Kalpi is a city and a municipal board in Jalaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is on the right bank of the Yamuna.
History
It is believed that the city was known as Kalak dev ki kalpi in the ancient times, later abbreviated to Kalpi. Kalpi is said to have been founded by King Vasudeva at the end of the 4th century. In 1196 it fell to Qutb-ud-din Aybak, the viceroy of Mohammed Ghori, and during the subsequent Muslim period it played a significant part in the history of central India. During Akbar's reign, Kalpi was a governor's seat and had a mint for copper coinage. Kalpi is also considered by some as the birthplace of Ved Vyas, the author of Mahabharata.
About the middle of the 18th century it passed into the hands of the Marathas. It was captured by the British in 1803, and after 1806 remained in British possession until India's independence in 1947. Kalpi was a part of Bundelkhand Agency, formed in 1811, and also housed its headquarters from 1818 to 1824. During this period the political agent to Governor General of India was appointed and headquartered in Kalpi. TheBritish East India Company made it one of their principal stations for providing "commercial investment". In May 1858 Sir Hugh Rose (Lord Strathnairn) defeated here a force of about 10,000 rebels under the Rani of Jhansi.
Archaeology
Kalpi has many historical as well as archaeological sites. Few of them are enlisted below:
- Kalpi Fort
- Lanka Tower (1885, built by Mathura Prashad Nigam, height 225 feet)
- Chaurasi Gumbad (situated along NH 25 towards Orai, it has 84 door arches)
Most recently the archaeological department of Uttar Pradesh has discovered a prehistoric site that has been dated back 45,000 years . Excavation work is in progress on this site. Another place to visit in Kalpi is very beautiful temple of Maharishi Ved Vyasji in birth village of the maharishi 5 km away from Kalpi.
Geography
Kalpi is located has an average elevation of 112 metres (367 feet).
Location and industry
The old town, which is on the Yamuna river, has the ruin of a fort, and several temples of interest, while in the neighborhood are many ancient tombs. Away from the river to the south-east is a lofty modern town ornamented with representations of the battles of the Ramayana. Kalpi is still a centre of local trade (principally in grain, ghee and cotton) with a station on the railway line from Jhansi to Kanpur, which crosses the Yamuna here.
In late 1970s and early 1980s Kalpi was one of the areas in central India affected by dacoits, and was frequented by the much dreaded Phoolan Devi gang. It has been declared an Industrial belt by the Government of India and is known for the handmade paper produced here.