Bhagrathi community (Western UP)

Bhagrathis is a landowning agricultural community of Western Uttar Pradesh. They are the descendants of the Ikshvaku dynasty king Sagara and the Suryavansha king Bhagiratha, whom the community is named after. The members of the community use surnames such as Singh, Kushwaha, and Mourya. They also use the surname Saini, which derives from the Sanskrit Sainya and Sainik, meaning related to war.Magadhan king Bimbisar was also known as Sainya Bimbisar. This community was an important component of the Maurya Empire & having kings like samrat Chandragupta & Ashoka.

Sainis of Western Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal

Uttar Pradesh the most populated province of India is known as the Cradle of Indian culture, history and politics. In 1997, northern districts were separated to create a new province called Uttaranchal. Eighty percent of the state population is rural.

SAINIS --- Sainis are found all throughout the province in different pockets and are known as Saini (western UP).in these different pockets. They are farming people who produce cash crops, vegetables, and also work as expert horticulturists and floriculturists.They are most densly concentrated in Western UP and Southern Uttaranchal ie. Dehradun, Hardwar and Uddham Singh Nagar districts and are thinly distributed in Eastern UP along with allied caste of Maurya who also prefer to be called as Kushwaha. In Western UP they speak Khari Boli, also called Kaurvi, and also Haryanvi. In Eastern UP they speak Hindi and in some parts Bhojpuri as well.

WESTERN UP

- Saharanpur and Muzzaffar nagar zone--- this portion of Ganga -Jamuna doab was probably one of the first regions of upper India occupied by vedic Aryan colonisers as they spread eastward from Sapt- Sindhu. This area is just across the river Jamuna, and on the other side is Saini dominated district of Yamunanagar in Haryana. Sainis are the largest peasant caste of Saharanpur and the 3rd largest farming caste of Muzzaffar nagar district. Nukur, Gangoh, Deoband, Kalsia etc. are Saini dominated belts in Saharanpur and Morna, Thana Bhawan and Bubana Kalan in Muzzaffar nagar. They produce cash crops such as rice, sugarcane, wheat and maize etc., in Western UP. Mr. Rajpal Singh Saini of Sarwat village is district president of Muzzaffar nagar Saini Sabha and is MLA from Morna constituency. Mr. Sahib Singh Saini (former MLA) from Sarsawa is Saharanpur distt. Congress president.Mr. Dharam Singh Saini of Saharanpur, Mr. Krishan Pal Saini of Thana Bhawan , and Mr. Rakesh Saini of Morna other important leaders.

Moradabad zone--- includes districts of Moradabad, Rampur and Bijnaur. Sainis are one of the majority Hindu farming caste of this zone. Many Sikh Sainis of Pakistan Bar area are also settled in Bijnaur district along with the original Saini inhabitants. Sh. Partap Singh Saini is president of Moradabad Saini Sabha and is a former MLA of Mordabad and was a member of 11th Lok Sabha of India from Amroha constituency. Mr. Mangal Singh Saini is now BJP MLA from Amroha. In Rampur district, Suar and Tanda segments are Saini dominated. Mr. Radhe Shyam Arya Saini and Mr. Suresh Saini are leading persons of this segment. Sh. Tula Ram Saini former MLA is a BJP leader from Hasanpur assemby constituency.

Meerut zone—Sainis are a minority farming caste in the districts of Buland Shahr, Baghpat, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Meerut just as in Rohtak in Haryana. Sainis constitute a sizeable poulation in Meerut -Sardana -Mawana and Ghaziabad - Hapur belts. Mr. Harpal Saini is an impotant leader from Sardana.

Uttaranchal

-- Dehradun –this district is on the north side of Saharanpur and Sainis are the dominant professional farming caste. Dehradun also shares borders with Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh which has a large population of Sainis. Timli-Vikasnagar-Kalsi, Shahpur, Jhajra-Majra, Doiwala and Rishikesh are Saini dominated belts. Edicts of Mauryan time are found in Kalsi and Dehradun. Sh. Mulk Raj Saini was MP of 5th Indian Parliament from Dehradun.

Hardwar--- is also a Saini farmers area. Roorkee is the stronghold of Saini community. Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh are celebrated here from vedic times. Mr. Ram Singh Saini is a prominent leader of this region, he is MLA and state leader of Samajwadi Party of Sh. Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Uddham Singh Nagar and Nainital---Saini farmers are found in large numbers in these districts.

References

www.sainistar.com