Meemobaidullah at 15:27, 12 March 2026

2026-03-12T15:27:47Z

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{{More citations needed|date=September 2023}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Maihar
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Mai Ka Har
| nickname =
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline = Sharada_Temple_Maihar.JPG
| image_caption = [[Maa Sharda Mandir, Maihar]]
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| mtion =
| pushpin_map = India Madhya Pradesh#India3
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt = Maihar on a map of Madhya Pradesh
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|24.262|N|80.761|E|display=inline, title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flagu|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Administrative divisions of India|Region]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Baghelkhand]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts in India|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Maihar district|Maihar]]
| established_title = 
| established_date = 1778
| founder =
| named_for =
| governing_body =
| leader_party = (BJP)
| leader_title = MLA
| leader_name = Shri Shrikant Chaturvedi
| leader_title2 = MP
| leader_name2 = Ganesh Singh (BJP)
| leader_title3 = Municipal Corporation
| leader_name3 = Geeta Soni (BJP)
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 367
| population_total = 54,000
| population_as_of = 2023
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi]]
| demographics1_title2 = Local
| demographics1_info2 = [[Bagheli language|Bagheli]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|Pin Code]]
| postal_code = 485771
| area_code_type = [[Communications in India|Telephone]]
| area_code = 07674
| registration_plate = MP-19
| footnotes =
| website = {{URL|https://maihar.nic.in/en/}}
}}
'''Maihar''' is a city in [[Maihar district]] of the Indian state of [[Madhya Pradesh]]. It is the district's administrative headquarters. Maihar is noted for the [[Maa Sharda Mandir, Maihar|Maa Sharda Temple]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maihartemple.com/about-maihar-temple/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813112529/https://www.maihartemple.com/about-maihar-temple/|archive-date=2018-08-13|title= About Maihar Temple by Maihartemple.com |publisher= Maihar temple}}</ref> one of the [[Shakta pithas|Shakti Peeth]].

==Origin of the name==

According to legend, when [[Shiva]] carried the body of the mother goddess (''Mai'' in Hindi) [[Sati (Hindu goddess)|Sati]], her necklace (''har'' ) fell at this place.<ref>''Maihar Darshan Guide'' (Ed. Laxmi Prasad Soni), Vidyasagar Book Stall, Satna, p. 5</ref>{{better source needed|date=September 2023}} Local residents believe that the warriors [[Alha]] and [[Udal of Mahoba|Udal]], under the [[Chandelas of Jejakabhukti|Chandel]] king [[Paramardideva]], fought [[Prithvi Raj Chauhan]] and were the first to visit the goddess in the forest. They called her "Sharda Mai", and she became known as "Mata Sharda Mai". Alha worshiped her for 12 years and reached immortality with Saraswati's blessing.

==History==

Maihar's history dates back to the [[Paleolithic]]. It was the former capital of the [[princely state]] of [[Maihar State|Maihar]]. The state was founded in 1778 by [[Jogi (caste)|Jogis]] who were granted land by the ruler of the nearby state of [[Orchha]]. It became a princely state of [[British India]] during the early 19th century, and was administered as part of [[Bundelkhand]] in the [[Central India Agency]]. Bundelkhand's eastern states (including Maihar) were separated to form the new agency of [[Bagelkhand]] in 1871. In 1933, Maihar and ten other states in western Bagelkhand were returned to Bundelkhand. The state had an area of {{convert|407|sqmi|km2}} and a population of 63,702 in 1901. Watered by the [[Tamsa River]], it consists primarily of alluvial soil covering sandstone and is fertile except for the southern hills. A large area was forested, and the city experienced a severe famine in 1896–1897. Maihar became a station on the [[East Indian Railway]] (the present-day [[West Central Railway]]) line between [[Satna]] and [[Jabalpur]], {{convert|97|mi|km}} north of Jabalpur. Extensive ruins of shrines and other buildings surround Maihar.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Maihar |volume=17 |page=429}}</ref> Maihar is part of the [[Satna Lok Sabha constituency]] with six other [[State legislative assemblies of India|Vidhan Sabha]] constituencies: [[Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh Assembly constituency|Chitrakoot]], [[Raigaon Assembly constituency|Raigaon]], [[Satna Assembly constituency|Satna]], [[Amarpatan Assembly constituency|Amarpatan]], [[Nagod Assembly constituency|Nagod]] and [[Rampur-Baghelan Assembly constituency|Rampur-Baghelan]]. [[Shrikant Chaturvedi]] is the MLA for the [[Maihar Assembly constituency]].

==Attractions==

The [[Maa Sharda Mandir, Maihar|Maa Sharda Mandir]], built around 502 CE, is at the top of Trikut hill. The hill has 1,064 steps and a ropeway. Other temples in Maihar are the Golamath, Oila, Badi Mai, Bada Akhada and Icchapurti temples. The home of musician [[Allauddin Khan]] has been restored in his memory.

==Elevation and rainfall==
Maihar is located at {{coord|24.27|N|80.75|E|}}.<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/35/Maihar.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Maihar]</ref> It has an average elevation of 367 metres (1204 ft). The area receives moderate rainfall, primarily in July and August.

==Demographics==

Maihar town is divided into 18 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The Maihar Municipality has population of 40,192 of which 21,031 are males while 19,161 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/madhya-pradesh/satna/maihar-population.html | title=Maihar Tehsil Population Satna, Madhya Pradesh, List of Villages & Towns in Maihar Tehsil }}</ref>

The population of children aged 0-6 is 5238 which is 13.03% of total population of Maihar (M). In Maihar Municipality, the female sex ratio is 911 against state average of 931. Moreover, the child sex ratio in Maihar is around 875 compared to Madhya Pradesh state average of 918. literacy rate of Maihar city is 81.99% higher than the state average of 69.32%. In Maihar, male literacy is around 87.82% while the female literacy rate is 75.62%

===Religion===
[[Hinduism]] is the majority religion in Maihar, accounting for about 81%. [[Jainism]] accounts for 17%, and there are also a small number of Others (approximately 0.23%).
<gallery mode=packed>
View from Sharda temple Maihar1.JPG|alt=A winding river, seen from above|View from the Maa Sharda temple
View from Sharda temple Maihar2.JPG|alt=A pond, seen from above|View of the pond from the temple
Night view of sharda temple.jpg|alt=Night view of the Maa Sharda temple in 2019|Night view of the Maa Sharda Mandir from a local market in 2019
Alha Udal pond maihar.jpg|alt=A human-made pond, with vegetation|Pond of Alha and Udal, near the Maa Sharda temple
Alha Dev Mandir Maihar.jpg|alt=Two young people looking at an indoor shrine|The Alha Dev temple, near the Maa Sharda temple
</gallery>

==Transport==

[[File:Maihar railway station.JPG|thumb|alt=An outdoor railway station, seen from above|The Maihar railway station in 2009]]
Maihar is connected to [[National Highway 7 (India)|National Highway 7]]. The [[Mahakoshal Express]] provides a direct connection from Delhi's [[Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station|Hazrat Nizamuddin station]]. [[Maihar railway station]] is between the [[West Central Railway zone|West Central Railway's]] [[Katni Junction railway station|Katni]] and [[Satna Junction railway station|Satna]] stations. Many pilgrims attend the [[Navaratri|Nav Ratra]] festivals. The nearest airport is [[Satna Airport]] and bus service is available in the city.

==Music==

Maihar is noted in [[Indian classical music]] as the birthplace of the [[Maihar gharana]], a ''[[gharana]]'' (school or style) of [[Hindustani music]]. [[Allauddin Khan]] (d. 1972) lived in Maihar for many years and was the court musician in Maihar Raja's palace. His students popularised the ''gharana'' during the 20th century, and included [[Ravi Shankar]] and [[Nikhil Banerjee]]. The first Ustad Allauddin Khan music conference was hosted by Shri Deep Chand Jain in 1962.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Maihar}}

{{Rewa Division}}
{{MP Princely States}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Satna district]]
[[Category:Satna]]
[[Category:Religion in Madhya Pradesh]]

Maihar - Revision history

Meemobaidullah at 15:27, 12 March 2026