Shahdol

Shahdol is a city in Shahdol district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Shahdol District. The progenitor of the Ex-Illakadar family of Sohagpur, Jamni Bhan was the second son of Maharaja Virbhan Singh of Bagelkhand. He decided to settle at Sohagpur and assured maximum facilities to settler around, and also declared that places settled by clearing forests will be named after the pioneer settlers. Shahdolwa Ahir is believed to have settled the former village of Shahdolwa, about 2.5 Km. from the headquarters of Sohagpur after this declaration. Later on, the place used to be the camp site for the Maharaja of Rewa and British officers on tour. More villages were grouped into the village of Shahdol as it grew to a town.

There is a Virateshwar temple of Lord Shiva in Sohagpur Baan Ganga. Shahdol is popular for Virat temple of Lord Shiva, situated at Sohagpur Banganga. Kalchuri king Maharaja Yuvraj Deva had got it built between 950 A.D. and 1050 A.D. to present it to the Acharya of Golkaki Math. Sal, amla, teak, sarai and shisham are the main trees found in this district. The flower of mahua and guli provide edible oil. Mahua flower is mostly used for making wine by tribal people.