Chirgaon

Jhansi was built as a hilltop fortress of the Maratha kings, built above a town then known as Shankargarh. It may have gotten its name from jhain-si (blurred shadow) for its appearance from a distance. The massive fort still stands, but today "Jhansi" refers both to the city of around 8 million people at its base and to the surrounding region. Far Jhansi's best-known inhabitant was Rani Lakshmi Bai, sometimes described as "India's Joan of Arc", who ruled it in the mid-19th century. She was the widow of the Rajah and, by Indian reckoning, on the old boy's demise their son inherited the throne and she became regent since the lad was quite young. However, the British authorities did not recognise the son's claim because he was adopted; by their rules the throne was vacant so the territory oh-so-conveniently fell to the East India Company. Whatever the British thought, in practice Lakshmi Bai ruled the city.