Wardha District

Wardha District is located in Maharashtra state of India. It contains the city of Wardha. The district had a population of 1,236,736 of which 26.28% were urban as of 2001. [http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/India_WhizMap/IndiaMap.htm]

History of Wardha District

The History of Wardha dates back to prehistoric period. It has a unique place in the Indian Natural History, since the Ostrich egg-shell has been found at Sindi (Railway) in Wardha district.It was included in the empire of Mauryas, Sungas, Satvahanas and Vakatakas [1] Pravarpur, modern Pavnar was once the capital of the Vakataka dynasty. Vakatakas were contemporary of Imperial Guptas. The daughter of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) was married with Vakataka ruler Rudrasena. The period of Vakatakas was 2nd to 5th C.A.D. and their empire stretches from Arabian sea in west to Bay of Bengal in east, Narmada river in north to Krishna-Godavari delta in south.

Later on, Wardha was ruled by Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas, Delhi Sultanate, Bahamani Sultanate, Muslim ruler of Berar, Gonds and Maratha. Raja Buland Shaha of Gonds, Raghuji of Bhonsale were the prominent rulers in Medieval period.

Nearby 1850's Wardha, (then a part of Nagpur) fell into the hands of British. They included Wardha in the Central Provenance.Wardha is a sister city for Sevagram, and both were used as major centers for the Indian Independence Movement, especially as headquarters for an annual meet of the Indian National Congress in 1934, and Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram.

The existing Wardha district was part of Nagpur district till 1862. Further it was separated for convenient administrative purpose and Kawatha near Pulgaon was the district Head quarter. In the year 1866, the district headquarter moved at Palakwadi village which is the existing place and then Wardha city is habited there. In wardha there is one village called Pavanar where Acharya Vinoba Bhave lived.

Recently this district has been in news because of a number of suicides that have been committed by the farmers owing to the agricultural loans they can not repay, with the major reasons being bad crops, droughts and lack of irrigation facilities in the region. [citation needed] The Prime Minister of India Dr. M.N. Singh visited this district, review the situation and announced the economic help package for farmers.

Places to visit

Pavnar

Paunar (Pravarpur) was the capital of Vakataka dynasty during the reign of King Pravarsena. The remains of the medieval fortification clearly shows the evidences of Vakataka art. The sculptures at Parandham Ashram belong to various period dating from Vakatakas to Kakatiyas dynasty i.e. 250 AD to 1200 AD. The sculptures of Ganga (Bhagirathi), Bharat-Bhet (Meeting of Rama and Bharat) and other numerous scupltures depicting the scense of Ramayana and Mahabharatas can be seen at Ashram. On left side of Wardha-Nagpur road, just at the end of Old bridge, there is a temple of Lord Vishnu. The iconographic representation of Lord Vishnu and Brahma is really a miracle. There is an another temple of Lord Hanuman (Monkey God) on the way to the Ashram. During the medieval period, it is a flourishing trade centre of Central India, commanded the trade with China. Paramdham Ashram is established by Acharya Vinoba Bhave in the year 1934 on the bank of river Dham in Paunar village five miles way from Wardha. Vinobaji longed for self-realisation and left home in search of ‘Brahma’. Further he thought, Gandhiji’s Ashram would show the light he aspired for and so joined it. After an inner call, he left Paunar and initiated unending Padayatra, the march for Gramdan and Bhoodan (Donation of land for landless peoples). The idea of Brahma Vidya was crystallised in 1958 during his morning walks with his associates. Vinobaji recognized that the real freedom can come to a group mind, working through the group. However, ‘Bharat Chhode’ movement is also continued from this ashram with his leadership. The river Dhan flows in Paunar in which Gandhiji’s asthi were desolved. The archaeological excavation was conducted by the Nagpur University, under the guidance of Dr. S. B. Deo proved that this site was a centre of human habitation, continouslt habitated from prehistoric time (Chalcolithic-Megalithic period.)

Sewagram

Mahatma Gandhi came Wardha in the year 1934. On the request by late Jamnalalji Bajaj, he selected the Segaon village for his Ashram or Kuti. Later this village renamed as Sewagram. Mahatma Gandhi continued his freedom movement from this ashram. Various articles, needy things used by Gandhi are kept here as it is. The premises of the Ashram having the Adi Niwas, Ba Kuti (Shelter of Kasturba Gandhi), Akhri Niwas, Mahadeo Kuti, Kishor Kuti and other historical places maintaining as its original status by the trusty of the Ashram. Permanent Photo exhibition of the Gandhi is there near the Ashram. Tourism and Development Department of Government of India have started the guest house beside the ashram for staying the visiters. In memory of Gandhi, Kasturba Hospital is established here in year 1944. Beside this, on 12thAugust 1969, Dr. Sushila Nayar had started the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College in Sewagram.

Kelzer

There is a Varad Vinayak’s (Lord Ganesh ) temple at Kelzer which is also known as one of the Ganesh temple from Ashtavinayaka in Vidarbha region. The Sculpture of Lord Ganesha is found in the past period of Arya. In the northern side of the temple there is a stepped well, though popularly believed that it was constructed by Bhima, a hero of Mahabharata, was constructed during the period of Vakataka dynasty. (250 AD to 500 AD). There is a Vishnu temple of Kelzar located in the Market - on a way to the famous Varad Vinayaka temple. The black basalt/granite (?) idol of Lord Vishnu belongs 12th c. A.D. The iconographic features of this idol show high craftmanship and influenced by Kakatiya art of the Warangal. The broken statue of Mahavira "Jina" is found at the premises of the Buddha Vihar. There is a "Shri-Vatsa" on its chest. But now its pieces are plastered and it is named as a Budhha image by the ignorance of the people.

WARDHA

Geetai Mandir

This is the mandir where Vinoba’s Gitai became perpetual. Vinoba Bhave translated the Bagwat Gita in the book Gitai. For this purpose number of polished stones are brought from different places and arranged vertically in shape of cow and 18 ‘Adhyays’ (sections) of the Gita are engraved on it. This temple is unlike to the general temple. It has no ceiling, no walls. Beside the mandir, permanent exhibition is arranged in Shanti Kuti in memory of Mahatma Gandhi and Jamnalal Bajaj.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa

In 1935, Fuji Guruji from Japan came to Wardha and met Mahatma Gandhi. He put the wish to setup the Stups (Prayer place for of Budha Community) in India. Gandhi agreed his desire and then after Stanti Stups were built at eight different places in India. One of that Vishwa Shanti Stup is found in Wardha. This Stup is constructed with the help of Japan in 1995. On the Stup the architecture is available describing the history of Lord Goutam Budha.
Laxmi Narayan Temple

This is a temple of God-goddesses Lord Vishnu and Laxmi. It is big temple built in the 1905. Inner side of the temple is constructed with marble. Late Jamnalal have opened the temple in 19th July 1928 for ‘Harijans’ (lower caste peoples). Near the temple a medical shop is opened free for poor people. Various books of Sansrit, Prakrit, and Ved, Upnishades, Bhagwat in Hindi languages are available in the temples library. A guest house of the truest is there near the Railway Station.

Prominent Person

* Shri. Jamanalal Bajaj, Freedom Fighter
* Baba Amte India's Social and moral leader (born December 24, 1914 ) at Hinganghat
* Ashok Bang and Suman Bang, Director and founder members of the NGO [http://chetanavikas.org/ Chetana-Vikas] , founded in 1978, which works in about 200 villages of Wardha district for empowerment of the individual and the community in the areas of agriculture and natural resource management, women's development and gender issues, and education and child development.
* Dr. Khankhoje, Freedom Fighter and Agriculturist. (Arvi)
* Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, Social Workers, rendering medical services to the poor adiwasi people of Gadchiroli district.
* Shri. Bapuraoji Deshmukh,Founder chairman yeshwant rural education society and popular by name "Sahakar and Shikshan Maharshi" of Wardha District
* Shri. Dhirubhai Mehta, President, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences providing medical aid to the rural masses.

External links

* [http://www.wardha.nic.in Wardha District web site]