Loharu

History

Rao Shekha, a Shekhawat rajput (sub-branch of Kachwaha or Kushwaha), was the founder of Shekhawati, who originally divided Shekhawati into 33 Thikana (also called a Pargana), each styled as Thakur with at least a 'kuccha' mud fort, some of which were fortified further with stone. After him, additional thikanas were granted to the descendants of subsequent generations. * 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". * Loharu Thikana, Loharu was founded as 33rd Thikana in the year 1588 A.D by the Thakur Narhar Das, a direct decedent of Rao Shekha. Loharu was then a small village with a 'kuccha' mud fort and stayed as such until 1800 A.D. During This period two important battles were fought here. The first war in 1671 A.D, during the time of Aurangzeb, was fought between Thakur Madan Singh and the Mughal Governor of Hisar for Refusing to pay the Land Revenue. The other was fought between the then Thakur Kirat Singh and Thakur Baghwan Das Singh of Khetri who claimed Loharu as part of Khetri. Thakur Baghwan Das Singh was killed in this battle outside the Loharu Fort and a Chhatri was built as a samadhi in his honour at the place where he was cremated, which is located about 1 km from the Fort. The Loharu pargana thereafter passed on to the direct…