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 Pleasure
resort and capital of the Gond Kings during the 12th century, Jabalpur
was later the seat of the Kalchuri dynasty. The Marathas held sway
over Jabalpur until 1817, when the British wrested it from them and
left their impression on the spacious cantonment with its colonial
residences and barracks. Today Jabalpur is an important administrative
centre, abustle with commercial activity.
The original settlement
in this area was ancient Tripuri and the rulers of this city, the
Hayahaya, are mentioned in the Mahabharata. It passed successively
into Mauryan and then Gupta control until, in 875 AD, it was taken by
the Kalchuri rulers. In the 13th century it was overrun by the Gonds
and by the early 16th century it had became the powerful state of
Gondwana. Though besieged by Mughal armies from time to time, Gondwana
survived until 1789 when it was conquered by the Marathas. Their rule
was unpopular, due largely to the increased activities of the thuggees
who were ritual murderers and bandits. The Marathas were defeated in
1817 and the thuggees subdued by the British who developed the town in
the mid 19th century.
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