Jaigarh Fort, located around 15 km from 

Jaipur, is one of the most spectacular forts in India, with almost all its

original facilities intact. While Jaigarh Fort is on top of the hill, Amber Fort is at the bottom. The forts are connected

through well-guarded passages. Many consider the two together as one complex.[1]

Jaigarh Fort was a center of artillery production for the Rajputs and it is home to the world's largest cannon on

wheels, the Jaivana. The foundries provide fascinating information for the visitors. The manner in which they drew in

blasts of air from the desert is most intriguing. A 5km long canal can be seen entering the fort complex to bring in

water from the high hills and store in the fort for the armymen. A huge water tank is centrally located connecting the

canal. It is assumed that the Kings of Amber/Jaipur used the compartments below the water tank to store the gold

and jewellery of the royal family. It is said that this tank was opened during the Emergency declared by the Indian

Prime Minister Indira Gandhiduring 1975-1977. Views of the barren Aravalli Hills gradually disappearing into the

desert haze can keep one engrossed for hours.[2][3]

Kumbhalgarh (also called Kumbhalmer or Kumbalgarh) is a Mewar fortress in theRajsamand
District of Rajasthan state in western India. Built during the course of the 15th century by Rana Kumbha, and
enlarged through the 19th century, Kumbhalgarh is also a birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the great king and warrior
of Mewar. Occupied until the late 19th century, the fort is now open to the general public as a museum and is
spectacularly lit for a few minutes each evening. Kumbalgarh is situated 82 km from Udaipur towards its northwest
and is easily accessible by road. It is the most important fort in Mewar after Chittaurgarh.

The site where Kumbhalgarh stands today was once a bastion, was once ruled by Prince Samprati and his dynasty

who were Jain descendents of Mauryan emperors of India during the 2nd century CE.

Kumbhalgarh in its present form was developed by, and said to be personally designed by Rana Kumbha. Rana

Kumbha's kingdom of Mewar stretched from Ranthambore to Gwalior and included large tracts of erstwhile Madhya

Pradesh as well as Rajasthan. Out of the 84 forts in his dominion, Rana Kumbha is said to have designed 32 of them,

of which Kumbhalgarh is the largest and most elaborate.

Kumbhalgarh also separated Mewar and Marwar from each other and was used as a place of refuge for the rulers of

Mewar at times of danger. A notable instance was in the case of Prince Udai, the infant king of Mewar who was

smuggled here in 1535, when Chittaur was under siege. Prince Udai who later succeeded to the throne was also the

founder of the Udaipur City. Kumbhalgarh was captured by the combined armies of Emperor Akbar, along with the

armies of Raja Man Singh of Amber and Raja Udai Singh of Marwar . The fort's capitulation was accelerated by the

scarcity of drinking water.

Mehrangarh Fort, located in Jodhpur city in Rajasthan state is one of the largest forts in India.

The fort is situated 400 feet (122 m) above the city, and is enclosed by imposing thick walls. Inside its boundaries

there are several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards. A winding road leads to and

from the city below. The imprints of cannonball hits by attacking armies of Jaipur can still be seen on the second gate.

To the left of the fort is the chhatri of Kirat Singh Soda, a soldier who fell on the spot defending the Mehrangarh fort.

There are seven gates, which include Jayapol (meaning 'victory') built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his

victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Fattehpol (also meaning 'victory') gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to

mark the defeat of the Mughals. The palm imprints upon these still attract much attention even today.

The museum in the Mehrangarh fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan. In one section of the fort

museum there is a selection of old royal palanquins, including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol palanquin, which

was won in a battle from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730. The museum exhibits the heritage of the Rathores in arms,

costumes, paintings and decorated period rooms.

Jaisalmer Fort is one of the largest forts in the world. It is situated inJaisalmer city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It
was built in 1156 AD by the Bhati Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal, from where it derives it name. The fort stands proudly
amidst the golden stretches of the great Thar Desert, on Trikuta Hill, and has been the scene of many battles. Its
massive yellow sandstone walls are a tawny lion color during the day, fading to honey-gold as the sun sets, thereby
camouflaging the fort in the yellow desert. For this reason, it is also known as the "Golden Fort".

History

A view of the fortress above the city, in the evening

During medieval times, the city played a major role in trade with Persia, Arabia, Egypt and Africa. The fort contains 3

layers of walls. The outer or the lower layer is made out of solid stone blocks and it reinforces the loose rubble of

Trikuta Hill. The second, or middle, wall snakes around the fort. From the innermost, or third, wall, the Rajput warriors

once hurled boiling oil and water as well as massive blocks of rock at their enemies, who would become entrapped

between the second and third walls. This defenses of the fort include 99 bastions, of which 92 were built between the

period of 1633-47.
Junagarh Fort (Rajasthani: जुनाग्द क़िला) is a fort in the city ofBikaner, Rajasthan, India. The fort was originally
called Chintamaniand was renamed Junagarh or "Old Fort" in the early 20th century when the ruling family moved
to Lalgarh Palace outside the fort limits. It is one of the few major forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop. The
modern city of Bikaner has developed around the fort.[1][2][3]

The fort complex was built under the supervision of Karan Chand, the Prime Minister of Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler

of Bikaner, who ruled from 1571 to 1611 AD. Construction of the walls and associated moat commenced in 1589 and

was completed in 1594. It was built outside the original fort of the city, about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from the city

centre. Some remnants of the old fort are preserved near the Lakshmi Narayan temple.[1][3][4]

Historical records reveal that despite the repeated attacks by enemies to capture the fort, it was not taken, except for

a lone one-day occupation by Kamran Mirza. Kamran was the second son of the Mughal Emperor Babur who

attacked Bikaner in 1534, which was then ruled by Rao Jait Singh. In the battle, the Mughals were defeated

by Rathors. Kamran then returned to Lahore.[5]

The 5.28 hectares large fort precinct is studded with palaces, temples and pavilions.[2] These buildings depict a

composite culture, manifest in the mix of architectural styles.[6]

Nahagarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the pink city of Jaipur in the Indian state
of Rajasthan. The view of the city from the fort is breath taking. Along with Amber Fort andJaigarh Fort it formed a
strong defence ring for the city. During the Sepoy revolt of 1857, Nahagarh served as a refuge for Europeans fleeing
from the havoc created by mutineers in neighboring states.

The word Nahargarh means the abode of tigers. Legends say that it was name after Prince Nahar whose spirit
haunted the place and obstructed construction of the fort. Built mainly in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, it is
partially in ruins. It was extended in 1868. The rooms are linked by corridors and still have some delicate frescos.
There are nine apartments for the nine queens the Maharaja had and all are well planned and decorated. Nahargarh
is also called the hunting residence of Maharajas
Taragarh Fort
Taragarh Fort or 'Star Fort' is the most impressive of structures of city of Bundi in Indian state of Rajasthan. A rather

ramshackle fort, with its overgrown vegetation, is located around 39 km from Kota. It was constructed in AD 1354

upon a steep hillside. There are three gateways to the fort, well known as Lakshmi Pol, Phuta Darwaza and Gagudi ki

Phatak. Most parts of these impressive gateways are now in ruins. During its heyday, Taragarh Fort was renowned

for its tunnels crisscrossing the entire hillside. However, these tunnels are now inaccessible for want of proper maps.

The largest of its battlements is the 16th century bastion known as the Bhim Burj, on which was once mounted a

particularly large cannon called Garbh Gunjam, or 'Thunder from the Womb'.

This erstwhile Chauhan bastion has some huge water reservoirs. These reservoirs were built to store water and

supply it to the residents during time of crisis. The reservoirs have been carved out of the rocky base of the fort. Rani

Mahal is a small palace within the fort complex, built for the wives and concubines of rulers. The Mahal has, however

lost most of its charm as the shine of its spectacular murals and stained glass windows have completely faded away.

The fort also has Miran Saheb ki Dargah. He was the governor of the fort and laid down his life in an encounter. The

Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra mosque is about 3 km from Taragarh Fort.

It offers a panoramic view of the city of Bundi situated in Nagpahari of Aravalli ranges.
Chittorgarh Fort (Hindi/Rajasthani: चित्तौड क़िला Chittorgarh Qila) is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the

state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several

kilometres by road south of Bhilwara. It was ruled initially by Guhilot and later by Sisodias, the Suryavanshi clans

of Chattari Rajputs, from 7th century, until it was finally abandoned in 1568 after the siege by Emperor Akbar in 1567.

It sprawls majestically over a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) in height spread over an area of 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the

plains of the valley drained by the Berach River. The fort precinct with an evocative history is studded with a series of

historical palaces, gates, temples and two prominent commemoration towers. These monumental ruins have inspired

the imagination of tourists and writers for centuries.[1][2][3]

The fort was sacked three times between 15th and 16th centuries; in 1303 Allauddin Khilji defeated Rana Ratan

Singh, in 1535 Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat defeated Bikramjeet Singh and in 1567Emperor

Akbar defeated Maharana Udai Singh II who left the fort and founded Udaipur. Each time the men fought bravely

rushing out of the fort walls charging the enemy but lost every time. Following these defeats, Jauhar was committed

thrice by more than 13,000 ladies and children of the Rajput heroes who laid their lives in battles at Chittorgarh Fort,

first lead by Rani Padmini wife of Rana Rattan Singh who was killed in the battle in 1303, and later by Rani

Karnavati in 1537 AD.[1][2][4]

Thus, the fort represents the quintessence of tribute to the nationalism, courage, medieval chivalry and sacrifice

exhibited by the Mewar rulers of Sisodia and their kinsmen and women and children, between the 7th century and

16th century. The rulers, their soldiers, the women folk of royalty and the commoners considered death as a better

option than dishonor in the face of surrender to the Musliminvading armies.

Gwalior Fort (Hindi: ग्वालियर क़िला Gwalior Qila) in Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, stands on

an isolated rock, overlooking the Gwalior town, and contains a number of historic buildings. It is one of the biggest

forts in India and a postage stamp has been issued by the Indian Postal Service to commemorate the importance of

this fort. From historical records, it is established that it was built in the 8th century. The fortress and the city have

been integral to the history of the kingdoms of North India. It is said that the Mughal Emperor Babur (1483–1531)

described it as, "The pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind". The fort, also given the epithet "Gibraltar of India',

provides a panoramic view of the old Gwalior town, which is to its east.[1][2][3]

The fort’s history relates to two parts namely, the main fort and the Gurjari Mahal and the Man Mandir palace. The

first part was built during the early Tomar rule, while the second part, the Gurjari Mahal (now a Museum) and the

palace, was constructed by Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century for his favourite queen, Mrignayani.[1]

Gwalior Fort also occupies a unique place in the human civilization as the place which has the first recorded use of

zero ever. Also referred as 'Shunya' in sanskrit, this site is of mathematical interest because of what is written on a

tablet recording the establishment of a small 9th century Hindu temple on the eastern side of the plateau (marked by

the '0' on the nineteenth century map at the left). By accident, it records the oldest "0" in India for which one can

assign a definite date.[

Agra Fort (Hindi: आगरा क़िला, Urdu: ‫قلعہ‬ ‫ )آگرہ‬is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India. It is about
2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a

walled city.

It is the most important fort in India. The great Mugals, Humayun, Akbar,Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived

here, and the country was governed from here. It contained the largest state treasury and mint. It was visited by

foreign ambassadors, travelers and dignitaries.

it was originally a brick fort,held by the sikarwar.it was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when

a Ghanznavide force captured it. Sikandar Lodi (1487–1517) was the first Sultan of Delhi who shifted to Agra and

lived in the fort. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the second capital. He died

in the fort in 1517 and his son, Ibrahim Lodi, held it for nine years until he was defeated and killed at Panipat in 1526.

Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort during his period.

After Panipat, Mughals captured the fort and a vast treasure - which included a diamond that was later named as

the Koh-i-Noor diamond - was seized. Baburstayed in the fort in the palace of Ibrahim. He built a baoli (step well) in

it.Humayun was crowned here in 1530. Humayun was defeated in Bilgram in 1540. Sher Shah held the fort for five

years. The Mughals defeated theAfghans finally at Panipat in 1556.

Realizing the importance of its central situation, Akbar made it his capital and arrived in Agra in 1558. His historian,

Abdul Fazal, recorded that this was a brick fort known as 'Badalgarh' . It was in a ruined condition and Akbar had it

rebuilt with red sandstone from Barauli area in Rajasthan. Architects laid the foundation and it was built with bricks in

the inner core with sandstone on external surfaces. Builders worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573.

It was only during the reign of Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site took on its current state. The legend is

that Shah Jahan built the beautiful Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan tended

to have buildings made from white marble, often inlaid with gold or semi-precious gems. He destroyed some of the

earlier buildings inside the fort in order to make his own.

At the end of his life, Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. It is rumored that Shah

Jahan died inMusamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with a view of the Taj Mahal.

The fort was the site of a battle during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which caused the end of the British East India

Company's rule in India, and led to a century of direct rule of India by Britain

Gohad Fort (Hindi: गोहद क़िला Gohad Qila) is situated at Gohad city in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is
located at 26° 25' 34N and 78° 26' 41E. The town is situated at a distance of 45 km from Gwalior.

History

According to Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, people of the Jat caste from village Bamrauli (near Agra)

settled the town of Gohad in 1505. This later developed into an important Jat stronghold. The Jat rulers of Gohad

were awarded the title of rana. The Rana Jat ruler Singhandev II founded Gohad fort and the Gohad state in 1505.

Gohad state had 360 forts and fortresses all around for the protection of their people. Out of these Gohad fort is most

important and unique example architecture of Jat rulers. It had the same style of architecture as used by the Jat

rulers in Bharatpur Fort.

The site of fort

The site of Gohad fort was selected strategically on the Vaisli River where it takes a circular turn. The Gohad fort is in

circular shape. It is protected by the rampart constructed around the fort in a length of 5 km. The river was dug and

flow of river was extended up to the fort to take a semi circular shape.[3]

The fort has 7 gates named after the villages to which they face and the way they lead to. These are Itayli (in south),

Barthara (in west), Gohadi (in northwest), Birkhari (in northeast), Kathwan (in east), Kharaua (in southeast) and

Saraswati.
Chanderi is a town of historical importance in Ashoknagar District of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is situated at a
distance of 127 km fromShivpuri,37 km from Lalitpur,55 km from Ashok Nagar and about 45 km fromEsagarh It is
surrounded by hills southwest of the Betwa River. Chanderi is surrounded by hills, lakes and forests and there are
several monuments of theBundela Rajputs and Malwa sultans. Chanderi finds mention in Mahabharata. Shishupal
was the king of Mahabharata period.

Chanderi is located strategically on the borders of Malwa and Bundelkhand. History of Chanderi goes back to the
11th century, when it was dominated by the trade routes of Central India and was proximate to the arterial route to
the ancient ports of Gujarat as well as to Malwa, Mewar, Central India and theDeccan. Consequently, Chanderi
became an important military outpost.

Dominating the skyline of this lovely old town is a vast Mughal fort known asChanderi fort. Its main gate is known as

the "Khooni Darwaza". Chanderi fort is situated on a hill 71 meter above the town. The fortification walls were

constructed mainly by the Muslim rulers of Chanderi. To the southwest of the fort there is a curious gateway called

katti-ghatti made through a hill side.

Chanderi is famous for its hand-woven Chanderi sarees. It is a renowned centre for traditional weavers of saree. The

Chanderi sarees have sophistication hard to match.The Chanderi saree is a common name in middle & rich societies
and is in high demand everywhere.

At a distance of 19 km from present Chanderi town is situated the Buddhi (old) Chanderi. Buddhi Chanderi is situated

on the banks of Urvashi river. It is believed that the Chaidnagar mentioned in Puranas is same as Buddhi

Chanderi.There is a myth that when Raja Nala left Damayanti asleep in the forests of Narwar she moved through

dense forests and reached Chaidnagar protecting her self from wild animals. The route

through forests from Narwar to Chanderi is very short. A number of 9th and 10th century Jain temples are there in

Buddhi Chanderi attracting thousands of Jain pilgrims from all over the country
Rajgad (Marathi: राजगड), literally meaning King of forts, one of the forts ofMaharashtra state in India. Situated in

the Pune district, the fort is approximately 4250 feet above sea level.

Formerly known as Murumdev, it was capital of the Maratha Kingdom (Hindavi Swarajya) ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji

Maharaj for almost 26 years, after which he moved to Raigad fort and made that his capital.

Treasure found on adjacent Torna Fort was used to fortify this hill.

Location

The fort is 42 km to the south west of Pune, about 15–16 km west of Nasrapur, in the Sahyadris range.

The fort can be divided into four different parts based on geographical terrain and fortification. These are the three

sub-plateaux (Machee) namely Padmavati Machee, Suvela Machee and Sanjevani Machee, and the central volcanic

plug called Ballekilla (meaning "small fort").

Padmavati Machee (north end)

This machee is the site of Padmavati Temple, Padmavati Lake, Chor Darwaja, Pali Darwaja, Gunjavane Darwaja,

Daru Kothar (storage of arms and ammunition), Diwankhana, Rajwada (ruins), Ghod Tale (Horse Lake), Sadar

(office) and Dhalkathi (flag hoisting place)..It is also a site of Samadhi (Tomb) of King Shivaji's first wife, Saibai..

[edit]Sanjeevani Machee (southwest/west end)

The machee faces west and has a three-stepped (layered) fortified structure. Each of the lower levels is separated

from the higher one by a fortified bastion with a gate that could be defended independently. The lowest level is

fortified by double curtain walls (chilkhathi) separated by a deep trench, on average 12 feet across. One can walk

between these walls. The outer wall has openings to let soldiers out for sudden attack.

Bale Killa (centre)

This is the highest part of the fort which has remains of palaces, water cisterns and caves. It has an entrance door

called Mahadarwaja. One can view the whole fort and the vast surrounding expanse.
Dandi March
The Salt March to the remote seaside village of Dandi, about 320 km from Ahmedabad, and the Civil Disobedience
campaign it launched was the greatest nonviolent battle by history's greatest nonviolent campaigner. Mahatma
Gandhi himself saw this as the quintessence of his philosophy in action.
The Salt March is about a battle by an astute political campaigner to free his country from the yoke of British
colonialism. Here we have the skinny, scantily dressed 61- year-old Mahatma armed with nothing but a bamboo staff
marching to the sea with a handful of followers, mostly young, in an attempt to liberate India. 
The Salt March sees Gandhi and his followers leaving his ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati river on the outskirts
of Ahmedabad on March 12, 1930 and breaking the British salt laws about three weeks later at the seaside hamlet of
Dandi. This launched a mass struggle that filled the prisons and shook the foundations of the British empire. 
But the Salt March was more than a mass political action. Gandhi saw the march as a pilgrimage, as a living sermon.
It was not merely about removing the British but to demonstrate what an ideal nonviolent society should look like, how
ideal lives should be lived. 
On the morning of April 6, Gandhi picked up a handful of saline mud that had to be cleaned during the day to extract
the small quantity of salt that was auctioned for the benefit of the national cause that evening, and a mass movement
was born. But was this movement a success? 

All classes did not participate equally in the struggle and the campaign did not heal the growing rift
between Hindus and Muslims. Although tens of thousands were imprisoned, this amounted to only one-fifth of 1 per
cent of the population. 
Following inconclusive talks in Delhi and London, and with Gandhi again languishing in jail, the movement eventually
petered out. The salt laws were not repealed and freedom did not come to India for another 17 years. 
For some this has meant that the Salt March, and the Civil Disobedience campaign it initiated, were failures. But
there were also large political pluses: the world, especially America, came to see the moral legitimacy of India's
cause (Gandhi became Time magazine's Man of the Year for 1930).

Under the tutelage of Gandhi the proto-feminist, for the first time women became significant players in the Indian
political system. 
And much to the disgust of Churchill, who was appalled by the "nauseating and humiliating spectacle of this one time
Inner Temple lawyer, now seditious fakir, striding half-naked up the steps of the Viceroy's palace to parley on equal
terms with the representative of the King-Emperor", for the first time the British were forced to talk eye-to-eye with the
leader of a subject nation.The events set in place by the pilgrimage to Dandi also brought vast yet hard to
quantify changes to India. As Jawaharlal Nehru, independent India's first Prime Minister, was to remark a few years
later: "People of common clay felt the spark of life." 
And perhaps it is here, not in the limited world of international power politics, that the greatest gift of struggle from
Gandhi can be found. To understand the deeper meaning of Gandhi's Salt March, we have to trace his journey from
Sabarmati to Dandi. Why did Gandhi pick salt as the focus of the campaign? Why a pilgrimage with a handful of the
chosen to the backblocks, instead of taking mass demonstrations to the centre of power?

Salt, the only mineral substance consumed by humans, had been heavily taxed by the British for over 40 years and
for 40 years nationalist leaders, including Gandhi, had been protesting against the tax.

Gandhi knew the mind of his people. A focus on the salt laws was easy to understand. Also, the salt campaign was to
be a non-elitist one. Everyone from the humblest peasant upwards could easily break the law by manufacturing salt,
by selling it, or giving it away.

"The course of action was adopted, as it is always adopted, by the Mahatma in obedience to the voice of the inner-
self". 

Viewed in this light, no matter how one interprets the political successes or otherwise of this key campaign in modern
Indian political history, whatever one thinks of the amazing event that was the Dandi March, there can be no failure
for someone who was doing what he had to do and reminding people that they too should be doing what they have to
do.

In order to do the right thing, in order to be true to themselves, in order to be free. 

Chauri Chaura (Hindi: चौरी चौरा, Google Earth / Wikimapia Link Urdu: ‫چورا‬ ‫ )چوری‬is a town near Gorakhpur, Uttar
Pradesh, India. The town is famous for an event that took place in February 1922 during British rule when a
police chowki(pron.-chau key) (station) was set on fire by angry citizens, killing 23 policemen inside.

Background

In the early 1920s, Indians, led by Mahatma Gandhi, were engaged in a nationwide non-violent movement that
later became known as the Non-cooperation Movement. The movement sought to oppose the oppression of
the Indian people by British colonial power. Using non-violent methods of civil disobedience known
as Satyagraha, protests were organized by the Indian National Congress to challenge oppressive
government regulatory measures such as the Rowlatt Act with the ultimate goal ofswaraj or independence
from British rule.Though the majority of Indians supported the Non-cooperation movement, some supporters
did not share Gandhi's firm conviction that violence had no place in the struggle. Others who agreed with
Gandhi in principle, lacked his discipline and inclined toward violence as an emotional reaction when they
felt threatened or attacked. The increasing tension and hostility between the British ruling class and their
Indian subjects meant that violence, though not sanctioned by the movement was all but inevitable.

The incident
On February 4, 1922, approximately two thousand protesters gathered to picket the liquor shop at the local market in
Chauri Chaura. Armed police were dispatched to control the situation while the crowd marched toward the market
and started shouting anti-government slogans. In an attempt to frighten and disperse the crowd, the police fired
warning shots into the air but this only agitated the crowd who began pelting the police with stones. With the situation
getting out of control, the sub inspector ordered the police to open fire on the advancing crowd, killing three and
wounding several others. Reports vary on the reason for the police retreat with some claiming that the police ran out
of ammunition while others claim that fear of the crowd's unexpectedly courageous and angry reaction to the gunfire
were the cause but whatever the case, in the ensuing chaos, the heavily outnumbered police fell back to the shelter
of the police chowki while the angry mob advanced. Infuriated, the crowd took revenge by setting the chowki ablaze,
killing the 23 officers trapped inside.

Aftermath

In response to the police killings the British authorities declared martial law in and around Chauri Chaura. Several

raids were conducted and hundreds of people were arrested.

Appalled at the carnage, Gandhi went on a five-day fast as penance for what he perceived as his culpability in the

bloodshed. In reflection, Gandhi felt that he had acted too hastily in encouraging people to revolt against the British

Raj without sufficiently emphasizing the importance of ahimsa (non-violence) and without adequately training the

people to exercise restraint in the face of attack. He decided that the Indian people were ill-prepared and not yet

ready to do what was needed to achieve independence. As a direct result of Chauri Chaura he and the Indian

National Congress called for an end to the Non-cooperation movement.

Trial and convictions

173 people were put on trial in connection with the incidents at Chauri Chaura, 3 of whom died before the case came
to a resolution. On April 20, 1923 the Allahabad High Court handed down verdicts. 132 of the 170 facing judgment
were convicted and 38 were acquitted. Of those convicted, 113 received prison terms ranging from two years to life
imprisonment and 19 people were sentenced to death.
Jallianwala bagh Massacre
The Amritsar massacre, known alternately as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre(for after the Jallianwala
Bagh (Garden) in the northernIndian city of Amritsar where, on April 13, 1919 (which happened to be 'Baisakhi' one of
Punjab's largest religious festivals) fifty British Indian Army soldiers, commanded by Brigadier-General Reginald
Dyer, began shooting at an unarmed gathering of men, women and children without warning. The shooting endured
for ten to fifteen minutes, until ammunition was becoming scarce. Dyer ordered soldiers to reload magazines into their
rifles several times and they were ordered to aim and shoot people in order to kill them.[1] Official British Raj sources
estimated the fatalities at 379, and with 1,100 wounded.[2] Civil Surgeon Dr Smith indicated that there were
1,526 casualties.[3] However, the casualty number quoted by theIndian National Congress was more than 1,500, with
roughly 1,000 killed.The 6.5-acre (26,000 m2) garden site of the massacre is located in the vicinity ofGolden
Temple complex, the holiest shrine of Sikhism.The memorial is managed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial
Trust, which was established as per the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act passed by theGovernment of India in
1951.
Non-cooperation movement
The Non-cooperation movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British rule. This

movement, which lasted from 1920 to 1922, was led by Mohandas Gandhi, and supported by the Indian National

Congress. It aimed to resist British occupation of India through non-violent means. Protestors would refuse to buy

British goods, adopt the use of local handicrafts, picket liquor shops, and try to uphold the values of Indian honor and

integrity. The Gandhian ideals ofahimsa or non-violence, and his ability to rally hundreds of thousands of common

citizens towards the cause of Indian independence, were first seen on a large scale in this movement.Among the

significant causes of this movement were colonial oppression, exemplified by the Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh

massacre, economic hardships to the common man due to a large chunk of Indian wealth being exported to Britain,

ruin of Indian artisans due to British factory-made goods replacing handmade goods, and popular resentment with the

British over Indian soldiers dying in World War I while fighting as part of the British Army, in battles that otherwise had

nothing to do with India.The calls of early political leaders like Mohammad Ali Jinnah (who later became communal

and hardened his stand), Annie Besant, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak for home rule were

accompanied only by petitions and major public meetings. They never resulted in disorder or obstruction of

government services. Partly due to that, the British did not take them very seriously. The non-cooperation movement

aimed to ensure that the colonial economic and power structure would be seriously challenged, and British authorities

would be forced to take notice of the people's demands.Swarnav Raj had shown a similar movement in South

Africa and in 1918 in Champaran, Bihar and Kheda, Gujarat that the only way to earn the respect and attention of

Angrez officials was to actively resist government activities through civil disobedience.Now

in Champaran and Kheda in 1918 he led impoverished farmers, mired in social evils like unhygienic conditions,

domestic violence, discrimination, oppression of women and untouchability. On top of their miseries, these people

were forced to grow cash crops like indigo, tobacco and cotton instead of food, and for this they were virtually not

compensated. In addition, they had to pay taxes despite a famine.The Governments of the affected regions signed

agreements suspending taxation in face of the famine, allowing the farmers to grow their own crops, releasing all

political prisoners and returning all property and lands seized. It was the biggest victory against the British
Empire since the American Revolution.Rubul was assisted by a new generations of Indian

revolutionaries like Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru. In Kheda, the entire revolt had been led by Sardar

Vallabhbhai Patel, who was to become Gandhi's right hand man.Millions of Indians were also antagonized by the

Government's support of Mustafa Kemal of Turkey, who had overthrown the Sultan of Turkey, considered

the Caliph of Islam. Hindu leaders formed the Khilafat committee to protest the actions and find a way to effectively

stop the British authorities from neglecting their concerns.A meeting of around thousands of unarmed civilians was

being held at Jallianwala Bagh near the Golden temple in Amritsar. The people were fired upon by soldiers under the

command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer. He also ordered the only exit to be blocked. About 1,000 people died

and an estimated 500 were injured. The outcry in Punjab led to thousands of unrests, protests and more deaths at

hands of the police. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre became the most infamous event of British rule in India. To

Gandhi and many others, it became clear that a reckoning with the British was quite far off...
Champaran is a historic region around  26.8437°N 84.6826°ECoordinates:  26.8437°N 84.6826°E, which now forms

the East Champaran district, and the West Champaran district in Bihar. Champaran was part of erstwhile Bettiah

Raj. Bettiah Raj's eighteen hundred square miles yielding a rental of almost 2 million rupees made it the second

largest zamindari in Bihar belonging to a Bhumihar Brahmin family.[

Boundaries

Champaran District was created in 1866. On 1 December 1971 it was split into two districts: Paschim Champaran

and Purbi Champaran. The headquarter of Paschim Champaran district is at Bettiah. The headquarters of Purbi

Champaran district is at Motihari. Purbi Champaran consists of six subdivisions and twentyseven blocks. Nepal forms

its northern boundary, Sitamadhi and Sheohar are to the east whileMuzaffarpur lies to the south and with part of

Gopalganj bounds it on the west.

Name

The name Champaran derives from Champa-

aranya or Champkatanys. Champa or champaka means magnolia and aranyameans forest. Hence, Champaranya

means forest of magnolia trees. It is believed that the forest was named while its western portion was inhabited by

solitary ascetics.
Round Table Conferences [1930-33]

The Indian political community received the Simon Commission Report issued in June 1930 with great resentment.
Different political parties gave vent to their feelings in different ways.

The Congress started a Civil Disobedience Movement under Gandhi's command. The Muslims reserved their opinion on the
Simon Report declaring that the report was not final and the matters should decided after consultations with the leaders
representing all communities in India.

The Indian political situation seemed deadlocked. The British government refused to contemplate any form of self-
government for the people of India. This caused frustration amongst the masses, who often expressed their anger in
violent clashes.

The Indian political community received the Simon Commission Report issued in June 1930 with great resentment.
Different political parties gave vent to their feelings in different ways.

The Congress started a Civil Disobedience Movement under Gandhi's command. The Muslims reserved their opinion on the
Simon Report declaring that the report was not final and the matters should decided after consultations with the leaders
representing all communities in India.

The Indian political situation seemed deadlocked. The British government refused to contemplate any form of self-
government for the people of India. This caused frustration amongst the masses, who often expressed their anger in
violent clashes.

The Labor Government returned to power in Britain in 1931, and a glimmer of hope ran through Indian hearts. Labor
leaders had always been sympathetic to the Indian cause. The government decided to hold a Round Table Conference in
London to consider new constitutional reforms. All Indian politicians; Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were
summoned to London for the conference.

Gandhi immediately insisted at the conference that he alone spoke for all Indians, and that the Congress was the party of
the people of India. He argued that the other parties only represented sectarian viewpoints, with little or no significant
following.