NARWAR

historic town, northern Madhya Pradesh state, central India, just east of the Sind River. Traditionally said to have been the capital of Raja Nala of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, the town was called Nalapura until the 12th century. Its fort, which stands on a steep scarp of the Vindhya Range, figured significantly in medieval Indian history. From the 12th century onward, Narwar was held successively by Kachwaha, Parihar, and Tomar Rajputs (warrior caste) until its capture by the Mughals in the 16th century. It fell to the Maratha chief Sindhia in the early 19th century. Outside the walled town are memorial pillars of the Tomar chiefs.