Akola
Encyclopedia
Akola is a city in the state of Maharashtra
located in the Vidarbha
region of central India
. It is located around 600 km east of Mumbai
(former "Bombay") and 250 km west of Nagpur
. Akola is the headquarters of Akola District
located in Amravati Division
.
Akola district
has an area of about 54.31 square kilometers and population of 1,818,617 (2011 census). Marathi
is the most popular spoken language
, though Urdu, English and Hindi are also used. Akola District
is bordered on the north and east by Amravati District
, on the south by Washim District
, and on the west by Buldhana District
.
Akola, also called Cotton City, is known for its cotton
production and is the largest cotton-producing district in India. The city is also famous for its pulse
s (dal), oil, and textile mills
. Akola is also known for its medical facilities. It is a major center for advanced medical treatments, such as the Elizarov Technique, IVF
. Major hospitals in Akola include the Civil Hospital
, Chaudhary Hospital, Akola Critical Care Unit
and Ozone Hospital.
Dainik Deshonnati, one of the most circulated Marathi newspapers in the Vidharbha region, originated from Akola. Other prominent newspapers published from Akola include Lokmat
and Dainik Matrubhumi.
Akola District along with the rest of the Berar
province was part of the legendary kingdom
of Vidarbha
mentioned in the Mahabharata
. Barar also formed part of the Mauryan Empire
during the reign of Asoka (272 to 231 BC
E). Berar later came under the rule of the Satavahana
dynasty (2nd century BCE–2nd century CE), the Vakataka
dynasty (3rd to 6th centuries), the Chalukya dynasty
(6th to 8th centuries), the Rashtrakuta
dynasty (8th to 10th centuries), the Chalukyas again (10th to 12th centuries) and finally the Yadava dynasty of Devagiri (late 12th to early 14th centuries). A period of Muslim
rule began when Ala ud din Khilji
, Sultan of Delhi
, conquered the region in the early 14th century. The region was part of the Bahmani Sultanate
, which broke away from the Delhi Sultanate in the mid-14th century. The Bahmani Sultanate broke up into smaller sultanates at the end of the 15th century, and in 1572 Berar became part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate, based at Ahmadnagar
. The Nizam Shahis ceded Berar to the Mughal Empire
in 1595. The Mughals ruled the BBerar
province during 17th century. As Mughal rule started to unravel at the start of the 18th century, Asaf Jah I, Nizam
of Hyderabad
seized the southern provinces of the empire (including Berar) in 1724, forming an independent state.
But the rise of Maratha Empire
(from 1674 to 1760) under the command of Chhatrapati Shivaji succeeded by his son Sambhaji
and grandson Shahu brought the whole Berar province including Akola district under the Maratha Empire around 1734. In 1749 at the time of his death, Shahu appointed the Peshwa as the head of the Maratha Empire with certain conditions to follow. The loss in the third battle of Panipat
in 1761 weakened the Maratha empire
and corrupted the power of Peshwa forever. The Berar province remained under the Maratha
s.
The Battle of Argaon
, (or Adgaon near Akot) in took place on the 28th of November 1803 between the British under the command of Governor Arthur Wellesley and the forces of Maratha
under Bhonsle
of Nagpur
during Second Anglo-Maratha War
. In the third Anglo-Maratha War
, the last Peshwa Baji Rao II
, was defeated by the British. In 1853, Akola district
together with the rest of Berar came under the administration of the British East India Company
. Berar was divided into East and West Berar with Akola district
being included in West Berar. In 1903, Berar was leased to the Nizam of Hyderabad by the British East India Company in return of the debt.
After India gained its Independence in 1947, the states and provinces were reorganized in 1956. Berar was divided among different states. Akola became a part of bilingual Bombay
state which was further divided into two states in 1960. Akola became a part of the new Maharashtra
State. The Narnala fort, Akot fort, Akola fort
and Balapur Fort are some of the famous monuments in Akola.
. The climate is tropical, and people predominately wear cotton clothes. Akola has a National Weather Station
which serves as the local weather center. Annual temperatures range from a high of 48°C (118°F) to a low of 10°C (50°F). Akola lies on the Tropic of Cancer
and becomes very hot during the summer, especially in May. Although it can be very hot in the day, it is cool at night. The annual rainfall averages 850 mm. Most of the rainfall occurs in the monsoon season
between June and September, but some rain does fall during January and February.
On the north, Akola is bordered by the Melghat Hills and forest region. Morna River flows through Akola. Purna River
forms a part of the north border of the district, and the top north portion of the district lies within its watershed along with Aas River and Shahnur River. Vaan River
forms a part of the northwest boundary of the district after entering from the Amravati district. Maan River drains the southwestern portion of the district. Morna River drains the mid-south
portion of the district, while the southeast is drained by the Katepurna and Uma rivers.
Some of the rivers in Akola and their tributaries are Purna
, Uma, Katepurna, Shahnur, Morna, Man, Aas and Vaan. There are many dams in Akola district. Mahan
located on Katepurna river is one of them. There have been floods in 1978, 1992, and 2003.
, Akola city had a population of 4,65,000. Of the total population, males constitute about 52% and females about 48%. Thirteen percent of the total population is under the age of 6.
Akola has an average literacy rate
of about 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; 55% of the males and 45% of females are literate.
. Akola Municipal Corporation is headed by the Municipal Commissioner and an elected mayor.As of now Mr Sureshrao Patil is the mayor of Akola city. There are 71 electoral wards in Akola. A corporator is elected in each of the wards, and they elect the mayor by majority vote. Akola Municipal Transport (AMT) runs Akola's public transport service.
(MIDC) for setting up an Agro- processing Special Economic Zone
(SEZ) in Akola district has been approved.
recently opened having 4 screens.
Marathi dramas starring Bharat Jadhav, Prashant Damle
and other prominent actors are frequently enacted in Pramilatai Oak Hall and Open Theatre located on Mahtma Gandhi Road (Main Market Road).
Akola has its own FM radio channel run by All India Radio
(AIR). Recently a private FM radio channel Radio City
91.1 FM has also started broadcasting. The city has a Television Relay Centre and re-broadcasts on its Channel-1 the National Programmes from Delhi & Sahyadri Mumbai's Marathi programmes. Also it re-broadcast (DD-II's) DD News programmes from Delhi on its Channel-2. Both the channels are in FTA (Free to Air
) mode. The Television Centre is managed by the Doordarshan Maintenance Centre, Akola, a circle centre headed by a senior officer designated as the Station Engineer. It also broadcasts narrow-casting programmes for the farmers of the region. The software for which is supplied by DDK-Nagpur through recording programmes at PKV-Akola and various Departments of the State Government of Maharashtra.
. Other courses are offered such as Engineering
at (Shivaji Engineering College, Akola
COETA) and Medical
Science colleges as Government Medical College, Akola
and Jamnalal Goenka Dental College.
One of the prominent educational organisation is "The Institute Of Professional And Advanced Studies" also known by the name "TIPAS". The only educational organisation which is ISO 9001-2008 Certified. The Organisation is working with 15 Mega Universities, Knowledge Process Organisations and International Organisations.The Institute offers distance courses of all the streams i.e. Management, Engineering, Arts, Commerece, Science and Paramedical.
Other prominently known colleges of Akola city are Shankarlal Khandelwal College of Science, Commerce and Arts, RLT College of Science, LRT Commerce College, Shivaji Arts, Commerce and Science College, Sitabai Arts College, Radha Devi Goenka Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Sudhakarrao Naik Arts and Commerce College, RT Ayurvedic Mahavidyalaya, Government. College of Education, Tirupati Tantra Niketan and KM Asghar Husain Junior Art, Commerce and Science College, Akola Law College. Gajanan Maharaj College of Engineering (SSGMCE) at Shegaon
(in Buldhana District
) is a renowned engineering college of the region and located is 45 km away from Akola city. Akola city also has NCC
office(also called Battalion) 11 MAH BATTALION ,under Amravati
division of Maharashtra Directorate.The battalion is situated on the outskirts of the city near Jawaharlal Nehru Public Park.
Some reputed schools, which have produced meritorious students, including state and division toppers include D.A.V English School, Jubilee English School, Holy Cross Convent School
, Mount Carmel High School
,Noel English High School, Hindu Gnyanpeeth convent, Nishu Nursery and Kothari Convent
, Bal Shivaji High School, Bharat Vidyalaya and Jagruti Vidyalaya and the most renowned school based on INDIAN culture "PRABHAT KIDS SCHOOL" situated at Hyderabad road at post somthana and most popular JALARAM ENGLISH CONVENT.
, soybean and Jawar
(Sorghum) are the essential crops grown in the district. Other important crops of the region are wheat
, sunflower
, canola
, peanut
, Bajra
(Pearl Millet), Harbara (Chick Peas), Toor (Pigeon Peas), Urad and Moong (Green Gram), etc. Most crops are dependent on the monsoon. Only 15% of Maharashtra's gross cropped area is irrigated, compared with the national average of 32.9% in 1989–90. Vidarbha's Amravati division's (including Akola District) share of gross cropped area under irrigation of 9%.
Considered one of Maharashtra's least developed regions, Vidarbha has seen not only farmer's suicides but also deaths caused by malnutrition. In some tribal are major reasons of recent suicide deaths of farmers in the Akola region and other surrounding parts of Vidarbha, which has rang alarming bells in the Maharashtra State Government and Government of India. Bharat Krishak Samaj, one of the leading organization of farmers in India, is very active in Akola region. It has played a crucial role in promoting the voice of the common farmers of the Vidarbha region to the attention of the Indian Government
. Vidarbha region has long demanded a separate state to support the economy and agriculture of this region, which has been neglected by the Maharashtra State Government in all sectors . The Government of India's intervention has failed to provide government aid packages and has also failed to bring any change in the working conditions of the farmers of this region . Oil and Dal mills are becoming rampant in this region because of the crops taken. Textile mills are also increasing to support the cotton
growing industry.
(also known as Shivani Airport) is the domestic airport
of Akola city at an elevation of 999= ft (304 m) and has one runway (4,600×145= ft). The airport is just 7 km away from the city on National Highway number 6. The nearest international airport is at Nagpur
. Renovation and operation of Akola airport is taken by Airport Authority of India.
) to Kolkata
. NH6 is a part of Asian Highway 46
. Maharashtra state transport buses are most commonly used by people to travel to rural parts of the region. They are the cheapest means of transport
. State-owned and private air-conditioned
bus services run daily to most major cities to and from Akola. The bus frequency is good.
. Road accidents are often fatal and are very common. The municipal corporation is trying to improve the roads in Akola city through IRDP (Integrated Rural Development Planning). This may create a new face of the city.
, Delhi
, Ahmedabad
, Rajkot, Okha
, Surat
, Nanded
Jodhpur
, Bikaner, Jaipur
, Kolhapur, Pune
, Kamakhya
, Indore
, Mhow, Ujjain
, Khandwa
, Ratlam
, Bhopal, Chittorgarh
, Nagpur
, Gondia
, Bilaspur
, Howrah, Hatia
, Puri
, Madras, Hingoli
, Purna
, Parli
Vaidnath, Tirupati, Ganganagar
, Secundarabad and Nampally
, Hyderabad
.
Akola railway junction
, situated on both the Mumbai
-Bhusawal
-Wardha
-Nagpur
-Howrah rail line and the Kacheguda
-Jaipur
meter gauge line, is an important junction for passengers from North and South India and also for freight trains.
Broadgauging of Akola-Purna
, Akola - Indore Junction MG and Akola - Indore Junction BG - Ratlam railway line under Unigauge has recently completed and passenger train have started running on this route.
Important railway stations in Akola region with their codes are Paras
, Gaigaon
, Akola Junction (AK), Murtizapur Junction (MZR) and are under Bhusawal
-Badnera
Section of Bhusawal Division of Central Railway.
The other stations under meter gauge are Hiwarkhed (HWK), Adgaon Buzurg (ABZ), Akot (AKOT), Patsul (PTZ), Ugwe (UGWE), Akola Junction, Shivani Shivpur (SVW), Barshitakli (BSQ), Lohogad (LHD), Aman Vadi (AMW), Jaulka (JUK) are under Purna - Khandwa Section of South Central Railway
.
The stations under narrow gauge are Lakhpuri, Murtizapur Junction, Karanja under two Narrow Gauge Branch lines viz Murtizapur-Achalpur and Murtizapur-Yavatmal
of Bhusawal
Division of Central Railway.
In 2009, a new railway station was built at Shivani-Shivar. It is the modification of narrow gauge
station in to broad gauge
station. It now connects Purna
to Hyderabad through Akola. The city still lacks direct connectivity with Jabalpur, Lucknow
,Varanasi,Patna,Somnath,Jaipur,Bangalore,Kanyakumari,Trivandrum and other major Indian cities.
, the Rashtrakuta and the Yadava dynasty. In the late 14th century, the region came under Muslim Rule with the coming of Alauddin Khilji
. It remained under the rule of the Bahmani Sultanate until the late 15th century.
It was in the 1670s that the region came under the Maratha rule, under the guidance of Chatrapathi Shivaji. The Maratha regime was at its prime during that time. The region saw many wars during the British Rule, and Akola along with Berar
was finally ceded to the Nizam of Hyderabad after the Marathas lost to the British.
After India’s independence the states and provinces were shuffled and Akola became a part of the newly formed state of Maharashtra. The city has various forts which stand testimony to its vibrant history which include the Narnala Fort, the Akot Fort and the Akola Fort.
Apart from being an industrial hub, Akola also holds religious significance. A large number of devotees make a pilgrimage to Raj Rajeshwar Temple here, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Some other significant temples of the city include the Birla Mandir
, Jain Temple, Shreenath Dutta Mandir and Swami Samarth Temple.
Akola also holds a cultural significance. It has played host to the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan twice which is a significant conference on Marathi Literature.
With the Melghat Hills lying to its north and the Purna
River flowing through it, the city at an elevation of 925 ft above sea level has a tropical climate. The temperature hovers at about 28-32° Celsius throughout the year, with high levels of humidity.
and has a great historical heritage. During the Marathi calendar month of 'Shravan', there is a large amount of devotees to Lord Shiva, especially on every Monday of the month. The month of Shravan is very sacred according to Hindu
s, and worshippers travel from long distances to Raj Rajeshwar Temple to worship Lord Shiva.
Narsingh Maharaj Mandir at Akot and Baladevi temple at Balapur both in Akola District
are also famous religious temples near Akola. Also in Balapur, 'Chhatri' momento by Raja Jaisingh of his horse is famous as well. The Atishay kshatra Antariksh Parshvanath Digambar Jain Temple is situated in Shirpur (Akola District
) about 75 km away from Akola. The Black colored idol of Bhagawan Parshvanath is ancient and is famous amongst all Digambar Jain Temples in Maharashtra.
Other temples in Akola city:
Shegaon
(in Buldana District), a very famous pilgrimage
place of "Gajanan Maharaj is just 45 km away from Akola. Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan is the biggest temple trust in the Vidarbha region and is called "Pandharpur of Vidarbha". The origin of Gajanan Maharaj is untraceable in history. People from all over Maharashtra
visit Shegaon
and offer their prayers to Gajanan Maharaj.
Marathi Sahitya Sammelan
, the conference on Marathi Literature, was held twice in Akola city. They were presided by President of the Conference Hari Narayan Apte
in 1912 and Gopal Nilkanth Dandekar in February 1981.
Akola is known as a colorful city because of its many festivals. Ganesh Chaturthi
, MAHA SHIVRATHRI
Makar Sankranti
, Dasehra, Diwali
, Holi
and Eid
are celebrated with special enthusiasm.
Mosques-
There are a number of mosques in the town. Important amongst them are the Jami mosque and the kachchhi mosque.
Jama-mosque is said to be the oldest mosque and is situated in the old town on Agarbes road. It is maintained with the income from the property said to have been donated to the mosque by the Nizams of Hyderabad. The other mosque the kachchhi mosque is a well-built mosque in Tajnapeth area. It was constructed in the beginning of 20th century by Kachchhi Memon Jamat.
Dargahs-
Of the dargahs in the town the Hazrat Agha Miyan dargah and the Hazrat Zulfiqar Ali dargah are important. The Hazrat Agha Miyan dargah is the oldest dargah in the town and is situated on the eastern bank of the Morna. The expenditure on the maintenance of the dargah is met from the income it receives from the Inam Lands held by it. The Hazrat Zulfiqar is also an old dargah situated on the western bank of the Morna on the Distillery road near the railway line. An yearly urus is held at the dargah which is attended by a number of people.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
located in the Vidarbha
Vidarbha
Vidarbha is the eastern region of Maharashtra state made up of Nagpur Division and Amravati Division. Its former name is Berar . It occupies 31.6% of total area and holds 21.3% of total population of Maharashtra...
region of central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is located around 600 km east of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(former "Bombay") and 250 km west of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
. Akola is the headquarters of Akola District
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
located in Amravati Division
Amravati Division
Amravati division is one of the six administrative divisions of Maharashtra state in India. Amravati and Nagpur divisions constitute the ancient Vidarbha region...
.
Akola district
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
has an area of about 54.31 square kilometers and population of 1,818,617 (2011 census). Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
is the most popular spoken language
Spoken language
Spoken language is a form of human communication in which words derived from a large vocabulary together with a diverse variety of names are uttered through or with the mouth. All words are made up from a limited set of vowels and consonants. The spoken words they make are stringed into...
, though Urdu, English and Hindi are also used. Akola District
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
is bordered on the north and east by Amravati District
Amravati district
Amravati district is a district of Maharashtra state in central India. Amravati is the administrative headquarters of the district.The district is situated between 20°32' and 21°46' north latitudes and 76°37' and 78°27' east longitudes. The district occupies an area of 12,235 km²...
, on the south by Washim District
Washim district
Washim is a district in Maharashtra, India. The headquarters is at Washim. The area of the district is 5,150 km².-Demography and Geography:...
, and on the west by Buldhana District
Buldhana district
-Buldhana district is a district in the Amravati division of Maharashtra state in western India. It is situated at the westernmost border of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and is 500 km from the state capital, Mumbai...
.
Akola, also called Cotton City, is known for its cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
production and is the largest cotton-producing district in India. The city is also famous for its pulse
Pulse
In medicine, one's pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the heartbeat by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed against a bone, such as at the neck , at the wrist , behind the knee , on the inside of the elbow , and near the...
s (dal), oil, and textile mills
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
. Akola is also known for its medical facilities. It is a major center for advanced medical treatments, such as the Elizarov Technique, IVF
In vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed...
. Major hospitals in Akola include the Civil Hospital
Civil Hospital
Civil Hospital Karachi is a 1900-bed tertiary care public hospital that imparts both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training. It is one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with the Dow Medical College now the Dow University of Health Sciences...
, Chaudhary Hospital, Akola Critical Care Unit
Intensive Care Unit
thumb|220px|ICU roomAn intensive-care unit , critical-care unit , intensive-therapy unit/intensive-treatment unit is a specialized department in a hospital that provides intensive-care medicine...
and Ozone Hospital.
Dainik Deshonnati, one of the most circulated Marathi newspapers in the Vidharbha region, originated from Akola. Other prominent newspapers published from Akola include Lokmat
Lokmat
Lokmat is the largest read & circulated Marathi language newspaper. It is the fifth largest Indian daily and in Marathi, it is the largest selling daily with 1.58 million copies a day. As per IRS 2010 Q3, Lokmat has a total readership of 23.67 million...
and Dainik Matrubhumi.
History
Berar Province
Berar Province, known also as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, was a province of British India. The province, formerly ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad, was administered by the British after 1853, although the Nizam retained formal sovereignty over the province...
province was part of the legendary kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
of Vidarbha
Vidarbha
Vidarbha is the eastern region of Maharashtra state made up of Nagpur Division and Amravati Division. Its former name is Berar . It occupies 31.6% of total area and holds 21.3% of total population of Maharashtra...
mentioned in the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. Barar also formed part of the Mauryan Empire
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...
during the reign of Asoka (272 to 231 BC
231 BC
Year 231 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Matho and Maso...
E). Berar later came under the rule of the Satavahana
Satavahana
The Sātavāhana Empire or Andhra Empire, was a royal Indian dynasty based from Dharanikota and Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh as well as Junnar and Prathisthan in Maharashtra. The territory of the empire covered much of India from 230 BCE onward...
dynasty (2nd century BCE–2nd century CE), the Vakataka
Vakataka
The Vākāṭakas were a royal Indian dynasty that originated from the Deccan in the mid-third century CE. Their kingdom is believed to have extended from the southern edges of Malwa and Gujarat in the north to the Tungabhadra River in the south as well as from the Arabian Sea in the western to the...
dynasty (3rd to 6th centuries), the Chalukya dynasty
Chalukya dynasty
The Chalukya dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynasty, known as the "Badami Chalukyas", ruled from Vatapi from the...
(6th to 8th centuries), the Rashtrakuta
Rashtrakuta
The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian Subcontinent between the sixth and the 10th centuries. During this period they ruled as several closely related, but individual clans. Rastrakutas in inscriptions represented as descendants of Satyaki, a Yadava well known...
dynasty (8th to 10th centuries), the Chalukyas again (10th to 12th centuries) and finally the Yadava dynasty of Devagiri (late 12th to early 14th centuries). A period of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rule began when Ala ud din Khilji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
, Sultan of Delhi
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
, conquered the region in the early 14th century. The region was part of the Bahmani Sultanate
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
, which broke away from the Delhi Sultanate in the mid-14th century. The Bahmani Sultanate broke up into smaller sultanates at the end of the 15th century, and in 1572 Berar became part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate, based at Ahmadnagar
Ahmadnagar
Ahmadnagar is located in Gujranwala DistricTt, Punjab, Pakistan.-References:...
. The Nizam Shahis ceded Berar to the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in 1595. The Mughals ruled the BBerar
Berar Province
Berar Province, known also as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, was a province of British India. The province, formerly ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad, was administered by the British after 1853, although the Nizam retained formal sovereignty over the province...
province during 17th century. As Mughal rule started to unravel at the start of the 18th century, Asaf Jah I, Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
of Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
seized the southern provinces of the empire (including Berar) in 1724, forming an independent state.
But the rise of Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
(from 1674 to 1760) under the command of Chhatrapati Shivaji succeeded by his son Sambhaji
Sambhaji
Sambhaji Raje Bhosle was the eldest son and successor to Emporer Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire.- Early life :...
and grandson Shahu brought the whole Berar province including Akola district under the Maratha Empire around 1734. In 1749 at the time of his death, Shahu appointed the Peshwa as the head of the Maratha Empire with certain conditions to follow. The loss in the third battle of Panipat
Third battle of Panipat
The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761, at Panipat , about 60 miles north of Delhi between a northern expeditionary force of the Maratha Confederacy and a coalition of the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali with 2 Indian Muslim allies—the Rohilla Afghans of the Doab, and the...
in 1761 weakened the Maratha empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
and corrupted the power of Peshwa forever. The Berar province remained under the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s.
The Battle of Argaon
Adgaon
Adgaon, known as Argaon during the period of the British Raj, is a village located in the Telhara tehsil near Akot in the Akola district of Maharashtra, India...
, (or Adgaon near Akot) in took place on the 28th of November 1803 between the British under the command of Governor Arthur Wellesley and the forces of Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
under Bhonsle
Bhonsle
The Bhonsle were a prominent clan within the Maratha clan system who served as rulers of several states in India.The most prominent member of the clan was Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire...
of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
during Second Anglo-Maratha War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
. In the third Anglo-Maratha War
Third Anglo-Maratha War
The Third Anglo-Maratha War was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by 110,400 British East India Company troops, the largest...
, the last Peshwa Baji Rao II
Baji Rao II
Baji Rao II was the last Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, and governed from 1796 to 1818. His reign was marked by confrontations with the British.-Biography:...
, was defeated by the British. In 1853, Akola district
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
together with the rest of Berar came under the administration of the British East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. Berar was divided into East and West Berar with Akola district
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
being included in West Berar. In 1903, Berar was leased to the Nizam of Hyderabad by the British East India Company in return of the debt.
After India gained its Independence in 1947, the states and provinces were reorganized in 1956. Berar was divided among different states. Akola became a part of bilingual Bombay
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
state which was further divided into two states in 1960. Akola became a part of the new Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
State. The Narnala fort, Akot fort, Akola fort
Akola fort
Akola fort along with the Narnala and Akot forts forms the major fortifications of the Akola district, Maharashtra, India.- History :...
and Balapur Fort are some of the famous monuments in Akola.
Geography and climate
Akola is located at latitude 20.7° North and longitude 77.07° East. It is located at an altitude of 925 ft (282m) above sea levelAbove mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. The climate is tropical, and people predominately wear cotton clothes. Akola has a National Weather Station
Weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind...
which serves as the local weather center. Annual temperatures range from a high of 48°C (118°F) to a low of 10°C (50°F). Akola lies on the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
and becomes very hot during the summer, especially in May. Although it can be very hot in the day, it is cool at night. The annual rainfall averages 850 mm. Most of the rainfall occurs in the monsoon season
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
between June and September, but some rain does fall during January and February.
On the north, Akola is bordered by the Melghat Hills and forest region. Morna River flows through Akola. Purna River
Purna River
The Purna River is a river of Western India. It runs parallel to the Tapti river and empties in it at Changdev in Jalgaon, Maharashta.-Description:...
forms a part of the north border of the district, and the top north portion of the district lies within its watershed along with Aas River and Shahnur River. Vaan River
Vaan River
The Vaan River is a river of central India. It is tributary of Purna River, which is major tributary of Tapti River.-Description:It rises in the Gawilgarh hills of eastern Satpura Range in Amravati District of Maharashtra state, and flows southward, draining Amravati, Akola and Buldhana region...
forms a part of the northwest boundary of the district after entering from the Amravati district. Maan River drains the southwestern portion of the district. Morna River drains the mid-south
South Central United States
The South Central United States or South Central states is a region of the United States located in the south central part of the country. It evolved out of the archaic southwest, which originally was literally the western U.S. South...
portion of the district, while the southeast is drained by the Katepurna and Uma rivers.
Some of the rivers in Akola and their tributaries are Purna
Purna River
The Purna River is a river of Western India. It runs parallel to the Tapti river and empties in it at Changdev in Jalgaon, Maharashta.-Description:...
, Uma, Katepurna, Shahnur, Morna, Man, Aas and Vaan. There are many dams in Akola district. Mahan
Mahan
Mahan may refer to:*Mahan confederacy, chiefdoms in ancient Korea*Mahan, Iran, a city in Kerman province*Mahan District, an administrative subdivision of Kerman Province*Iranian male first name*Mahan Air, an airline based in Kerman province...
located on Katepurna river is one of them. There have been floods in 1978, 1992, and 2003.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Akola city had a population of 4,65,000. Of the total population, males constitute about 52% and females about 48%. Thirteen percent of the total population is under the age of 6.
Akola has an average literacy rate
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
of about 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; 55% of the males and 45% of females are literate.
Local government
The local administration body is the Municipal CorporationMunicipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
. Akola Municipal Corporation is headed by the Municipal Commissioner and an elected mayor.As of now Mr Sureshrao Patil is the mayor of Akola city. There are 71 electoral wards in Akola. A corporator is elected in each of the wards, and they elect the mayor by majority vote. Akola Municipal Transport (AMT) runs Akola's public transport service.
Industry
The Akola MIDC Industrial Area has three prominent industrial zones on the outskirts of the city. The total land under Akola MIDC Industrial area is 6.25 km2. There are about 25 factories (3 large factories and 22 small factories) currently in production and another 10 small factories are in the process of being constructed. Maharashtra Government has sanctioned growth centres close to Akola MIDC area. An application of the Maharashtra Industrial Development CorporationMaharashtra Industrial Development Corporation
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation is a project of the Government of Maharashta State in India, and is the leading corporation of Maharashtra....
(MIDC) for setting up an Agro- processing Special Economic Zone
Special Economic Zone
A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...
(SEZ) in Akola district has been approved.
Entertainment
Hindi, Marathi and English movies are screened in eight cinema halls in Akola city. Akola also has a multiplex BIG CinemasBIG Cinemas
BIG Cinemas, a division of Reliance MediaWorks Ltd and a member of Reliance ADA Group is India’s largest cinema chain with over 515 screens spread across India, US, Malaysia and Netherlands and caters to over 40 million consumers.BIG Cinemas has established leadership in film exhibition in India...
recently opened having 4 screens.
Marathi dramas starring Bharat Jadhav, Prashant Damle
Prashant Damle
Prashant Damle is a versatile Marathi actor who has acted in numerous Marathi dramas, movies and television serials for over 15 years. His drama Gela Madhav Kunikade set records by having more than 1200 performances over a period of 15 years, and is still running.He is very enthusiastic, with a...
and other prominent actors are frequently enacted in Pramilatai Oak Hall and Open Theatre located on Mahtma Gandhi Road (Main Market Road).
Akola has its own FM radio channel run by All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
(AIR). Recently a private FM radio channel Radio City
Radio City
Radio City can refer to several things:* Radio City , 1974 album by Big Star* Radio City * Radio City 96.7, an independent radio station in Liverpool** Radio City Tower, a radio and observation tower in Liverpool...
91.1 FM has also started broadcasting. The city has a Television Relay Centre and re-broadcasts on its Channel-1 the National Programmes from Delhi & Sahyadri Mumbai's Marathi programmes. Also it re-broadcast (DD-II's) DD News programmes from Delhi on its Channel-2. Both the channels are in FTA (Free to Air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
) mode. The Television Centre is managed by the Doordarshan Maintenance Centre, Akola, a circle centre headed by a senior officer designated as the Station Engineer. It also broadcasts narrow-casting programmes for the farmers of the region. The software for which is supplied by DDK-Nagpur through recording programmes at PKV-Akola and various Departments of the State Government of Maharashtra.
Education
Higher education
Akola has a famous Agricultural University Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth founded by Late Dr Gopalrao Khedkar (PDKV or PKV). The university attracts students from far distances for its Agricultural Engineering and Technology courses. All other professional colleges in Akola are affiliated with Sant Gadge Baba Amravati UniversitySant Gadge Baba Amravati University
Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, named after Sant Gadge Baba, is a public university located at Amravati in the Vidarbha region of the state of Maharashtra, India.- History :...
. Other courses are offered such as Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
at (Shivaji Engineering College, Akola
Shivaji Engineering College, Akola
right|200px|thumb|Shivaji Engineering College. - AkolaShivaji Engineering College or College Of Engineering & Technology at Akola in Maharashtra, India is a prominent engineering college of Akola region...
COETA) and Medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
Science colleges as Government Medical College, Akola
Government Medical College, Akola
Government Medical College, Akola is one of the high points of the Akola city. It is located near the Government Hospital of the city, popularly known as Main Hospital. It is situated on the busy road, near Ashok Vaatika square....
and Jamnalal Goenka Dental College.
One of the prominent educational organisation is "The Institute Of Professional And Advanced Studies" also known by the name "TIPAS". The only educational organisation which is ISO 9001-2008 Certified. The Organisation is working with 15 Mega Universities, Knowledge Process Organisations and International Organisations.The Institute offers distance courses of all the streams i.e. Management, Engineering, Arts, Commerece, Science and Paramedical.
Other prominently known colleges of Akola city are Shankarlal Khandelwal College of Science, Commerce and Arts, RLT College of Science, LRT Commerce College, Shivaji Arts, Commerce and Science College, Sitabai Arts College, Radha Devi Goenka Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Sudhakarrao Naik Arts and Commerce College, RT Ayurvedic Mahavidyalaya, Government. College of Education, Tirupati Tantra Niketan and KM Asghar Husain Junior Art, Commerce and Science College, Akola Law College. Gajanan Maharaj College of Engineering (SSGMCE) at Shegaon
Shegaon
Shegaon is a city and a municipal council in Buldana district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Shegaon is located around 550 km east of the city of Mumbai and 300 km west from the city of Nagpur...
(in Buldhana District
Buldhana district
-Buldhana district is a district in the Amravati division of Maharashtra state in western India. It is situated at the westernmost border of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and is 500 km from the state capital, Mumbai...
) is a renowned engineering college of the region and located is 45 km away from Akola city. Akola city also has NCC
NCC
-Companies:*National Certification Corporation, a nursing specialty certification company*National City Corporation, a leading US bank*Newspapers Call Centre, a telemarketing business in Toronto*NCC AB, a Scandinavian company*NCC Group, an IT security company...
office(also called Battalion) 11 MAH BATTALION ,under Amravati
Amravati
Amravati is a city in the state of Maharashtra, India and the seventh most populous metropolitan area in Maharashtra. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Amravati district...
division of Maharashtra Directorate.The battalion is situated on the outskirts of the city near Jawaharlal Nehru Public Park.
School Education
Some schools are affiliated with Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. The Municipal Corporation controls all public schools in the city.Some reputed schools, which have produced meritorious students, including state and division toppers include D.A.V English School, Jubilee English School, Holy Cross Convent School
Holy Cross Convent School, Akola, Maharashtra, India
Holy Cross Convent School is an English-language medium school in Akola, Maharashtra, India. The school has classes from kindergarten to the tenth grade. It is located on the Jatharpeth Road of Akola...
, Mount Carmel High School
Mount Carmel High School (Akola)
Mount Carmel High School at Akola is one of the best Secondary and Higher Secondary School in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in India. The school is affiliated to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Government of Maharashtra, India. It is administered and...
,Noel English High School, Hindu Gnyanpeeth convent, Nishu Nursery and Kothari Convent
Nishu Nursery and Kothari Convent
Nishu Nursery and Kothari Convent is one of the very renowned schools of Akola city. It comes under the Amravati University. It is located in very calm area of Laxmi Nagar , near the Goraksahan Road....
, Bal Shivaji High School, Bharat Vidyalaya and Jagruti Vidyalaya and the most renowned school based on INDIAN culture "PRABHAT KIDS SCHOOL" situated at Hyderabad road at post somthana and most popular JALARAM ENGLISH CONVENT.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in rural parts of the region. CottonCotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, soybean and Jawar
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
(Sorghum) are the essential crops grown in the district. Other important crops of the region are wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
, canola
Canola
Canola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or Field Mustard . Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel.Originally, Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R...
, peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
, Bajra
Pearl millet
Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. Grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times, it is generally accepted that pearl millet originated in Africa and was subsequently introduced into India. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication, for...
(Pearl Millet), Harbara (Chick Peas), Toor (Pigeon Peas), Urad and Moong (Green Gram), etc. Most crops are dependent on the monsoon. Only 15% of Maharashtra's gross cropped area is irrigated, compared with the national average of 32.9% in 1989–90. Vidarbha's Amravati division's (including Akola District) share of gross cropped area under irrigation of 9%.
Considered one of Maharashtra's least developed regions, Vidarbha has seen not only farmer's suicides but also deaths caused by malnutrition. In some tribal are major reasons of recent suicide deaths of farmers in the Akola region and other surrounding parts of Vidarbha, which has rang alarming bells in the Maharashtra State Government and Government of India. Bharat Krishak Samaj, one of the leading organization of farmers in India, is very active in Akola region. It has played a crucial role in promoting the voice of the common farmers of the Vidarbha region to the attention of the Indian Government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. Vidarbha region has long demanded a separate state to support the economy and agriculture of this region, which has been neglected by the Maharashtra State Government in all sectors . The Government of India's intervention has failed to provide government aid packages and has also failed to bring any change in the working conditions of the farmers of this region . Oil and Dal mills are becoming rampant in this region because of the crops taken. Textile mills are also increasing to support the cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
growing industry.
Transport
Air
Akola AirportAkola Airport
Akola Airport, also known as Shivani Airport is an airport located in Akola in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is one of the 18 Airports in Maharashtra.-Upgrades:The Akola airport was developed in 2008 at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore...
(also known as Shivani Airport) is the domestic airport
Domestic airport
A domestic airport is an airport which handles only domestic flights or flights within the same country. Domestic airports don't have customs and immigration facilities and are therefore incapable of handling flights to or from a foreign airport....
of Akola city at an elevation of 999= ft (304 m) and has one runway (4,600×145= ft). The airport is just 7 km away from the city on National Highway number 6. The nearest international airport is at Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
. Renovation and operation of Akola airport is taken by Airport Authority of India.
Road
The "NH6" runs through Akola from Hazira (SuratSurat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
) to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. NH6 is a part of Asian Highway 46
AH46
AH46 is a route of the Asian Highway Network, running 946 miles from Kharagpur on Asian Highway 45 in West Bengal state of India to Dhule on Asian Highway 47 in Maharashtra State, India.....
. Maharashtra state transport buses are most commonly used by people to travel to rural parts of the region. They are the cheapest means of transport
Mode of transport
Mode of transport is a term used to distinguish substantially different ways to perform transport. The most dominant modes of transport are aviation, land transport, which includes rail, road and off-road transport, and ship transport...
. State-owned and private air-conditioned
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
bus services run daily to most major cities to and from Akola. The bus frequency is good.
Bus
Akola Municipal Transport (AMT) runs Akola's public transport service. Autorickshaw is also widely used in Akola city for city transport. Traffic is generally a problem, in the form of congestion due to increasing number of vehicles, bad roads, stray animals, and a general disregard of traffic rulesTraffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
. Road accidents are often fatal and are very common. The municipal corporation is trying to improve the roads in Akola city through IRDP (Integrated Rural Development Planning). This may create a new face of the city.
Rail
Akola has good railway connectivity with direct trains to MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Rajkot, Okha
Okha, India
Okha is a small costal town near Jamnagar, Gujarat, in India, surrounded by the sea and has a beach. The town is famous for its Lord Krishna Temple "Bet Dwaraka", residence of Lord Krishna. The town is connected by rail and bus to the major cities of Guajrat and the rest of India. Okha is one of...
, Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
, Nanded
Nanded
Nanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
, Bikaner, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, Kolhapur, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Kamakhya
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, Mhow, Ujjain
Ujjain
Ujjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
, Khandwa
Khandwa
Khandwa is a town in the Nimaad region of Madhya Pradesh, an Administrative State in central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Khandwa District, formerly known as East Nimar District.Khandwa is an ancient town, with many places of worship, like many other towns in India...
, Ratlam
Ratlam
Ratlam , known historically as Ratnapuri, is a city in the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. The town of Ratlam lies 480 m above sea level. It is the administrative headquarters of Ratlam District....
, Bhopal, Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh is a city and a municipality in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgharh District and a former capital of the Sisodia clans of Rajputs of Mewar...
, Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, Gondia
Gondia
Gondia, or Gondiya , is a city in the state of Maharashtra in western India, and is the administrative headquarters of Gondia District. Gondia is also known as Rice City by local people due to abundance of rice mills in the area. Gondia is very close to Madhya Pradesh state, and is considered the...
, Bilaspur
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
Bilaspur is a city in Bilaspur District in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, situated 111 km north of state capital, Raipur. It is the second-largest city in the state. It is the administrative headquarter of Bilaspur district...
, Howrah, Hatia
Hatia
Hatia is a small town and railway station in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India. It is adjacent to Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. One of the premier technical institutions in the field of Metallurgical engineering, the National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, is situated here. Hatia...
, Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
, Madras, Hingoli
Hingoli
Hingoli is a city and a municipal council in Hingoli district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-History:Marathwada was initially under Nizam's regime. Hingoli was the taluka of parbhani district and part of Nizam's regime. It was actually Nizam's military base as it was border place with...
, Purna
Purna
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of 386 metres ....
, Parli
Parli
Parli is short for Parliament. Parli may also mean:* Parli, India, a town in Maharashtra, India* Parliamentary Debate* Parliament * Parli...
Vaidnath, Tirupati, Ganganagar
Ganganagar
Sri Ganganagar , also called Ganganagar , is the northernmost city of Rajasthan in western India. It is the administrative headquarters of Ganganagar District.-History:...
, Secundarabad and Nampally
Nampally
Nampally is one of the biggest suburbs of Hyderabad, India.The biggest landmark is the Hyderabad Deccan Station, locally known as the Nampally railway station.-History:...
, Hyderabad
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Akola railway junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
, situated on both the Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
-Bhusawal
Bhusawal
Bhusawal or Bhusaval is a city and a municipal council in Jalgaon district in the state of Maharashtra, India.-Geography:Bhusawal is located at . It has an average elevation of 209 metres ....
-Wardha
Wardha
Wardha is a city and a municipal council in Wardha district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Wardha district. Wardha gets its name from the Wardha River which flows at the North, West and South boundaries of district. Founded in 1866, the town is now an...
-Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
-Howrah rail line and the Kacheguda
Kachiguda
Kachiguda is one of the old suburbs in Hyderabad, India. The third biggest railway station in Hyderabad called as Kachiguda Railway Station built during the Nizam rule, is located here and is a major landmark.- Commercial area :...
-Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
meter gauge line, is an important junction for passengers from North and South India and also for freight trains.
Broadgauging of Akola-Purna
Purna
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of 386 metres ....
, Akola - Indore Junction MG and Akola - Indore Junction BG - Ratlam railway line under Unigauge has recently completed and passenger train have started running on this route.
Important railway stations in Akola region with their codes are Paras
Paras
Paras is a 1971 Hindi film starring: Sanjeev Kumar, Rakee, Mehmood, Farida Jalal, Shatrughan Sinha, Madan Puri....
, Gaigaon
Gaigaon
Gaigaon is a village near Akola district about 6–7 km away. It is famous for Ganesh Temple and the Depot of Hindustan Petroleum products, Indian Oil products & Bharat Petrolium Products....
, Akola Junction (AK), Murtizapur Junction (MZR) and are under Bhusawal
Bhusawal
Bhusawal or Bhusaval is a city and a municipal council in Jalgaon district in the state of Maharashtra, India.-Geography:Bhusawal is located at . It has an average elevation of 209 metres ....
-Badnera
Badnera
Badnera is a part of Amravati district of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state in India.Badnera is a railway junction on Bhusawal-Badnera railway line of Central Railway...
Section of Bhusawal Division of Central Railway.
The other stations under meter gauge are Hiwarkhed (HWK), Adgaon Buzurg (ABZ), Akot (AKOT), Patsul (PTZ), Ugwe (UGWE), Akola Junction, Shivani Shivpur (SVW), Barshitakli (BSQ), Lohogad (LHD), Aman Vadi (AMW), Jaulka (JUK) are under Purna - Khandwa Section of South Central Railway
South Central Railway
The South Central Railway is one of the 16 railway zones in India. It is headquartered at Secunderabad and has the following divisions:# Secunderabad# Hyderabad# Guntakal # Vijayawada# Guntur# Nanded...
.
The stations under narrow gauge are Lakhpuri, Murtizapur Junction, Karanja under two Narrow Gauge Branch lines viz Murtizapur-Achalpur and Murtizapur-Yavatmal
Yavatmal
Yavatmal is a city and municipal council of the Yavatmal district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The name derives from the Marathi Yavat and mal .-Demographics:yavatmal ,district in Amravati administrative division....
of Bhusawal
Bhusawal
Bhusawal or Bhusaval is a city and a municipal council in Jalgaon district in the state of Maharashtra, India.-Geography:Bhusawal is located at . It has an average elevation of 209 metres ....
Division of Central Railway.
In 2009, a new railway station was built at Shivani-Shivar. It is the modification of narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
station in to broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
station. It now connects Purna
Purna
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of 386 metres ....
to Hyderabad through Akola. The city still lacks direct connectivity with Jabalpur, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
,Varanasi,Patna,Somnath,Jaipur,Bangalore,Kanyakumari,Trivandrum and other major Indian cities.
Tourism
Akola, together with Berar, was part of the magnificent kingdom of Vidarbha. The region, until the 14th century, saw the rule of many dynasties, viz. the Mauryans the Chalukyas, the SatavahanaSatavahana
The Sātavāhana Empire or Andhra Empire, was a royal Indian dynasty based from Dharanikota and Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh as well as Junnar and Prathisthan in Maharashtra. The territory of the empire covered much of India from 230 BCE onward...
, the Rashtrakuta and the Yadava dynasty. In the late 14th century, the region came under Muslim Rule with the coming of Alauddin Khilji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
. It remained under the rule of the Bahmani Sultanate until the late 15th century.
It was in the 1670s that the region came under the Maratha rule, under the guidance of Chatrapathi Shivaji. The Maratha regime was at its prime during that time. The region saw many wars during the British Rule, and Akola along with Berar
Berar
Berar may refer to:*Berar Sultanate, a Deccan sultanate established 1490*Berar Subah, a Subah of the Mughal empire from 1596 to 1724*Berar Province, a province of British India*Berar , a sailing ship built in 1863-See also:...
was finally ceded to the Nizam of Hyderabad after the Marathas lost to the British.
After India’s independence the states and provinces were shuffled and Akola became a part of the newly formed state of Maharashtra. The city has various forts which stand testimony to its vibrant history which include the Narnala Fort, the Akot Fort and the Akola Fort.
Apart from being an industrial hub, Akola also holds religious significance. A large number of devotees make a pilgrimage to Raj Rajeshwar Temple here, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Some other significant temples of the city include the Birla Mandir
Birla Mandir
Birla Mandir refers to different Hindu temples or Mandirs built by the Birla family, in different cities. All these temples are magnificently built in white marble.-Birla Mandirs across India:-Continuous Construction:...
, Jain Temple, Shreenath Dutta Mandir and Swami Samarth Temple.
Akola also holds a cultural significance. It has played host to the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan twice which is a significant conference on Marathi Literature.
With the Melghat Hills lying to its north and the Purna
Purna
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of 386 metres ....
River flowing through it, the city at an elevation of 925 ft above sea level has a tropical climate. The temperature hovers at about 28-32° Celsius throughout the year, with high levels of humidity.
Hotels
Akola has now become a house of many hotels. Hotels here range from 3 - star luxury hotels to budget hotels and so on. Amongst them the most famous one is Hotel Jasnagra which is a 3 - star hotel. It has an accommodation of about 40 rooms. This hotel being located near railway station is most preferred not only for leisure but also by executives. Some other hotels here are Hotel Venus International, Hotel Greenland, Hotel centre plaza, Hotel Regency, Hotel Rising Sun. The cuisines served in these hotels are Indian, Chinese, South Indian and so on. All these hotels are known for their utmost comfort and hospitability. Recently Akola got two new hotels named Hotel Tushar Executive and Welcome Inn.Location of hotels in akola via Google mapReligion and Culture
A pilgrimage to "Raj Rajeshwar Temple" in Akola is done by worshippers of Lord ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and has a great historical heritage. During the Marathi calendar month of 'Shravan', there is a large amount of devotees to Lord Shiva, especially on every Monday of the month. The month of Shravan is very sacred according to Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s, and worshippers travel from long distances to Raj Rajeshwar Temple to worship Lord Shiva.
Narsingh Maharaj Mandir at Akot and Baladevi temple at Balapur both in Akola District
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
are also famous religious temples near Akola. Also in Balapur, 'Chhatri' momento by Raja Jaisingh of his horse is famous as well. The Atishay kshatra Antariksh Parshvanath Digambar Jain Temple is situated in Shirpur (Akola District
Akola District
Akola is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city of Akola is the district headquarters. Akola district forms the central part of Amravati Division, and was a former British Raj Berar Province.Area of the district is 5,431 km²...
) about 75 km away from Akola. The Black colored idol of Bhagawan Parshvanath is ancient and is famous amongst all Digambar Jain Temples in Maharashtra.
Other temples in Akola city:
- Birla MandirLaxminarayan TempleThe Laxminarayan Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Laxminarayan in Delhi, India. The temple is built in honour of Lakshmi , and her consort Narayana by B. R. Birla from 1933 and 1939, when it was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi...
(Ram Temple) - Shreenath Dutta Mandir, Ramdas Peth,
- Jain Temple at City Market Place,
- Swami Samarth mutthh (Temple) at Ramdas peth.
- Shree Kala Maruti temple at Old City.
- shree Bara Jyotirlinga Mandir, jatharpeth road.
- Shree Sidhivinayak Temple Jathar peth Nr Prasad Colony Its a Most Popular temple of Lord Ganesha.
- Jalaram Mandir Birla Colony.
- Gurudwara Rly station Road.
Shegaon
Shegaon
Shegaon is a city and a municipal council in Buldana district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Shegaon is located around 550 km east of the city of Mumbai and 300 km west from the city of Nagpur...
(in Buldana District), a very famous pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
place of "Gajanan Maharaj is just 45 km away from Akola. Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan is the biggest temple trust in the Vidarbha region and is called "Pandharpur of Vidarbha". The origin of Gajanan Maharaj is untraceable in history. People from all over Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
visit Shegaon
Shegaon
Shegaon is a city and a municipal council in Buldana district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Shegaon is located around 550 km east of the city of Mumbai and 300 km west from the city of Nagpur...
and offer their prayers to Gajanan Maharaj.
Marathi Sahitya Sammelan
Marathi Sahitya Sammelan
Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan is a conference for literary discussions by Marathi writers. Though the conference has sometimes been held in a town outside the Indian state of Maharashtra, it is typically held annually in one of the towns in Maharashtra where Marathi is the mother tongue...
, the conference on Marathi Literature, was held twice in Akola city. They were presided by President of the Conference Hari Narayan Apte
Hari Narayan Apte
Hari Narayan Apte was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India.Through his writings, he provided an eminent example to future Marathi fiction writers in respect of writing effective novels and short stories which faithfully reflect different aspects of contemporary society...
in 1912 and Gopal Nilkanth Dandekar in February 1981.
Akola is known as a colorful city because of its many festivals. Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival...
, MAHA SHIVRATHRI
Makar Sankranti
Sankranti
Sankranthi means transmigration of Sun from one Rāshi to the other. Hence there are 12 such Sankrantis in all.* Makara Sankaranti: or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of...
, Dasehra, Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
, Holi
Holi
Holi , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United...
and Eid
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
are celebrated with special enthusiasm.
Mosques-
There are a number of mosques in the town. Important amongst them are the Jami mosque and the kachchhi mosque.
Jama-mosque is said to be the oldest mosque and is situated in the old town on Agarbes road. It is maintained with the income from the property said to have been donated to the mosque by the Nizams of Hyderabad. The other mosque the kachchhi mosque is a well-built mosque in Tajnapeth area. It was constructed in the beginning of 20th century by Kachchhi Memon Jamat.
Dargahs-
Of the dargahs in the town the Hazrat Agha Miyan dargah and the Hazrat Zulfiqar Ali dargah are important. The Hazrat Agha Miyan dargah is the oldest dargah in the town and is situated on the eastern bank of the Morna. The expenditure on the maintenance of the dargah is met from the income it receives from the Inam Lands held by it. The Hazrat Zulfiqar is also an old dargah situated on the western bank of the Morna on the Distillery road near the railway line. An yearly urus is held at the dargah which is attended by a number of people.