Khandesh is a historical and geographical region located in northwestern Maharashtra, India. It broadly covers the valley of the Tapi (Tapti) River, bounded by the Satpura ranges to the north, the Ajanta hills to the south, and the Western Ghats to the west and southwest. The region includes the present-day districts of Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar, along with the northern parts of present-day Nashik district. [1][2][3] The Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh also formed an integral part of Khandesh and served as the capital of the Khandesh Sultanate (1382–1601).[4]
The use of the Khandeshi language is prevalent in this region, and the language itself derives its name from the name of the region. This language is sometimes considered as a dialect of Marathi due to its mutual intelligibility with it, and hence has lower numbers in the census due to people opting their language as Marathi instead.[original research?] This region is famous for banana agriculture and is a leading producer of it.[6]
Territorial and Administrative boundaries
The region of Khandesh occupied a significant place in the historical geography of India. Once a vast and important tract, it extended across portions of present-day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. During the period of the Farooqui dynasty, Burhanpur served as its capital; in subsequent centuries, the region was incorporated into the Mughal Empire as one of its prominent subahs (provinces). At its geographical and cultural core lay the fertile valley of the Tapi River, which sustained its agrarian wealth and political centrality.
Under British rule, a major administrative division known as the Khandesh District was constituted within the Bombay Presidency. In 1906, this district was bifurcated into East Khandesh (the present Jalgaon district) and West Khandesh (the present Dhule district). Later, in 1998, Nandurbar District was carved out of Dhule, thereby establishing a separate administrative identity. [1] Although historically central to Khandesh, Burhanpur was not incorporated into the British Khandesh District. Instead, it was annexed to the East Nimar district of the Central Provinces and Berar, whose headquarter was at Khandwa.
British era's Khandesh District's Map (1880)
The territorial boundaries of Khandesh underwent several significant administrative reconfigurations. In 1869, the southern portion of the British Khandesh District—including the present talukas of Kalwan, Satana, Malegaon, Deola, and Nandgaon—was detached and incorporated into the newly constituted Nasik District of the Bombay Presidency. Further adjustments followed in 1950, when eleven villages from Nandgaon taluka were transferred to Aurangabad District of the former Hyderabad State (today’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district in Maharashtra).[7]
After India’s independence, the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, and more decisively, the Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960, redefined state boundaries and laid the foundation for the creation of Maharashtra. Despite being the historic nucleus of Khandesh, Burhanpur remained within the Central Provinces (later Madhya Pradesh), and in 2003 it was reconstituted as a separate Burhanpur District following its detachment from Khandwa district.
The reorganisation of 1960 also transferred 87 villages from West Khandesh to the newly formed state of Gujarat. Of these, 23 villages from Nawapur taluka and 2 from Nandurbar taluka were annexed to Songadh taluka of Surat District, now part of Tapi District (created in 2007). Likewise, 37 villages from Akkalkuwa taluka and 25 from Taloda taluka were ceded to Sagbara taluka of Bharuch District, today incorporated into the Narmada District established in 1997.[8][9]
Geography
Khandesh lies in Western India on the northwestern corner of the Maharashtra, in the valley of the Tapti River. It is bounded to the north by the Satpura Range, to the east by the Berar (Varhad) region, to the south by the Hills of Ajanta (belonging to the Marathwada region of Maharashtra), and to the west by the northernmost ranges of the Western Ghats.
The principal natural feature is the Tapti River.[10] Unlike the rest of the Deccan, whose rivers rise in the Western Ghats and flow eastward to the Bay of Bengal, the Tapti flows westward from headwaters in southern Madhya Pradesh to empty into the Arabian Sea. The Tapti receives thirteen principal tributaries in its course through Khandesh. None of these rivers is navigable, and the Tapti flows in a deep bed which historically made it difficult to use for irrigation. Most of Khandesh lies south of the Tapti and is drained by its tributaries: the Gomai, Girna, Bori, and Panjhra. The alluvial plain north of the Tapti contains some of the richest tracts in Khandesh, and the land rises towards the Satpuda hills. In the centre and east, the country is level, save for some low ranges of barren hills. To the north and west, the plain rises into rugged hills, thickly wooded, and inhabited by members of the Bhil tribe.[11]
History
Ancient history
The Markandeya Purana and Jain literature describe Khanadesh region as Abhiradesa. The rule of the Abhiras over this region is not only evident from the epigraphs but from the oral traditions also. A tradition of Nandurbar (Khandesh) presents before us an account of an Ahir Raja Nanda, who fought the Turks. The abhira was in Mahabharata and then it was considered as a kanhadesh (Krishna) [12]
Delhi dynasties
In 1295, Khandesh was under the Chauhan ruler of Asirgarh when Ala-ud-din Khilji of Delhi wrested control.[13]:418 Various Delhi dynasties controlled Khandesh over the next century,[13] until Khandesh gained independence as the Khandesh Sultanate in the late 14th century, established by Malik Raja as the Farooqui dynasty.[14]
Mughal rule
The Mughals arrived in 1599, when Akbar's army overran Khandesh and captured Asirgarh.[13]:418 For a period of time, Khandesh was renamed as Dandesh in recognition of Akbar's son Daniyal.[15]:248 c.1640, Todar Mal's revenue settlement system was introduced in Khandesh by Shah Jahan (this system was used until British rule in 1818).[15]:250 The mid-17th century has been described as the time of Khandesh's "highest prosperity" owing to trade in cotton, rice, indigo, sugarcane, and cloth.[15]:250 Mughal rule lasted until the Marathas captured Asirgarh in 1760.[13]:418
During Mughal rule, Burhanpur was the capital of the Khandesh Subah, an administrative provincial division of the Mughal Empire. Early in December 1670, Maratha forces under Prataprao made a raid into Khandesh. They advanced in rapid marches and plundered Bahadarpur, a village near Burhanpur 2 miles away from the city. But they didn't attack Burhanpur.[16]
Maratha rule
Maratha raids into Khandesh began in 1670 and the following century was a period of unrest as Mughals and Marathas competed for control.[13]:418 In 1760, the Peshwa ousted the Mughal ruler and gained control of Khandesh, following which portions were granted to Holkar and Scindia rulers.[13]:418Baji Rao II surrendered to the British in June 1818, but sporadic war continued in Khandesh which was among the last of the Peshwa's former territories to come under complete British control.[17]:9
British rule
Khandesh District (1878)
Khandesh was a district in the Bombay Presidency.[18] In 1906, the district was divided into two districts: East Khandesh, headquartered at Jalgaon, had an area of 11,770km2 (4,544sqmi), while West Khandesh, headquartered at Dhule, had an area of 14,240km2 (5,497sqmi); their respective populations were 957,728 and 469,654 in 1901.[19]
Independent India
After India's independence in 1947, Bombay province became Bombay State, and in 1960 was divided into the linguistic states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. East Khandesh became Jalgaon district, and West Khandesh became Dhule district, both in Maharashtra state.[20] The latter was further divided into Dhule and Nandurbar districts.[10] This region has a population of 8,686,921 people (including Burhanpur district of MP) as of 2011 Census.
↑ "History". District Court Dhule, Government of Maharashtra. Government of Maharashtra. Retrieved 25 August 2025. The entire area of Khandesh included two districts viz. Dhule and Jalgaon and some part of Nashik District.
↑ "Burhanpur". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 25 August 2025. Burhanpur was founded in 1399 by Naṣīr Khan, the first independent prince of the Fārūqī dynasty of Khandesh, …
↑ "Administrative History". Nashik District (Government of Maharashtra). Government of Maharashtra. Retrieved 25 August 2025. In 1950, 11 enclave villages which formed part of Nandgaon taluka were transferred to Aurangabad district.
1 2 Patil, M.V. (2015). An Inventory on Agrobiodiversity and Homestead Gardens in Tribal Tehsils of Khandesh Maharashtra. North Maharashtra University. pp.Chapter 6–1. hdl:10603/136532.
↑ Majumdar, R. C.; Pusalker, A. D.; Majumdar, A. K., eds. (1980) [First published 1960]. The Delhi Sultanate. The History and Culture of the Indian People. Vol.VI (3rded.). Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp.169–170. OCLC664485.
↑ Jamkar, A.G. (1988). "Origin and Evolution of Periodic Market Places in Dhule District (Maharashtra)". In Shrivastava, V.K. (ed.). Commercial Activities and Rural Development in South Asia: A Geographical Study. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p.134. ISBN81-7022-194-3.
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