- Ahmednagar
Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Ahmednagar | type = city | latd = 19.08 | longd = 74.73
locator_position = right | state_name = Maharashtra
district = Ahmednagar
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 649
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 307,455 | population_density =
area_magnitude= km²
area_total =
area_telephone = 0241
postal_code = 414001
vehicle_code_range = MH 16,17
sex_ratio = 945
unlocode =
website = ahmednagar.gov.in/
footnotes =Ahmednagar (Marathi/Hindi: अहमदनगर, Urdu: عحمدناگار) is a city of
Ahmednagar District in the state ofMaharashtra ,India , on the west bank of the Sina river, about 120 km northeast ofPune and 120 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar is the largest district in the Maharashtra state of India. Sugar, milk and bank co-operatives thrive here. Ahmednagar is home to 19 sugar factories and is also the birthplace of the cooperative movement. Due to scarce rainfall, Ahmednagar often suffers from drought. Though citizens learn multilingual (e.g. English,Hindi ,Marathi ,Urdu ) education in schools, Marathi is the primary language for daily-life communication. Ahmednagar has recently published a plan of developing the city by year 2031. [ [http://nagarick.blogspot.com/2007/06/ahmednagar-by-year-2031-city-planning.html Ahmednagar by year 2031] ]Demographics
As of 2001 India
census , [GR|India] Ahmednagar had a population of 307,455. Males constitute 63% of the population and females 37%. Ahmednagar has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.History of Ahmednagar
The town was founded in 1494 by Ahmad Nizam Shah on the site of a more ancient city,
Bhingar . With the breakup of theBahmani Sultanate , Ahmad established a new sultanate in Ahmednagar, also known asNizam Shahi dynasty . It was one of theDeccan sultanates , which lasted until its conquest by Mughal emperorShah Jahan in 1636.Aurangzeb , the last great Mughal emperor, who spent the latter years of his reign, 1681-1707, in theDeccan , died there in 1707, and a small monument marks the site.In 1759 the
Peshwa of theMaratha s obtained possession of the place by bribing the Muslim commander, and in 1790 it was ceded by the Peshwa to the Maratha chiefDaulat Rao Sindhia .Ahmednagar was invaded by a British force under General Wellesley and captured. It was afterwards restored to the Marathas, but again came into the possession of the British in 1817, according to the terms of the
Treaty of Poona .Numerous Mughal-era buildings dot the environs. Ahmednagar Fort, once considered the second most unimpregnable fort in India, was used by the British to house
Jawaharlal Nehru (the first prime minister of India) and other Indian Nationalists before Indian independence. A few rooms there have been converted to a museum. During his confinement by the British at Ahmednagar Fort Nehru, he wrote the famous book "The Discovery of India ".Ahmednagar is home to the Indian Armoured Corps Centre & School (ACC&S), the Mechanised Infantry Regimental Centre (MIRC), the
Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) and the Controllerate of Quality Assurance Vehicles (CQAV). Training and recruitment for theIndian Armoured Corps takes place at the ACC&S.Formerly, the city was the Indian base of the
British Army 'sRoyal Tank Corps , amongst other units. Currently the town houses the second-largest display of military tanks in the world.Fact|date=September 2008 The exhibit is open to the public.Religion
Majority of population in Ahmednagar are Hindu. But there are small other religious groups such as
Christians ,Muslims ,Sikhs ,Buddhists andJains . Accourding to Census, Hindus are 76%, Muslims 12%, Christians 7% and others are 5%.Islam arrived in the Ahmednagar during
Aurangzeb andNizam Emire. There are many Muslim Monuments like Chand bibi mahal, Meher Baba makhbara and ManyDarga .Christianity arrived in the 18th century when the British took over the area. From the
Maratha empire onwards Christianity has been Ahmednagar's third-largest religion. Ahmednagar's Christians are also called Marathi Christians because of their use of theMarathi Language. There are many Christian Churches and monuments.Prominent persons
*Anna Hazare , a Social Leader andRight to Information Act (RTI) Activist. Anti Corruption Movement. Under his leadership, Ralegan Siddhi village is considered as a model of environmental conservation.
*Chand Bibi : Razia Sultan has got more attention than courageous Chand bibi. Chand bibi was ahead of her time. In 1595, she fought against mighty Mughal emperor Akbar at Ahmednagar Fort. Sadly, in 1600, she was killed by few of her own short-sighted people branding her as traitor.
*Spike Milligan - Terence Alan Miligan - Spike Milligan (Irish comic genius) was born in Ahmednagar Military hospital, at 3.30 pm onApril 16 1918 . He worked on 'Those Crazy People' (later named asThe Goon Show ) weekly radio show with Peter Sellers, that ran for 11 series. Miligan was a comedian with social conscience. He is appeared in few movies like The three musketeers (1973). He died onJune 24 2002 .
* Cynthia Ferrar - Cynthia Ferrar (missionary, born 20 April 1795) studied at Planfield (New Hampshire, USA) and was a teacher in New Hampshire and Boston, USA. She lived in Ahmednagar from 1839 to 1862. In this period, she organized schools for girls in Ahmednagar region and directed them. She died on Jan 25, 1862, in Ahmednagar.
*Anna Leonowens , educator, feminist, and author of "The English Governess at the Siamese Court" (1870), was born in Ahmadnagar on 6 November, 1831.
* Michael James Stuart Dewar- Dewar was born in Ahmednagar, onSeptember 24 1918 . Dewar was educated in Oxford University (D.Phil. in 1942). He is well known for his contributions to theoretical chemistry. In 1970s/80s, he worked on the semiempirical computational chemistry methods- MINDO, MNDO, AM1 and PM3 that are in the MOPAC computer program.
* Ram Nagarkar - a writer/actor in Marathi language. He has written and acted in 'RamNagari' - an autobiography converted to comedic play/movie in Marathi language. The play deals with the topic of caste i.e. being a low-caste barber. Ram Nagarkar's native place is Sarola Kasar a village in Ahmednagar Taluka.
* Rachel Manija Brown wrote a book "All the Fishes Come Home to Roost", a satirical account of her life in Ahmmednagar as a child between the ages of 7 and 12. Brown's parents were followers ofMeher Baba , but Brown herself was a skeptic from a young age and felt herself to be a "misfit" both as a non-believer among Baba devotees and as the only resident Western child in an Indian town. [http://www.rachelmanijabrown.com/about.html]
* Shahu Modak (1918-1993), a Marathi/Hindi movie actor was born in a Christian family in Ahmednagar. He primarily acted as Lord Krishna in 29 mythological films.
*Dnyaneshwar wroteDnyaneshwari in Newasa town of Ahmednagar district.
* Shri Ramakrishna Saraswati Kshirsagar Swamiji (1934 - 1999): Swamiji worked for the rejuvenation and revival ofVedas , Vedic Hindu traditions and Vedic ideology.Datta Kshetra have been formed by divine power of Ramkrishna Saraswati.
* Sant Nilobaraya, last known saint in Sant parampara. Samadhi temple located at Pimpalner, Taluka-Parner. It is treated as Prati Pandharpur (holy) by devotees.
*Sai Baba of Shirdi (d. 1918) is a famous saint who devoted his life inShirdi , a small village in Ahmednagar district about 83 km from the city of Ahmednagar.
*Meher Baba (1894-1969), religious figure who proclaimed himself to be the Avatar, the most recent incarnation ofVishnu . EstablishedMeherabad ashram around 9 kilometers south of Ahmednagar on the 'Nagar-Daund' road. Also establishedMeherazad (his residence and now also a place of pilgrimage) about 13 kilometers north of Ahmednagar on the 'Nagar-Shirdi' road.
*Jawaharlal Nehru wrote the book "The Discovery of India " in Ahmednagar.
*B. R. Ambedkar wrote the book "Pakistan or Partition of India" in Ahmednagar.
* Bapusaheb Bhapkar (Prabhakar Kondaji Bhapkar aka Hiraprabha): Great Social Worker
* Hirabai Bhapkar : Great Social Worker . She was First lady president of district local board ( Zila parishad)
* Sadashiv Amrapurkar
* Prof. Madhu DandawatePlaces of interest
* Chand bibi Palace - The place has Salabat Khan Tomb, it is a three-storey structure made of solid stone. It is 13 km from Ahmednagar city. Situated on the top of a hill, it has a view of the city lights at night. It is visible from almost anywhere in Ahmednagar City.
* Ahmednagar Fort - The fort was built by Ahmed Nizam Shah. India's first prime ministerJawaharlal Nehru wrote a book "The Discovery of India " in this fort when he was detained by the British in 1942.
*Renuka /Durga Goddess Temple - This temple is located inKedgaon (around 3 km from Ahmednagar Railway Station, 5 km from Ahmednagar ST bus-stand) which is near Nagar-Pune highway.Navaratri (nine nights) festival is a celebration of nine nights of battle between the Goddess Durga and demon-kingMahishasura . Eventually Goddess Durga killed Mahishasura on the ninth night and thus the festival signifies the triumph of good over evil.
* Alamagir - Alamgir is situated near Bhingar on Pathardi road.Aurangzeb died at the age of 91 at the very same place, his body was taken to Khultabad, near Aurangabad & buried there. This historical place also houses a Masjid & Baradari where meetings used to take place. The library near the masjid has rare Qurans, dating back to the time of emperor Aurangzeb. One of the Qurans here was written by the emperor himself.
* Vishal Ganpati Mandir - This Ganeshji temple is located in Maliwada area in Ahmednagar City. This temple has a great importance to the people of Ahmednagar.
* Siddhatek Siddhivinayak - Temple of God Ganesh.
*Shirdi - home to the late Sai Baba, revered byHindus andMuslims alike, about 83 km from Ahmednagar City.
*Meherabad , where the "samadhi" (tomb) of the spiritual masterMeher Baba is a place of pilgrimage, visited by thousands each year, particularly on the anniversary of his death,Amartithi . His residence was atMeherazad (near Pimpalgaon village), approximately nine miles north of Ahmednagar.
*Ralegaon Siddhi - a village which is a model for environmental conservation
*Harishchandragarh - a hilly fort.
*Avhane ,Shevgaon - Temple of Ganesh (Nidrista/Sleeping).
* Pimpalner - Samadhi Temple of Shri Sant Nilobaraya, 2 km west of Ralegan Sindhi, Parner Taluka. Also called Prati Pandharpur.
*Pedgaon - Baleshwar Temple, Temple of Laxmi Narayan
* Trimbakji Dengale's Wada : Nimgaojali, a small village in Sangamner taluka of Ahmednagar district, came into limelight in the last phase of theMaratha empire. Trimbakji's spacious wada has now lost its former glory. Some of the portions of this two-centuries old structure are in dilapidated condition. The seventh or the eighth generation descendants of Trimbakji are now residing in this Wada.
*Haregaon - Place in Ahmednagar where majority of people iscatholic and the feast of Mother mary Celbrates every year by the local Church.References
External links
* [http://nagarick.blogspot.com/2007/06/travel-to-ahmednagar.html Travel to Ahmednagar] All about interesting places (including historical/archaeological) to visit in Ahmednagar.
* [http://www.mindspring.com/~userview/Welcome%20Home/nagarmap.html Click here to see Ahmednagar Map in English] & [http://ahmednagar.gov.in/images/ahmednagar.jpgMarathi]
* [http://ahmednagar.gov.in/html_docs/places.htm Very good resource for sights in and around Ahmednagar]
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v1f6/v1f6a111.html Ahmadnagar] entry in Encyclopaedia Iranica
* [http://www.nagarnewsline.com/yellowpages.htm Ahmednagar yellow pages]
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