Shivpuri

Location
Shivpuri is a town in the Gwalior division of northwest M.P. It is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri district. Shivpuri is very ancient town and a sacred place. It is named for the God Shiva. The district is mostly laid out over small hill tops covered with deciduous forests where the slope is gentle with verdant vegetation and good forests round about, the landscape is generally pleasing. Shivpuri's dense forests were the hunting grounds of the Mughal emperors when Emperor Akbar captured great herds of elephants.

Today Shivpuri is a sanctuary for rare wildlife and avian fauna. Its royal past has thus been transformed into a vibrant, hopeful present. With its luxuriant forests and undulating hills, Shivpuri is chosen as the summer resort capital of the Scindias. Shivpuri's royal ambience lives on in the exquisite palaces and hunting lodges and graceful, intricately embellished marble Chhatris (cenotaphs) erected by the Scindia rulers.

Geographical Location
Shivpuri is situated at an altitude of 1515 feet above sea level and located at 25°40' North, 77°44' East of latitude and longitude. The district is bounded on the North by Morena, Gwalior and Datia districts, on the east by Jhansi district of U.P, on the West by Kota district of Rajasthan and on the South by Guna district. The district headquarter Shivpuri is located on NH-3 (Agra-Bombay National Highway) at a 113 Km from Gwalior and 98 Km from Guna.

History
Shivpuri was known earlier by the name 'Sipri'. The Shivpuri was mentioned during Mughal times in 1564 when Emperor Akbar halted at this place. During that period it formed a part of Narwar Sarkar. Shivpuri was awarded as Jagir to the Kachwahas of Narwar in the 17th Century. It came under the rule of the Scindias in 1804, who granted it to one of their Marathas generals by name Ingle. Later, it was transferred to the HEIC in 1817 under a treaty, but the Scindias regained it in 1818.

Tatya Tope was awarded death sentence on April 17, 1859 by British Raj for his part in the Revolt of 1857 in nearby Jhansi. He was hanged to death in Shivpuri, at a site near the present collectorate. Maharaja Madhav Rao Scindia paid attention towards the development of Shivpuri. He constructed a big palace and also developed the city. It was the summer capital of Gwalior State and government offices were shifted here in summer months. Shivpuri was constituted as a district in erstwhile Madhya Bharat and continues as such with practically no change since 1951.

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