Mewat

Mewat is a historical and cultural region in the northwestern Indian subcontinent. The core area lies in present-day Haryana, India, centered on Nuh district (formerly known as Mewat district). The region also extends into parts of southern Rajasthan and, to a lesser extent, neighboring areas of Haryana, with boundaries that vary among sources.

The region is inhabited predominantly by the Meo, a Muslim ethnolinguistic community. The Meo people speak Mewati, an Indo-Aryan language closely related to Rajasthani and Western Hindi. Their culture blends local traditions with Islamic practices, and Meo communities have distinctive folk music, dress, and wedding customs.

Economy and development: The area is largely agrarian, with crops such as millet, maize, pulses, and livestock farming forming the economic base. Water scarcity and limited infrastructure have posed development challenges, though there have been government initiatives to improve education, health, and connectivity in recent years.

History and etymology: The name Mewat is historically tied to the Meo people, though the regional boundaries and usage have evolved over time. The region has ancient roots and has been part of various empires and kingdoms, with its modern administrative identity largely shaped in the 19th and 20th centuries. In Haryana, the core area corresponds to Nuh district; in Rajasthan, parts lie in Alwar and Bharatpur divisions.