Jhansi

Tehsil Jhansi, District Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, Bharat
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 original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock.

The National Highway Development Project, initiated by the government of Atal Behari Vajpayee, has sparked Jhansi's development. The North-South Corridor connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari passes through Jhansi. The East-West corridor also goes through this city, so there has been a sudden rush to infrastructure and real estate development in the city. A greenfield airport is also on the Anvil.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 probably date from this era. The Chandelas were succeeded by 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. In 1732 Chhatrasal, the Bundela king, called in the aid of the Hindu Marathas. They came to his assistance, and were rewarded by the bequest of one-third of the Maharaja's dominions upon his death two years later. 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. In 1817, however, 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. Rani Lakshmibai, widow of the Raja, protested the annexation because she was not allowed to adopt an heir (as was customary), 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 along with their wives and children. Rani Lakshmi Bai put herself at the head of the rebels and died bravely in battle in Gwalior. It was not until November, 1858 that Jhansi was brought under British control. It had been given to the Maharaja of Gwalior, but came under British rule in 1886 as the result of a territorial swap.

Jhansi participated in the Indian Freedom Struggle under Dewan Shatrughan Singh. DEWAN SHATRUGHAN SINGH and his wife RANI RAJENDRA KUMARI were two great [Indian independence movement|Indian freedom fighters] Dewan Saheb was the father of the freedom movement in the Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (Central India). Dewan Shatrughan Singh is also known as 'Bundelkhand Gandhi' & 'Bundelkhand Kesari'. He met Gandhi in the 1920's and then became his follower. He married Rani Kaushlya Devi later called Rani Rajendra Kumari in 1914. The duo spent life serving their people. During the freedom struggle the couple went to jail several times and refused Class A treatement that they were entitled to choosing to stay with the poor inmates who they believed needed their help. They continued public service even after independence. Dewan Shatrughan Singh initiated the First Gram daan. When Vonoba Bhave visited the district in early 50's Diwan Saheb offered the entire village of Mangrauth. He also set up several schools and colleges in the district donating his own land and money and encouraging others in the process. None of the institutions were named after him or his family members. Dewan Saheb and Rani Saheba are credited for inspiring people for the three most difficult Daan( Sacrifices)- Graam Daan , Bhoo Daan and Shram Daan. The road connecting Charkhari to Supa in Hamirpur district was built by Shram Daan. The Rani defeated the sitting UP [Chief Minister] C.B. Gupta in 1958 by-election from Maudaha. Numerous scholars have done PhD's on the life of these 2 great Indian patriots. There is an annual mela on the birthday of these two stalwarts held annually in Maungrauth in 25 December and is attended by over 40,000 people. They opened numerous colleges and libraries in the Bundelkhand region and none were named after them. The district hospital of Hamirpur is named after Dewan Sahib after his death. Despite being from one of the most affluent families in Central India this couple sacrificed everything for the nation. they passed away in December 1975. They are still remembered as the true leaders who worked selflessly for the amelioration of the people and the region. They are now the subject of folk tales and songs that recall bravery and selfless service. The Alhaa singers particularly have some beautiful compositions narrating stories from their lives.

Jhansi was added to the United Provinces, which became the state of Uttar Pradesh after India's Independence in 1947.

The fort standing in the hilly area shows that how the North Indian style of fort construction differentiated from that of the South.In South majority of the beautiful forts were built on the sea beds like the one at Bekal in Kerala