Bhandara district

• Prashant Yadaorao Padole (Indian National Congress)
  {{small|(Bhandara–Gondiya)}}

{{Infobox Political post

| post = Guardian Minister Bhandara

| native_name = पालकमंत्री भंडारा

| insignia = Emblem_of_India.svg

| insigniasize = 50px

| insigniacaption = Emblem of India

| image =

| incumbent = Sanjay Waman Sawakare
{{small|Cabinet Minister}}

| incumbentsince = 05 October 2024

| style = The Honourable

| imagesize =

| termlength = 5 years / No time limit

| appointer = Chief Minister of Maharashtra

| residence = Mumbai Sagar Bangla

| formation =

| succession =

| website = {{URL|http://bhandara.gov.in/en/}}

}}

In the seventh century, the district was included in the territories of the Haihaya yadav kings of Chhattisgarh, whose kingdom was known as Maha Kosala. The name of the district is derived from 'Bhannara', the name by which it is mentioned in a stone inscription at Ratanpur, which confirms that the name dates back to at least the 11th century. The Bhandara is also known as Bhandakdesh and in mythological stories it is known as the king of this kingdom bring Ganga river in this region as Vainganga. Bhandara is also Formerly a part of the territories of the Haihaya Rajput kings of Chhattisgarh, Bhandara was taken over by the Panwar Rajputs in the 12th century, followed by the Gond chiefs.

By the 17th century, the district was made a part of Berar by Peshwas, who had invaded the region during the period. In 1699, the region came under the control of Parasoji Bhonsle along with the territories of Vidarbha and Berar. Raghoji Bhonsle of Vidarbha became the leader in 1743, and was succeeded by his son Janoji after his death in 1755. The feudal dynasty of Lanji governed the region from 1818 to 1830, and formed the Bhandara district in 1821.

Peshwas were ousted by Nizams during the 1850s, who ceded Berar to the British East India Company in 1903. With the re-organisation of states in 1956, Bhandara was transferred to Bombay Province from the state of Madhya Pradesh. After the formation of Maharashtra in 1960, Bhandara evolved as a district of the state. The erstwhile Bhandara district was bifurcated on 1 May 1999, and a new district, Gondia, was formed. Thus, Gondia and Bhandara came into existence.

This medieval period fort is situated in Tumsar, about 13 km away from Tumsar. It was constructed by Raja Khan Pathan, the subhedar{{which lang|date=January 2020}} of Bakht Buland Shah, the ruler of Devgadh around 1700 AD. Later, it came under the possession of Raghoji I Bhonsle of Nagpur, who used it as a prison for captives, before it was eventually taken over by the British.

Bhandara is one of the major administrative districts in Maharashtra, and is located in the Nagpur division at 21°10'N 79°39'E. The district is enveloped by Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh in the north and Chandrapur in the south, smallest border with Gadchiroli in the southeast while Gondia and Nagpur mark its eastern and western borders respectively. Covering an area of 3716 km², the district of Bhandara is segregated into three sub-divisions, Bhandara, Tumsar and Sakoli, that are further divided into seven talukas. Bhandara sub-division is divided into two talukas: Bhandara and Pauni. Tumsar division have Tumsar and Mohadi. Sakoli sub-division is divided into three talukas: Sakoli, Lakhani, and Lakhandur.

{{historical populations|11=1901|12=2,76,306|13=1911|14=3,22,277|15=1921|16=3,37,193|17=1931|18=3,87,388|19=1941|20=4,52,512|21=1951|22=5,03,536|23=1961|24=5,93,898|25=1971|26=7,31,053|27=1981|28=8,50,488|29=1991|30=10,21,408|31=2001|32=11,36,146|33=2011|34=12,00,334|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]|align=center}}

According to the 2011 census Bhandara district has a population of 1,200,334,{{cite web |title=District Census Hand Book – Bhandara |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/780/download/2770/DH_2011_2710_PART_A_DCHB_BHANDARA.pdf |website=Census of India |publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India}} roughly equal to the nation of Timor-Leste{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 June 2007 | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Timor-Leste 1,177,834 July 2011 est.}} or the US state of Rhode Island.{{cite web

|url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php

|title=2010 Resident Population Data

|publisher=U. S. Census Bureau

|access-date=2011-09-30

|quote=Rhode Island 1,052,567

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019160532/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php

|archive-date=2013-10-19

}} This gives it a ranking of 397th in India (out of a total of 640).

The district has a population density of {{convert|294|PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}}. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 5.65%. Bhandara has a sex ratio of 982 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 83.76%. 19.48% of the population live in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 16.69% and 7.41% of the population respectively.

The major Hindu castes include Powar, Teli, Kunbi etc.

{{bar box

|title=Religions in Bhandara district (2011)

|titlebar=#FCD116

|left1=Religion

|right1=Percent

|float=left

|bars=

{{bar percent|Hinduism|darkorange|84.09}}

{{bar percent|Buddhism|yellow|12.87}}

{{bar percent|Islam|green|2.21}}

{{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.83}}

}}

According to the census of 2011, Hinduism is the predominant religion in Bhandara district. Its adherents form the majority of the total population, at 84.09%. Buddhism is the second largest religion at 12.87%. The Buddhists follow the Navayana school of Buddhism. Islam, a predominantly urban religion, is a small minority. 0.21% people didn't state their religion in the census. Other religions are stated to be 0.30% of population.{{Cite web|date=2011|title=Population by Religion - Maharashtra |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11382/download/14495/DDW27C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India}}

{{Pie chart

|thumb = right

|caption = Languages in Bhandara district (2011)

|label1 = Marathi |value1 = 93.19 |color1 = red

|label2 = Hindi |value2 = 4.03 |color2 = orange

|label3 = Others |value3 = 2.78 |color3 = grey

}}

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 93.19% of the population in the district spoke Marathi and 4.03% Hindi as their first language.{{cite web |title=Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Maharashtra |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10212/download/13324/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-2700.XLSX |website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India}}

Marathi is the official as well as the most spoken language in the district. Bhandara city has many people from other Indian states as well as people belonging to the world's major faiths.

There are three Vidhan Sabha constituencies in this district: Tumsar, Bhandara (SC) and Sakoli. All of these are part of the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency.{{cite web|url=http://ceo.maharashtra.gov.in/acs.php |title=Districtwise List of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra website |access-date=2009-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225084439/http://ceo.maharashtra.gov.in/acs.php |archive-date=25 February 2009 |url-status=dead }}

Bhandara has a mixed economy including agriculture, manufacturing and forest resources. With several ancient temples and historical monuments, along with lakes, parks and sanctuaries, Bhandara attracts many tourists.

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Bhandara one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the twelve districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=8 September 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |access-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2012 }}

Bhandara Chinoor Rice was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the Union Government of India on 01/07/2023 (valid until 30/04/2030).{{cite news |last1=वृत्तसेवा |first1=सकाळ |title=भिवापुरी मिरची, नागपूरची संत्री, आता चिन्नोर तांदूळ बनेल ब्रॅंड |url=https://www.esakal.com/vidarbha/now-chinnor-rice-will-become-brand-245432 |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=Marathi News Esakal |date=20 December 2019 |language=Mr}}

Bhandara Chinoor Dhan Utpadak Sangh from Pauni, proposed the GI registration of Bhandara Chinoor rice. After filing the application in May 2020, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2023 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Bhandara Chinoor Rice" exclusive to the rice grown in the region.{{cite web |title=One District One Product Bhandara {{!}} District Bhandara, Government of Maharashtra {{!}} India |url=https://bhandara.gov.in/one-district-one-product-bhandara/ |website=District Administration © Copyright District Bhandara |access-date=22 November 2024}} It thus became the third rice variety from Maharashtra and the 35th type of goods from Maharashtra to earn the GI tag.{{cite web |title=Maharashtra |url=https://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/about_apeda/Maharashtra.htm |website=Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) |access-date=22 November 2024}}

The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.

• Bhandara Taluka

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Bhandara district}}

{{EB1911 poster|Bhandara}}

• [http://bhandara.nic.in/ Bhandara district website]
• [https://www.kyaliya.in/2022/02/ambagad-fort-tumsar-true-heritage-of.html Ambagad fort]

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Bhandara district

|North = Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh

|Northeast =

|East = Gondiya district

|Southeast = Gadchiroli district

|South = Chandrapur district

|Southwest =

|West = Nagpur district

|Northwest =

}}

{{vidarbha}}

{{Maharashtra}}

{{Godavari basin}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhandara District}}

Category:Districts of Maharashtra

Category:Nagpur division

Category:Vidarbha