Mahendragarh is an ancient town in the
Mahendragarh District of
Haryana. Its earlier name was Kanaud, called after the Kanaudia group of
Brahmins, who were dominant in the town at that time. The present name of the town is derived from a fort located here. Mahendragarh is 165 km southwest of
New Delhi.
The city was founded by Malik Mahmud Khan, a servant of Babur. At that time, the town has had settlements but mainly constituted of Kanaudia Brahmins. Briefly the city came under the rule of the Thakur of
Jaipur, but was quickly reclaimed by the
Mughals led by Nawab Najaf Quli Khan, the great minister of Delhi Court under Shah Alam. Later the city changed hands with Marathas and Scindia’s before the British wrested control of it in the 18th century.
Places of tourist interest in and around the city include Jal Mahal, Chor Gumbad, tomb of Shah Wilayat, Birbal Ka Chhatta, Mausoleum of Ibrahim Khan and tripolia of Shah Quli Khan.
Mahendragarh has a small railway station on the
Rewari-
Loharu rail line. The place is also well linked by a good network of roads. Regular buses are available to Narnaul, Rewari, Charkhi Dadri, New Delhi and Chandigarh.
