Kasganj

History

Kasganj, which lies in the historical region of Braj, was also known as "Khasganj" during Mughal and British periods. According to Imperial Gazetteer of India Vol. XV (1908) by William Wilson Hunter, Kasganj came in the hands of James V. Gardner, who was employed by the Marathas and later by the British service. Gardner later died in Chhaoni, Kasganj. Gardner's father Colonel William Linnaeus Gardner was also stationed there. William Gardner built his estate in Kasganj after retiring from the army. He also died in Kasganj, in July 1835. William and James Gardner belonged to the lineage of Baron Gardner of Uttoxeter, England. Famous writer and historian William Dalrymple came to Kasganj in search of Julian Gardner, heir to the English Barony, while researching for his book White Mughals. The book Wanderings of a Pilgrim in Search of the Picturesque by Fanny Parkes gives details of her visits to Kasganj (then called "Khasgunge") and mentions the town and the Gardner family. An older description mentioned Kasganj as standing on an elevated site, its drainage flowing towards the Kali Nadi ("black stream"), which runs about a mile southeast of the town. The town was constituted a municipality in 1868. Kasganj's position in the strategic Indo-Gangetic plain figured in military and political vicissitudes of ancient kingdoms, from the Mahabharata onwards. It formed part of the grand empire of Harshavardhana, and it finds mention in the accounts of the 7th century Chinese pilgrim Hsien Tsang (Xuanzang), who passed this way in 647 AD. Near Kasganj is a village called Atranjikhera, where Lord Gautam Buddha once kept his anniversary, and the place is revered as a holy pilgrim place for Buddhists. Excavations began in 1962 and revealed that site was occupied from 1200 BCE to 300…

Geography

Kasganj is located at . It has an average elevation of 177 metres (580 feet) above sea level. The Kasganj block was established on 26 January 1956. The Patiyali block was established on 2 October 1957. The Sahawar and Amapur block was established on 1 April 1958. The Soron block was established on 2 October 1958. The Ganjdundwara block was established on 1 April 1959. The Sidhpura block is established on 2 October 1959.

Most-observed species

• White-throated Kingfisher

  Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12
• House Crow

  Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  11
• Common Myna

  Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  11
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  11
• Jungle Babbler

  Turdoides striata (Dumont, 1823) · Aves
  11
• Black Kite

  Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  10
• White-breasted Waterhen

  Amaurornis phoenicurus (Pennant, 1769) · Aves
  9
• Red-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  9