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{{about||the term|wiktionary:behat|the software program|Behat (computer science)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Behat
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Township
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Uttar Pradesh
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in district Saharanpur Uttar Pradesh, India
| coordinates = {{coord|30|10|N|77|37|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = Behat
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Indian
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 345
| population_total = 8574
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi urdu]], [[Khariboli]], [[Urdu]], [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[English language|English]], Gujjari
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate = UP 11
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Behat''' is an ancient town and a part of the [[Nagar panchayat]] of the Behat [[Saharanpur district]] on the northernmost tip of northwestern [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=बेहट क्षेत्र में टीका महोत्सव के पहले दिन 189 का हुआ वैक्सीनेशन|url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/saharanpur-vaccination-done-on-the-first-day-of-the-teeka-festival-in-behat-area-21549683.html|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref> It is located on NH-709B on the banks of Eastern Yamuna Canal, about 30 km (18 miles) north of [[Saharanpur]], 190 km (118 miles) from [[New Delhi]], and 77 km (48 miles) from [[Haridwar]]. It has an average elevation of 345 m above sea level. It is famous for the production of fruits such as [[mangoes]], [[guavas]], ''moorhas'' ([[Reed (plant)|reed]] stools), [[brass]] [[Bell (instrument)|bells]], and [[wrought iron]] [[handicraft]]s. It is home to the [[Siddhpeeth Shri Shakumbhari Devi, Saharanpur|Mata Shakumbari Devi Temple]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=सिद्धपीठ श्री शाकंभरी देवी मंदिर के कपाट बंद किए|url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/saharanpur-shakumbhari-devi-temple-closed-20128225.html|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref>

==History==
Archaeological excavations and surveys provided evidence of the existence of many [[ancient]] settlements in and around Behat. Based on the [[Artifact (archaeology)|artifacts]] discovered during these excavations, human habitation in and around this area is traced back to 2000 BCE. It is conjectured that Behat was known as Brihat-vat during the reign of the [[Nanda Dynasty]] (circa 501 BCE).

An [[Ashoka]] pillar excavated from Topari (Khiderabād), near [[Saharanpur]], was taken to Delhi by Sultan [[Firoz Shah Tughluq]], and still resides in [[Feroz Shah Kotla|Feroze Shah Kotla]]. [[Mayapur]] and Behat were well-known cities in the [[Mauryan]] Dynasty (circa 180 BCE). Behat was next to Mayapur in importance, because it was an important [[Buddhist]] centre.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District">A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District District Volume XIV: Gazetteers of the United Provinces edited by H. R Neville</ref>

[[Xuanzang]] traveled through Behat and had come across important Buddhist monasteries in Behat (circa 630 CE) while searching sacred [[Buddhist]] texts and scriptures.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District" />

During the reign of [[Bahlul Khan Lodi]] (1451-1489), a [[Muslim]] colony was founded in Behat by Shah Abdullah, who was a descendant of Saint Sheikh [[Baha-ud-din Zakariya]] Suhrawardi. The western part of Behat along the Naugaon Rau is named Abdullah Mazra after him.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District" />

Behat remained the headquarters of a [[Pargana|Paragana]] during the time of [[Akbar]] and was known as Behat Kanjawar.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District" />

Around 1710 CE, Behat was called Jagir. It was famous for cow slaughtering, and [[Pirzada|Pirzadas]] normally only treated Jagir Muslims well. Around this time, the Sikh Army of Banda Bahadur Singh attacked, plundered, and razed the area.<ref name="Sagoo2001">{{cite book|author=Harbans Kaur Sagoo|title=Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MIL4xwcCmxkC&pg=PA171|accessdate=1 October 2012|date=1 January 2001|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|isbn=978-81-7629-300-6|pages=171–}}</ref>

In 1834, Captain [[Proby Cautley|Proby Thomas Cautley]] discovered a buried town 5.18 m (17 ft) below the surrounding country and 7.62 m (25 ft) under the preexisting site while supervising the redesign of the Eastern [[Yamuna]] Canal (then known as the [[Doab]] Canal). The township was from pre-[[Scythians|Indo Scythian]] times according to [[archaeological]] evidence found there. Cautley also found a large number of Indo Scythian coins and other pieces of evidence about the existence of a large Buddhist settlement.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District" />

After the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]], a police station was established in Behat. Towards the end of the 19th century, the town had a post office and an upper primary school. An [[Fair|annual fair]] organised by Pirzadas was held in honor of Shah Abdullah until the end of the 19th century, chiefly organized by the local Pirzadas who then fell into difficult times due to their extravagance.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District" />

After [[Independence of India|India became independent]] in 1947, the government has neglected the area; as a result, Behat has made little progress in last 70 years.

== Geography ==
{{Refimprove-section|date=August 2020}}
*The city is located 30.1°N and 77°E, north of Saharanpur. The city sits on the same latitude as Jagadhri and Rishikesh.
*The district is at the northernmost limit of the Uttar Pradesh where the border with the city of Paonta Sahib is in the north at 30.4°N latitude almost coinciding with latitude north of Ambala and Dehradun. It is located near the city of Badshahibagh and Kalesar, with all four states having borders nearby.
*The average elevation is about 345 meters above the mean sea level.
*The entire place slightly slopes from north-east to south-west though unevenly.<ref name="A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District" />

==Demographics==
The [[2011 Census of India|2011 India census]] reports that Behat had a population of 20,474, 53.16% of which were males and 46.83% were females.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=124440|title= Census of India 2011: Data from the 2011 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|accessdate=2017-11-01|work= |publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> Behat has an average literacy rate of 70.03%, lower than the national average of 74.04%, with 75.95% of the males and 63.28% of females literate. 15.12% of the population is under six years of age.

==Economy==
{{Unreferenced-section|date=August 2020}}
Behat's economy has been focused on agriculture for the last 200 years. The [[Western Yamuna Canal]] irrigates most of the arable land in Behat and crops have been good dueto rich soils. Behat is also one of the most suitable areas for growing fruits and mango orchards slowly took over as mainstay of the economy.

==See also==

*[[Behat (Assembly constituency)]]
*[[Government of Uttar Pradesh]]
*[[List of Vidhan Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh]]
*[[Uttar Pradesh]]
*[[Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Saharanpur district}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Saharanpur district]]

Behat - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 19:17, 13 August 2023