Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 164
Sex Ratio Rank : 73
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Disability : 479 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 471 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Challenges of the district : Our research
with local communities
Located at the south of Bihar, majority of the regions
in the district are flat and hilly in nature. Some of key challenges
of Mohaba district are
Ground water level has decreased considerably
From the past few years, rainfall has decreased. Due to this we
are currently experiencing drought like situation.
Quality of education in schools is not good.
Illiteracy among women is very high.
Brief About Mahoba District
The name Mahoba is derived from 'Mahotsav Nagar', the city of
great festivals , which were celeberated here by Chandra-Verman
or Nannuka, The traditional founder of the Chandella Dynasty.
The Bardic tradition preserves three other names of the City viz
Kekaipur, Patanpur and Ratanpur. Thest names are said to have
been current in the Treta and Dwapar Yugas. The existance of the
sacred 'Ram-Kund' and 'Seeta-Rasoi' cave at the Gokhar hill here
are said to be monumental to the visit of God RAMA who widely
treated this hilly region while in 14-year exile at Chitrakoot.
Before the rise of Chandellas, Mahoba was held
by the Gaharwar and Pratihar clans of Rajputs. The Chandella ruler
Chandra-Verman, who hailed from Maniagarh, his birth place near
Panna, took it over from Pratihar rulers and adopted it as his
Capital. Later, Vakpati, Jejja, Vijai Shakti and Rahila-deva succeeded
him.
Among the later Chandella rulers whose names
are particularly associated with the local monuments are Vijai-pal
(1035-1045 AD) who built the Vijai-sagar lake, Keerti-Verman (1060-1100
AD) built Keerat sagar tank and Madan-Verman (1128-1164 AD) who
built Madan Sagar. The last prominent Chandella ruler was Parmardi-deva
or Parmal whose name is still popular due to the heroic deeds
of his two Generals 'Alha' and 'Udala' who own many battles. The
court poet Jagnik Rao has made their names immortal through his
popular ballad (Veer-Kavya) 'Alha-Khand'. It is recited through-out
the hindi speaking masses in the country. In 1860 AD an English
Officer of the East India Company, Mr. William Waterfield was
so impressed with the ballad that he translated it into English
under the title name of 'Lay of Alha' which was published by the
Oxford University Press of England. Another prominent scripture
which has an account of Mahoba's grandure is the Jain text 'Prabhandh-kosh'
which refers to its magnificence which could only be realized
and not described.
The reign of Parmardi-deva or Parmala,the Fifteen
ruler of the dynasty,witnessed the fall of Mahoba.In 1182 A.D.differences
arose between Parmala and Delhi king Prithviraj who gave an ultimatum
lying certain conditions to be fulfilled by Parmala or to surrender.He
made seize of Mahoba and his General Chaumund Rai even made a
surprise attack on the Kajli procession of queen Malhna who hadgone
to Keerat Sagar tank to offer Kajli Pooja on the Raksha-Bandhan
day.A grim fight ensued in which Mahoba warriors:Udala,Brahma,Ranjeet,and
Abhai(son of Mahila) repulsed the attack and Chaumund-Rai had
to flee to his base camp at Pachpahara.The Kajli-Pooja was consequently
celebrated the next day and that traditioncontinues to be followed
even to this date.The third day is observed as a Victory Day and
a thanks-giving Pooja is performed to Lord Shiva,Gajantak Shiva
idol on Gokhar hill.
Later,the Chauhan King Prithvi Raj captured Mahoba
despite the brave fight put-up by the Banafer brothers : Alha
and Udal. Other warriors of Mahoba viz. Udal, Brahma, Malkhan,
Sulkhan, Dheba & Tala Saiyyad etc.laid down their lives in
the battle.Parmala had to retreat to Kalinjar leaving Mahoba in
the hands of the conqueror.Prithvi Raj appointed his Thanapati
Pajjun Rai as his administrator.A few years later,he was driven
out by samarjeet,son of Parmala.This,however,could not stop the
begining of the end of Chandella rule.Two decades later,Qutubuddin
Aibek vanquised Mahoba and Kalinjar in 1203 A.D..Aibk took away
immense booty with thousands of artisans as prisoners.He deported
most of them to Ghazni as slaves and got constructed beautiful
buildings there.Later,Trailokya Verman,another son of Parmala,recovered
Mahoba and Kalinjar but the Chandellas lost their eminence.Mahoba
had to lose its independence and become a part of the Delhi Sultanate.
After about 2 centuries of obsecurity a notable
Chandella ruler Keerat Pal Singh rose to power and re-estabilished
his domain over Kalinjar and Mahoba.His illustrious daughter Durga
Wati was married to Gond ruler Dalpat-shah of Garh Mandla(near
Jabalpur) in 1543 A.D..Later,Keerat Pal Singh battled bravely
with Sher Shah Suri,while defending Kalinjar fort in 1545 A.D..Sher
Shah,however,captured the fort after a prolonged fight but was
killed in an explosion while directing final assault on the fort.
The account of Rani Durga Wati's deeds is most
glorious. She administrated her territory admirably well after
the death of Raja Dalpat Shah and in 1564 A.D. gallantly resisted
the unprovked aggression of Mughal king Akbar,whose general Asif
Khan attacted Garh Mandla to annex Rani's territory. The Rani
gave a brave fight but lost her life in the battle-field. The
aggression of Akbar on women rulers like Durga Wati and Chand-bibi
tarnish his image as a liberal ruler.
In the post Chandella period the history of Mahoba
gets obscure. It was under the reign of Delhi Sultans. Local traditions
ascribe and associate Bhars, Gonds and Khangar clans who held
its administration from time to time. However, during the reign
of akbar, it was constituted into a 'Mahal' in the Sarkar of Kalinjar
within the Suba of Allahabad. According to 'Aine-Akbari, it had
an area of 82000 Bighas yielding a revenue of over 40,42000 Dams
in addition to 12000 Pans (Betel-leaves) to the Moghal Darbar.
Mahoba has been famous for its betal-leaves cultivation ever since
the first Chandella ruler Chandra-Verman who adopted it as his
capital. During the Moghal period the revenue assessment of Mahoba
suggests a high degree of prosperity in comparision to the neighbouring
'Mahals'.
Later, with the rise of Chhatrasal Bundela, Mahoba
passed under his sway but failed to acquire and kind of pre-eminience.
In the 17th centuary Chhatrasal declared independence and put
a stiff resistance against Aurangzeb. He established a Bundella
Principality and Bahadur Shah Moghal had to confirm all his acquisitions
in the area called 'Bundelkhand'. There was revival of hostelities
during the region of reign of Farrukhsiyar when his general Mohammed
Khan Bangash invaded Bundelkhand in the year 1729 AD. and the
aged ruler Chatrasal had to seek aid from Peshwa Baji rao. His
'Maratha'army comprising of 70,000 men dashed from Indore (Malwa)
and encamped at Mahoba. They surrounded forces of nawab Banghash
who had captured Jaitpur, Belatal, Mudhari and Kulpahar etc. The
Peshwa inflicted a crushing defeat over the Nawab by annihilating
his forces in the dense forests of Jaitpur, Mudhari and Salat
etc. In return for this help, Chhatrasal bequeathed one third
of his dominion to the Maratha Cheiftain. That part included Mahoba,
Shri Nagar, Jaitpur, Kulpahar etc. Later, under the treaty Bessien
in 1803 AD the marathas ceded Bundelkhand area to British rulers.
Its administration was , however, carried over by the subedar
of Jalaun untill 1858 AD when it was finally annexed by the East
India Company. Mahoba was made the head-quarter of a sub-division
in the district of Hamirpur. Its later history is un-eventful
except for the local revolt in the first freedom struggle of 1857
AD when the british Sub-divisional Magistrate, Mr Carne, had to
flee and seek refuge in the nearby Charkhri estate which was being
ruled by Raja Ratan Singh. The Rani of Jhansi, got annoyed over
this betrayel of Raja and deputed her general Tantia Tope to attack
Charkhari and capture Mr.Carne.Raja Ratan Singh surrendered and
entered into a treaty with Tantya Tope.Mahoba was then under the
rule of rebels whom the BritishGeneral Whitloack defeated and
restored British rule.He arrested a large number of local rebels
and hanged some of the prominent men on the trees in the vicinity
called Haveli Darwaza. A"Shaheed Mela" is now annually held there
to commemorate the memory of those rebels.
At A Glance :
Before 11 Feb 1995 Mahoba was the Tehsil of
District Hamirpur. The then Chief Minister Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav
declered Mahoba as a District on 11 Feb. 1995 From then Mahoba
has moved forward leaps and bounds on the Social, Cultural and
individual front.Mr. Umesh Sinha I.A.S. was the founder District
Magistrate. At Present Shri Ravindra I.A.S. is the District
Magistrate.
Geological Location :
Mahoba (25"18'N. 79"53'E.) is one of the
few cities in Uttar Pradesh that has played a leading role in
the annals of Rajputs. It is associated in its rise and fall with
the history of Chandella Rajputs who ruled over 'Jejjak-bhukti'
(Modern Bundelkhand) from 9th to 14th Centuary A.D.. Mahoba is
Situated at the foot of a low granite hill called Gorakh-giri
or 'Gokhar', an offshoot of the Vindhyas. It lies nearly 55 km
to the north of khajuraho, the temple- city of the Chandellas,
and about 109 Km distance to the north east of their celeberated
fort at Kalinjar.
Mahoba Railway station on the Jhansi-Manikpur section of the central
Railway also serves as the nearest rail-head for Khajuraho
