Shahi, Uttar Pradesh

Shahi is an old town, serving as a stronghold of the Katehria Rajputs before coming under Islamic rule. It was the seat of a pargana at least from the time of Akbar, and probably earlier.[1] It is mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbarias a pargana in the sarkar of Sambhal, producing a revenue of 900,496 dams for the imperial treasury and a force of 200 infantry and 20 cavalry to the Mughal army.[2] Parts of the pargana were later transferred to Karor. Shahi also formed the seat of a tehsil from 1813 until 1824 or 1825, when it was merged with Ajaon with the headquarters at Dunka. Then in 1863 it was put under Mirganj tehsil.[1]

Around the turn of the 20th century, Shahi was described as a small market town, with markets held twice a week and a small fair held every Thursday. There was a police station, a post office, a cattle-pound, a middle school, a girls' school, and a canal inspection office. The population in 1901 was 3,556, with 1,991 being Hindu, 1,516, being Muslim, and 49 belonging to other religious groups.[1]

Shahi is located at 28.55°N 79.32°E / 28.55; 79.32.[3] It has an average elevation of 171 metres (561 feet). The town is on the banks of the Gaula River.

As of the 2001 Census of India,[4] Shahi had a population of 13,898. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Shahi has an average literacy rate of 26%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 32%, and female literacy is 19%. In Shahi, 22% of the population is under six years of age.