Located hardly 80 kms form the capital of the state, Lucknow, Kanpur is the biggest city in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is nestled on the banks the River Ganges and is considered to be the commercial capital of the state.
Founded by the King of Sachendi called Hindu Singh, Kanpur remained in oblivion as a small village of minimal importance till the 18th century. It was only after defeating the Nawab Wazir of Awadh Shuja-ud-daula, at Jajmau near Kanpur that the British recognized its importance and developed the city making it a big trading hub. Soon the small sleepy village became a central trading point and also a military station of the British and by the end of the 18th century Kanpur had become a promising city of modern times.
But as the prominence of the city as a commercial and military centre grew so did the unrest among the people of Kanpur. Kanpur became the epicenter of the 1857 mutiny against the British rule. Daredevils like Nanasaheb and Tatya Tope came forward to oppose the British and went ahead declaring freedom.
But the mutiny was badly curbed by the British when massive number of Indians were killed or hanged. The hatred grew so much against the British due to their atrocities that the in July 1857 after a bitter fight against the British, the women and the children were trapped inside Bibighar and later were massacred and burnt to death.
After the mutiny was crushed Kanpur's development knew no bounds. Huge factories were set up and large trade mills were established. And even today Kanpur remains one of the important leather manufacturers of India.
