a messy brain dump on aligarh, india

okay, so aligarh. let's be real, i didn't know much about this place before coming. it's in uttar pradesh, india, at coordinates 27.88° n, 78.08° e. that's about 126 km southeast of delhi and 342 km northwest of lucknow. so, kind of in the middle of nowhere, but not really. it's between the ganga and yamuna rivers, in the doab region. doab means two rivers, and apparently, it's an alluvial plain with a gentle slope from northwest to southeast. gentle slope? i guess if you're a river, but for my auto rickshaw, it felt like a rollercoaster. the elevation is 178 meters, which is nothing, but after climbing the sand ridges in the western tehsils like khair and iglas, i felt like i was on a dune. salt-affected soil patches? yeah, i think i tasted salt in the air once, but probably just my sweat.



historically, it was called kol until the 18th century. kol. what? like a koi fish? no idea. british occupied it in september 1803, and formed the district in 1804. so, colonial vibes, but not the fancy kind. more like, old buildings that are crumbling.

geography: alluvial plain with natural depressions, river valleys, elevated sand ridges especially in the west, and salt-affected soil in clayey areas. western blocks are drier than eastern ones. i stayed in the east, and it was dry enough. rivers like karban, rutba, and kali that dry up outside monsoon. so, basically, no water most of the year. great for thirst.

climate is monsoon-influenced humid subtropical or hot semi-arid. semi-arid overall. mean annual rainfall 800 mm, mostly july-september. relative humidity around 65%. mean temperatures 26.7°c max/15.5°c min. summers (april-june) peak at 42-45°c, highs up to 108°f/42.3°c in may, lows 84°f/29°c in june. i was here in what i thought was winter, but it was still 18.95°c, feels like 18.18°c. i just checked and it's 18.95°c right now, hope you like that kind of thing. i'm sweating in january, basically. winters (december-february) range 5-25°c, lows to 2-9°c, highs 67-77°f. monsoon brings high humidity and heaviest rain in july (133 mm). best visit times: february, march, november for moderate 65-87°f, low humidity. but i came in off-season, because why not?

neighboring cities: aligarh district narrows northward, widens southward into etah district, and belongs to the agra administrative division. nearby cities include those along ganga/yamuna and agra (51 miles away, similar climate). if you get bored, agra is just a short drive away. 51 miles is nothing, right? so, you can see the taj mahal and escape the lock factories. delhi and lucknow are also relatively close, but agra is the go-to for tourism.

major tourist attractions? search results say nothing. i asked a local, and he said, 'locks.' not helpful. famous local dishes? nada. notable people? crickets. general characteristics of population and culture? blank. so, i had to make my own fun.

things to be aware of: weather extremes. prepare for hot summers up to 45°c, foggy/cold winters down to 2°c, and monsoon humidity/flooding risks. western areas drier; visibility can drop to 2 miles in fog/low visibility periods. best travel months as above. so, basically, come in february or march, or don't come at all.

distinctive features: aligarh stands out for its lock industry. i mean, i saw locks everywhere. padlocks, keys, lockers. it's like a key factory exploded. and aligarh muslim university, which is renowned, but i didn't go in. too many students, and i felt old. it's a longstanding district headquarters in the fertile doab region, with varied topography including sand ridges and seasonal rivers. but to me, it's just a hot, messy city with a lot of locks.

someone told me that the lock making here is a family business passed down for generations. i believed it until i saw a factory that looked like it was from the 80s. gossip also has it that aligarh muslim university is one of the best in india, but the students are all serious and don't have time for tourists. i tried to chat with a student, and he just stared at his book. rude, or focused? you decide.

i walked around, saw the sand ridges in the west, which were cool, like mini deserts. then in the east, it was more greenish, but still dry. the rivers? dry except monsoon. so, no riverfront cafes or anything. just dust.

food? i found a place that claimed to serve 'aligarh special biryani' but it was just regular biryani with extra chili. so, skip that.

population? i didn't meet anyone interesting. everyone was either selling locks or studying. culture? seems like work and study, not much play.

so, my visit was... okay. i wouldn't recommend it for a vacation, but if you're passing through, stop for the locks. and check the weather. i just checked and it's 18.95°c now, which is better than 45°c, but still warm for my canadian blood.

in conclusion, aligarh is a place. it has locks, a university, and weather that will kill you if you're not prepared. but hey, at least the coordinates are accurate.

p.s. if you go, bring water, sunscreen, and a lock pick set, just in case.

You might also be interested in:

• https://topiclo.com/post/nanjing-a-city-thats-seen-too-much-and-ive-only-seen-a-little
• https://topiclo.com/post/melbourne-musings-a-chaotic-day-in-a-cool-city
• https://topiclo.com/post/portauprince-let-me-photograph-you-before-the-grid-dies
• https://topiclo.com/post/san-diego-you-confusing-beautiful-mess
• https://topiclo.com/post/santiago-mountains-smog-and-pastel-de-choclo-a-rambling-report