The district of Rewa derives its name from the town of Rewa, the district headquarters, which is another name for the
Narmada River. Present day Rewa was part of the Baghelkhand region which extended from the present day
Prayagraj in the North to
Ratanpur in the South,
Jabalpur in the West to
Surajpur in the East.
Baghel Dynasty Baghel Dynasty was founded by Bhimaldev (son of Vyaghradev, the chieftain of Vyaghrapalli) in 1236 CE. Baghelas are basically
Chalukyans of
Anhilwara (Gujarat). The region was earlier governed by
Lodhi and
Sengar chieftains of Rajgond Dynasty. Lodhi's Diwan Tiwari conspired with Baghelas and assisted in foundation of Baghela Rule in the Gahora Patti region. In return of this favour, Baghelas granted title of "Singh Tiwari" or "Adhrajiya Tiwari" to the Diwan Tiwari.
Raja Ramchandra shifted capital to
Bandhavgarh, and later Raja Vikramjit Singh shifted capital to Rewa in 1605 CE. Bandhavgarh Fort was sieged by Mughals.
Tansen and
Birbal (Mahesh Das) were in court of Ramchandra Singh Baghel.
Raghuraj Singh Baghel built
Govindgarh Fort, which lies in between Govindgarh lake. Govindgarh is known for its varieties of mangoes.
Raja Gulab Singh was called "social reformer King" of Rewa. Raja Martand Singh was the last Baghela Ruler. Later, the state joined the Union of India, after independence.
Revolt of 1857 During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the princely state of
Rewa, located in present-day
Madhya Pradesh, witnessed significant yet complex developments. Although the broader uprising was marked by resistance to British colonial authority, Rewa's role in the rebellion was both supportive and suppressive in different contexts. One of the most prominent figures in the region’s revolt was
Thakur Ranmat Singh Baghel[1], a Sardar in the service of the Maharaja of Rewa and a native of Mankhari village in the present-day Satna district. Deeply disillusioned with British interference in the princely affairs of Rewa, particularly with the actions of the British Resident Political Agent,
Willoughby Osborne, Ranmat Singh emerged as a regional leader of the anti-colonial movement. Emboldened by the growing wave of rebellion across northern India, Ranmat Singh mobilized a force of approximately 2,000 rebels and launched an attack on Osborne’s bungalow. Although Osborne managed to escape, Ranmat Singh's rebellion continued to gain momentum. His forces engaged in several skirmishes across locations such as Nagod, Bhilsain, Chitrakoot, Nowgong, and Keoti—causing considerable concern to British authorities in the region. Initially, the
Maharaja of Rewa appeared to sympathize with the nationalist cause. However, under mounting pressure from the British administration, the Maharaja was forced to turned against the rebellion. Diwan Dinbandhu Pandey of Rewa acted as an informant for the British, which led to the capture of Thakur Ranmat Singh Baghel by the British authorities. Thakur Ranmat Singh Baghel was charged with the murder of British officials and was ultimately executed by hanging in August 1859. Thakur Ranmat Singh Baghel (from Mankhari village, Satna) and his uncle, Thakur Shyam Shah Baghel, were both prominent leaders of the 1857 revolt in Baghelkhand, and both sacrificed their lives for the country in the Revolution of 1857 and they both were the descendants of the Kothi royal family (Kothi Princely State). The episode underscores the internal contradictions faced by princely states during the
1857 rebellion. While figures like Ranmat Singh championed resistance to colonial rule, many ruling elites, including the Maharaja of Rewa, were compelled to align with the British for political survival. This duality highlights the complex nature of the 1857 uprising, where local loyalties, colonial pressures, and nationalist sentiments often clashed. == Demographics ==