Etawah

This article is about the municipality in Uttar Pradesh, India. For its namesake district, see Etawah district.
Etawah
इटावा
city
Etawah
Coordinates: 26°46′N 79°02′E / 26.77°N 79.03°E / 26.77; 79.03Coordinates: 26°46′N 79°02′E / 26.77°N 79.03°E / 26.77; 79.03
Country India
State Uttar Pradesh
District Etawah
Elevation 197 m (646 ft)
Population (2014)
 • Total 257,838
 • Density 684/km2 (1,770/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 206001
Telephone code 05688
Vehicle registration UP75
Website www.etawah.nic.in

Etawah is a city on the banks of Yamuna River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. The city was an important center for the Revolt of 1857 (Allan Octavian Hume, the founder of Indian National Congress was district collector then). Also is the place of sangam or confluence between Yamuna and Chambal. It is also the site of the remains of the Great Hedge of India.

Demographics

As per 2011 census, Etawah town had a population of 257,838 - an increase of 22% from 211,460 in 2001 census. (The entire Etawah district had a population of 1,581,810 in 2011.) The literacy rate was 82.89 per cent.[1]

History

Ancient era

An engraving of ruins at Etawah, in the first half of the 19th century AD.

This region is believed to have existed even in the Bronze Age.The earliest Aryans who lived here were the Panchalas.They are said to have had close connections with Kurus.

Tradition holds the history of the town started with its foundation by a successor of King Bharat. The region also finds mention in the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics.

The Guptas, Kanvas, Kanishka, Naga kings ruled over this area. In the fourth century A.D., it was part of united India under the Guptas.

During the ninth and tenth centuries, this region was governed by Gurjara Pratihara rulers. The conquest of Kannauj by Nagabhata II handed Pratiharas control over this region. During the reign of Gurjara Pratihara monarch Mihir Bhoj, the region is mentioned as prosperous, safe from thieves and rich in natural resources.[2]

Revolt of 1857

During the First War of Independence in 1857, major disturbances occurred in Etawah and the district was occupied by the freedom fighters from June to December. British rule was not completely restored till the end of 1858.

Modern history and economy

Etawah has experienced modernization and development under British Raj and in the post-independence period.

The district is partly watered by branches of the Ganges canal.

It is traversed by the main line of the Indian railway (northern zone) from Delhi to Howrah (Calcutta).

Cotton, oilseeds, ghee and other agricultural produce are grown and exported. Special breed of goat Jamunapaari and special breed of buffalo Bhadawari are raised and exported.

The region has a 652 MW natural gas-based power generation plant. However it lacks manufacturing industries.

Etawah was known for its handloom products; most of them are converted into powerlooms thanks to the advent of better technology. 'Etawah' is derived from the burner of bricks (where bricks are made); it has thousands of brick centre between its boundaries.

Transport

Rail

Mainpuri-Etawah Branch Railway Line
 Towards Farrukhabad on Kasganj-Kanpur route
Mainpuri
Towards Shikohabad on Tundla-Etawah-Kanpur route
Keerath Pur
Karhal
Vaidhpura
Etawah

Etawah railway station lies on Kanpur-Delhi section of Howrah-Delhi main line. Shatabdi Express and many other superfast trains have a scheduled halt in Etawah.

Also CNB Shatabdi halts at etawah.

Road

Etawah is well-connected by roads with the rest of Uttar Pradesh state. National Highway 2 passes through Etawah, connecting it to important cities like Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Mughalsarai, Dhanbad and Kolkata. There are three big cities namely Gwalior, Agra and Kanpur, are nearby to Etawah with well connected roads.

Within the city, auto-rickshaw and cycle rickshaw are the major form of transport. Bus services run at high frequencies.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  2. ↑ District Gazetteer Etawah (Uttar Pradesh). "History".

Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links

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