Hin: रीवा rīvā
‘Leaping River’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP)
From Skt: rev, ‘leap’, ‘jump’
Rewa is an ancient name for the Narmada River, India’s fifth longest river. The name refers to its flow: literally the ‘leaping’ river.
The kingdom of Rewa dates back to the 12th century and the earliest incription calling it by this name is 13th century.
Rewa was a princely state under the British but was actively involved in nationalist and anti-British activities in the 19th and 20th centuries: the 1857 Indian Rebellion and the Quit India Movement.
The Rewa Palace has a beautiful Torana gateway and a huge Uma-Maheswar statue, both purloined some time ago from the Gurgi Archaeological Site.
In 1879 the Maharaja of Rewa bought the Lala Mishir Ghat in Varanasi and it was then renamed Rewan Ghat. In the late 20th century it was donated by the then Maharaja to Benaras Hindu University.
Rewa is nicknamed the ‘City of Waterfalls’. Its treasures include the Keoti, Chachai, Purva and Bahuti Falls [Article: Rewa – The Unexplored Paradise of Madhya Pradesh].
For related place names see Indian Place names and Madhya Pradesh place names.
