Nand Ram Ka Tila

Nand Ram Ka Tila (Nand Ram’s Uneven Land) is an area measuring approximately 3 km by 3 km situated in the heart of city of Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. The coordinates of the area are latitude 27°10'47.71"N and longitude 78° 0'48.45"E. The area is under the administrative jurisdiction of Mantola Police Station. Sadar Bhatti is the nearest landmark, a former foundry area during the British period and known for many steel foundries where cast steel was molded into various weapons-grade spares. The area is surrounded by Mantola Road in the north and Railway Line in the south and southeast.

The area has a mixed population of Jatavs, Muslims and Valmikis. The overall socio-economic status of the people in the area is low, representing the typical degraded status of Indian cities without proper water and electric supply. Even the cleanliness as well as the general hygiene of the area is below acceptable levels. Houses do not have individual toilet blocks and water supply connections. A common toilet complex is employed which is one of the worst maintained anywhere in the world. Water supply is non-potable and occasionally worms can be found in the piped water.

Jatavs were traditionally shoemakers. Similarly, the Valmikis were traditionally cleaners and scavengers. All three communities share a peaceful co-existence with common festivals and other important occasions. Once in a while, communal violence also erupts in the area.

In the first decade of the twentieth century, a large group of Maurya caste community residing in Rajasthan were being persecuted by upper-caste Hindus: Their agricultural land was usurped, and they were subjected to innumerable atrocities. Hence a large group of Mauryas under the leadership of Nand Ram Maurya decided to move to the city of Agra. The huge group settled near the Agra Fort. However, since Agra Fort was already under the British troops occupation, they were asked to move to another location.

One of the leaders of the Maurya community, Nand Ram Maurya, negotiated with the British residents and consequently the whole group was allocated the area which is now known by the name of its leader. Hence the name Nand Ram Ka Tila which means "an undulating area belonging to Nand Ram." Nand Ram had five sons.

Later, various other communities started inhabiting the area which was once a sparsely-populated sandy barren land full of xerophyte vegetation.