Chhatarpur

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India: Lakshmana temple

Chhatarpur, city, north-central Madhya Pradesh state, central India. It is situated in an area of scattered low hills about 12 miles (19 km) east of the Dhasan River (a tributary of the Betwa River).

The city is a major road junction and is a trade centre for agricultural products and cloth fabrics. It was founded in 1707 by Chhatrasal, a Bundela king who successfully resisted Mughal authority, and it was the capital of the princely state of Chhatarpur of the British Central India Agency. Constituted a municipality in 1908, Chhatarpur has a museum, an officers’ colony, and colleges and a law school affiliated with Awadhesh Pratap Singh University in Rewa.

The surrounding region is a fertile plain lying between the Dhasan and Ken rivers and dotted with wooded hills rising to elevations of about 1,500 feet (450 metres) in the south. Rice, sorghum, wheat, barley, and legumes are the major crops. The region contains many ancient monuments, including the nearby historic town of Khajuraho, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986, and Rajgarh fort and palace. Pop. (2001) 99,575; (2011) 133,464.