Mhow - History

History

This cantonment town was founded in 1818 by John Malcolm as a result of the Treaty of Mandsaur between the English and the 'Holkars who were the Maratha Maharajas of Indore. John Malcolm's forces had defeated the Holkars of the Maratha Confederacy at the Battle of Mahidpur in 1818. It was after this battle that the capital of the Holkars shifted from the town of Maheshwar on the banks of the Narmada to Indore.

Mhow used to be the headquarters of the 5th (Mhow) Division of the Southern Command during the British Raj. Today this small town is associated with the Indian Army and with B. R. Ambedkar, a political leader who was born here.

Mhow was a meter gauge railway district headquarter during the British Raj and even after 1947. The irony is that Mhow still has no broad gauge railway line.

According to Hindu religious texts, Janapav Kuti near Mhow is said to be the birthplace of Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu.