Part VIII Heading back home via Khajua

Hi There
  After almost a week in Varanasi and Bihar it was time to head back home.However while I was planning my route home I chanced upon this place Khajua,near Bindki,famous for its temples and other historical monuments.I decided to travel back through Khajua.

  Route                         Sasaram-Varanasi-Fathepur-Bindki-Khajua-Bhognipur-Jhansi

  Road side assistance  You will find a lot of help on the road.

  Road condition            Excellent

  Eating joints                I did try local delicacy 

Khajua 52 Imli

  Khajua town is located at about 10 kms away from Bindki. The town is famous for its ancient brick temples,52 Imli and Bagh Badshahi.As one enters the town the first monument is the memorial of 52 Imli,it is located next to forest office inside a huge garden. 

    As the first war of Independence gather momentum a large number of people from Fathepur district participated in it,one of the prominent person was  Thakur Jodha Singh Attaya a rich prominent person from Rasulpur village.On call of Nana saheb he  a started a guerrilla  warfare against the British along with his two trusted aides Dariyawa Singh and Shivdayal Singh.

   On 10 June Jodha Singh attacked and captured govt treasury at Fathepur.On

 07 December 1857,the british started a march to free the besieged Kanpur garrison accordingly a field force under Maj Rinard and Havlock started moving towards Kanpur,however the force was held  and many british were killed by Thakur Jodha Singh and his revolutionaries.However they could not hold the early gains since the british brought the guns from behind and started pounding the position of revolutionaries.

   On 09 December they attacked tehsil office in Jehanabad and imprisoned the Tehsildar,also captured the govt treasury.Due to this guerrilla tactics  the british got harassed  and launched a massive operation to capture Jodha Singh.On 04 Feb 1858 the british  were able to captured son,brother and other family members of Dariyawa singh.The british tortured them to death to know the were about of Jodha Singh,Dariyawa  and Shivdayal Singh.

  With the cruel death of relatives of Dariyawa singh, an all out war broke between British and Jodha Singh.Jodha Singh killed a lot of british informers as well as few white soldiers.

  On 28 April 1858 as he was returning from a operation along with  51 other revolutionaries he was arrested by the british.To extinguish the fire of free India a sham trial was conducted for half a day and Jodha Singh along with his 51 revolutionaries were handed over death sentence .To instill fear amongst the locals they were all hanged on a Tamarind tree ,since 52 people were hanged it came to be known as 52 Imli .As per the locals the growth of tree stopped from that day onwards .Each year till today a martyrs memorial day is celebrated at the same place on 28 April.

  The place is very quite ,kept very clean and beautiful a must visit place.

On road to Khajua

Main monument pillar

Statue of Veer Jodha Singh

The stones have 52 names of martyrs at rear 

Names of 52 martyrs

    After paying respect to this gallant men I moved to the next monument the Bagh Badshahi .While I was crossing the small town I came across this beautiful shiv temple which had this very old paintings ,very unique.

    Such beautiful paintings but this temple is not even mentioned any where,nor are there any sign boards posted.

Bagh Badshahi

   It is located in the middle of the town of Khajua.

    This place witnessed one of the fiercest battle ever fought in India which took place on  05 Jan1659 between Aurangzeb and his brother Shah Shuja .In the battle Shah Shuja and his son  were brutally killed by Auragzeb. To commemorate his victory Aurangzeb constructed various buildings, talab, pavilion, sarai, mosque etc. at Khajuha.

    Two pavilions made of lakhauri brick masonry ,lime mortar , having ornamental sand stone work, stand over a 3.00m high platform measuring 280Mt x35Mt of size. Two sets of flight of steps leading to the garden as well as two fountains are also present.

     Bagh Badshahi was originally a well laid Mughal garden surrounded by a 3m high enclosure walls having entrance gateways at west, south and north sides of the garden, out of which the western one was the main entrance gate to this premises from Khajuha town. 

   The monument is surrounded by encroachment in fact there is farming going on inside the premise of ASI protected monument!!!.

  To go to the monument one has to take a small road next to the post office ,which will take you to the main monument.There is nothing much to see accept large buildings ,slow restoration work is under progress

 

Main monument with fountain

 

Original brick pillars

  Fish design on water fall

Farming inside the monument complex

   As the the north Indian heat was becoming unbearable it was time to move to home.This was the first long solo trip of mine,and it was a beautiful experience,which will remain in my memory for a long time.Till my next blog,

  Ride safe Firm saddle .Adios