Barwani

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = बडवानी | other_name = Barwani
type = city | latd = 22.03 | longd = 74.9
locator_position = right | state_name = Madhya Pradesh
district = Barwani
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 178
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 73,222| population_density =
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone = 91-7290
postal_code = 451551
vehicle_code_range = MP 46
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website = barwani.nic.in
footnotes =

बडवानी , also known as Badwani or Siddh Nagar, is a city and a municipality in Barwani District in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The town is situated near the left bank of the Narmada River, and is the administrative seat of Barwani District and formerly served as the capital of the former princely state of Barwani. It can be reached by road only. Nearest airport and railway station is located at Indore, which is 150 KM from Barwani. Bawangaja, the Jain pilgrimage place, is 8 km from Barwani.

Origin of name

The name "Badwani" originated from the forests of "BAD" which had surrounded the city in old times. "WANI" is the old word for the Garden. and hence city got its name "BADWANI" which means "Garden of Bads". Barwani is still pronounced as Badwani but it spells Barwani.

History

Barwani was formerly the capital of the eponymous princely state. The rulers, whose title was Rana, were Rajputs of the Sesodia clan, descended from the ruling dynasty of Udaipur. Although the state lost most of its territory during the Maratha invasion in the 17th century, it never became tributary to any Maratha chief. Under the British Raj, Barwani was a state of the Bhopawar agency, a division of the Central India Agency. The state lay in the Satpura Range south of the Narmada. It had an area of 3051 km² (1178 square miles) and a population, in 1901, of 76,136. The inhabitants were predominantly Bhil tribals. The forests were under a British official. After India's independence in 1947, the Rana of Barwani acceded to India, and Barwani became part of the Nimar District of Madhya Bharat state. Madhya Bharat was merged into Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956. [ [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/b/barwani.html Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Barwani] ]

Geography

Barwani is located at coord|22.03|N|74.9|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/35/Barwani.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Barwani] ] . It has an average elevation of 178 metres (583 feet). Barwani is surrounded by great hills of satpura and in the raining days it becomes one of the most beautiful place in central India. The city is also called as Paris of Nimar. Nimar, the name of the region is split into East and West Nimar. Nimar in local terms means "Area beyond Neem Trees". Barwani lies in the West Nimar.Annual rainfall of Barwani is around 15 inches, though since 2006, it has increased a lot.Barwani is famous for its PAPITAs and Bawangaja (a Jain holy place 8 KM from Barwani). The great river Narmada flows through Barwani (just 5 KM from city).The temperature of Barwani in April & May goes as high as 48'C, making it the hottest place in India.

Transportation infrastructure

The city is not well connected via rail, and air transport services. however, has good connectivity via roads.

Airport

The nearest airport is Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport Indore, which is 150 KM from Barwani, provides connectivity to Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Raipur and Nagpur in India with major airlines operating on these routes.

Railways

Barwani has Western Railway Reservation Counter (Ratlam Mandal) at Ambedker Park on Rajghat Road. The nearest railway station is situated at Indore, which is one of the major commercial railway station of western railway. Another nearer railway station is Khandwa, which is 180 km from Barwani. Khandwa is situated on Central Railway and it is connected with Barwani via State highway Number 26. On the Western Railway, Ratlam, Dahod and Meghnagar are closer though not well connected by road.

Roads

Barwani is fairly well connected to other parts of Madhya Pradesh and India with national and state highways. though, no national highway passes through Barwani, The city is connected to the Agra-Bombay national highway no.3 by Khandwa-Baroda interstate highway no.26 at the distance of 45 KM at Julwaniya. There are bus services to and from all major and minor cities near Barwani. The prominent one being Indore, Khandwa, Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar, Ratlam, Khargone, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Baroda.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census [GR|India] , Barwani had a population of 73,222. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Barwani has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 57% of the males and 43% of females literate. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Economy

Banks

Most of the nationalized banks have their branches in Barwani. Prominent ones are State Bank of India, State Bank of Indore, Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Central Bank of India and Dena Bank.

ATMs

Currently Barwani has 5 ATMs. which includes 2 SBI ATMs at MG Road and Club Road, 2 ICICI ATMs at MG Road and Rajghat Road, 1 CBI ATM at Club Road.

Health Care

Barwani is prominent in Nimar and Malwa regions for its health care facilities with a District hospital and many other hospitals. Which includes District Hospital, Mahamartunjaya Hospital, Asha Gram Trust, Saraswati Eye Hospital and the Samraddhi child care hospital with its well equipped Neonatal intensive care unit. Barwani District Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in central India.

Education

Colleges

*Government PG College (Cheel College), Barwani
*Government Girls College, Barwani
*Barwani Polytechnic College, Barwani

chools

*Gov. Boys Higher Secndary School No.1
*Gov. Boys Higher Secndary School No.2
*Gov. Girls Higher Secndary School
*Saraswati Shishu/vidhya Mandir
*Rotery Higher Secondary School
*Barwani Public School
*St. Merry High Secondary School
*St. Joseph Higher Secondary School
*Knowledge-Rain High school
*Paramount Academy
*Puspkunj High School
*Rajkumar Khendalwal Memorial HSCH school
*Harsukh digamber jain higher secondary school

Gallery

Trivia

*Before Independence Barwani was known as NIMAR KA PARIS (Paris of Nimar)
*Rajghat (Ghat at Nermada River in Barwani) has Samadhi of Mohandas Karamchand Gandi.
*Barwani has a Historic Symbol which is known as TIR-GOLA. It is located at Khandwa-Baroda Road, in front of Sagar Vilas Palace and was built in the memory of late son of Raja Ranjit Singh.
*The only other temple of mata Vashno Devi, in the world, is situated in the Barwani.

References