Kanpur (other)

Kanpur (), formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is a large industrial city located in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in year 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations of British India. Kanpur is also the financial capital of Uttar Pradesh and part of upcoming Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority i.e. BIDA Nestled on the banks of Ganges River, Kanpur has been the major financial and industrial centre of North India and also the ninth-largest urban economy in India. Today it is famous for its colonial architecture, gardens, sweets, dialect, IT parks and fine quality leather, plastic and textile products which are exported mainly to the West.

The city is home to historical monuments such as the Jajmau Ghat which dates back to 17th century AD. Kanpur is also home to several historical sites such as the Bithoor Museum, Bhitargaon Temple, European Cemetery and Nanarao Park.

It is the 12th most populous city and the 11th most populous urban agglomeration in India (''Census of India, 2011''). Kanpur was an important British garrison town until 1947, when India gained independence. The urban district of Kanpur ''Nagar'' serves as the headquarters of the Kanpur Division, Kanpur Range and Kanpur Zone.

Some of the more popular places in Kanpur include J. K. Temple, Kanpur Central, ZSquare Mall, Atal Ghat, Green Park Stadium and Ganga Barrage.

According to 2011 Indian census, it is the most populous urban city and the largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh while the population of city and its suburb were around 5 million making it the eighth-most populous metropolitan area in India.

History

In 1207, Raja Kanha-deo of the Kanhpuriya clan of Rajputs established the city of Kanhpur and made it his capital, which later came to be known as Kanpur.

The area was ruled by several rulers of Kannauj, such as Harsha Vardhan, Jai Chand and Mihir Bhoja. It was also ruled by Muslim rulers of the Sur dynasty. In May 1765, Shuja-ud-daula, the Nawab of Awadh, was defeated by the British near Jajmau. From 1773 to 1801, Kanpur was part of the Oudh Kingdom, followed by the treaty of 1801 between Nawab Saadat Ali Khan of Awadh and the British, who realized the strategic importance. Several European businessmen established themselves in Kanpur, during this time.

With the first woollen mill of India, commonly known as the Lal Imli (, for a brand produced by the mill) by the British India Corporation established here in 1876 by Alexander MacRobert. The eastern and northern façades of the mill are reminiscent of the Palace of Westminster, due to their architecture, proximity to the Ganges river and with the north-east corner of the mill being topped by a clock tower similar to Big Ben in London. This similarity underscores the city's importance and prestige during the British times, which extends till date; making the Lal Imli — a great highlight of the city. The city is also widely regarded as the ''"Leather City of the World"'' and is predominantly nicknamed as the ''"Manchester of the East"'', for its chemical, textile and leather industries. Alexander MacRobert has an area named after him in the city, McRobertganj.

1857 Uprising

In the 19th century, Cawnpore was an important British garrison with barracks for 7000 soldiers. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, 900 British men, women and children were besieged in the fortifications for 22 days by rebels under Nana Sahib. They surrendered on the agreement that they would get safe passage to the nearby Sati Chaura Ghat whereupon they would board barges and be allowed to go by river to Allahabad.

Though controversy surrounds what exactly happened at the Sati Chaura Ghat, and who fired the first shot, it is known that, soon afterwards, the departing British were shot at by the sepoys and were either killed or captured. Some of the British officers later claimed that the sepoys had, on purpose, placed the boats as high in the mud as possible, to cause delay. They also claimed that Nana Sahib's camp had previously arranged for the sepoys to fire upon and to kill all of the English. Although the East India Company later accused Nana Sahib of betrayal and murder of innocent people, no evidence has ever been found to prove that Nana Sahib had planned or ordered the massacre. Some historians believe that the Sati Chaura Ghat massacre was the result of confusion and not of any plan implemented by Nana Sahib or of his associates. Lieutenant Mowbray Thomson, one of the four male survivors of the massacre, believed that the rank-and-file sepoys who spoke to him did not know of the killing to come.

Many were killed and the remaining 200 British women and children were brought back to shore and sent to a building called the Bibighar (''House of the Ladies''). After some time, the commanders of the rebels decided to kill their hostages. The rebel soldiers refused to carry out orders and butchers from the nearby town were brought in to kill the hostages three days before the British entered the city on 18 July. The dismembered bodies were thrown into a deep well nearby. The British, under General Neill, retook the city and committed a series of retaliations against the rebel sepoys and those civilians caught in the area, including women, children and old men. The Cawnpore massacre, as well as similar events elsewhere, were seen by the British as justification for unrestrained vengeance. "Remember Cawnpore" became a British war cry for the rest of the war.

Geography

Kanpur is located at in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The city lies at a distance of approx 475 km from national-capital New Delhi and approx 90 km from the state-capital Lucknow. It is a part of the historical region of Awadh.

Situated in the flat Indo-Gangetic Plains, Kanpur has an average elevation of 318 m above sea level. The Ganges flows by the city and several ghats are located on its banks, notably the Sati Chaura Ghat and Sarsaiya Ghat. The Brahmavart Ghat located at Bithoor (25 km northwards) is another ghat of religious importance.

Several parks and recreational areas are located in Kanpur. Nana Rao Park and Phool Bagh are among the prominent parks in city that exist from the time of British Raj. The Moti Jheel, a rectangular lake, was originally developed as a drinking water reservoir. The lake has now been developed as a recreational area with a landscaped garden and a children's park. Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary is also located near Kanpur.

Climate

Like most of lowland northern India, Kanpur has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (''Cwa'') bordering on a hot semi-arid climate (''BSh'') under the Köppen climate classification.

Demographics

As per the provisional results of 2011 census, Kanpur Nagar district has a population of 4,581,000. The literacy rate was 79.65 per cent and sex ratio was 862. There are 35 Parsis in Kanpur with their Fire temple at The Mall. Hinduism is a majority in Kanpur with a sizeable minority of Muslims. Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists are below 2 percent.

Although final data of census 2023 is yet to be declared, population of Kanpur Nagar District is projected as 63,67,963 in year 2023 (estimation as per aadhar ‘UIDAI’ data).

As per 2011 Census, population of Kanpur City and its suburbs was 30,15,645 making it the largest urban agglomeration of Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, urban area of Kanpur City has expanded to a large extent. However, limits of its urban area are still pending for approval by the Government. Tentatively population of Kanpur City and Kanpur metropolitan area in 2024 is projected as 39,26,000 and 51,00,000 respectively as per the data available so far.

Awadhi is the native dialect. Hindi and Urdu