- History of Nagpur
=History of
Nagpur city inMaharashtra state inIndia =Human existence around present day Nagpur city can be traced back 3000 years to 8th century BC. "Menhir" burial sites at Drugdhamna(near Mhada colony) indicate megalithic culture existed around Nagpur and is still followed in present times cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/3000-year-old_burial_site_unearthed/rssarticleshow/2830035.cms |title=3000-year-old burial site unearthed|publisher=timesofindia.com|accessdate=2008-03] .The first reference to the name "Nagpur" is found in a 10th century copper-plate inscription discovered at Devali in the neighbouring Wardha district. The inscription is a record of grant of a village situated in the visaya (district) of Nagpura-Nandivardhana during time of Rastrakuta king Krsna III in the
Saka year 862 (940 CE). cite web |url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/FINAL_GAZETTEE/history.html|title=History of Nagpur District: Ancient Period|publisher=Maharashtra State Government Directorate of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications|accessdate=2006-07-28] [Nandivardhana, which was well-known as an ancient capital of the Vakatakas, is now represented by the village Nandardhan, about three miles (5 km) from the temple town of Ramtek.] Inscription found at Ramtek show that during the 12th century AD Nagpur and its surrounding regions formed the part of the thickly wooded country called "Jhadimandala" under Yadavas of Devagiri. [ [http://www.nagpuronline.com/history>] However, tradition ascribes the founding of Nagpur toBakht Buland , a prince of theGond kingdom of Deogarh in theChhindwara district . In 1743, theMaratha leaderRaghoji Bhonsle of Vidarbha established himself at Nagpur, after conquering the territories of Deogarh,Chanda andChhattisgarh by 1751. After Raghoji's death in 1755, his son and successor Janoji was forced to acknowledge the effective supremacy of the MarathaPeshwa of Pune in 1769. Regardless, theNagpur state continued to grow. Janoji's successor Mudhoji I (d. 1788) came to power in 1785 and boughtMandla and the upper Narmada valley from the Peshwa between 1796 and 1798, after which Raghoji II (d. 1816) acquiredHoshangabad , the larger part ofSaugor andDamoh . Under Raghoji II, Nagpur covered what is now the east of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh,Orissa , and parts ofMadhya Pradesh andJharkhand .In 1803 Raghoji II joined the Peshwas against the British in the
Second Anglo-Maratha War . The British prevailed, and Raghoji was forced to cedeCuttack ,Sambalpur , and part ofBerar . After Raghoji II's death in 1816, his son Parsaji was deposed and murdered by Mudhoji II. Despite the fact that he had entered into a treaty with the British in the same year, Mudhoji joined the Peshwa in theThird Anglo-Maratha War in 1817 against the British, but was forced to cede the rest of Berar to the Nizam of Hyderabad, and parts of Saugor and Damoh,Mandla ,Betul ,Seoni and the Narmada valley to the British after suffering a defeat at Sitabuldi in modern-day Nagpur city. The Sitabuldi fort was the site of a fierce battle between the British and the Bhonsle of Nagpur in 1817. The battle was a turning point as it laid the foundations of the downfall of the Bhonsles and paved the way for the British acquisition of Nagpur city. cite web |url=http://www.nagpurcity.net/netzine/981215a2.html|title="The Battle of Sitabuldi"|publisher=Nagpurcity.net|accessdate=2006-06] Mudhoji was deposed after a temporary restoration to the throne, after which the British placed Raghoji III the grandchild of Raghoji II, on the throne. During the rule of Raghoji III (which lasted till 1840), the region was administered by a British resident. In 1853, the British took control of Nagpur after Raghoji III died without leaving a heir. From 1853 to 1861, theNagpur Province (which consisted of the present Nagpur region, Chhindwara, and Chhatisgarh) became part of theCentral Provinces and Berar and came under the administration of a commissioner under the British central government, with Nagpur as its capital. Berar was added in 1903.Tata group started the country's first textile mill at Nagpur cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/aug/10das.htm|title="Are Indians Really Dumb?"|publisher=Rediff.com|accessdate=2006-06] , formally known as Central India Spinning and Weaving Company Ltd. The company was popularly known as "Empress Mills" as it was inaugurated on 1 January 1877, the day queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India. Political activity in Nagpur during India's freedom struggle included hosting of two annual sessions of theIndian National Congress .Non-cooperation movement was launched in the Nagpur session of 1920. In 1925,K. B. Hedgewar founded RSS, a Hindu nationalist organization in Nagpur with an idea of creating a "Hindu nation".After
Indian Independence in 1947, Central Provinces and Berar became a province of India, and in 1950 became the Indian state ofMadhya Pradesh , again with Nagpur as its capital. However when the Indian states were reorganized along linguistic lines in 1956, the Nagpur region and Berar were transferred toBombay state , which in 1960 was split between the states ofMaharashtra andGujarat . At a formal public ceremony onOctober 14 ,1956 in NagpurB. R. Ambedkar along with his supporters converted to Buddhism startingDalit Buddhist movement which is still active. In 1994, city witnessed its most violent day in modern times due toGowari stampede deaths .References
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