Jabalpur

Location
Jabalpur is an ancient city in central India situated in the Central India on the banks of the holy river Narmada. The name Jabalpur is derived from the Arabic word "Jabal" which means mountain. Jabalpur apart from being a pleasure resort and a capital of the Gond Kings, was later also the throne of the Kalchuri dynasty. The Marathas held an authority over Jabalpur until 1817, when the British extorted it from them and left their impression on this city since it later became one of their colonies. Today, Jabalpur is an important administrative centre, busy with commercial activity.

Geographical Location
Jabalpur's location extends from 23.15° N to the longitude of 79.97° E. Jabalpur is also surrounded by low, rocky, and barren hillocks. Almost south of Khajuraho and east of Bhopal, this city is principally situated on the Narmada River. It is also surrounded by Kariapather hillock to the northeast, Sita Pahad and Kandhari hills to the east, Madan Mahal hills and rocks to the southwest. The main water reservoir of Khandari and Pariyat are located to the northeast direction of the city.

History
Jabalpur the name is also derived from the sage Jabali and Jabalpur is said to be his tapsya bhumi. Even various relics of the Ashoka dynasty have been found. It was also the capital of the famous Tripuri kingdom. In the 16th century the Gond raja of Garha Mandla extended his power over fifty-two districts, including the present Jabalpur. During the minority of his grandson, Asaf Khan, the viceroy of Kara Manikpur, conquered the Garha principality and held it at first as an independent chief. Eventually he submitted to the mughal emperor Akbar. The princes of Garha Mandla maintained a practical independence until their subjugation by the Maratha governors of Sagar in 1781. In 1798 the Maratha Peshwa granted the Narmada valley to the Bhonsle princes of Nagpur, who continued to hold the district until the British occupied it in 1818.

Under the Britishers, Jabalpur became the capital of the Saugor and Nerbudda territories, which was part of the British northwestern province. At that time it becamo infamous for thugs, but it became more famous because of Col. Sleeman, who suppressed thugs. The Saugor and Nerbudda Territories became part of new Central Provinces in 1861, which in 1903 became the Central Provinces and Berar. By the early 20th Century Jabalpur was the headquarters of a brigade in the 5th division of the Southern Army.

Even the Tripuri Congress session in 1939 was an important landmark event, which was supervised by Subhash Chandra Bose. After India's independence in 1947, the Central Provinces and Berar became the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh.

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