Overview
Jalaun is a district in the Bundelkhand region of the southern part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Although the district is named after the town of Jalaun, the administrative headquarters are located at Orai. The district forms part of the Kanpur Division and lies between the Yamuna and Betwa rivers, giving it the character of a typical Bundelkhand doab tract.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Region | Bundelkhand |
| Division | Kanpur |
| Headquarters | Orai |
| Major rivers | Yamuna, Betwa, Pahuj |
| Country | India |
Geography
The district occupies a roughly triangular tract bounded by the Yamuna in the north and north-east, and the Betwa in the south and south-west. The Pahuj river drains parts of the western portion of the district. The terrain is largely a level alluvial plain in the north, transitioning to ravined and broken country near the river banks, particularly along the Yamuna. The soils range from fertile loam in the central uplands to sandy and ravined tracts close to the rivers.
Jalaun is bordered by the districts of Auraiya and Kanpur Dehat across the Yamuna to the north, Hamirpur to the east, Jhansi to the south-west, and parts of Madhya Pradesh across the Betwa.
Administration
The district is administered by a District Magistrate. For revenue and general administration it is divided into tehsils, the principal ones being Orai, Jalaun, Konch, and Kalpi. Major urban centres include Orai (district headquarters), Jalaun town, Kalpi, and Konch.
Tehsils and major towns
- Orai – district headquarters and largest town.
- Jalaun – the town from which the district takes its name.
- Kalpi – a historic town on the Yamuna, long associated with paper-making and a centre of trade.
- Konch – an old market town in the southern part of the district.
History
The district lies in the historic region of Bundelkhand and has been associated with successive powers that ruled this tract, including the Chandelas, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and the Marathas. Kalpi, on the Yamuna, was a town of considerable importance in the medieval period as a fortified river port and seat of administration.
In the 18th century the area passed under Maratha influence, with the chiefs of the Peshwa's confederacy holding parts of the territory. Jalaun was held by a branch of the Maratha governors before British paramountcy was extended to the region in the early 19th century. After the death of the last Maratha ruler without a recognised heir, the territory lapsed to the British under the doctrine of lapse and was incorporated into the North-Western Provinces.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Kalpi played a notable role as a centre of resistance. It served as a rallying point for forces associated with Tatya Tope and Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, and saw an important engagement before falling to British forces under Sir Hugh Rose in 1858.
After Indian independence in 1947, Jalaun became a district of Uttar Pradesh. It is presently grouped with the wider Bundelkhand belt for purposes of regional development planning.
Economy
The economy of the district is predominantly agricultural. Principal crops include wheat, gram, pulses, jowar, bajra, and oilseeds, with cultivation depending substantially on canal irrigation drawn from the Betwa system as well as tubewells. Like much of Bundelkhand, the district is vulnerable to drought and uneven monsoon performance.
Traditional industries include handloom weaving and the manufacture of handmade paper at Kalpi, which has a long-standing reputation in this craft. Small-scale agro-processing, dairying, and trade in agricultural produce are also significant, and the urban centres of Orai and Konch function as local market towns.