One of the important districts of Uttar Pradesh is the Jhansi district, which has its headquarters in the city of Jhansi. It is spread over an area of 5024 sq. km. According to Indian 2011 census Jhansi had a population of 1,998,603. The district has five tehsils, which are Jhansi, Mauranipur, Garautha, Tehroli and Moth.
History of Jhansi
Historical records say that the Chandela kings ruled Jhansi and at that time it was called Balwant Nagar. At that time Jhansi was part of regions namely, Chedi Rashtra, Jejak Bhukit, Jajhoti and Bundelkhand. The place lost its importance in the 11th century. However during the rule of Raja Bir Singh Deo of Orchha in the 17th century Jhansi again rose to prominence. Jhansi is also famous for one of the earliest freedom fighters of India, Lakshmi Bai. She is also known as Rani of Jhansi, who vehemently opposed the British rule in India.
Geography of Jhansi
Jalaun District in the north, Hamirpur and Mahoba Districts in the south, Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh in the south and Lalitpur District in the southwest and Datia and Bhind Districts of Madhya Pradesh to the east encircle the entire Jhansi District. Some of the important towns of the district are Mauranipur, Garautha, Moth, Babina, Chirgaon, Samthar Gursarai and many others. The important rivers flowing through the district are Pahunj, Dhasan and Betwa. Bundelkhand is situated in the southern part of Jhansi district, which is a level plain, consisting of deep black soil, which is favorable for the cultivation of cotton.
Tourism in Jhansi
The district of Jhansi is dotted with numerous historical monuments. The prime tourist attractions in the district are Jhansi Fort, Rani Mahal, Uttar Pradesh Government Museum, Maharaja Gangadhar Rao ki Chathri and Barua Sagar. Some famous temples in the district are Ganesh Mandir, Maha Lakshmi Temple, Kaliji Temple, Murli Manohar Temple, and Panchkuniya Temple. Some of the tourist spots are detailed below:
Jhansi Fort: Jhansi Fort or "Rani Jhansi ka Quila" is a fortress standing on a rocky hillock called Bangara. It was constructed by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo, the king of Orchha, in 1613 in the erstwhile town of Balwantnagar, presently known as Jhansi.
Rani Mahal: Rani Mahal or "the queen`s palace" is a royal palace in the city of Jhansi. The palace was built by Raghu Nath-II of the Newalkar family, who was the subedar of Jhansi. This palace later formed one of the residences for Rani Lakshmibai.
Maharaja Gangadhar Rao ki Chathri: Maharaja Gangadhar Rao ki Chathri was built by his wife Lakshmi Bai and dedicated to the Maharaja. This is one of the ancient monuments in Jhansi.