Nai Garhi

As of 2001 India census,[1] Nai Garhi had a population of 8,767. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Nai Garhi has an average literacy rate of 50%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 63%, and female literacy is 36%. In Nai Garhi, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The town of Nai Garhi which means a 'new fortress' was established by Raja Chattradhari Singh of Sengar dyansty. He was deemed to be a young prince of Jagmanpur ruled by Sengar rajputs. According to the folkloric history of the family, the fort was first set to be built upon a land adjacent to the temple of Asthbhuja (a varying form of goddess Durga) but the prince saw a dream where the goddess was ordering him to move to a different location. He ordered his troops that at the time of dawn, they would spot a wolf chasing a wild hare and the place where the wolf hunts the hare will be the sanctified location for the new fortress. The troops saw the exact sightings as discussed by the prince and ultimately found the location to built their fortress. The family chronicles state that the fortress was built by Raja Chattradhari Singh and the marvelous main gate known as the 'Hathi Darwaza' was built by his son Raja Hathiraj Singh. Due to insufficient history of the obscure location we have limited information about the kingdom and in the catalog of Bagelkhand they were reported to be under the suzerainty of the Baghelas of Rewa State. Raja Pratap Singh was a regular visitor in the court of Maharajah Venkat Raman Singh of Rewa although not much is known about his role in the royal court but it can be predicted that due to the magnified strength of Rewa State with the aid of the British Naigarhi must have accepted the suzerainty of the Baghelas of Rewa. However, the magnificent fortress built by the Sengars is enough to claim their prowess in the region and they would have been an independent kingdom for the large share of their history.

After the death of Pratap Singh, his eldest son named Raja Jagat Bahadur Singh took charge of the kingdom. His reign faced certain clamors according to the historical evidences as he battled with the Baghelas of Rewa. It is believed that the eldest son of Jagat Bahadur named Gopal Sharan was kidnapped by the enemies and he was ordered to surrender his cannons to Rewa State as a ransom for his son. In early 1930s, Thakur Gopal Sharan Singh succeeded his father who is widely known as a famous poet and a man of immense knowledge. The government high school in Naigarhi is named in his honor.

Naigarhi is under Deotalab vidhansabha. The first MLA of Deotalab was Thakur Someshvara Singh of Naigarhi which influenced the name and importance of Naigarhi in the regional politics. Naigarhi also started holding the Municipality elections. The current chairman of Naigarhi municipality is Harshavardhan Singh of Bharatiya Janata Party who also belongs to the Sengar dynasty and is serving his second spell as the chairman.

Naigarhi has a two government schools, boys and girls separate. The other private schools are regional board affiliated, Hindi mediums are Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Saraswati Gyan Mandir, Jeevan Jyoti, and an only English medium school is Lok Manya Tilak High School in Mahavirpur. The only college is named after Thakur Someshvara Singh comprising the studies of Arts and Commerce.

The tourism frequency of Naigarhi is very low due to its distance from highways. A couple of waterfalls, the most famous one in the small village of Bahuti which is some 5 km away from Naigarhi, the famous Maa Asthabhuja temple, the Naigarhi fort, the Panchmandir temple and the iconic view of a typical Indian village can be seen in Naigarhi.

Apart from Durga Pooja in Dussherra, Diwali and Holi there is no festival which is celebrated here. But the Naigarhi fort has a reputation for decorating and celebrating Janamasthami with grandeur and holiness. Naigarhi fort also organises a holy feast called 'bhandara' in respect to the renovation of the Pancha-mandir temple in the precincts of the fort.