Jalgaon district,Maharashtra

Jalgaon district is a district of Maharashtra, India. It was formerly known as East Khandesh district, prior to 21 October 1960, It has an area of 11,765 km², and a population of 3,682,690 (2001 census) of which 71.4% were living in rural areaa.

It is bounded by Madhya Pradesh state to the north, and by the districts of Buldhana to the east, Jalna to the southeast, Aurangabad to the south, Nashik to the southwest, and Dhule to the west.

History

The present territory of the district was part of the independent Khandesh Sulatanate ruled by the Faruqi dynasty from 1382-1601. It was previously part of Khandesh. According to Abul Fazal (Gladwin’s Aine Akbari 1157), the name Khandesh is derived from the Khan title given by Ahmad-I of Gujarat (1411-1443) to Malik Nasir, the second of the Faruki kings. According to some sources, the name comes from the Khandava forest of Mahabharata.

The Mahabharata mentions Yuvanshava, the ruler of Toranmal (Nandurbar district) as fighting with the Pandavas. The rock temples and caves at Nashik and Ajanta show that during the first three centuries AD, Khandesh was under the rulers who supported Buddhism. Thereafter, it was ruled by Saptavananas, Andhrabhrityas, Virsen (Ahir King), Yawan dynasty, Chalukyas, Yadavas and then Alaud-din Khilji, Mohammad Tughlak, Malik Raja Malik Nazir, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and subsequently the Marathas ruled the region.

In the 18th century, Khandesh was captured by British troops from the Holkar regime using Dhule as the headquarters. The Hon. Robert Gill was the first officer of British East India Company in the Khandesh District with headquarters in Dhule.

In 1906 when Khandesh was divided, east Khandesh became present-day Jalgaon. In 1956 with the reorganisation of states, it was included in Bombay state, and with the formation of Maharashtra in 1960, Jalgaon became a district of the state.

In the Parola Tahsils, there are remains of a fort believed to belong to the father of the great Rani of Jhansi. An All India Congress Session of 1936 was held at Faizpur in Yawal Tehsil. In present times, legendary poetess Bahinabai Chaudhari of Jalgaon spread the fame of the Ahirani dialect. Sane Guruji awakened the labour class while Balkavi Thomre’s poetry enriched socio-cultural life of the district. In present-day the great farmer poet N.D.Mahanor has proved himself a golden quill in the crown of Jalgaon.

After annexation by Akbar in 1601, it became a part of Khandesh Subah of the Mughal empire. Subsequently, the region was ruled by the Nizam and the Marathas. In the early 18th century, Khandesh was captured by British troops from the Holkar ruler and a new district, Khandesh District was formed with its headquarters at Dhulia. Robert Gill was the first administrator of the British East India Company in Khandesh District. In 1906, when Khandesh district was bifurcated into two district, the present territory of Jalgaon district became East Khandesh district with its headquarters at Jalgaon. In 1956, after the reorganisation of the states, East Khandesh district was included in Bombay state and with the formation of Maharashtra state on May 1, 1960, East Khandesh district became a part of the state. It was renamed as Jalgaon district on October 21, 1960.

Notable personalities

Places of interest around Jalgaon Dist.