Kanpur, formerly Cawnpore, is the second most populous city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, northern India. The name of the city is believed to have derived from Karnapur, meaning “town of Karna,” one of the heroes of the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic poem. Kanpur was only a village when it was acquired in 1801 by the British, who made it one of their frontier stations. During the 1857 Uprising, Kanpur was the site of a mutiny, in which 450 Europeans were held prisoner until their release was negotiated. (Most of the prisoners either died during the siege, upon their release, or in the following weeks due to disease after being confined a Bibighar.) Today, the city is renowned for its leather industry.