Location of Marathwada in Maharashtra Clockwise from top : Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aundha Nagnath Temple, Kailasa Temple, Shri Hazoor Sahib Gurudwara, Chaitya Griha or prayer hall at Ajanta Caves | |
Districts | Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad, Parbhani |
---|---|
Largest city | Aurangabad |
Division | Aurangabad division |
Area | 64,590 km2 (24,940 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | 18,731,872 [1] |
Density (per km2) | 354 [1] |
Literacy | 76.27% [1] |
Sex Ratio | 932 [1] |
Marathwada (Marathi pronunciation: [məɾaːʈʰʋaːɖa] ) is a proposed state and geographical region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurangabad division of Maharashtra. It borders the states of Karnataka and Telangana, and it lies to the west of the Vidarbha and east of Uttar Maharashtra regions of Maharashtra. The largest city of Marathwada is Aurangabad. Its people speak Marathi and Deccani Urdu (Hyderabadi Urdu).
Marathwada is known for its struggle for merger in the Maharashtra state, which is commemorated on 17 September as Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din.
The term Marathwada means the house of Marathi speaking people, that is land occupied by the Marathi-speaking population of the former Hyderabad state during the period of Nizam's rule. The term can be traced to 18th century state records of the Nizam of Hyderabad. [2]
Marathwada has total area of 64590 km2 and had a population of 18,731,872 at the 2011 census of India. [3] [lower-alpha 1]
Hinduism is the majority religion in Marathwada, with Islam and Buddhism being significant minorities. Sikhism has a significant presence in Nanded, meanwhile Jains are present in urban areas of Marathwada such as Aurangabad, Jalna and Osmanabad.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 76.67% of the population of Marathwada followed Hinduism, 15.12% Islam, 7.17% Buddhism, 0.22% Christianity and the remaining 0.82% of the population followed other religions or stated no religion. [5] [lower-alpha 2]
The region of Hingoli and Aurangabad were a major hub for the military stations and depot during the time of Nizam as well as during the British rule. Also Hyderabad State took special work to build Dams, modify and renovate the existing underwater system, particularly in Aurangabad. Major works were undertaken to build railways (Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway) connecting the city of Hyderabad to Bombay (now Mumbai) via Aurangabad. Handlooms and paper factories were established in Kaghzipura near Aurangabad. Religious sites were developed in Khuldabad.
Temporary guest houses were built for Sikh devotees in Nanded which lies in ruins due to neglect by the government authorities. Also roads connecting to Ahmedabad were initiated. [6]
All the cities below have population of more than 100,000 with Aurangabad having 1.1 million inhabitants per the 2011 census.
There are Municipal Corporations at Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, [7] Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation, [8] Latur Municipal Corporation, Parbhani Municipal Corporation and Jalna Municipal Corporation. [9]
The state government recognises Aurangabad as the "Tourism Capital of Maharashtra". [10] There are various tourist attractions in Aurangabad. Other places visited by tourists are:
Marathwada has four government medical colleges, situated at Aurangabad, Latur, Nanded and Ambajogai. The region also has good government engineering colleges such as SGGS Nanded, Aurangabad Government Engineering College. It also has three major universities, being Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University at Aurangabad, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University at Parbhani, and Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University at Nanded.[ citation needed ]
The foundation of agricultural research in Marathwada region of Hyderabad state was laid by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan with the commencement of the Main Experimental Farm in 1918 in Parbhani. During the Nizam's rule agricultural education was available only at Hyderabad; crop research centers for sorghum, cotton and fruits existed in Parbhani. After independence, this facility was developed further by the Indian government which was renamed as Marathwada Agriculture University on 18 May 1972. [6] The Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (formerly known as UDCT) has a satellite campus located in Jalna which was established in 2018.
Marathwada is affected by frequent anomalies in rainfall during Monsoon season, which accounts for almost 80 percent of the annual rainfall. The average annual rainfall over the division is 882 mm. Almost three-fourths of the Marathwada division is covered by farmlands. Hence, drought continues to have a considerable impact on the life of farmers. [11]
In some Marathwada districts recurring droughts have forced people to drink fluoride-contaminated groundwater from borewells which has inflicted debilitating fluorosis on many. [12]
The region also sees high instances of farmer suicides. According to government records, 422 farmers in Marathwada committed suicide in 2014. This was because of their inability to bear crop losses and a financial quandary made acute by water scarcity and an agrarian crisis. [13] 2014 was the third consecutive year of low rainfall, and when rainfall did occur it was sometimes untimely and damaged crops. Of the 422 suicides, 252 cases were due to an inability to repay agricultural loans. There have been more than 117 farmer suicides in the first two months of 2017. [13] According to a study by IIT Bombay, the severe or extreme droughts have frequently occurred in major portions of Marathwada, in the last few decades. [11]
Aurangabad, officially known as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district, Maharashtra and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a hilly upland terrain in the Deccan Traps, Aurangabad is the fifth-most populous urban area in Maharashtra after Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Nashik with a population of 1,175,116. The city is known as a major production center of cotton textile and artistic silk fabrics. Several prominent educational institutions, including Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, are located in the city. The city is also a popular tourism hub, with tourist destinations like the Ajanta and Ellora caves lying on its outskirts, both of which have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1983. Other tourist attractions include the Aurangabad Caves, Devagiri Fort, Grishneshwar Temple, Jama Mosque, Bibi Ka Maqbara, Himayat Bagh, Panchakki and Salim Ali Lake. Historically, there were 52 Gates in Aurangabad, some of them extant, because of which Aurangabad is nicknamed as the "City of Gates". In 2019, the Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) became the first greenfield industrial smart city of India under the country's flagship Smart Cities Mission.
Parbhani district is one of the eight districts in the Marathawada region of Maharashtra state of India. Parbhani city is the headquarters of this district. Parbhani district is well known for the Marathwada rebellion and religious tourism of Hinduism, Jainism.
Nanded is a city in Maharashtra state, India. It is the tenth largest city in the state and the seventy-ninth most populated city in India. It is the second largest city in Marathwada region. It is the district headquarters of Nanded district.
Jalna district is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in western India. Jalna town is the district headquarters. The district is part of Aurangabad division.
Osmanabad District, officially known as Dharashiv District, is an administrative district in the Marathwada region in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district headquarter is located at Osmanabad. The District of Osmanabad derives its name from the last ruler of Hyderabad, the 7th Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, of which the region was a part till 1947. This region was earlier part of The Hyderabad State until Independence.This primarily rural district occupies an area of 7,569 km2 (2,922 sq mi) of which 241.4 km2 (93.2 sq mi) is urban and has a population of 1,657,576 of which 16.96% were urban.
Aurangabad district, officially known as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district, is one of the 36 districts of the state of Maharashtra in western India. It borders the districts of Nashik to the west, Jalgaon to the north, Jalna to the east, and Ahmednagar to the south. The city of Aurangabad houses the district's administrative headquarters. The district has an area of 10,100 km2, of which 37.55% is urban and the rest is rural. Aurangabad District is a major tourism region in Marathwada, with attractions including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves.
Aurangabad division, officially known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division is one of the six administrative divisions of Maharashtra state in India. It represents the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and is synonymous with it.
Osmanabad, officially known as Dharashiv, is a city and a municipal council in Osmanabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city is the administrative headquarter of Osmanabad district. It is the seventh largest city in Marathwada, and the 39th largest city in Maharashtra by population.
Parbhani is a city in Maharashtra state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Parbhani District. Parbhani is one of the largest cities in Marathwada region. Parbhani is around 200 kilometres (120 mi) away from regional headquarters of Aurangabad while it is 491 km (305 mi) away from the state capital Mumbai.
Latur district is a district in Maharashtra state of India. Latur city is the district headquarters and is the 16th largest city in the state of Maharashtra. The district is primarily agricultural. Urban population comprises 25.47% of the total population.
Partur is a town with municipal council in Jalna district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Ambajogai is a municipal council, Tehsil and subdivision in Beed district in the state of Maharashtra, India. Regarded as the cultural capital of Marathwada, the town features attractions like the Shivleni Caves and monuments honoring Marathi poet Mukundraj, the author of "Viveksindu," the first Marathi literary work, as well as Dasopant.
Jalna is a city in Jalna district in the Aurangabad Division, or Marathwada region, of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was part of Hyderabad State as a tehsil of Aurangabad district, before Jalna district was formed effective 1 May 1981.
Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), formerly Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (MKV), is an agricultural university at Parbhani in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Latur is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra, and is one of the largest cities of the Marathwada region. It is the administrative headquarters of Latur district and Latur Taluka. The city is a tourist hub surrounded by many historical monuments, including Udgir Fort and Kharosa Caves. The people in Latur are called Laturkar. The most spoken language in Latur is Marathi. The city's quality of education attracts students from all over Maharashtra. It is a drought prone area with acute water shortage in its city and rural areas. The economy is agriculture intensive, but in recent years is also dependent on Educational sector and its allied activities. Industrial development is minimal in the district. Latur is 43 kilometers from the epicenter of the devastating 1993 Latur earthquake.
Dr. Janardan Madhavrao Waghmare is an Indian politician and educationist. He has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. He was also the President of the Latur Municipal Council.
The 2013 drought in Maharashtra in India came after the region received lower rainfall during the monsoon season June to September 2012. It is considered as the region's worst drought in 40 years. The worst-hit areas in Maharashtra were Solapur, Parbhani, Ahmednagar, Latur, Pune, Satara, Beed and Nashik. Residents of Latur, Osmanabad, Nanded, Aurangabad, Jalna, Jalgaon and Dhule districts were also affected by this famine.
Tourism in Marathwada refers to tourism in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra state in India. Aurangabad is a regional headquarters in Marathwada, and the tourism capital of Maharashtra state. Out of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra, two are in the Marathwada region. There are also 110 monuments in Marathwada which are protected by Government of Maharashtra and recognized by Archaeological Survey of India.
Parli Vaijnath railway station is a railway station in Beed district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It serves Parli Vaijnath city.
Satara–Malshiras-Akluj-Barshi-Latur Highway is a national highway in the state of Maharashtra. This is a part of the Marathwada Integrated Road Development Project launched by the Government of Maharashtra by the Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Fadnavis.
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