CHAPTER 1 Introductory CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY Solapur is one of the important city from the time of the Satavahanas but this city never reached to a position of capital during period of Satavahanas. Rastrakutas, Chalukyas, Yadavas, Bahamani and Adilshahi. During the Adilshahi, Maratha and British period this city was an important military centre. Even Solapur city and district has played important role in the Freedom Movement of India. Eventhough, it was not a capital city, Solapur remained as an important trade centre as it is connected with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. This important trade position of the city played a vital role for the development of city and district. Here an attempt has been made to study the Ancient History of Solapur District by using original sources such as inscription and other secondary sources. Before we study past glorious history of Solapur area it is not wrong to describe the geographical and climatic conditions of Solapur. Solapur district is divided into eleven talukas for administrative purpose which consisted of 1110 villages and ten towns. The area which now forms the Solapur district was formerly a part of Ahmednagar, Pune and Satara districts. Karmala tehsil was the part of Ahmednagar district. Mohol was in Pune and Pandharpur Malshiras and Sangola were in Satara district. Barshi and Solapur were frequently changed between Admednagar and Pune districts. The Sub Coliectorates of Solapur was formed under Ahmednagar district in 1838. The Solapur district was formed in 1838 and was consisted of the eight sub-divisions' namely Solapur, Barshi, Mohol, 1 Gazetteer of India, Maharashtra State: Solapur District Gazetteer Second Ed. 1977, p.2 Madha, Karmala, lndi, Hippargi and Muddebihal. At present after many changes it is consisted of eleven tehsil namely: (1) North Solapur, (2) South Solapur, (3) Barshi, (4) Pandharpur, (5) Sangola, (6) Mangalwedha, (7) Mohol, (8) Akkalkot, (9) Malshiras, (10) Karmala and (11) Madha. The researcher has taken into consideration the districts at two levels i.e., at tehsil level and at city level. The author has concentrated his attention specifically on urban areas of the Solapur district. As per 1991 census the district has 10 classified cities namely: (1) Solapur, (2) Barshi, (3) Pandharpur, (4) Akkalkot, (5)Sangola, (6) Mangalwedha, (7) Kurduwadi, (8) Karmala, (9) Madha and (10) Malshiras. The Solapur district is one of the five districts of Pune division situated on the South east fringe of the Maharashtra state. The Solapur district lies entirely in the Bhima, Sina, and Man basins. The latitudinal extent of the Solapur district is 17 16’ North to 18° 32’ North and the longitudinal extent of it is of 74° 42’ east to 76° 15’ east. It covers an area of 15,021 square Kms. and has a population of 3224034 as per 1991 census. It ranks 6th in area and 7th in population amongst the 30 districts in the state.2 With the re-organisation of states in 1956, the district was included in the Bombay state and since 1960 it became a part of Maharashtra. At the time of 1991 census, the district comprised on 11 talukas which in themselves included 1110 inhabited villages and 10 towns during the decade 1981-91 there was no jurisdictional changes till the reference date of first March 1991. There has been certain changes as to the number of villages within the tehsils during the decade of 1971-81 eight villages from Barshi tehsil transferred 3 Census oflndia, Maharashtra State: Solapur district. 1991. -2- to Osmanabad tehsil of Osmanabad district and Sangola tehsil of added in the Solapur district 1961. The new villages added in the districts and tehsils during 1981-91. Eight villages gathered in the north Solapur tehsils, Barshi tehsils added the two villages Akkalkot tehsil added the nine villages. South Solapur tehsil added the two villages. Mangalwedha tehsil added the two villages. Pandharpur tehsil added the two villages, Sangola tehsil added the fifteen villages. Malshiras tehsil added the six villages with the upgrading of hamlets / wadis in the district. The number of villages have gone up to 1110 including 6 uninhabited, whereas the number of towns in the district remains the same as therein.3 ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF SOLAPUR Solapur is generally pronounced as Solapur. The word Solapur seems to be derived from the word ‘Sola’ meaning sixteen and ‘pur’ meaning villages. It is said that Solapur is consisted of sixteen villages. Earlier these were as follows: (1) Adilpur, (2) Ahmaddpur, (3) Chapladev, (4) Fatepur, (5) Jamdarwadi, (6) Kaljapur, (7) Khadrapur, (8) Khanderavkiwadi, (9) Muhammadpur, (10) Ranapur, (11) Sandalapur, (12) Shaikpur, (13) Solapur, (14) Sonalgi, (15) Sonapur and (16) Vaikawadi.4 However, the research indicates that the name of Solapur or Sholapur is derived not from the congregation of sixteen villages. There is an evidence that the inscription of Shivyogi Shri Siddheshwar of the time of Kalchuris of Kalyani that the town was called Sonnalge and this town was known as Somra/agi up to the time of Yadavas. A Sanskrit 3 Ibid. 4 Jakkal V.N.: History of Solapur city (Solapur 1927) (Marathi), p.4. -3- inscription dated 1316 A.D. found at Kamati in Mohol taluka shows that this town was known as Sonalipur.5 He was a Guana-Yogi Siddharama, a native of Sonnalige (Modern Solapur) was another great writer of Vachanas. He was a Karma-Yogi 6 One of the inscriptions found in Solapur fort shows that the town was called Sonalapur. It is therefore most probable that during the course of time the name Solapur was evolved by dropping ‘Na’ from the 1 Sonalapur’. During the British period the administrators pronounced and spelt Solapur or Sholapur. Today again it is pronounced and spelt as Solapur. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: No archaeological excavations have yet been undertaken anywhere in the Solapur district. We have no definite knowledge of the pre-historical and post-historical periods of this area. But from excavations carried out by the Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute Pune, of Jorwe and Nevasa in the adjoining districts of Admednagar, we can glean infonnation about pre-historical and post-historical periods. This may be equally same in respect of the Solapur district. From these excavations it appears that the first man began to live in central Maharashtra in the early Paleolithic period (circa 150,000 1 B.C.) We know mere about the next Chalcolitic period (circa 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.) This period is marked by refined michroliths-trapezes lunates and two edged blades of cheroot and chalcedony in association with an ochre-washed orange coloured pottery occasionally painted with red or black bands. 5 Gazetteer of India. Maharashtra State: Solapur district. 1977, p. 1. 6 Basavaraja (Dr.) K.R.: History and culture of Karnataka, p.565. -4- The central part of the Deccan was divided into several countries known by different names. The region on the north of the Godavari, now included in the Aurangabad district was known by the name of Malwa. This country together with its capital Pratishana is mentioned in the Pali literature Pralishthana (Modem Paithan) in the Aurangabad district, later became the capital of the Satavahanas. To the north of Malwa lay the country of Rishika now called Khandesh. Along the southern bank of the Godavari extended the country of Ashmaka {Pali Assaka) and Malwa which comprised the modem Ahmednagar and Bhir districts. Later this country came to be included in Kuntala which extended to the south. In early times Kuntala was probably included in the larger country called Maharashtra, comprised the Satara and Solapur districts. These districts later on came to be known as Manadesha which is named in some records of the age of Yadavas. Coming to historical times, we find that this country was included in the empire of Ashoka. After the overthrown of the Maurya dynasty in Circa 187 B.C. The imperial throne in Pataliputra was occupied by Senapati Pushyamitra, the founder of the Shunga dynasty. Vidarbha was then ruled by Yajanasena who had imprisoned his cousin Madhavasena, who was a rival claimant. Agnimitra intervened in this dispute and divided the country between the two cousins. They probably were the feudatories of the Satvahanas.7 The historical background of Solapur district is not traceable but it is said that it was under the rule of Satvahanas. Andhra Bhrutya in 90 B.C. to 300 A.D whose capital was Paithan. After Andhra Bhrutya it was under regime of Chalukya upto 760 1 Maharashtra State Gazetteer: Solapur district, p.38. A.D. Rashtrakuta upto 973 A.D. Upto 1184 A D. Solapur district. Again in the kingdom of later Chalukya and then the kingdom of Yadhavas of Devagiri. Due to defeat of Yadavas of Devgiri Solapur city had come under the Muslim regime Bhamani upto 1375 whose capital was Bahamini Gulbarga. Bahamani regime became weak in due course and then Adilshahi was established at Bijapur and Nizamshahi at Ahmednagar and Solapur city was included in the Nizamshahi in 1497 A D.8 However, Solapur city never got a chance to become capital although it had a fort. This fort and city had to face many battles between Nizamshahi and Adilshahi from 1497 A.D. to 1599 and from 1599 to 1753 A.D. It was under the rule of Mughuls Nizamshahi, Adilshahi and again Moghuls and Nizamshahi one after another. But after 1758 Nanasaheb Peshwa conquered it and brought under Maratha rule. Upto 1814 A.D. Solapur was important and strong military centre under the Maratha power. Solapur city and district also resisted British rule. Solapur city also played important role in Freedom Movement of India.