dunes Tract – The sand dune tract consists of both mobile and fixed (fossil) sand dunes. Mobile sand dunes are a common occurrence in the south and south west of the Mahendragarh tahsil. In the highly undulating tract of shifting sand, the elevation varies from over 270 metres near the hills in the west to less than 250 metres in the north-east. The dunes are 3 to 6 metres high above the ground. Sometimes, the monotony of the vast tract of sand is disturbed by rocky projections of low relief. The area of shifting sand is locally known as bagar. Fossil sand dunes are more significant and most conspicuous features of the sand dune tract. The dunes are largely confined to the Mahendragarh tahsil. Their northern limit roughly conincides with the metre gauge railway line passing through Dahina Zainabad, Kanina Khas and Mahendragarh in the district, and to Loharu in the Bhiwani district. The southern limit of the dunal tract may be roughly placed at the boundary of the Mahendragarh and Narnaul tahsils. The fossil dunes appear in many shapes, but their flanks mostly traverse in east west directions. The elevation falls from about 300 metres in the west to 240 metres in the east. In the east, a smaller area of fossil sand dunes may also be identified to the south west and north of the now growing Dharuhera town. The base of sand ridges lie at some 250 metres elevation. The ridges rise generally between 3 and 4.5 metres above the surface. The discontinuous and worn-down ridge flanks give the impression of a huge U-shaped dunes; tals or depressions within the dunal tract possess good potential fro ground water utilisation be minor irrigation works. It is not surprising, therefore, that recent changes in the cropping pattern, particularly of rabi, are related to intensive utilisation of ground water for irrigation in these areas. Generally the dunes are higher in the west, 5 to 20 metres, than in the east where the relief tends to be mostly between 2 and 5 metres. The dunes carry buried soil profile which is of special significance in interpreting the palaeogeographic environment.

Upland Tract – The unit covers the area between northern Narnaul and Nangal Chaudhary hills in the Narnaul tahsil. The highly dissected upland, situated between 284 and 302 metres above the mean sea level, belongs to the Aravalli system.

Rocky outcrops – Promontories of the pre-Cambrian Aravalli hills traverse through most part of the district in roughly south-west north-east direction. The hills are longer than wide, forming roughly parallel series of ridges. They constitute outliers of scattered older rocks occurring in newer formations or sedimentary deposits. Wide gaps within the ranges have been utilised for rails and roads and also for agriculture. Geologically, these rocky outcrops in the district consist of two distinct series. The Purana rocks belong to Ajabgarh series of the Delhi system. They are upper pre-cambrian in age. In the rest of the district, the rocks of Huronian period belong to Archaean Dharwar system. The rocks of Ajabgarh series consist of biotitesohists, slates, phyllites, quartzites, and limestones. The hillocks and discontinuous ranges are locally called khols. The lithologic composition of Archaean group of rocks in the Mahendragarh and Narnaul tahsils is diverse, and consists of crystalline limestones, quartzites, shales, slates, gneiss and sandstones. The outliers are locally called tillas.

The khols and tillas are known for mineral bearing rocks. Important minerals associated with the rocks are iron, calcite, slate, marble, limestone and dolomite. Among the building grade materials, bajri, kankar and stones are notable.

The khols and tillas are but a continuation of the Aravalli system of Rajasthan into the Mahendragarh district. They abruptly rise from the surrounding undulatory terrain and traverse as discontinuous long linear ridges and elliptical, semicircular to circular mounds of generally bare rocky outcrops. Khols are prominent features of terrain west of the Rewari town where numerous isolated, but roughly parallel ranges maintaining a north-east south-west alignment rise abruptly from the level land lying at about 190 metres above the sea level. The hills vary in height from about 345 to 470 metres. South of Bawana Gujar village the khols are 397 metres in elevation with a relief of some 61 metres Near Khori, their height is about 404 metres above the mean sea level in which the relief is of the order of over 90 metres. However, it is near Khol that the hills reach a maximum elevation of 472 metres with over 180 metres of relative relief. The khols are, at places, 4 kilometres wide. A notable feature of the khols is a higher degree of dissection by short, very steep gullies and seasonal torrents on the west facing slopes than on the east-facing slopes which probably are in the rain-shadow of the south-west monsoon winds. The tillas, likewise, run in parallel series of discontinuous and isolated rock outcrops. The highest elevation in the district occurs in these hills. Nangal Chaudhry hills in Narnaul tahsil near Haryana-Rajasthan boundary are one of the many occurrences of independent hill ranges in Mahendragarh and Narnaul tahsils. East of the Kasaunti or Krishnawati stream, the elevation of 626 metres and a relative relief of 286 metres is encountered just on border near Tasing (Alwar district – Rajasthan). Towards the west of the Krishnawati stream, two parallel ridges traverse the sandy plain. Elevation of 521 metres and a relative relief of 160 metres is reached near Mukandpura village. North-west and south of Narnaul town, rounded hillocks and elliptical hills are prominent features of the landscape in the sandy terrain between the Dohan and Kasaunti streams. The elevation of the conical hillock near Thana village is the highest, 652 metres, Barren rock outcrops west of Mahendragarh town sharply rise to over 210 metres above the groud level, reaching a maximum elevation of 525 metres at Khudana. Tillas stretch with broken continuity for 25 kilometre to over 2 kilometres wide but reach a maximum width of over 8 kilometres in the highly dissected plateau-like area west of Khudana village. Besides, isolated stretches of small elliptical to rounded hillocks are also present west of the dohan stream. These ranges peter out northward only to reappear after the stretch of 8 kilometres wide sandy terrain. The ridges and mounds which extend to Dadri tahsil of Bhiwani district disappear completely little to the north-west of Mankawas (Dadri tahsil – Bhiwani district).

NATURAL DRAINAGE

Most of the streams that originate or enter the district gradually shrink and lose water by high rate of evaporation and excessive percolation in sandy material.

The Sahibi, the Dohan and the Kasaunti or Krishnawati are the main seasonal streams of the district. Also, small hillslope torrents- Dhani Chima, Panchnota, Mosnota, Meghot Binza, Ganwari Jat, Nangal Durgo, Ateli mandi, Kheri and many more drain the Aravalli slopes in the Mahendragarh district. These streams originate on local hills and traverse through the village land after which they are named. Only rarely, the Dohan and the Kasaunti can flow past their long established beds to inundate vast low-lying areas. In normal conditions, these streams do not carry large enough volume of water to be of serious consequence to agriculture. The streams are active only during the rainy days.

Sahibi, the most important inland stream of southern Haryana, first enters the district near its south-eastern tip, approximately 1 kilometre south-east of Paoti village, and traverses a course of 3.7 kilometres. It re-enters the district again south east of Jarthal and flows past Khaliawas, Khatoli, Tatarpur Istamrar, and finally leaves the district a little to the west of Malahere. Preparatory to losing itself in the topographic depression of the Jhajjar (Rohtak district) tahsil, the Sahibi stream bifurcates into a separate shallow channel north-west of Daultabad in the Gurgaon district.

In the wake of torrential rain, the stream overflows its banks and inundates vast tract of land adjacent to its course. The ponded water drains slowly by percolation, and suffers heavy evaporation losses.

Some abandoned channel courses, possibly of the Sahibi rivulet occur near Nandrampur Bas, Bhatsana and Kharkhara, all in lthe eastern part of the district.

Kasaunti or Krishnawati originates about 1.6 kilometres south east of Nim ka Thana in Jaipur hills (Rajasthan). Flowing in a northerly direction it enters Narnaul tahsil near Bhadanti and Dostpur, about 25 kilometres south or Narnaul. It passes about 1.6 kilometres east of Narnaul town. The stream has a course of about 49 kilometres which terminates near Dahina village. When in flood, the water of the stream spreads towards Nuni Kalan, Saloni and Budlana villages in the Narnaul tahsil.

Dohan also takes-off from Jaipur hills about 6 kilometres short of Nim ka Thana (Rajasthan). It flows for 29 kilometres in Rajasthan territory before entering the Mahendragarh tahsil. Dohan is an important source of drinking water for the areas of the Narnaul and Mahendragarh tahsils. It runs a length of about 50 kilometres in the district. The stream peters out at Bassai village which is about 16 kilometres north of Mahendragarh town.

The seasonal flow in Sahibi, Kasaunti and Dohan periodically raises the level of fresh quality sub-soil water. Besides, base flow during early part of the dry season can take place. The surface water potential of these streams has, however, not been determined.

Ground Water

The water table varies from 6.23 m. In the east and 35.56 m. In the west. The main streams in the district are Dohan, Krishnawati and Sahibi which are non-perennial and carry water during S.W. monsoon period only. The ground water moves along a gradient from S.W. to N.E. In this district 87% of the area is having fresh to marginal quality of ground water.

According to assessment of ground water potential approved by NABARD, the total useable recharge in 379.70 m.cu.m. and out of it 451.78 m.cu.m. is being utilized as on 1.4.78.

GEOLOGY

The rocks exposed in the district belong to Delhi Supergroup and are divided into Alwar and Ajabgarh groups. The Alwar group of rocks comprises predominantly of arenaceous sediments and are represented by massive quartzite, usually felspathic in nature, micaceous quartizite with subordinate bands of mica schist and carbonaceous phyllite. The Khudana ridge, besides containing massive quartzite also contains thinly bedded dark grey quartzite with schist intercalations, at places garnetiferous. The Ajabgarh group of rocks in the area is characterised predominantly by argillaceous sediments and include shale, slate and silt stone occur together with a few quartzitic and cherty bands, siltstone being more predominant than the other two varieties. Both these groups of rocks are intruded by amphibolite, granite, aplite, pegmatite, calcite and vein quartz.

Alkaline earths occur as efflorescence on the surface of earth and contain predominantly carbonate and bicarbonate of sodium. Their presence on the surface make the land infertile, but on the other hand these can be economical soource for sodium carbonate when the concentration of such salts reaches high. Alkaline efflorescence are quite extensive around Gohoro (Golwa) and Nangal Durgo in the area.

MINERAL RESOURCES¹

Though the Mahendragarh district has not been geologically investigated thoroughly, yet large number of minerals are available in the area. Some of the important minerals are iron-ores, calcite, lime-stone, asbestos, barytes, beryl, copper ores, comelian, garnet, etc. Except uses of these minerals, only resources are described here :-

Arsenopyrite – The main source of the metal arsenic, which is used in medicines, occurs in association with pyrite and chalcopyrite in Teejanwali hills and at Narnaul.

Asbestos – An occurence of asbestos has been reported near Nahir-Ka-Bagh, about 2 kilometres from Narnaul railway station and near Durga-Ka-Nangal. Asbestos occurs as sheef-like small fibrous concentration of bundle of tremolite.

1.      Kanwar, R.C. and Gupta, V.J. : Economic Resources of Mahendragarh District, Haryana Research Journal, Vol. I, pp. 33-34.

Beryl – Large crystals of beryl have been recorded from a few pegmatites adjacent to Bail-ki-Dhani (Bayal), Mosnota and Sarai Bahadurnagar in the Narnaul tahsil but the workable deposits do not exist in the area.

 

Building Material

Haryana is famous for its slate deposits of Mahendragarh district which are extensively used as ornamental and building material and form an important source of foreign currency. Other building materials include marble, limestone, quartzite, etc.

The slates are generally of greyish and greyish black colour but black, greenish black and multicoloured slates owing to stains of hydrons ferric oxide are also available, the last one finding a good demand in foreign markets. The chief deposits of slate occur near Kund, Bihali, Bjar, Rampur, Ganiar and Bas. The entire range from Khole to Kanti Khas is worked for slates, blocks and beams of slate and associated shale and siltstone. Slate and siltstone are also worked out from Jatusana area. In Kund area, about 8.78 million tonnes of slate has been estimated, out of which nearly 60% is of multicoloured variety.

The white and saccharoidal marble occurs in good quantity at Antri-Biharipur which extends for about 3km. Together with this a banded and variegated marble of different shades is also found. White marble is also found near Rasulpur, Khalra, Gohoro, Gangu Tana, Niazalipur, Dholera, Mosnota, Megho Thala, Dhancholi, Bail-ki-Dhani (Bayal), Dohkhera and Isalampur.

Fissile quartzite are worked for roofing slates and other masonary blocks at various places of the district such as Sareli, Tehla, Mukandpura, Panchnota and Sarai Bahadurnagar. Almost all the quartzite hills of the district are being worked for railway ballasts and concrete aggregate, specially at Balana, Rajawas, Khaspur, Azamnagar, Tankri and Dantal.

Calcite – Two to three veins of calcite occur in the Mundia hill and Sonaro-ki-Pahari of the Khalra group of hills, Bail-ki-Dhani (Bayal) and Panchnota. Transparent calcite in association with white milky calcite has been reported from the Rasulpur hill. A vein of calcite, about 50 m. Long and 10 m. Thick, occurs in association with quartz veins near Raghunathpura. An other calcite vein about 20m. Long and 5m. Thick occurs near its vicinity. Near Mosnota also a calcite vein, about 45m. Long and one metre thick occurs in association with pegmatitc.

Copper – Disseminations of chalcopyrite have been reported from the Teejanwali hills, Ghataser, Khalra and Bihali, Extensive malachite encrustations have been recorded from Gohoro and Bihali area. During recent years, substantial efforts have been made to explore these deposits near Khudana and Golwa-Gangu Tana areas. At Khudana, sulphide minerals, occuring as stringers and veins of Alwar, mainly consist of pyrrholite with subordinate pyrite, minor chalcopyrite and sphalerite and rare galena. The results of borehole samples indicate a maximum of 0.5% Cu, 3.1% Zn and 0.13% Pb. The Golwa-Gangu Tana deposit is a low grade but of sizeable dimension and the average tenor of 0.30 to 0.35% copper extends over a cumulative strike length of 3350m. With widths around 30m. Malachite stains have also been observed in Ajabgarhs of Datla hill near Raghunathpura, Dokhera, Meghot Hala, Jainpura and Dholhera. Specks of pyrite and chalcopyrite have also been noticed in the crystalline limestone of Dhani Bhatotha, Nangal Kalia and Dostpur.

Felspar – A number of pegmatites in Ajabgarhs near Mosnota, Panchnota, Nangal Durgo and Bail-ki-Dhani (Bayal) contain pockets of large felspars-pure white to greyish and bluish white in colour-varying in size from 64 sq.cm. to 900 sq.cm., and the green and pink coloured felspars are estimated at 8000 tonnes upto a depth of about six metres. Good pink felspars occur in a pegmatite in Dhanota area.

Garnet – The Ajabgarh schists and gneisses around Gohora, Mosnota, Gangu Tana, Bail-ki-Dhani (Bayal), Durga-ka-Nangal are highly garnetiferous and occur along with staurolite crystals. The garnets are pink in colour, translucent to opaque and vary in size from minute grains to about one centimetre in diameter. At the contact of Alwar micaceous quartzite and Ajabgarh calcargillaceous rocks, bigger crystals of garnet have developed on the Sareli-Tehla ridge. During 1967-68, gem variety garnets have been found from Mukandpur, Islampur, Khatoli and Nasibpur.

Iron Ore – Several small bodies of magnetite-hematite have been found in Dhanota-Dhancholi area. The iron in these ores ranges from 53.2 percent to 67.2 percent. In Antri-Biharipur areas, magnetitelenses are formed in between marble and calc-schist or biotite schist. The iron content here varies from 60.51 percent to 96.39 percent and the total iron ore reserve with more than 60 percent iron is 1.5mt up to a depth of 45m. The other localities of iron-ore : Antri-Chhapra-Kamania area, Soela area, Rajawas area, Mokhnota-Bahamanwas area and Chhabra-Bibipur area.

Iron ore also occurs as pockets and lenses in calcareous quartzite in the form of hematite, limonite, jasperoid hematite and streches from Sohla to Zerpur and beyond up to Khudana in minor amounts.

Total iron ore deposits in the district are of the order of 8.084 mt. Out of which 3.398 mt. Is indicated and the rest is inferred.

Kyanite – Light blue and yellowish colour kyanite occur in quartz-kyanite rock near Gohoro, where individual crystals measuring upto to cm. In length are found along with garnets and staurolite in an area of 100mx10m size.

An occurence of kyanite was reported from Hassanpur, 8 kilometres away from the south-west of Narnaul. It also occurs in bluish thin blades as well as in short and thick crystals usually in association with Calcite in the hills just west of Narnaul.

Limestone – Good quality limestone occurs at Dochana and Dhani Bhathotha and contains 33 to 57 percent CaO. Dochana limestone runs over a strike length of 1200m. And contain in all about 8 mt. Of both crystalline variety and dolomitic limestone, while the Dhani Bhathotha reserve is of the order of 0.243 mt. Upto a depth of 30m. Good quality limestone at Nangal Kalia has been estimated at about 0.17 mt. Upto a depth of 14.5 m. The Banihari-Kalva-Bamanwas limestone indicates CaO between 34.5 percent to 44.9%, Mgo between 1.5 percent to 14.3 percent, acid insolubles between 7.2 percent and 28 percent and R₂O₃ between 1.4 percent and 6.5 percent. At Banihari, three bands of grey crystalline limestone occur within dark grey limestone bands and extends over a strike length of 300 m. With a width varying between 8 to 10m. The Mosnota limestone is light coloured crystalline variety and has been estimated at 47.040 metric tonnes with an average CaO-33.79%, MgO-12.93% and acid insoluble-9.36%. At Dhanota three bands of crystalline limestone indicate on an average CaO-32%, MgO-7.9 and acid-insoluble-27.22% and have been estimated at 3,03,740 metric tonnes up to a depth of 35 m. Crystalline limestone at Sadha-ki-Dhani contains CaO as high as 44.9% and acid insolubles upto 18.6 but magnesia content is generally high. Average chemical and analysis for this deposit is CaO-33.7%, MgO-13.9% and acid insolubles-3%.

Quartz – White granular massive quartz veins occur near Gohoro, Gangu Tana, Ghataser, Khalra, Bail-ki-Dhani(Bayal) and Barundla. Alwar quartzite in the area also contain a number of quartz veins near Atela Khurd and Kapuri ridge. However, crystals of quartz are rarely met with in the area.

Mica – Muscovite occurs at various places in the Narnaul tahsil in coarse-grained granite. The local deposite which are specially noteworthy are at Ghatasher, Sirohi-Nangal, Pachanota and Mosnota. The area covered by these places measures 20 square kilometres. The mica occurs in lenticular veins and the micabooks obtain size. Of 0"x6".

Greenish muscovite also occurs in most of the pegmatites which are found as intrusives in the rocks of Delhi system. These muscovite plates are smaller than a rupee coin and are not of any commercial use.

Manganese – Extensive deposits of limestone and shale impregnated with manganese-oxide occur at Goela, Durga-ka-Nangal, 15 kilometres in the south-west of Narnaul. It is estimated that Goela mine has 40,000 tonnes of manganiferrous limestone.

Marble – Grey colured banded marble, is being chiefly quarried for lime burning from the mines of Dhani Bathotha, Dongli, Kamania-Chhapra Biharpur and Nangal Durgo. Grey banded marble is also found near Nangal Durgo and closely resembles the Dhani Bathotha stone.

The marble samples collected by the Geological Department shows containment of 22.36 percent insolubles (silica), 3.34 percent alumina and iron oxide, 24.8 percent lime and 15.05 percent magnesia.

White marble similar to that of the Antri-Biharipur ridge occurs at Dhokhera, 8 kilometres in the south of Biharipur where it forms a high ridge. 125 feet thick band of white and black marble is quarried on the Datla hills and it has been supplied to some extent for the architectural requirements of Narnaul.

A typical white marble also occurs between Dhanauta and Dhancholi in the south-western part of the district, about 3 kilometres from Nizampur railway station, Marble associated with iron ores at this place is milky white in colour and is of very high grade.

Slate Stone – Slate stone is found in abundance in the areas of Kund, Behali-Bajar and Ateli.

Gold – Except for the claim that gold was found in very great percentage in an assay of the material from the so called Teejanwali hill mine at Narnaul, there is no other source for gold in the rocks or alluvium of Narnaul.

Silver – A geologist has mentioned asseys with 1 oz. 8 cwts. 18 grs. Of gold another with 1 oz. 5 cwts, 0 grs. Of silver in samples of the so-called copper-ore from Teejanwali hill near Narnaul.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

There are some ores and minerals which are found in workable quantities in the Mahendragarh district. But with the increase in demand in the country and hoping to strike more deposits in the area, calcite, garnet, quartz and felspar may become useful but they must be fully investigated before taking up their mining or quarrying. The minerals and ores which appear to have immediate possibilities for working for industrial purposes are iron ores, manganese ores, mica and stone for building and road construction.

The barytes of Bail area requires attention to estimate the reserves before it could be supplied to the oil companies for heavy drilling needs. The limestone of Dhani Bathotha yields good lime and is likely to be an excellent flux in iron ore smelting. In it magnesia percentage is too high for portland cement to be manufactured. However, this aspect of the material is a matter for further attention in combination with the calcite of the Khalra and Datla hills quarries.

CLIMATE

The climate except during the monsoon, in characterised by the dryness of air, a hot summer and a cold winter. The year may be broadly divided into four seasons, viz. Winter, summer, monsoon and post monsoon or the transition period. The winter starts in November and continues up to March. The summer season is from April to June. The period from July to mid-September is the south-west monsoon season. Mid-September to the end of October constitues the post monsoon or the transition period.

Rainfall – Though there are six rain-gauge stations (Narnaul, Mahendragarh), records of rainfall in the district are available only for 3 stations, Jatusana, Rewari, and Khole for sufficiently long periods. The normal annual rainfall in the district is 454.6 mm. The rainfall in the district is received during the south-west monsoon months, July to September. July and August are rainiest months. There is some rainfall in the pre monsoon month June mostly in the form of thundershowers. The variation in the annual rainfall from year to year is appreciable. In the 50-year period (1901-1950), the highest annual rainfall which was 244 percent of the normal occurred in 1917 while the very next l year the annual rainfall was the lowest in the 50-year period amounting to only 30 percent of the normal. The annual rainfall was less than 80 percent of the normal in 14 years and three consecutive years of such low rainfall occurred once in the district during the fifty-year-period 1901 to 1950. Jatusana had two consecutive years thrice while Khole had five consecutive years once of such low rainfall. The annual rainfall in the district was between 201 and 600 mm. In 39 years out of 50. On an average there are 23 rainy days (i.e. days with rainfall of 2.5 mm. Or more) in a year in the district. The heaviest rainfall in 24 hours recorded at Jatusana station in the district was 370.8 mm on August 12, 1885.

Temperature – There is one meteorological observatory in the district situated at Narnaul. Normals of meteorological elements have not been compiled for this station as records are not available for sufficient period. The account which follows is therefore based on the records of the observatories in the neighbouring districts where climatic conditions are similar to those in this district. From March temperature begins to increase-May and June are the hottest months, when the mean daily maximum temperature is about 41⁰C. And the mean daily minimum temperature is about 27⁰C. While days are a little hotter in May than in June, nights are warmer in June than in May. From April onwards hot scorching and dustladen winds blow and these add to discomfort. Maximum temperatire may often go above 46⁰C. With the onset of the monsoon by the end of June there is appreciable drop in the day temperature but due to increased humidity and nights remaining as warm as during the latter part of the summer, the weather remains uncomfortable. After the withdrawal of the monsoon by mid September till October, the days are as warm as in the monsoon months but the nights become progressively cooler. After October there is decrease in both the day and night temperature, the decrease being more rapid after the middle of November. January is the coldest month. The mean daily minimum temperature is 5-6⁰C and the mean daily maximum temperature is about 22⁰C in January. During the cold season the district is affected by cold waves in association with passing western disturbances and on such occasions the minimum temperature occasionally drops down to about the freezing point of water and frosts may occur.

Humidity – The air is generally dry during the summer season when the humidity is of the order of 40 percent in the morning and 20 percent in the afternoon. Humidity is high during the monsoon season, about 75 percent in the morning and 60 percent in the afternoon. During winter humidity is about 60 percent in the morning and 40 percent in the afternoon.

Winds – Winds are generally light in the district during the summer and monsoon season. Winds blow generally from the sector south-west-west-north-west during morning and from the north-western quardvant during afternoon throughout the year and during July and August they also blow from east and south-east.

Cloudiness – In the south-west monsoon season and for brief spells of a day or two in the cold season in association with passing western disturbances, heavily clouded or overcast skies generally prevail. During the rest of the year the sky is mostly clear or lightly clouded.

Special Weather Phenomena – April to June is the period with the highest incidence of duststorms. Thunder-storms occur throughout the year and its incidence is maximum in August and minimum in November. Thunderstorms are sometimes accompanied with heavy showers, squall and occasional hail. Fog occurs during winter season, Dust storms occur occasionally during summer.