:Dewas

File:An old photograph of Goddess Chamunda Mata's Temple on Dewas Tekri (Hill).jpg (Hill).]]

The name Dewas is derived from the Devi Vaishini hill in the city, commonly known as Tekri.{{Cite web |url=http://www.onlinedewas.com/ |title=Dewas : The Dream City - About Us |access-date=30 June 2016 |archive-date=19 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219002634/http://www.onlinedewas.com:80/ |url-status=dead }} The hill has a temple of the deities Devi Tulja Bhawani, Chamunda Mata and Kalika Mata. The word Dewas is believed to be a sandhi of the words Dev (deity) and Vas (abode in Marathi), so Dewas means house of the god. Swami Shivom Tirtha wrote the history of the hill (Tekri ) of Dewas in his book, Sadhan Shikhar. Inspired by the area, E.M. Forster wrote The Hill of Devi in 1953.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cvJxAAAAMAAJ|title=The Hill of Devi|last=Forster|first=Edward Morgan|date=1 January 1953|publisher=Harcourt, Brace|isbn=9780156402651|language=en}}

The district takes its name from its headquarters town, Dewas, which is said to be derived from the legend that Dewas rests at the foot of a 300-foot (91 m) conical hill known as Chamunda hill on whose summit is the shrine of Goddess Chamunda. The image of the goddess is cut into the wall of a cave, known as Devi Vashini or the goddess's residence. From this, the name Dewas (dev-vas) seems to have been derived.{{Cite web|url=http://dic.mp.nic.in/dewas/Dewas/html/geography.htm|title=Geography|website=dic.mp.nic.in|access-date=30 September 2016}}

{{Main|Dewas State}}

{{See also|Dewas Junior|Dewas Senior|Dhar State|Indore State|Gwalior State}}

Dewas was formerly the capital of two princely states of British India. The original state was founded in the first half of the 18th century by the brothers Tukaji Rao (Senior) and Jivaji Rao (Junior), from the Pawar clan of the Marathas. They had advanced into Malwa with the Maratha Peshwa, Baji Rao, in 1728. The brothers divided the territory among themselves; their descendants ruled as the senior and junior branches of the family. After 1841, each branch ruled its own portion as a separate state, though the lands belonging to each were intimately entangled; in Dewas, the capital town, the two sides of the main street were under different administrations and had different arrangements water supply and lighting.

The senior branch had an area of {{convert|446|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} and a population of in 62,312 in 1901, while the area of the junior branch was {{convert|440|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of 54,904 that same year.{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Dewas|volume=8|page=137}} Both Dewas states were in the Malwa Agency of the Central India Agency.

Dewas Junior and Dewas Senior Darbars (Courts) was composed of Sardars, Mankaris, Istamuradars, Thakurs and Jagirdars.{{cite book|title=Way of Life: King, Householder, Renouncer : Essays in Honour of Louis Dumont|author=Madan, T.N.|date=1988|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=9788120805279|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_qMH9PY9fQC&pg=PA129|page=129|access-date=4 July 2015}}{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xdIBAAAAMAAJ&q=Mankari+being+primarily+a+title+applied+to+Maratha+noblemen%2C+who+held+an+official+position+at+court |title = Pt. II. Descriptive articles on the principal castes and tribes of the Central Provinces|last1 = Russell|first1 = Robert Vane|year = 1916}}

File:A rare photograph of the Old Palace (Rajwada) of Dewas Junior.jpg|The Old Palace (Rajwada) of Dewas Junior.

File:The Durga Bagh Palace, Dewas Junior State.jpg|The Durga Bagh Palace, Dewas Junior State.

File:The Shree Lakshmi Narayan Bhawan Club, Dewas Junior State.jpg|Shree Lakshmi Narayan Bhawan Club, Dewas Junior State.

File:Shree Narayan Tower, Dewas Junior. The Clock Tower is named after HH Raja Srimant Narayanrao (Dada Sahib) Puar of Dewas (Junior).jpg|Shree Narayan Tower, Dewas Junior State. The Clock Tower is named after HH Raja Srimant Narayanrao (Dada Sahib) Puar of Dewas Junior State.

File:The Gate at Shree Malhar, The Residence of His Holiness Shri Shilnath Maharaj.jpg|The Gate at Shree Malhar, The Residence of His Holiness Shri Shilnath Maharaj.

File:The Law Courts, Dewas Junior State.jpg|The Law Courts, Dewas Junior State.

File:HH Raja Narayan Rao Puar with Dewas Junior Nobility.jpg|HH Raja Narayan Rao Pawar with Dewas Junior Nobility (Sardars, Mankaris, Thakurs and Jagirdars).

After India's independence in 1947, the Maharajas of Dewas (Jr. & Sr.) acceded to India, and their states were integrated into Madhya Bharat, which became a state of India in 1950. Later, in 1956, Madhya Bharat was merged into Madhya Pradesh state.{{Cite web|url=http://dic.mp.nic.in/dewas/Dewas/html/history_of_dewas.htm|title=History Of Dewas|website=dic.mp.nic.in|access-date=30 September 2016}}

Dewas lies northeast of Indore, southeast of Ujjain, and southwest of Shajapur. The city is located on the level plains of the Malwa plateau; to the south, the land rises gently to the Vindhya Range, which is the source of the Chambal and Kali Sindh rivers that flow north through the district on their way to the Ganges. The main river in Dewas is Kshipra.

{{Dewas weatherbox}}Dewas has been ranked 15th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3 population under 3 lakhs cities) in India.{{Cite web |date=7 September 2024 |title=Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024 |url=https://prana.cpcb.gov.in/ncapServices/robust/fetchFilesFromDrive/Swachh_Vayu_Survekshan_2024_Result.pdf |website=Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024}}

{{See also|List of cities in Madhya Pradesh}}

{{update after|2022}}

As of the census, Dewas had a total population of {{formatnum:289550}}, of which {{formatnum:150081}} were males and {{formatnum:139469}} were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was {{formatnum:35437}}. The total number of literates in Dewas was {{formatnum:215088}}, which constituted 74.3% of the population with male literacy of 79.9% and female literacy of 68.3%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Dewas was 84.6%, of which male literacy rate was 91.1% and female literacy rate was 77.7%. The Scheduled Castes population was {{formatnum:56366}}, while the Scheduled Tribes population was {{formatnum:9861}}. Dewas had {{formatnum:57397}} households in 2011.{{cite web |title=Census of India: Dewas |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=530740 |website=www.censusindia.gov.in |access-date=27 November 2019}}

File:Dewas Collectorate (previously Lakshmi Niwas Palace of Dewas Junior.jpg. This was illegally demolished by the local administration in March 2023, despite an ongoing case and strong opposition by the citizens of Dewas.)]]

{{cite web |title=Madhya Pradesh: Maratha community protests demolition of collector office building in Dewas |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/madhya-pradesh-maratha-community-protestsdemolition-of-collector-office-building-in-dewas|website=Free Press Journal |access-date=5 March 2023}}

The Member of Parliament from Dewas is Mahendra Singh Solanki of BJP who was elected in the Lok Sabha Election 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-2019/madhya-pradesh/dewas-sc-election-results-9_1376.html|title=Dewas Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: Dewas Election Result 2019 {{!}} Dewas Winning MP & Party {{!}} Dewas Lok Sabha Seat| newspaper=Business Standard |access-date=23 May 2019}}

As of the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the member of the Legislative Assembly for Dewas is Gayatri Raje Pawar.{{cite web |url=https://www.ndtv.com/elections/madhya-pradesh/dewas-mla-results |title=DEWAS Election Result 2018, Winner, DEWAS MLA, Madhya Pradesh |access-date= 31 May 2021}}

Dewas was known for being a production centre of retail opium in the 1800s, as noted in the 1895 first report of the Royal Commission on Opium.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924073053864|page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924073053864/page/n160 149]|quote=dewas city.|title=First Report of the Royal Commission on Opium: With Minutes of Evidence and Appendices...|date=1894|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|language=en}} Rapid industrialisation took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but due to inadequate infrastructure, the pace has slowed since the late 1980s. In recent years, some industries have closed their operations due to a shortage of sufficient infrastructure to support growth; there is a shortage of water due to excessive usage in previous decades.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

The city has many industrial units providing employment to thousands of workers. The largest companies include Tata International, Kirloskar, John Deere, Eicher Motors, Gajra Gears,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gajra.com/|title=Transmission and Differential Gears, Gearboxes - Gajra Gears Pvt. Limited - A Gajra Group Company, Indore Indiaes|website=www.gajra.com}} Cummins Turbo Technologies, STI Sanoh Steel Tubes Plant and Coparo Steel Tubes Unit. Dewas is known as the Soy Capital of India and is a major part of the soy bean processing industry in the country with major Soyabean Products brands like Kriti Nutrients, Prestige Agro-Tech, Mittal Soya Protein, Adani Agri Logistics etc.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

Dewas is also one of the prominent Pharmaceutical Hubs of Madhya Pradesh and India as well with many pharmaceutical products manufacturing facilities and labs in Industrial areas of Dewas. Industrial Manufacturing Units of Ranbaxy Laboratories and Sun Pharma Industries are also situated here.

File:Dewas Wind Hills.jpg

Due to its location above sea level at one corner of the Malwa plateau, constant wind flows in the region are suitable for harvesting wind energy. There are more than 100 wind mills on a series of hills {{convert|13|km|abbr=on}} from Dewas, generating around 60 megawatts (MW) of power. These were financed by a few private companies (mainly Suzlon Energy) which sought a reliable power supply.{{Cite web|url=http://dic.mp.nic.in/dewas/Dewas/html/handy.htm|title=Handy Craft|website=dic.mp.nic.in|access-date=30 September 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://dic.mp.nic.in/dewas/Dewas/html/windfarm.htm|title=Wind Energy|website=dic.mp.nic.in|access-date=30 September 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://dic.mp.nic.in/dewas/Dewas/html/bank.htm|title=BANKS|website=dic.mp.nic.in|access-date=30 September 2016}}

File:Main Gate of Bank Note Press Dewas.jpg

A unit of Indian Currency Printing of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) is situated in Dewas. Also known as [https://bnpdewas.spmcil.com/en/ Bank Note Press Dewas (BNP)]. It is an industrial unit of SPMCIL, established in the year 1974 is wholly owned by Government of India, Ministry of Finance and Department of Economic Affairs. Bank Note Press Dewas prints Indian Currency Notes (known as Indian Rupee or INR; Symbol: '₹') of denominations ₹50, ₹100, ₹500 and ₹2000 and is capable of printing Bank Notes of any denomination. The bank notes are printed with high security features which are necessary to impede forgery and to meet the essential standards of Reserve Bank of India. The unit has skilled and trained manpower totaling around 1400 employees in production. BNP campus is spread over an area of 185 hectares of land. In addition to the high security printing complex, there is a specialized Ink factory unit which produces Security Inks for BNP Dewas and other units of SPMCIL for the printing of other government documents. There is also a residential complex with nearly 1400 quarters for employees to reside. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) provides security and fire coverage for the printing complex and transportation of bank note consignments.

In terms of print media, Satyakaar a daily evening newspaper is published from Dewas. Along with this, newspapers like Dainik Bhaskar, Naidunia, Patrika etc. published from Indore are also circulated here.

Dewas Junction (station code: DWX) is the main railway junction of Dewas city. It is a 'B' Grade Railway Junction, under the Ratlam division of the Western Railways zone. It is well connected to nearby junctions such as Indore Junction (INDB) to the north-west and Ujjain Junction (UJN) south-west, via an electrified rail line. It is situated on Indore–Gwalior line rail line.

Dewas is well connected to major cities across the state and country, via both National and State level highways. NH-47 and NH-52 connects Dewas to Indore and other cities of Madhya Pradesh. MP SH-18 connects Dewas to Bhopal, Ujjain and Ahmedabad.

Dewas does not have an airport or an airstrip of its own. The nearest airport is Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore, which is about {{cvt|40|km}} away by road. An airport is proposed to be built in Dewas district at Chapda village. Construction of the airport is stated to begin soon as of 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/state-editions/plan-for-construction-of-green-field-airport-to-be-implemented.html|title=Plan for construction of green field airport to be implemented|work=Daily Pioneer|accessdate=5 October 2022}}

{{See also|Dewas district#Places of interest}}

Dewas is known for the Devi Chamunda temple and the Devi Tulaja Bhavani temple situated on a {{convert|300|ft|adj=on}} hilltop (Tekri). A broad flight of stone steps leads to two shrines to the goddesses, Choti Mata (Chamunda Mata) and Badi Mata (Tulja Bhavani Mata). Numerous other temples spread over the Tekri can be explored on foot.{{Cite web | url=http://dewas.nic.in |title = जिला प्रशासन देवास, मध्य प्रदेश शासन | उद्योगों का शहर |website=dewas.nic.in|access-date=19 February 2021|language=hi}}{{Cite web |title=Dewas Mata Tekari |url=http://indoremerijaan.in/dewar-mata-tekari/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731233446/http://indoremerijaan.in/dewar-mata-tekari/ |archive-date=31 July 2017 |website=indoremerijaan.in}}

• Shri Sheelnath Dhuni at the Tekri foothills is a place of worship for followers of Saint Sheelnath Maharaj's of Gorakh Nath Sumpradaya. Sheelnath Maharaj belonged to a royal family of Jaipur and later became a Yogi of Gorakh Nath Sumpradaya, who lived in Dewas in his old age.{{cite web |title=Ashram Center for Shaktipat |url=http://www.shrinarayankutisanyasashram.org/ |website=Narayan Kuti Sanyas Ashram |access-date=19 February 2021}}
• The Pawar Chatries near the Meetha talab of Dewas are examples of Maratha architecture in the area.{{Cite web |url=http://dmcdewas.org:89/files/meethatalab.pdf |title=Meetha Talab - Improvement and beautification |language=hi |access-date=9 July 2016 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820083446/http://dmcdewas.org:89/files/meethatalab.pdf |url-status=dead }}
• Kailadevi temple at Dewas is the largest in the state. It is situated at Mishri Lal Nagar (Agra Bombay Road). It was established in December 1995 by businessman Mannulal Garg. This modern temple was built by South Indian artists; it houses a {{convert|51|ft|adj=on}} statue of Lord Hanuman. The original Kaila Devi Temple is located on the banks of the Kalisil river in Karauli district of Rajasthan. The temple is devoted to the tutelary deity of the former princely rulers of the Karauli state, Kaila.{{Cite web |url=http://www.onlinedewas.com/temples.aspx |title=DEWAS : The city of goddess |access-date=30 June 2016 |archive-date=8 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808035602/http://www.onlinedewas.com/temples.aspx |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.ghumakkar.com/paying-tributes-dewas |title=Dewas - Ghumakkar - Inspiring travel experiences |access-date=9 July 2016 |archive-date=16 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916010439/http://www.ghumakkar.com/paying-tributes-dewas/ |url-status=dead }}
• Mahadev mandir is a temple in Shankar Gadh built by the Dewas ruler Shrimant Sadashive Rao Maharaja (Khase Saheb) in 1942. The temple is located on a small hill south of the city.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dewas.nic.in/html/rel.htm |title=Religious places of Dewas |access-date=9 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511212122/http://www.dewas.nic.in/html/rel.htm |archive-date=11 May 2015 |url-status=dead }}
• Mahakaleshwar temple, Bilwali - Bilavali village is situated 3 km north of Dewas.

{{Gallery

|Night-view of Dewas City.jpg|Night-view of Dewas City from Tekri Hilltop

|Maa Chamunda at Tekri, Dewas.png|Maa Chamunda at Tekri, Dewas

|Maa Tulja Bhawani at Terki Dewas.png|Maa Tulja Bhawani at Terki Dewas

|Maa Tulja Bhawani Temple, Tekri Dewas.jpg|Maa Tulja Bhawani Temple, Tekri Dewas

|Maa Chamunda Mata Temple, Tekri Dewas.jpg|Maa Chamunda Mata Temple, Tekri Dewas

}}

{{gallery

|A rare photograph of the 3 successive Maharajas of Dewas Junior State.jpg|A rare photograph of the 3 successive Maharajas of Dewas Junior State. (L to R - HH Maharaja Sadashiv Rao Puar, HH Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Puar and HH Maharaja Malhar Rao Puar)

|HH Maharaja Tukoji Rao III Puar of Dewas Sr.jpg|Maharaja Tukoji Rao III Puar of Dewas Senior

}}

• Tukoji Rao III Puar, (Ruler of Dewas Senior State)
• Vikramsinh Rao I Puar, (Ruler of Dewas Senior State)
• Krishnaji Rao III Puar, (Ruler of Dewas Senior State)
• Tukoji Rao IV Puar, (Politician)
• Vikram Singh Rao II Puar, (Politician)
• Edward Morgan Forster, (English Author based in Dewas Senior State, who wrote 'Hill of Devi')
• Madhav Vinayak Kibe, (Statesman & Dewan of Dewas Junior State)
• Kumar Gandharva, (Indian Classical Singer)
• Digvijay Bhonsale, (Rock/Metal Musician)
• Neha Hinge, (Model & Actress)
• Anant Sadashiv Patwardhan, (Politician)
• Mukul Shivputra, (Indian Classical Singer)
• Kailash Chandra Joshi, (Politician)
• Sajjan Singh Verma, (Politician)
• Deepak Joshi, (Politician)
• Manoj Choudhary, (Politician)
• Tejsingh Sendhav, (Politician)
• Manohar Untwal, (Politician)
• Rajendrasingh Baghel, (Politician)
• Hukam Chand Kachwai, (Politician)
• Mahendra Solanki, (Politician)
• Ashif Shaikh, (Social Worker)
• Mishrilal Gangwal, (Politician)
• Bapulal Kishan, (Politician)

• Government Polytechnic College, Dewas
• Government New Science College, Dewas
• Government Law College, Dewas
• Maharani Pushpmala Raje Paur Government Girls Degree College, Dewas
• Saheed Jageshwar Nagar Government Polytechnic College, Dewas

• Prestige Institute of Management Dewas
• Amaltas Institute of Medical Sciences
• Indira Institute of Management Studies, Dewas
• Sandipani Law College, Ujjain
• Arena Animation

• Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Dewas
• Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Dewas
• Government Higher Secondary Model School, Dewas

• Academic Heights Public School (APHS) Dewas
• BCM Prominent School
• Bright Star Higher Secondary School
• Shishu Vihar Higher Secondary School
• Central India Academy
• Vindhyachal Academy
• Hello Kids - Little Star
• Little Millennium - Dewas

• Maratha Empire
• List of Maratha dynasties and states

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://dewas.nic.in/ Government website on Dewas district]
• {{Wikivoyage inline}}

{{Dewas district}}

{{Ujjain Division}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Dewas district

Category:Cities in Malwa

Category:Cities in Madhya Pradesh

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