Vidarbha
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Map of the districts comprising the Vidarbha region. |
Vidarbha is the north-eastern region of
Maharashtra state, now forming two divisions (
Nagpur and
Amravati). It is significantly backward economically compared to the rest of Maharashtra
[ ] and along with
Telangana, is one of two strongest aspirants for statehood in India. The main cash crops of the region are
cotton, oranges, and soyabean. Traditional crops are sorghum(jowar), pearl millet (bajra), and rice.
Vidarbha region is rich in forest and mineral resources. Its lush green deciduous forests are home to a variety of flora and fauna. These attract a large number of visitors each year. In fact, all of the tiger reserves in Maharashtra are situated in Vidarbha. They are Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district, and Pench Tiger Reserve in Nagpur district.
Nagpur was the capital of the
Bhonsle dynasty of
Marathas, who in the mid eighteenth century created a state that covered much of east-central India. After their defeat in the
Third Anglo-Maratha War in
1818, the Bhonsle dominions were reduced to Nagpur division, which was taken over by the British in
1853 when the last Maharaja of Nagpur died without a male heir. The Nagpur division became a part of the
British Raj's
Central Provinces in
1861. Amravati division, formerly known as
Berar, was administered by the Nizam of
Hyderabad until 1853, when the British took over governance of the province under the charge of misgovernance by the Nizam. Berar was added to the Central Provinces in
1903. After Indian Independence, the Central Provinces and Berar became the Indian state of
Madhya Pradesh. Vidarbha was transferred to
Bombay state in
1956 to unify all
Marathi-speaking areas, and became part of
Maharashtra state in
1960, when Bombay state was split into the linguistic states of Maharashtra and
Gujarat.
In recent years, there has been a movement to separate from Maharashtra. This is based in part on the feeling of neglect within Maharashtra and in part on assertion of cultural identity. People have seen that the region has fallen behind others in attracting investment and development. The region is comparatively poorly served by roads, irrigation facilities, and educational infrastructure. However, political movements launched towards attaining statehood have lost steam as the leaders were seen to be opportunistic. Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh toured Vidarbha as part of his efforts to oversee the progress of rural regeneration schemes, and has announced a rehabilitation package for the region.
[ ] Vidarbha comprises the districts of Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur, Akola, Wardha, Buldana, Yavatmal, Bhandara, Gondia, Washim, and Gadchiroli.
Ramayana has the reference of Vidarbha as one on the
Janapadas at that time.
More than cultural distinctness from the rest of Maharashtra, Vidarbha has evolved historically in a different fashion. Mention of Vidarbha in many mythological stories also indicate this:
* The marriage of
Agastya and Lopamudra.
*
Rukmini-haran by lord
Krishna*
Kundinpur, the mythological capital of Vidarbha has been mentioned in
MahabharataPresent Situation:
Vidarbha has seen a spate of suicides in recent times because of the falling Minimum Support Price for cotton cultivation. The problems are manifold and have been traced to the lopsided policies of World Trade Organisation and developed nations, primarily because of the subsidies being given to the cotton farmers in the developed countries. The whole region is plagued by school drop outs, widows left in the wake of suicides, loan sharks and exploitation of the vulnerable groups.
The government had promised to increase minimum rate for cotton by approximately Rs 100 ($2) but reneged on its promise by reducing the Minimum Support Price further leading to more suicides.
On 1 July,2006 the
Prime Minister of India ,
Manmohan Singh announced Rs. 3,750-crore relief package for Vidharbha,
Maharashtra. The package, announced on will help farmers in six districts of the region.
However, not everybody is convinced that the aid is getting through where it is needed. Activists covering the region feel that a lot more need to be done.
Vidarbha
Kalidasa's epic poem "Meghdutam" also mentions Vidarbha as the place of banishment of the Yaksha Gandharva.
