Auwa


Auwa is a village in the Marwar Junction tehsil of Pali district in Rajasthan, India. The village is situated 13 km from Marwar Junction railway station.
Auwa has an ancient temple of Lord Shiva on its outskirts, which is believed to have been constructed in the 11th century AD.

Demographics

The population of Auwa was 4,202 according to the 2001 census, 2,104 males and 2,098 females. The place is surrounded by small villages by name Deoli, Jojawar, Kherwa, Ranawas etc

1857 Revolt

The village is known for the siege of the Auwa fort by British forces in 1857 when various Rajputs of Pali region under the stewardship of Thakur Kushal Singh Rathore of Auwa confronted the British. Auwa fort was surrounded by the British army and the conflict lasted many days. The fort and village still carry the scars of that siege. Captain Mason was shot dead for insulting the Thakur and his severed head was hung at the fort gate. The British destroyed the fort and the palace. Even temples and their idols were not spared. The statue of the goddess Mahakali brought to Ajmer is still kept in the Ajmer Museum. A still existent cenotaph was raised for Mason by the British.
The fort has today been converted into a hotel.

Dharna by Charans

In 1643, on the 13th day of Shukla paksha of Chaitra month, following the death of the King Maldev Rathore of Jodhpur State, his eldest son Chandrasen Rathore became king. But Chandrasen's younger brother usurped him with the help of the Mughal emperor Akbar. Charans opposed him. For staging a dharna against the king they were going to Mewar; the Auwa Jagirdar Gopal Das Champawat supported them and suggested that they stage the dharna in his village.
The Charans selected the land on the bank of the Sukri river, in front of Kajleshwar Mahadev Temple to stage their dharna. They started the dharna on the 13th and fasted until the full moon. From the third day they started taking their lives by performing Taaga and Teliya. The King's trusted Charan friend, Akha Barahath, and trumpeter Govind came there to stop them but they themselves were killed with other Charans.