General Information (text from Muzzafir Ansari's book, Chanderi, History and Culture)

Chanderi is a beautiful historical town in Madhya Pradesh located in the picturesque Vindhyanchal hill range. Its geographic location is 24.42 N Longitude and 78.11 E Latitude. 360 meters above sea level. It is situated in an extremely healthy climate in the valley of the ancient Betwa river in the district of Ashok Nagar in Madhya Pradesh.

Chanderi is approachable by road from Lalitpur, Shivpuri, Gwalior, and Mungaoli. Lalitpur is the nearest railway station. It is by road about 210-km Southeast of Gwalior, and some 130-km from Jhansi.

The town is set in a valley surrounded on all sides by the Vindhyanchal range creating a setting that is both isolated and secure. Chanderi is a town that has retained its medieval nature and roots, yet is also stepping gingerly into the modern age. There have been many steps to designate Chanderi as a Heritage Town to help preserve the integrity of its many historic landmarks and Indian medieval culture.

During the rainy season the dense forest and mountain range become lush with plants, wildlife, natural brooks, and waterfalls. Rainfall here is between 700 to 1100 mm a year and in the summer temperatures can rise to 45 degrees and in winter down to 5 degrees.

Chanderi is excessively rich in lakes, water tanks, baolis (step wells). During the period of emperor Akbar, 1200 baolis were counted within Chanderi. There are approximately 375 monuments in Chanderi, but only 11 of them are under the protection of the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) and 5 monuments are under the protection of the Madhya Pradesh State Archaeological Department. Some of the monuments are also under private ownership or owned by the Local Government. The monuments of Chanderi date from the 4th Century A.D. to the 19th Century.

More than 50 percent of Chanderi's population is involved with hand loom cottage industries, making sari, and salwar kamees, and other dress fabric. The other industries here are bidi making, sand stone cutting.

Today the population of Chanderi is Muslim, Hindu and Jain. Current population is about 40,000. Chanderi is a Tehsil and Sub-Divisional head quarter.

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History

The town of Chanderi is set in the midst of the natural beauty of the Vindyachal Range. Through the flow of time Chanderi has played a part in the religious, mythical, political, and glorious history of North India.
Hindu, Jain, and Muslim religion have all flowered to their peak and lived in harmony here. The people of Chanderi have all gained from the mixture of beliefs and culture and even today there is religious harmony that can be seen in the metaphor of the tana and the bana, the warp and weft that make the weave of the famous fabric that is hand woven here.
Chanderi is full of historical landmarks, dating from the 11th century through the medieval periods of the 13th to the 18th centuries and to modern times. Its history has witnessed good and bad periods, flowering and decline over the centuries, It is a place lost in time yet with one foot gingerly stepping into to modern world. As one walks through Chanderi its historic places, memorials, and relics seem to reach out silently to tell of its past.
In the early Vedic period it is said that Chanderi was founded by Krishna's cousin. Myth states that during the 6th century B.C. Chanderi was established by King Ched and in his name Chanderi was called an administrative township. One of the earliest and the established fable as to the founding of present day Chanderi dates to the 11th Century, is the story of the miracle of water. Where the Pratihara king Kritipal who was the ruler of Old Chanderi while suffering from leprosy discovered a magical spring that cured him. He was ordered by the goddess of the spring to build a temple at the present site of Chanderi. A more full account of this story can be read In the chapter of this book, The Miracle of Water.
The mention of Chanderi can be found in inscriptions dating back to the 11th century. At that time Chanderi and the areas around were ruled by the Pratihara Rajput dynasty and inscriptions have recorded at least 13 kings of Gurjar Pratihara Rajput dynasty that have ruled over Chanderi.
The Delhi Muslim Sultanate under Shamssuddin Altamash and his prime minister Ghiassuddin Balban attacked Chanderi in 1251 - 1252 A.D. and the Maharaja Chahad Deva was defeated and the Delhi Sultanate won Chanderi. On the occasion of this eventful victory Chanderi's Jama Masjid's foundation was laid. However after Ghiassuddin Balban's return to Delhi the authority of the local rulers returned.
In 1296 A.D. Allauddin Khilji became the Sultan of Delhi and began a campaign of conquest. In 1304 A.D, he sent large forces under the command of Ain-ul-mulk Multani and he captured, Chanderi, Vidisha, Ujjain, Dhar Nagri, Mandu, and Malwa. As a result Malik Tamar, Sultani (Pahalwane Iran) became governor of Chanderi. On one mosque in Chanderi was found an inscription. The inscription is now housed in the Chanderi Museum. It states that on this victory over these conquests in the capital of Delhi seven days and nights of celebration was organized and enjoyed. In the next decade Chanderi was then taken over by the Tughlaq dynasty under Sultan Mohammad Bin Tughlaq. Then from 1321 to 1342 Shahzada Ulugh Khan was made the governor of Chanderi.
In 1342 the famous traveler and chronicler Ibn Batuta on his travels through North India passed through Chanderi and wrote about the experience. He stated that Chanderi is one of the big cities in India. The Bazaar is congested with people. The governor Aazam-Malik was an extremely sympathetic and religious minded person. One could not see him on any day except at the Friday mosque. He wrote that in the hill fort one temple has been built by earlier rulers. Ibn-Batuta has stated that the temple was so huge that when one went inside and beat a large drum, from the outside one could not hear its sound. (this temple is now gone and unknown of). He also wrote that Chanderi possessed a large army.
From 1351 to 1388 Chanderi remained part of the Delhi Sultanate. Then in 1388 A.D. Chanderi changed hands and became part of the Malwa Muslim Sultanate. Nasir Aamiri became the Malwa Sultanate Governor of Chanderi. Under his administration many construction works were undertaken including sarai (camel stables), mosques, roads, and other public works. This was a flowering period in the architecture of Chanderi. It could be argued that this period was the peak and golden period of Chanderi's history.
In 1404 A.D. Sultan Dilawar Khan died, and his eldest son Hoshang Shah Gauri became Sultan of Malwa and moved the capital of his kingdom from Dhara to Mandu where he began the construction of the great fort and palaces of Mandu. In Chanderi the prosperity of the Malwa Sultanate rule is evident as 100s of hunting spots, havelis, mausoleums, water tanks, lakes, and mosques were built.
In Mandu the Sultan's minister Mahmud Khilji poisoned and assassinated him. Mahmud Khilji then took the throne of the Malwa Sultanate. He was a serious statesman who kept a tight reign on his kingdom. Under his rule many of Chanderi's most famous monuments were constructed. Kushk Mahal, Moti Masjid, Badal Mahal Gate, The Governor's Palace, Hauzkhaus Lake, Chandai Baoli, Pachmari Masjid, and Piprai Gram's Jama Masjid are but some of the works made in this period. Mahmud Khilji ruled Bundelkhand and Malwa for 36 years. After his death Ghiassuddin Khilji was made Malwa's Sultan in 1468 A.D.
Ghiassuddin's rule is said to be a golden time in Malwa. In his rule the whole of the Malwa Sultanate was peaceful. He did not attack others and others did not attack him. In Chanderi during the governorship of Sher Khan and Jimman Khan many more havelis, gardens, Sarai' water tanks, Gates, Lakes, and the and Kati Ghati were built. In 1500 A.D. Ghiassuddin passed away and Naseeruddin Khilji became Malwa's sultan.
Naseeruddin Khilji is remembered as an untrustworthy and cruel ruler. Malwa became a hot bed of political and social turmoil under this sultan. The Suberdars (advisors) of Malwa attempted to dethrone him, and to suppress the insurrection he had all of his Suberdars killed. He even had the governor of Chanderi, Sher Khan killed by being crushed under the legs of an elephant. The rule of Naseeruddin Khilji ended in 1510. During his rule in Chanderi the Chanderi Gol Bawdi, Mirzai Bawdi, and Parta Pura Masjid were constructed.
In 1510 A.D. Shahabuddin Mahumid Shah Khilji II was made Sultan. At this time there was much warfare and turmoil in the kingdom of the Malwa Sultanate. Chanderi was attacked and taken over by the Rajput Raja, Rana Sanga of Chittore. This king bestowed Chanderi to one of his friends who had helped him in battle, Medini Rai and made him King of Chanderi.

(Mughal Emperor Babar takes Chanderi Fort)

In the following years in Delhi the Mughal Dynasty began their rule under the great Emperor Babar. The most famous incident in the history of Chanderi took place during January of 1528 when Babar attacked and captured the fort of Chanderi. At this time Medini Rai was ruling Chanderi peacefully. Babur forces encamped on the outskirts of town and sent messengers to Medini Rai. In the message Babar issued three choice the king could make and ordered a reply within 24 hours. The first choice was that Rai and his court could leave Chanderi unmolested and concede to Babur. The second choice was that Rai and his court could surrender. Rai would remain the king but under the rule of Babur. The third choice was that he would accept the terms of war, Babur would attack.
It is said that at this time the court of Medini Rai was holding a large shaddi (marriage ceremony) in the fort palace and all of the towns aristocracy and royal families were taking celebrations. When the news of Babur's forces encamped outside the town and the delivery of Babur's message reached the court there was a huge panic. Medini Rai and his court could not decide on which direction they should take, they were in a sense trapped in the fort as they had not taken refuge there but had come for the marriage celebrations. Also all of the woman were trapped in the fort and had no means of escape to safety from the impending battle.
During the night Babar's lookouts could spy a great deal of activity taking place in the fort. They also reported that large masses of wood were being gathered and assembled and great fires blazing behind the main fort walls. Babar's troops meanwhile had in one night secretly cut a road through though the hill, which is now the road through the Kati Ghati (rock cut gate) in order to carry his cannons to high ground along a ridge near the fort. There he placed his cannons pointing at the fort. This spot was later named the Babar Kattan.
Morning came and no word was received from Medini Rai. Babar took this as an acceptance of the terms of war and prepared his troops for battle. He sent lookouts to assess the situation. As the lookouts peered over the outer fort walls they were amazed to see the dead bodies of 100s of Medini Rai's troops. They had all taken swords to each other in mutual suicide by thrusting their weapons into each other. There were 1000s of dead Chanderi troops everywhere.
The lookouts reported back to Babar. And Babar writes in his memoirs that he then took the fort walls of Chanderi without ever having to sound his battle kettle drums. Babar's army virtually walked into the main fort.
Now during the night the court of Medini Rai had decided that they could not surrender as this would mean that all of the woman would fall into the hands of the Muslim Mughal ruler. They feared the first choice also as they felt they would not be able to leave unmolested and the woman would again fall into Mughal hands. They also feared the third choice as they were unprepared for battle and if they lost the woman of the court would again be the spoils of warfare. So they made a fourth choice, they would take their fate into their own hands.
In the night giant masses of wood were made into crematory piles and by different accounts between 600 to 1500 woman of the court including the queen committed jauhar, either throwing themselves into the fire or having themselves ritually killed and then cremated. They did this in order to protect their caste and honor. This act was one of the largest Jauhar rituals ever preformed in Indian history. Also as per Babur's account, that day 3000 of Medini Rai's troops preformed mass warrior suicide. Other accounts states that up to 6000 of Rai's troops died that day.
It was an awful scene of death and sacrifice that met Babur as he entered the main fort. Then he writes that at this time there appeared the last of Medini Rai's troops numbering about 300 who were wielding their swords and met Babur's troops at full charge. Babur reports that their temperament was so fierce it threw his troops back and a frightening battle ensued with his army defeating Rai's. Babur had won Chanderi fort, it was the 28th of January 1528. Babur's own account of the battle for Chanderi can be read in his memoirs.

(Add Babur's footnote here)

Babur appointed Ahmad Shah Khilji as administator/ruler of Chanderi on payment of tax equaling 50 lakh in promise. Babur died in 1530 A.D. and his son Humayun became Emperor. Then the Malwa Sultan, Mallu Khan captured Chanderi, so Humayun sent his brother's, Askari Bagh and Hindal Mirza to recapture the town.
After Humayun there were many rulers in Chanderi, one of them was Sher Shah Suri who ruled till 1546. And he was succeeded by Akbar.
During Emperor Akbar's rule his historian Abu Fazal wrote about Chanderi. He states that Chanderi is a town worth visiting. That there are 14,000 stone built houses, 61 palaces, 384 bazaars, 350 camel caravan serai, 1200 mosques, 1200 step wells, 6659 cavalry, 5970 horse infantry, and 90 elephants. Abu Fazal also noted that the state of Chanderi's yearly income was 3,10,37,783 rupees.
In 1605 the Mughal court handed over the rule of Chanderi to the Bundela Kings who ruled over Chanderi until 1858.