Charkhari

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?Charkhari Uttar Pradesh • India
Charkhari
Coordinates: 25°24′N 79°45′E / 25.4, 79.75
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 184 m (604 ft)
District(s)	Mahoba
Population	23,823 (2001)

Coordinates: 25°24′N 79°45′E / 25.4, 79.75 Charkhari, currently a part of Uttar Pradesh state, was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The state was founded by Bijai Bahadur, a Rajput of Bundela clan. On India’s independence, this Princely state was acceded to India.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Demographics
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Charkhari is located at 25.4° N 79.75° E.^[1] It has an average elevation of 184 metres (603 feet).

[edit] History

Charkhari is a part of Uttar Pradesh's Bundelkhand region which is the home of two great Indian freedom fighters and the father of the freedom movement in the whole of bundelkhand, Dewan Shatrughan Singh [aka 'Bundelkhand Gandhi & Bundelkhand Kesri'] & his wife Rani Rajendra Kumari. These were the two fountain heads of the freedom movement in all of Bundelkhand. They also were the main patrons of revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad who frequented their Castle in their native village of Maungrauth. The Rani defeated the sitting UP Chief Minister C.B. Gupta as an independent candidate. They were also the main inspiration behind the Bhoodaan movement in Bundelkhand and Maungraut changed the history of the movement by beecoming the first complete Gramdaan.

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 December and is attended by over 50,000 people.

Despite being from one of the most affluent families in Central India this couple sacrificed everything for the nation and donated their lands to the poor. They were in British jails for the freedom struggle for over 9 years each. They are now the subject of folk tales and songs highlighting their bravery and hailing them as symbols of Bundelkhandi valor.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[2] Charkhari had a population of 23,823. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Charkhari has an average literacy rate of 58%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 68% and female literacy of 47%. 16% of the population is under 6 years of age.