Niwaj Nagar, earlier known as Niwajpura, is located near Narnaul in Haryana and has a history shaped by migration, with residents tracing their ancestry to different regions.
The village school was established through community efforts in 1948 when local resident Lala Muralidhar donated his building to create an educational institution.
Niwaj Nagar is home to historic structures like Vakil Wali Haveli, believed to have been built in 1885, and Lala Muralidhar Haveli, reflecting the village’s architectural and cultural legacy.
India is home to thousands of villages, each with its own history and tales of origin. One such village is Niwaj Nagar, located in the Narnaul tehsil of Mahendragarh district in Haryana. The village lies about five kilometers from Narnaul town and roughly 150 kilometers from New Delhi, close to the Rajasthan border in southern Haryana. Like many rural settlements in the region, Niwaj Nagar has a layered past shaped by migration, community traditions, and historical events.
According to local residents, the village was earlier known as Niwajpura, and over time its name evolved into Niwaj Nagar. The editor-in-chief of NewsGram, Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada, who also belongs to this village, spoke with residents about its history. Master Bhudev, an elder of the village, explained its early origins. When asked about the name, he said “Niwaz Ali was the commander here, he was either of Jajjar or Dujana. This is the land of Dharshu. Niwaz Ali settled this village. He was a Syed, a high Muslim. It's been more than four hundred years. Syed is the original name later Syed became Sheh.” When asked about the demographics during Partition in 1947, Master Bhudev replied “There were Muslims. In the fort, there were Doms, Teli, Dhobi, Maniyar, Rangrej, Sakka. ‘After partition, in 1947, I learned Urdu from him. He was a Mirasi in 1947. Then they all left.’”
He further added “There were walls all around. There were four gates. It was clean and safe from dacoits. People used to come here when it rained. It was a fort city, a centre like Delhi. The Hindus of this village are not from here. All of them are from outside. They came before 1947.”
Speaking about the region and the mazar, he said “Before 1947, this (Narnaul) used to come under Patiala riyasat, under Punjab. They do namaz there. I have seen Dadaji while bowing. There was a tradition to pour water on the shrine. I have seen him in the shrine. He has passed away. He has a beard and white clothes. I have seen his face, but I don’t tell anyone. No one believes me.”
Sushil Kumar, another resident, also shared insights into the village’s past “I'm a resident of Niwaj Nagar. It was once a Muslim village. The village was originally called Niwajpura. Some, like me, are from Mundka. My ancestors came from the outskirts of Mundka village, Delhi . And all the villagers, whether Saini, Harijan, or other castes, are from somewhere else. Some are from Kante, some from Singana, some from Kotputli, some from other places, some from there. So, everyone is an outsider for the village. The founder of our village was Shahnawaz Ali . His name still exists; his shrine (mazar) exists here. Everyone worships him and believes in him; they don't even move a leaf without him.”
During a visit to “Dada Ji ki Mazar,” Dr. Raizada interacted with locals about traditions and the shrine’s importance. Balbir Singh, a worker there, said, “I am a sewa worker,” explaining his role in maintaining the shrine.
Another person present at the shrine said, “There is no Muslim here; we all do the sewa of Babaji,” emphasising the shared devotion of the villagers. The residents further spoke about their reverence for the saint associated with the shrine, whom they respectfully refer to as “Baba Ji.” One villager said, “By the grace of Baba Ji we are able to do everything. We pray to Baba Ji and everything works.”
When asked about the name of Baba Ji, the villager replied that the saint’s name is Shehnawaj Ali, who is famous with the name “Dadaji Maharaj.” Balbir Singh also explained that the village holds annual religious gatherings at the shrine. According to him, a Jagran is organised on June 13, followed by a Bhandara (community feast) on June 14, when villagers and devotees come together to pray and participate in the celebrations.
Ram Chandra Saini, another local resident, said “I am from Khetri, Rajasthan. There are no people who are originally from here. Some are from Narnaul and others from different places. The village got its name from a Muslim called Niwazpur and currently there are at least 14–15 castes. There were Muslims too, but we don’t know their names. The whole village is made by muslims all the hindus are outsiders”
Dr. Raizada then met Ram Ji Lal Swami, who spoke about the earlier Muslim population “Muslims used to live in this fort. They were landlords and held good positions—lawyers in Jaipur, lecturers, and even police officers. I remember names like Fayyaz, Kosar, Tassi, Iju, Aga. The hospitality of Muslims was very good, except for one or two cases. There was a man called Gaddiwala Mian who used to sit on the fort. We used to visit him as children, and he would give us jaggery and peanuts. He was old and used to have horses and lands. He was a very good human”
When asked about governance, he said “No, there were no courts. Village matters were handled internally.” On Vakil Wali Haveli, he added “The son of Mubarik Hussain was a Lawyer in Jaipur and he made this Haveli. In 1947, during Partition, he left peacefully—first to Narnaul and then to Pakistan. There were around 100–150 houses. Main families lived in the fort, others outside.”
Another local perspective comes from Pandit Jaiprakash, the priest of the Radha Krishna temple in the village. He explained that Niwaj Nagar once served as an important center for nearby villages and had a vibrant local market in earlier times. “Niwaj Nagar is our old village. Yes, it used to be the center of at least 25–30 villages. There was a very good market here, and it was quite strong. Back then, there were no schools here. There was a madrasa at that time.”
When asked during which period this took place, Pandit Jaiprakash replied: “It was around 1947 at the time of partition. Then, private education came up until the seventh grade. At that time, the prominent man in the neighborhood got this school registered in the government school from eighth grade onwards. After that, after matriculation , the best school is now this old school.”
Dr. Raizada also asked him about the history of the school building and who had donated it. He described how the village’s school building came into existence through community efforts and the generosity of a local benefactor.
“It was Lala Muralidhar . It was around 1948. There wasn't enough space for a school, so the villagers gathered together to collect donations. They first went to Panditji. Panditji was the Sarpanch at the time. He said, 'Sarpanch sahib,' and he said, 'I'll go to Lalaji first.' Lalaji asked, 'What can I do for you, considering my situation at this time?' He then donated the building and said, 'Take my building.'” This is how the school came up.
Today, Niwaj Nagar has a population of around 3,500 people. The village is connected by a paved road and has basic infrastructure including a government high school named Lala Murlidhar High School, a small market, two temples, and a community center known as Tayal Dharamshala. The local dialect spoken in the village closely resembles Rajasthani, reflecting the cultural influence of the nearby state.
The village is also home to two historic mansions that reflect its architectural heritage: Vakil Wali Haveli and Lala Muralidhar Haveli. The latter was built by Lala Muralidhar, the same resident who later donated a building for the establishment of the village school. The other mansion, Vakil Wali Haveli, is believed by villagers to have been constructed in 1885.
Historical accounts from villagers suggest that during the Partition of India in 1947, the family living in Vakil Wali Haveli migrated to Pakistan. Around the same time, families displaced by Partition moved into India, and one such family was allotted the mansion to live in. The haveli stands on approximately 2,000 square yards, and its old walls still bear inscriptions written in Persian, reflecting its long and diverse history.
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