Aryans
at first on the banks of the rivers -the Saraswati and the Drishadvati, and
in the course of their expansion covered a wider area of Hissar and Fatehabad.
The area was probably included in the kingdom of Pandavas and their successors1.
Panini mentions quite a few towns of the region-Aisukari, Taushayana (Tohana)
and Rori which have been identified with Hissar, Tohana and Rori, respectively2.
According to Puranas, the areas of Fatehabad district remained a part of Nanda
empire. The discovery of Ashokan pillars at Hissar and Fatehabad shows that
the area of the district remained a part of Mauryan empire. The people of
Agroha area assisted Chandra Gupta Maurya in the war against Greeks.
After the fall of the Mauryas and Sungas, the Agras alongwith the Yaudheys-the
republican tribes of the region-asserted for their independence. The Agras
settled in the region covering Agroha and Barwala. They issued coins from
Agroha, the capital headquarters.
As attested
by the discovery of coin-moulds and terracottas, the region was a part of
Kushan empire. According to A.S. Altekar, the Yaudheys made a second bid for
independence towards the end of the second century A.D., came out successful
in their venture and succeeded in freeing their home-land and ousting Kushans.
This finds support from the Agroha seal1. The early 11th century saw the Ghaznavid
inroads in this area. Sultan Masud led the expeditions towards Agroha.The
Chauhans seem to have taken special measures for protecting the area against
Muslim incursions. The area of Agroha passed on to the Muslim rule after the
defeat of Prithvi Raj III in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192).
After
the Battle of Tarain, Sultan Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Ghuri placed one of his
ablest generals in the Indian campaigns. But it appears that any meaningful
control could not be established. Seizing the opportunity, a Rajput clan,
Jatus, believed to be an offshoot of Tomaras, widely extended their power
in Fatehabad area including Agroha2. Firuz (1351-88) shot these areas into
prominence. The ruler came to have somewhat unusual fancy for the tract (Hissar).
It is a great credit to him that he established new towns of Fatehabad and
Hissar and built two canals; one taking off from Ghaggar at Phulad and following
the course of Joiya upto the town of Fatehabad. After the death of Firuz (1388),
chaos and confusion spread all round . The situation deteriorated still further
when Timur invaded in 1398. During his marching, Timur invested Fatehabad
which was captured without any opposition from the inhabitants. Lastly, the
invader reached Tohana but he could not set- up his permanent rule over the
area. He soon left for Samana after looting these areas. The areas of Fatehabad
came under the control of Mughals-Babar and Humanyun. There is a small and
beautiful mosque known as Humanyun mosque at Fatehabad . The legend assigns
the association of the mosque to the Mughal Emperor Humanyun who in his flight
after his defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri happened to pass through Fatehabad.
Fatehabad was one of important Mahals during Akbar's time
By 1760,
the areas became the scene of a sort of triangular duel between the sturdy
Sikhs of north-east, marauding Bhattis of north-west and the Muslim chiefs
of the south. None of them could, however, hold the region permanently except
for the Bhattis who became the masters of Fatehabad pargana. In 1774, Maharaja
Amar Singh of Patiala alongwith his famous minister Dewan Nanumal laid seize
to the stronghold of Bighar near Fatehabad which fell shortly afterwards.
The Raja then took Fatehabad and Sirsa and invested Rania held by Bhattis.
Tohana also was seized by the Chief of Patiala. But after a treaty of Jind
in 1781, Fatehabad and Sirsa were made over to the Bhattis and remaining territories
were allowed to be retained by the Sikhs ..
By 1798, Agroha and Tohana were important parganas under the
control of George Thomas. When George Thomas was driven out from here by the
Sikh-Maratha-French Confederacy, a French Officer Lt. Bourquian controlled
these areas on behalf of Marathas . He is said to have rebuilt the towns of
Tohana and Hissar. Later these areas were placed under the charge of Illias
Beg, a Mughal noble of Hansi.With the treaty of Surji Anjangaon 1803, the
British became the rulers of this area and Marathas were vanquished forever.
In November, 1884, the Sirsa district was abolished and Sirsa tahsil after
the distribution of villages was formed . In 1889, 15 villages forming a detached
block known as Budhlada were transferred form Kaithal tahsil to Fatehabad
tahsil. The Barwala tahsil containing139 villages was abolished with effect
from January 1, 1891 and its area was distributed between 3 contiguous tahsils
; 13 villages going to Hansi, 24 to Hissar and 102 to Fatehabad. At the same
time 13 villages were transferred from Hissar tahsil to Bhiwani tahsil and
a sub-tahsil was established at Tohana in Fatehabad tahsil. In 1923, the Tohana
sub-tahsil was transferred from Fatehabad to Hissar tahsil. In 1972, Tohana
sub-tahsil was upgraded to tahsil. Two sub-tahsils, one at Ratia of tahsil
of Fatehabad and other at Adampur of Hissar tahsil were created in 1979. By
the end of 1978, the Hissar district comprised 486 villages, divided between
tahsils of Fatehabad -166; Hissar-115, Hansi-119 and Tohana-86. Fatehabad
came into existence as a full-fledged district with effect from 15-7-1997,
now having three sub-divisions, three tahsils and three sub-tahsils.
