Kamal Guha at 13:40, 25 November 2023

2023-11-25T13:40:05Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Bairat
| native_name = Viratnagar
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| settlement_type = town
| image_skyline = City of Bairat-Viratnagar.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = City of Bairat/Viratnagar as seen from [[Bairat Temple]].
| nickname =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India#India Rajasthan
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|27.433189|N|76.181591|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Rajasthan]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Jaipur district|Jaipur]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 430
| population_total = 17237
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate =
| website = http://www.viratnagar.in
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|RJ-IN]]
| footnotes =

}}

'''Bairat''', formerly known as '''Viratnagar''', is a town in northern [[Jaipur district]] of [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]. It is located {{convert|52|km}} north of [[Jaipur]], and {{convert|66|km}} west of [[Alwar]].The country of the Matsyas lay to the south or south west of [[Indraprastha]]{ and to the south of Sūrasena. The capital of the Matsya country was [[Virāṭanagara]] or [[Vairat]], so called because it was the capital of Virāṭa, King of the [[Matsyas]].

==History==

===Vedic era===

During [[vedic period|vedic era]] Viratnagar was the capital of [[Matsya Kingdom]] (300-700 BC), which was one of the ''solasa'' (sixteen) [[Mahajanapadas]] (great kingdoms) during [[vedic era]] as described in the hindu epic [[Mahabharta]] and 6th BCE Buddhist text ''Anguttara Nikaya''. Matsya kingdom had [[Kuru Kingdom|Kuru]] and [[Surasena]] mahajanapadas to its north and east respectively.<ref name=Malik>{{Cite book |last=Malik |first=Dr Malti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMg-DAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA12 |title=History of India |date=2016 |publisher=New Saraswati House India Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-81-7335-498-4 |pages=52–53 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=r2>{{cite web|url=http://rajassembly.nic.in/raj-integration.htm|title=Integration of Rajasthan|publisher=Rajasthan Legislative Assembly website|access-date=2009-06-04}}</ref>

===Medieval era===

Bairat was a part of the [[Mauryan Empire]]. The ruins of the ''Bijak-ki-pahadi'' ([[Bairat Temple]]), a [[Buddhist]] [[Chaitya]] (chapel) from the 3rd century BCE located in Bairat, are the oldest free-standing Buddhist structures in India.<ref>Viratnagar in archives & archaeology: India's perennial city, Sī. Ela Śarmā, Malti Prakashan, 1997</ref> The town is also home to ruins of a Buddhist [[monastery]],<ref>A Tryst with History at Viratnagar, Florine Roche, 3 December 2012, http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=1968</ref> a wood and timber shrine, and two rock-cut edicts ([[:Commons:Category:Ashoka Minor Rock Edict, Bairat|Bairat Edict]] and [[:Commons:Category:Ashoka Minor Rock Edict, Bhabru|Bhabru Edict]]) from Emperor [[Ashoka]]; these date from the Mauryan period (circa 250 BCE). However, [[Akhnoor]], a town in the union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] is also considered by many as the ancient Virat Nagar.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/akhnoor-caught-in-a-time-warp/article5007275.ece | title=Akhnoor: Caught in a time warp | date=10 August 2013 | first=Sarita | last=Brara | newspaper=The Hindu | access-date=29 July 2018 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.akhnoor.nic.in/ Official Web Site of Akhnoor Sub-Division (J&K)]</ref>

The town was once a thriving Buddhist center of learning and civilization as evidenced by the Buddhist stupa sites found on the hills close by.

The town is home to the 16th century{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} Keshav Rai temple.

===Early modern era===

The town has a number of [[Mughal architecture|Mughal]] structures, including a [[Chhatri]] (cenotaph) with some of the earliest surviving murals in Rajasthan, and a lodge where the Mughal emperor [[Akbar]] hunted and stayed overnight on his yearly pilgrimage to [[Ajmer]].<ref>The Early Rajput Murals of Bairat (c. AD 1587) H. Goetz, Ars Orientalis Vol. 1, (1954), pp. 113-118</ref>

Maharao Bada Singh Meena was the ruler at the time of Akbar.

===Viratnagar museum===
The town's Viratnagar Museum houses artifacts from Bairat's long history, including sculptures, coins, pottery, seals and metal objects.

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Ashoka Shilalekh(Rock Edict)Viratnagar,Rajasthan. 01.JPG|The "[[:Commons:Category:Ashoka Minor Rock Edict, Bairat|Bairat Edict]]" of Ashoka, located in the hills north of Bairat.
Bairat Minor Rock Edict.jpg|The Bairat Minor Rock Edict
File:Bhabru inscription.jpg|The "[[:Commons:Category:Ashoka Minor Rock Edict, Bhabru|Bhabru Edict]]" of Ashoka, originally located next to [[Bairat Temple]], in the hills southwest of Bairat.
File:Remnants of Stupa.jpg|Remains of the [[Bairat Temple]].
</gallery>

==Geography==
Bairat is located at {{Coord|27.45|N|76.18|E|}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/24/Bairat.html |title=Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Bairat |publisher=Fallingrain.com |access-date=2012-06-05}}</ref> It has an average elevation of {{convert|430|m|ft|abbr=on}}.

The [[Banganga River (Rajasthan)|Banganga River]] originates from a nearby village, Mair.

==Demographics==
Viratnagar is a Municipality city in district of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The Viratnagar city is divided into 20 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The Viratnagar Municipality has population of 20,568 of which 10,797 are males while 9,771 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 3505 which is 17.04% of total population of Viratnagar (M). In Viratnagar Municipality, Female Sex Ratio is of 905 against state average of 928. Moreover Child Sex Ratio in Viratnagar is around 830 compared to Rajasthan state average of 888. Literacy rate of Viratnagar city is 69.69% higher than state average of 66.11%. In Viratnagar, Male literacy is around 85.03% while female literacy rate is 53.05%.

Viratnagar Municipality has total administration over 3,300 houses to which it supplies basic amenities like water and sewerage. It is also authorize to build roads within Municipality limits and impose taxes on properties coming under its jurisdiction.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Jaipur district}}
{{Buddhist sites in Rajasthan}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Jaipur district]]
[[Category:History of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Locations in Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Jaipur district]]
[[Category:Buddhist sites in Rajasthan]]

Bairat - Revision history

Kamal Guha at 13:40, 25 November 2023