Mangar Bani, a paleolithic archaeological site and sacred grove hill forest next to the Mangar village on Delhi-Haryana border, which is dominated by Gurjar community; is in the South Delhi Ridge of Aravalli mountain range in Faridabad tehsil of Faridabad district in the Indian state of Haryana. It lies, immediate south of India's national capital Delhi, within NCR. This whole area is dominated by Gurjar Community.
It is Indian subcontinent's largest neolithic South Asian Stone Age site and tool making factory dating back to 100,000 years Before Present (BP), first ever such site with cave painting in Aravalli range dating back to 20,000-40,000 BP, making it the oldest human habitation discovered in Haryana and Delhi NCR.
Contiguous to Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, it is an important biodiversity area within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor stretching from Sariska Tiger Reserve to Delhi with several wetlands, formed in the abandoned open pit mines in and around the area and have significance for the migratory birds, are Badkhal Lake, 10th century ancient Surajkund reservoir and Anangpur Dam, Damdama Lake, Tughlaqabad Fort and Adilabad ruins (both in Delhi).
There are concerns for its destruction due to littering, encroachment and illegal construction in the nearby area. Activists have been demanding that government must implement a wide-ranging conservation plan, legally declare this area as the protected forest and protected archaeological site, and have it listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India.
Background
Location
Mangar Bani and other villages such as Gwal Pahari and Bandhwari, lie in the eco-sensitive area of at-risk forested hills of Southern Delhi Ridge in Aravali range. Mangar Bani, adjacent to Mangar village, is a much larger forested area. It is 19 km east of Gurugaon DLF Phase I, 24 km northeast of Damdama Lake, 14 km west of Badkhal Lake, 22 km from Old Faridabad metro station and 28 km southwest of Okhla Industrial Estate.
Etymology
Mangar Bani, is a Haryanvi dialect term which means the "Mangar Vana" in Hindi or Sanskrit and "the Mangar Forest" in English.
History
Mangar Bani forest is a neolithic site with stone tools and rock art dating back to 100,000 years Before Present (BP) and cave paintings dating back to 20,000-40,000 BP.
Mangar is a 700 years old village nestled in the rocky hills covered with native trees unique to the Aravalli range, the oldest Plateau mountains in India.
Village
Administration
Mangar is governed by the panchayat local governing body.The village is dominated by Harsana clan of Gurjar Community.
Demography
In 2011, it had a population of about 1965 persons living in 368 households.
Tribal jewellery museum
Mangar Tribal Jewellery museum, established by the Sterre Sharma the wife of former INC union minister Satish Sharma, has jewellery from all over India including the tribes of northeast India. Jewellery is made from the glass, bone, brass, white metal, silver and gold plate.
Ecology
Significance
Mangar Bani has been studied by the biologists who found it to be a High-Biodiversity Zone. It is one of the last remaining natural tropical forest in the Aravalli range. It has more than 30 native tree species thriving along with the 100 native shrubs and herbs, all of which provide shelter to the wildlife, rare birds, and animals including leopards. It acts as an important source of ground water recharge. It is an important biodiversity area, sacred grove, leopard and migratory birds habitat, and part of the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor with several wetlands.
Mangar Bani hills biodiversity area
Mangar Bani along with neighbouring villages of Gwal Pahari, Baliawas and Bandhwari, which lies near the forested parts of Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range, is an ecologically sensitive under threat biodiversity area dotted with disused mining pits. The flora, fauna, and ecology has degraded which severely needs restoration by replacing the invasive Vilayati kikar weed with the 3-layer cover of native grass, shrubs and trees. This area lies in the habitat of leopards. 95% of the forest is covered with the slow-growing dhau tree (anogeissus pendula). Mangar Bani has native plant species such as Dhau and wild eagle can be seen here.
Leopard habitat and wildlife corridor
Mangar Bani is an important leopard habitat and it also lies within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor stretching from Sariska Tiger Reserve to Delhi.