Loharu

Loharu (also known as Luharu) is a city,

Loharu was the seat of the eponymous princely state of Shekhawati during the British Raj, Thakur rule was established in 1870; and an important reminiscence of that is the Loharu Fort, now a key tourist destination.

Etymology

The town gets its name from the Lohars or blacksmiths of the town who were employed in the minting of coins for the erstwhile Jaipur state.^[3]

History

• Tosham Shekhavati Thikana, was granted as a thikana by Shekhawati ruler Maharaja Mukund Singh in 1870 to Kunwar Abhaya Singh, the son of Maharaja Raj Singh II.
• Mahendragarh Thikana, was granted as a thikana by Shekhawati ruler Maharaja Mukund Singh in 1868 to Kunwar Sheonath Singh I, the son of Maharaja Raj Singh II.
• Madhogarh Thikana and Madhogarh Fort were founded by Madho Singh I in the first half of the 18th century, when he placed the area under the control of Balwant Singh. The fort is named after Madho Singh I; "Madhogarh" literally means "the fort of Madho".^[4]
• Loharu Thikana, Loharu was founded as 33rd
  British East India Company's Company rule in India.^[4]
  Shekhawat Thakurs of Loharu are:
  • Kunwar Arjun Singh (1870–1896)
  • Rajkunwar Silahaditya Singh (1896–1926)
  • Rajkunwar Vikramaditya Singh (1926–1956)
  • Rajkunwar Nagaditya Singh (1956–1988)
  • Shri Sahib Ranaditya Singh (1988–present)

The 'Paragana' under the State of Shekhawati ruled by Thakur Arjun Singh in the year 1870. It was from this year onwards that 'PUKKA' construction of mud Fort and village started.

Over the years of construction come to include an interesting blend of Architecture. The South-Wing of the Fort contained the 'DARBAR' and the 'SHEESH-MAHAL' or the ROOM OF THE MIRRORS which has MUGHAL/RAJPUT style details. The central part of the South-Wing contained a large Victorian Style Audience Chamber and Banquet Hall. The right side of South-Wing consisted of the 'JANANA' Mahal along with the kitchens. The left side of the South-Wing were purely Mughal architecture and contained the 'SNANGHAR'(Baths). The east-wing at the time and was distinct from the 'Shekhawati Haveli 'Style.

The Fort was in the hands of subsequent Thakurs of Loharu till 1971 when the Late Thakur Rajkumar Nagaditya Singh sold it to the Government of Haryana. Since these buildings were not lived in, all the constructions of the North-Wing and West-Wing had collapsed as was part of the east-wing. Only the South-Wing of the fort containing the 'ROSHAN-MANJIL' survives and that too in a very dilapidated State.

Higher and Technical education

There are a number of institutions of higher education located in the Loharu area. The Keystone Group of Institutions, an AICTE approved institution offering BTech and MBA courses from Rajasthan Technical University, is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the Loharu station. Loharu is 30 kilometres (19 mi). from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, one of the best engineering institute in the country.^{[citation needed]} (Pilani, Rajasthan). It is also home to Rani Jhansi Laxmi Bai Govt Polytechnic, located on the Loharu-Bhiwani road and the government P.G College on Bhiwani road, there is a women's PG collage in loharu, near Dadri Mod these offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses and is affiliated to M.D.U, Rohtak.

Transport

• See villages in Loharu tehsil

References

• Genealogy of the Diwan of Loharu
  Queensland University
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Loharu" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 922.