Anangpur
Anangpur is a historical village located near Faridabad in Haryana, India. Anangpur forms a geographical triangle along with Mehrauli and Tugluqabad. It was the earliest settlement of the Tomar Rajput. Anangpur was the capital of Anangpal Tomar who had built the fort and monuments here.
History
Tomara dynasty (8th - 11th century CE)
, first king of Tomara dynasty, declared himself an independent ruler and established the Tomara dynasty of Delhi in the early 8th century. He built his capital in this village and expanded his kingdom from there. He is said to have built numerous palaces and temples during his reign, the majority of which are diminished now. Last king of this dynasty was Anangpal, who had built Delhi's Lal Kot, which was later renovated by Chauhan ruler and also came to be known as the Qila Rai Pithora. Tomara dynasty were overthrown by Chahamanas of Shakambhari, last Chahamana or Chauhan king was Prithviraj Chauhan, Qila Rai Pithora is named after him.The capital of Tanwar changed a few times during the course of 457 years they ruled in the northern India. The first capital of the Tomar empire was Anangpur while the last one was Dhillikapuri.
Chauhan dynasty (12th century CE)
The Tomara's rule was followed by that of the Chahamanas and Shihab ad-Din.Paleolithic sites (100,000 BP)
Group of 43 sites
Anangpur Group of Paleolithic Sites:
Discovered in 1986, - Mangar Bani near
Delhi may extend AGPS, dating back to
the **Mesolithic and Paleolithic eras.
Mangar Bani: Located in the Aravalli hills,
Mangar Bani houses ancient rock
paintings and tools and is under advocacy
for its biodiversity and historical value.
Tools and Artifacts: The tools found follow
an Acheulean tradition, with Mangar
Bani being among the largest
Paleolithic sites in Asia.
Anangpur group of paleolithic sites, discovered In 1986, is a cluster of 43 prehistoric sites with rock art in the area of historic Anangpur village, Mangar Bani Paleolithic site found in 2021 might be an extension of Anangpur sites.
In the forested area where the Surajkund and the Anagpur Dam are located, ancient Stone Age relics have been found which are microliths belonging to the Lower Paleolithic era. From a study of the prehistoric findings along the ridges of Surajkund reservoir, Anagpur Dam, and around Delhi and adjoining parts of Haryana, it has been inferred that the southern hilly area of Delhi and Haryana was environmentally suited for pre-historic man to settle here.
List of sites
These were found at 43 sites from Ankhir in south to north along the Anangpur-Angnpur Dam-Surajkund-Tughlaqabad axis. These sites are on the 'Tughlaqabad-Surajkund Road' and south of 'Surajkund-Faridabad Road', on Anangpur hills, and on Ankhir hill, and on the road embracing the low ridge from Faridabad to Surajkund. These sites include Ankhir, Anangpur, Anangpur Dam, Shilakhari, Mangar Bani, Dhauj, Kot, Nurpur, Dhumaspur, Surajkund, etc.One of these sites is at Kot village, northeast of Sohna and southwest of Dhauj, where prehistoric paintings on stones and tools, such as chisel, have been found. Haryana surveyed the site in 2021, and ASI surveyed and photographed the site in June 2023.
Protected status
As of 31 July 2021, Head of HAD, Ashok Khemka, informed that proposal to notify this entire area as protected archaeological site has been sent by Haryana Archaeological Dept to Govt of Haryana, and HAD is awaiting gazette notification by the GoH after which this site will become legally protected. Meanwhile, district land and revenue administration of Faridabad was undertaking ground truthing exercise, to verify the data, to ascertain the landscape and confirm the type and ownership of the land, which will be sent to HAD to help with attainment of protected status and consequent conservation.Conservation
Khemka asserted that HAD will engage National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property Lucknow, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences Lucknow, Physical Research Laboratory Ahmedabad for conservation of rockart and paintings. Khemka asserted that the whole area will be extensively surveyed to find any additional sites, entire area of Delhi South Ridge of Aravali in Haryana between Gurugram and Faridabad will be mapped and each site will be GPS tagged. Large scale scientific excavations, scientific dating of paintings and excavated sediments will be undertaken.Other similar sites
Misolithic sites with tools, cave art and paintings are Anangpur Caves and Mangar Bani Caves in Delhi NCR, Bhimbetka rock shelters and Pahargarh Caves in Madhya Pradesh.Tomara monuments (8th-11th century CE)
Tomara dynasty ruled from here, they made Anangpur as their capital and constructed several monuments here.- Capital forts/palaces in Delhi, oldest first
- * Purana Qila, earliest Hindu rulers
- ** Indraprastha, earlier than 1000 BCE
- ** Edicts & additions by Ashoka the Great of Maurya Empire
- * Anangpur, by Anangpal I of Tomara dynasty
- * Qila Rai Pithora,
- ** Lal Kot, by Tomara dynasty as capital
- ** Qila Rai Pithora, Lal Kot expended by Prithviraj Chauhan of Chauhan dynasty
- * Siri Fort, by Alauddin Khalji, second ruler of Khalji Dynasty
- * Tughlaqabad Fort, by Ghiyassudin Tughluq of Tughluq dynasty
- * Feroz Shah Kotla, by Feroz Shah Tughluq of Tughluq dynasty
- * Salimgarh Fort, in 1546 CE by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri
- * Red fort, built in 1639-48 CE by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan when he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi
- * Rashtrapati Bhavan, built in 1912-29 by colonial British raj
Anangpur Dam (8th century CE)
Surajkund
, a 10th century reservoir on Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli Range in Faridabad, was built by the king Surajpal of the Tomara dynasty in the 10th century. Surajpal Tomar, a younger son of Anangpal Tomar - the ruler of Delhi, was a sun worshipper and he had therefore built a Sun temple on its western bank.Surajkund is known for its annual fair Surajkund International Craft Mela, 2015 edition of this fair was visited by 1.2 million visitors including 160,000 foreigners with more than 20 countries participating in it.