Taranagar is a city and a municipality in Churu district in the Indian state of Rajasthan, situated at 28° 41'N 75° 3'E, about 120 miles northeast of Bikaner. Taranagar was earlier known as Reni, named for the lady Rinkali who came here to live from Vishalnagar Koyalapatan, currently Foga in Sardarshar. Reni was the headquarters of the nizamat and the tehsil of the same name in the state of Bikaner in Rajputana. The nizamat consisted of five eastern tehsils of Bhadra, Churu, Nohar, Rajgarh and Reni. In 1948, the town was renamed for King Tara Singh, who ruled it in the mid-18th century.
History
The first king of Taranagar was Ranakpal. He lost the empire to Chayal Rajputs, who ruled it for more than 1000 years, then Rao Bikaji conquered it. Reni was part of Jangladesh and capital of the Jakhargotrajat, ruled prior to its annexation by the Rathor rulers. The present name of the town is Taranagar. Taranagar is a very old village, famous for its temples, ancient havelis, paintings inside them and chhatris. Taranagar is surrounded by a number of small villages, inhabited mostly by farmers. Taranagar also has an old fort, locally known as Gadh, that is now is being used as the Tehsil headquarters and is surrounded by the market place. Taranagar is surrounded by a number of small villages, the residents of which trade in Taranagar. The house of the in-laws of Shivraj Kavia of Nimakidhani is located near Shri Karani mandir. Goga Medi in Degawas is also a famous temple built 50 years ago by Pujari Shree Bihari Lal Ji Sankholia, where a fair is held on the occasion of Goga Navmi.
Places of interest and importance
Taranagar is well known for its antiquity. It has a famous Jain temple built-in 942. It has very old statues of Jain Tirthankars. The Chhatri of Anand Singhji and Tara Singhji, or saints' homes, are quite popular. These are 2 km distant from the town. A temple, a little away from the town, is known as Shyam Pandia. It is said to be as old as Dvapara Yuga. As the legend goes, it is believed that Bhima of The Mahabharata fame was sent here to call for the services or blessings of the then pujari of the temple, Saint Shyam Pandia, for the Tilak ceremony of Yudhishthira after the Battle of Kurukshetra was won by Pandavas. Apart from private hospitals and practicing doctors, Taranagar has a referral hospital set up by late Onkar Mal Mintri and run by the state government where health care facilities are available for the general public and for the people from nearby villages. There is another hospital building that has been converted into a veterinary hospital catering to cattle. Though the town does not have a railway station, it is well connected by road. It is served by roadway organization of many states, private buses, and taxi operators. Gandhi Upwan, in the east of the town, close to the bus stand and police station, is a moderate garden maintained by the municipality. There is a rest-house used by visiting officials that is run by Rajasthan state PWD. The same locality houses the famous Govt. Higher Secondary School, Taranagar. A public library is almost in the middle of the Taranagar that also houses a free reading room, that over the decades has helped the growth of local intellect even if the facilities have been meager and maintenance falls short of needs; nonetheless, it has been providing a space for developing minds. Since last decade or so Taranagar has been emerging as a place counted in its vicinity of its surrounding villages — for providing facilities for children's education, selling their produce, shopping, trade, institutional interaction, etc. Besides the Main Bazar that is in the center of town, there are a number of shop-clusters or markets specializing in merchandise like footwear, vegetables and fruits, medicines etc. There are some trading firms, bank branches, organizations, government offices. Almost a dozen institutions impart graduate courses including an upcoming veterinary medical college providing the feel of a self-sufficient town. Taranagar boasts an industrial estate promoted by RIICO primarily for the manufacture of plaster of Paris.
Nearby cities and villages
Sadulpur, a junction on the Northern Zone of Indian Railways is on east side at a distance of about 36 km and Churu, the district city is on its south side at a distance of about 60 km while Sardar Sahar is on its south-west side. Apart from these cities, the town is surrounded by a large number of villages on all sides that are populated by mostly by small to medium-sized land holders, farmers and artisans. The town of Taranagar is used by them as a Mandi for selling their agricultural product as also a center for education, health services and connectivity. The nearby villages include Dhani- kumharan, Satyu, Rajpura, Lunas, Gajuwas, Chalkoi, Kharatwas, Nethawa, Togawas, Bhaleri, Chalkoi, Bhanin, Kalwas, Dabri Chhoti, Dheerwas Bara, Sahwa, Bain, Buchawas, Dadrewa, Jigsana, Nyangli, Hadiyal, Dudhwa Khara, Bhamara etc. Brahmanwasi is an agricultural locality situated on the western side of the town. The main crops raised in the area are millets, bajra, guar, gram and lately even mustard. Historically, it was a zamindari that was initially vested in the Vyas family by the late Raja Shri Joravar Singhji, the then ruler of a princely state of Bikaner. The current scion of the family Mool Raj holds the original handwritten document of transfer of Brahmanwasi. Vyas was further patronized by the vaishya community mainly Swetambar Jains, who held a prominent position in business and commerce. Goga Medi in Degawas Mohalla is also a famous temple built 50 years ago by Pujari Shree Bihari Lal Ji Sankholia, where a fair is held on the occasion of Goga Navmi. More prominent of fairs held in the town include Ramdevji Ka Mela, where cattle are sold and the Gaur Magaria, a festival when a procession of Gaurajja is taken out with a lot of fanfare. हम गांवों का इतिहास तथा विस्तृत विवरण श्री सार्वजनिक पुस्तकालय तारानगर द्वारा प्रकाशित अर्चना भाग 2 से पढ़ सकते हैं जिसे ब्रह्मानंद पारीक तथा कालूराम पुरोहित बुचावास ने संपादित एवं संकलित किया है।
Geography
Taranagar is located at. It has an average elevation of 232 meters. A part of Thar desert, it experiences extremities of climate both in summer and in the winter, that are however considered good for build-up of immunities, for general health. Town is located in the tehsil by the same name, under the Rajgarh subdivision of the Churu district. Historically, even the city of Churu used to be a part of Taranagar Tehsil. The town grew with its Mohallas earmarked for different castes that are even today referred to for the ease of practical identification but is officially now divided into different numerical wards for the postal, election or voting purposes.
Demographics
Indiacensus, Taranagar had a population of 27,073. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Taranagar has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 67%, and female literacy is 46%. 18% of the population is under 6 years of age. Despite its moderate size, the town boasts of cosmopolitan nature of its populace that comprises a diversity of castes, creeds, religion and regional inhabitants as also its diaspora spread over the various nooks and corners different states of the country as also abroad. Composition of this diaspora is also quite varied and comprises industrialists, traders, businessmen, professionals, social workers and others. One person from the town, Late Sri Ram Krishna Sarawagi rose to become a minister in the state of West Bengal in the 1970s.
Industry
Taranagar is known for its plaster of Paris industry, wooden items handicraft, jewelry, and education. Students of the nearby districts and tehsils are coming here to get a better and qualitative education from its educational institutions.
