Powayan

Powayan or Pawayan is a town and a subdivisional headquarters in Shahjahanpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 27 km from Shahjahanpur, 47km from Tilhar. It is located in the fertile agricultural belt of Northern India and is 300 km from Delhi and 200 km from Lucknow.

==History== Sometime after 1250 AD, one branch of Gaur Rajputs established kingdoms at Chandra, Maholi and Katesar in Sitapur in present Uttar Pradesh. A daughter of Chandra House of Gaurs was married to Rao Gopal Singh, the Katehria chieftain of Nahil. Rao Gopal Singh was killed in a battle by Rohilla Pathans and his widow sought the aid of her Gaur kinsmen on behalf her two infant sons. Thereupon Bhupat Singh and Himmat Singh of Chandra led a force into the district to re-establish the Katehrias at Nahil. Repeated attacks and disputes with the pathans compelled Bhupat Singh to send his son, Raja Udai Singh to Nahil's aid. Raja Udai Singh defeated the pathans at Deokali and established his Raj at Powayan. He established a Fortress at Powayan around 1705 AD and there after his descendants established Powayan as the largest Rajput Estate in Rohilkhand area. Legend goes that Powayan was established originally from east of Nahil or formed the Poorvaiyan chowk. Poorvaiyan over passage of time got distorted to Powayan or Powayan. With time the estate of Nahil lost luster and Puwayan flourished under the Gaur rulers. The title of ‘Raja’ is hereditary and was recognized by the colonial British in subsequent years. The estate of the Tilakdhari Rajas of Powayan had 537 villages in Parganas of Powayan, Baragaon and Khutar.. The 9th and the last official Raja of Powayan was Raja Ajay Varma Singh, who established Powayan Inter college and donated land for many institutions for public welfare. His elder son Raja Surendra Singh was an independent MLA. The other two sons Raja Wg. Cdr. Abhay Singh and Raja Jai Singh continued their father's legacy. The present members of the erstwhile royal family, the 12th generation, maintain charitable institutions and enjoy a high repute in Powayan Tehsil.