Saoner

Saoner is small town in Nagpur district of Maharashtra in India. It is 36 km (23 miles) from district headquarters, the city of Nagpur. It is well connected to Nagpur by road and a narrow gauge railway, one can enjoy this one hour ride in a small train. Saoner is located on the bank of Kolar River.

This small town is famous for its coal mines, textile and paper industry. The primary occupation of its people is farming. Nearly 65% of the people are engaged in growing oranges on 80% of available nearby land. But in recent days coal mines has brought new employment opprtunities in this region. Saoner falls in RAMTEK constituency for LOKSABHA. The local language is Marathi but a few people also speak Hindi. Most of the bridges and government buildings were built by the British in the late 1930s. Summer months are very hot (45^oC/113^oF) and the winter is moderate.

Pola (Festival of Bullocks) and Holi are the main festivals of this area. Famous Marathi writers include Ram Ganesh Gadkari.

Saoner is also of historic importance due to its role in the 1942 Quit India Movement against the British.

WCL (western Coalfields India Limited) has open cast and closed coal mines, coal is mined and transported with the help of railway wagons to Khaprikheda Thermal Powerhouse.

Saoner is said to be mentioned in the Jaimini Ashwamedh under the name of Saraswatpur, and there are many legends connected with it. Of the temples the more ancient are those to Ganpati and Mahadeo at the neighbouring village of Adasa, which hill is said to have been one of the gates of a great ancient city.

There are also remains of a large stone fort with corner towers built for protection against the habitual raids of the Pindaris.

Saoner was a town of importance under the Bhonsla dynasty and has been a municipality since 1862. The octroi tax was abolished in 1876, and since then the municipal income has been small, but during the recent years of cotton prosperity it has been expanded to Rs. 9000, which is derived chiefly from a house-tax, a small conservancy cess, bazar dues, cotton-market dues and cattle registration fees. Until very recent years lack of funds served to discourage municipal enterprise. Only the schools were maintained and some sanitation effected. But quite lately an excellent cotton-market has been constructed. It is nearly four acres in extent, is well fenced, and has a weighing machine and two wells. Near it land has been acquired by the town, and on this substantial dwellings and shops are being erected by private lessees.

Most of the people of Saoner are Koshtis who weave the ordinary cotton cloths, and some of the red dye is still produced, for which the town was at one time noted. A large weekly market is held on Fridays, at which the ordinary attendance is about 10,000. This is chiefly a cloth and cattle bazar. In the open season from two to three hundred cattle are sold weekly.

But Saoner like Katol now depends chiefly on its trade in raw cotton. There are four ginning factories at work, two of which have presses. On the west Katol town is a successful rival, and most of the cotton grown south of Saoner goes directly to the city. But a railway between Nagpur and Saoner is projected and if from that point it is continued in three directions to Amraoti, Itarsi and Chhindwara, it is practically certain that the trade of Saoner will develop very rapidly.

Saoner is also recognized for well known historical poet Ram Ganesh Gadkari, known as Shakespeare of Marathi literature.