Jhansi

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Jhansi

Jhansi is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. Jhansi is a major road and rail junction, and is the administrative seat of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock.

History

In the 9th century, the region of Jhansi came under the rule of the Rajput Chandela dynasty of Khajuraho. The artificial reservoirs and architectural remains of the hilly region probably date from this era. The Chandelas were succeeded by their servants the Khangars, who built the nearby fort of Karar. About the fourteenth century the Bundelas poured down upon the plains from the Vindhya Range, and gradually spread themselves over the whole of the Bundelkhand region which now bears their name. The fortress of Jhansi was built by the ruler of Orchha state in 1610. Legend says that when a king of Orchha saw a shadow ('jhain' in bundelkhand) on a distant mound, he is said to have called it jhain-si (kind of shadow). Jhansi got its name from this utterance.

The Muslim governors of the Mughal empire were constantly making incursions into the Bundela country, and in 1732 Chhatrasal, the Bundela raja, called in the aid of the Hindu Marathas. They came to his assistance, and were rewarded on the raja's death in 1734 by the bequest of one-third of his dominions. The Maratha general developed the city of Jhansi, and peopled it with inhabitants from Orchha state. In 1806 British protection was promised to the Maratha chief, and in 1817 the Peshwa in Pune ceded all his rights over Bundelkhand to the British East India Company. In 1853 the Raja of Jhansi died childless, and his territory was annexed by the Governor-General of India. The Jhansi state and the Jalaun and Chanderi districts were then formed into a superintendency. The widow of the raja, Rani Lakshmi Bai, protested the annexation because she was not allowed to adopt an heir, and because the slaughter of cattle was permitted in the Jhansi territory. The Revolt of 1857 accordingly found Jhansi ripe for rebellion. In June a few men of the 12th native infantry seized the fort containing the treasure and magazine, and massacred the European officers of the garrison. The rani put herself at the head of the rebels, and died bravely in battle in Gwalior. It was not till November 1858 that Jhansi was brought under British control. Jhansi was given to the Maharaja of Gwalior, but came under British rule in 1886 as the result of a territorial swap. Jhansi was added to the United Provinces, which became the state of Uttar Pradesh after India's Independence in 1947.

Population

2001 Census: 463,281

Education

Schools

Kendriya Vidyalaya
Christ The King

Colleges

Bundelkhand University : Offers various courses including professional courses like MBA, MCA.
Bundelkhand Institute of Engineering & Technology.
Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College.

Tourism

Places of interest

Jhansi Fort

Excursions

Sukma-Dukma Dam: An old, long and a very beautiful dam over the Betwa River, approximately 45 km from Jhansi, near Babina town. Very scenic in the post-monsoon (winter) season.
Deogarh: 123 km from Jhansi, near Lalitpur town. Situated on the Betwa River, it possesses remains of a fine Gupta period Vishnu temple and several old and beautiful Jain temples.
Orchha: 18 km from Jhansi on Jhansi-Khajuraho road.
Khajuraho: 178 km from Jhansi. Deluxe buses ply from Jhansi railway station to Khajuraho during morning hours. Taxis are also available. One can also visit Panna National Park which is 32 km from Khajuraho, and there are some waterfalls nearby.
Datia: 28 km from Jhansi on Jhansi-Gwalior-Agra-Delhi road. Its famous for the Shri Peetambra Devi temple and for a seven-storied palace built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo.
Shivpuri: 101 km from Jhansi. It was summer capital of Scindia rulers of Gwalior. Its famous for its marble chhatris (cenotaphs) built by the Scindias. There is also a big and beautiful lake with crocodiles in the beautiful Madhav National Park area where one can spot variety of wildlife.

External links

References

Cities and towns in Uttar Pradesh