India
Voters about 15000; total population about 25,000 in year 2013. Aring is a large agricultural village lying in the centre of tahsil Mathura; it is situated in 27°29'N. and 77°32'E., at a distance of 12 miles from headquarters on the metalled road from Mathura to Dig in Bharatpur. The name of the place is popularly derived from Aringsaur, a demon slain here by Krishna. Other suggestions are t
hat the name is from the root ar, to hesitate, because the tax which Krishna imposed was here reluctantly paid; or that arang is the local name for a mart, which Aring has always been, thanks to its favourable situation on the high road between two large towns. Growse however would derive the name from Arishta-grama, arishta being the original Sanskrit form of ritha, the Hindi name of the soap-berry tree (Sapindus Detergens). Aring is generally accounted one of the 24 Upabans: it has a sacred pond called Kilol Kund, and three small temples dedicated respectively to Baladeva, Bihari-ji and Pipalesvar Mahadeva; but there are no signs of a wood. There are also the ruins of a mud fort built during the last century by one Phunda Ram, a Jat, who held a large tract of territory in jagir under Raja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur. A trigonometrical survey station lies in the fort at an elevation of 670.5 feet above the level of the sea. The upper mark stone of the survey is on the vaulted roof of the old fort, and is about 57 feet above the level of the surrounding country. Aring contains a police station, a vernacular secondary school with a primary branch attended by about 100 pupils, a branch post-office and a cattle-pound. A weekly market is held on Sundays. The population in 1901 numbered 4,225 persons, of whom 3,932 were Hindus and 291 Musalmans, and appears to have largely increased of late years for in 1881 it amounted to 3,579 souls. The Hindu inhabitants are for the most part Chamars, Brahmans, Gaurua Rajputs and Jats. The Agra canal passes close to the site, and is bridged at the point where the road to Dig crosses it. Aring was the scene of a defeat of the Maratha army under Holkar by Lord Lake in October 1804. At the Mutiny rebels marched upon the place with the intention of plundering the treasury, but were stoutly opposed by the zamindars and resident officials, and driven back after a few shots had been fired. Lala Ram Baksh, the hereditary patwari, who also acted as the Seth's agent, was conspicuous for his loyalty, and subsequently received from the Government a grant of Rs. 1,000, and a quarter of the revenue of the village of Kothra, on the Bharatpur border. Munshi Bhajan Lal, who was tahsildar at the same time, also received a grant of Rs. 1,200, and smaller rewards were conferred on several other inhabitants of the village, chiefly Brahmans. Until 1818 the village was held in jagir by a Kashmiri Pandit named Baba Biswanath. On his death it was resumed and assessed to revenue of Rs. 6,447, settlement being made with the resident Gaurua Rajputs. In 1852 their estate was transferred by auction sale to Seth Gobind Das, who made it part of the endowment of the temple of Rangji at Brindaban. For many years Aring was the headquarters of a pargana of the same name; but in 1868 the offices were all transferred to the capital of the district and the parganas of Mathura and Aring were amalgamated. The avenue of trees extending from Mathura through Aring to Gobardhan was mainly planted by Seth Sukhanand. The village of Aring has an area of 5,459 acres and is assessed to revenue of Rs. 9,995. One of the habitant Pandit Ram Charan Lal Pathak founded a secondary school, which he donated to Government; now this is a Government Intermediate College, known as RCL Pathak Memorial Government Intermediate College. President of India honored RCL Pathak for his social work in this Village.
