{{Short description|Town in Rajasthan, India}} {{for|the Hindu deity temple|Khatu Shyam Temple}} {{redirect|Khatu|the town in Iran|Khatu, Iran}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement | name = Khatushyam Ji | official_name = Khatoo | native_name = | native_name_lang = | other_name = | nickname = | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = Khatu Shyam Ji Entrance Gate.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Entrance gate of Khatoo | pushpin_map = India Rajasthan#India | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Rajasthan, India | coordinates = {{coord|27.363954|N|75.402557|E|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{Ind}} | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Rajasthan | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Sikar | established_title = <!-- Established --> | established_date = | founder = | named_for = | government_type = Nagar Palika Khatu | governing_body = Sikar-Khatoo Nagar Palika | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_rank = | area_total_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_total = | population_as_of = | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_footnotes = | demographics_type1 = Languages | demographics1_title1 = Official | demographics1_info1 = Hindi | timezone1 = IST | utc_offset1 = +5:30 | postal_code_type = <!-- PIN --> | postal_code = | registration_plate = RJ- | website = {{URL|https://khatu.org}} | iso_code = RJ-IN | footnotes = }}
'''Khatoo''' or '''Khatu''', also known as '''Khatushyam Ji''', is a town of religious importance located in the Sikar district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is approximately 43 km from Sikar city and 17 km from Reengus town. Situated in the Dhundhar region, Khatoo is known for the Khatu Shyam Temple, one of Rajasthan’s most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites.<ref name=":0" />
== Demographics == As per the 2011 census of India, the total population of Khatu was 11,374, out of which 5800 are males and 5574 were females. The literacy rate of Khatu was 73.9%, slightly higher than state average of 66.11%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PCA: Primary Census Abstract C.D. Block wise, Rajasthan - District Sikar - 2011 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/40790 |access-date=27 June 2025 |website=censusindia.gov.in}}</ref>
==Khatu Shyam temple== {{Main|Khatu Shyam Temple}} In Khatoo, a Khatu Shyam temple is situated dedicated to Lord Krishna, worshipped here as Shyam Baba or Barbarika, the temple is a pilgrimage site for devotees across India. According to legend, Barbarika, a warrior from the Mahabharata, sacrificed his life to fulfill a vow, and his head was granted divine status by Lord Krishna, leading to his veneration at this site. The temple attracts millions devotees during the annual Phalguna Mela festival.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2024-11-12 |title=Khatu Shyam Ji Birthday: The legend of Khatu Shyam and why he is the most revered form of Krishna |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/soul-search/khatu-shyam-ji-birthday-the-legend-of-khatu-shyam-and-why-he-is-the-most-revered-form-of-krishna/articleshow/115201126.cms |access-date=2025-06-26 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
The Earliest Literary evidence of this shrine dates back to The 17th century in a poem containing 25 couplets known as Shyam Pacchisi composed by Durga Das Mathur in Braj Bhasha during 1675. But in this poem Shyam isn't referred to and identified with Barbarika but instead he's identified with Krishna and Khatu is referred to as his capital.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-17 |title=Shri Shyam Pachisi - 350 years old Khatu Shyam Ji Pachchisi |url=https://www.khatu.org/2023/05/shri-shyam-pachisi.html |access-date=2025-09-04 |website=Khatu {{!}} Latest Updates about Khatu Shyam Mandir and Darshan |language=hi}}</ref>
== Notable people ==
* Bajrang Lal Takhar, Indian rover and gold medalist at the 2010 Asian Games * Narayan Singh Burdak, Indian politician and former president of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee * Virendra Singh Burdak, Indian politician and son of Narayan Singh Burdak
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Hindu holy cities}} {{Sikar district}}
Category:Hindu holy cities Category:Villages in Sikar district