ei»M^f§^'i^ 107 CHAPTER - V HISTOEICAL OVERVIEW OF JALGAOW CITY waasasaii' i .I'l"!' ' .t.vf ",i« :MU , „': ;,; , "'ii,,,';.," n '•-, , ,1, ,„„.,«. ini,' ". '!'iT.ia:r,,r": Indian History is an ancient one; and the heritage is rich and glorious. India boasts of rich and glorious ancient history. It has been handed do««n to us by age to age* For a doepor understanding it is necessary to take a icmg running start in history and to view the city in historical - perspective. History and archeology teach us that,since time inm«oorial the city has been the centre of civilisation by which the surrounding region has been raised from barbarism to culture. Sci«nce and art» philosophy and higher religic«i may indeod be regarded as the natural products of city life. The history of Jalgaon City however, does not dateback much. Like most other Indian cities, *Jalgaon' city is an accretion of timt Railway «MIS first introduced to Jilg^on during 1860. Great cotton mart of Khandesh was in limelight during 1862. Jalgaon Municipality was established in 1864. This event is viewed as the c(Miunencement of organizational change through the agency of the British - administrative ccmplex. By 1964 India was well on the way to modernization. Laying of the foundaticm stone of Khandesh Spinning and Weaving Mill in 1874, the opening of the first Marathi School in 1875 and the publication of the first weekly in Marathi - •PRABODHCH^NDRIKA* in 1880, the opening of the Anglo Vernacular School in 1886, and the establishment of Jalgaon as a Centre of 108 Admtnlstratiai as Tehsll and District Headquarters during 1885 and 1906 raspectivtly, mark the beginning of modernization of Jalgaon. The first meeting was held in i^nicipality during 1908 to elect the representatives for Indian Naticwtal Congress and the opening of the branch of Bank of Bonrijay in Jalgacm took place during 1909. The meeting held during 1910 to start telecoamunica- -tlon service and the triumph of Khandesh Mill Workers in getting bcwnus on their ovm strength in 1916, the laying of the foundaticm stone of Gima Viiater Vi/orks in 1926, and the first Power House put in operation during 1931* these and many more ev^fits are the important milestones in the history of Jalgaon city. The profile of the city today has cc»Dpletely been changed, owing to the vast expanse of educational institutions, public/government offices. Maharashtra as inseparable part of India, and Jalgaon one of the incportant districts in Maharashtra are, but naturally affected by the movemants taking place in Maharashtra in particular and India in general. These various movements have moulded the cultural, historical, political and eccmomic life of Jalgaon. NCMEN-CLATURE : - Maharashtra and Khandesh were ruled by the Mauryas, Shatwahan, Traikutak, Ahir, Wakatak, Chalukya, Rashtrakut and Yadap Dynasties. There are many derivations regarding the etymology of the word *Khandesh'. It is believed that, the word Khandesh is derived from the particular territory known ss -> 'Seun Desh', during the days of Yadayas, However»sorae maintain that, the word Khandesh is adopted after the name of Yadav king called 'Kahner-Deo*. While a few take it as a land under the rule _ 109 of *Faruki-khan* and still others go to prove that, king Akbar*s son Oanlyal ruled over this land and hence it is known as *Oan- desh*. The word Khandesh seems to be a modification of 'Skandha<- Desh*, »Khandar- Desh, ^KaYtn- Desh', etc,^ Khandesh was partly ruled by king *Ahir*, in 5th Century, while partly by 'Vakatakas*. The Capital city was »Vatsa-Gulma*, today known as 'Vashim*. Such type of references are found in stone carvings of Vashim." Khandesh was divided into two parts during the British- regirat; namely Bast-Khandesh (Jalgaon) and W«8t-Khandesh (Dhule). The Central place of the East Khandesh was the city of Jalgaon, Etymologically the name Jalgaon stands for a 'Burning-City* (Jalate Gaon). It became the fact that, Jalgacm was a place of frequent fires and shortage of water fo extinguish, hence the 'Burning City* as believed by many people. However,some trace the root of Jalgaon with the fact that, the brooke passing through Jalgacw was oft&n flooded with abundunt water. (JAL.), Such are the strange derivations of the word Jalgaon.* "^ During the days of king •Shivchhatrapati;(1637 A.D.) a son of Rudrabhata, called 'Som-Daivadnya* a resident of the village Jalgaon wrote a book in Sanskrit entitled *Padhati- Bhushan*. He describes Jalgacwn Chapter-2 hymn 8, from his book - "Jalgaon abounds the *Fulmali* and *Potters* (Kumbhars). It is decorated with number of gardenv and orchards. The birds flock together .1 j to enjoy this beauty. The inhabitants are healthy, because they drink milk through the earthen wares. This is a small town 110 adom«d by art, music and poetry." The description of Jalgaon as 8 cited by Som^-Daivadnya is fully evident today. Jalgaon does not boast of any archeological monuoents or teoqples, nor does it figure prominently in anci«nt history. One can find references to the nearby villagos in the holy books of *Mahanubhavas* such as - Uehrun» Bhadli» Asode» Pioprala etc. And the important papers and the past records of the Marathas do contain the references to Nashirabad, Mamurabad, Tarsod etc.These are nearJby villages to Jalgaon. (>>e can write history of these villages consistantly, difficult though it is in case of Jalgaon. However, the historical background can enable one to write the 9 history of Jalgaon, There were many settlements on this land especially that of Gorakhnath and his followers during the 12th Cwitury, Gopaljan (Milkmen) and their followers of Mahanubhao School (Raul) during the regime of the Yadavas. The land of Jalgaon until the regime of Yadavas was a deserted, barren and covered by thick forests. It was a clan of the milkmen knowi for their loyalty towards the Yadav rule, established their first settlemmt on the land of Jalgaon. During the rule of Yadavas, the Milkmen established their first settlement on the land of Jalgaon. During the rule of Yadavas, the milkmen established their settlements wherever there were green pastures, the land, suitable for the grazing for catties. It was after 1400 A,D. that the milkmen settled down on the land of 'Khandesh*. The Animal-husbandry was their ancestral occupation. This land has been frequently referred as 'Kahndesh' in the old scriptures of the School of Mahanubhavas. ill Qopalpura was the first settlement on the land of Jalgaon. Jalgaon was also knovm as 'Jal-Mehrun* long ago. This part of a land was barren and devoid of water. It was Gorakhnath of the School of Navnath and his followers dug a tank to meet the - scarcity of water forever (12th Century). This tank is still known as a tank of Meharun. There are references about this tank in the old folk-songs known as *Araamath-Sanwad* and 'Nawiath- Fade'. It was during the 15th Century, that the village of i Meharun came into exist«nce, when the tank of Meharun was fully built-up. It was a small village during 1864, known as Jalgaon- j Budruk, that became a taluka place during 1885 and a District head quarter during 1906; and today it has becOTje one of the ' beautiful towns in the State of Maharashtra. The constituti(»i of Municipality has also been changed in the course of time and many cwistitutional changes have been promised by the Government of Maharashtra in the Municipal -laws, that would indeed bring about radical changes in the framework of Municipality. Afterall the autonomy is a soul of the local.self government and the very inspiration is the rule by the people. There are many spheres such as - Industrial, Educational and cultural - development, that came under the function of the Municipality. It follows, therefore, that the constitution that adheres to these objectives can only be acceptable. And the changes that have taken place in the constitution until this date speak a lot, that people ultimately get what they want. Local self-government of course is not an exception. 112 JALGAQN BUDRUK lOQ YEARS AGO AND TOJAY :- JalgacKi Budrulc was a small villag«, even smaller than the village of Meharun. Before I860 A«D. it was known as Meharun Jalgaon. One can find the references about Chopda, Yawal, Dharangaon, Amalner, Pachora, Bhadgaan, Bahal, Erandol, Bornar etc. Villages in the historical documents, but there is no reference to Jalgaon Budruk. One can easily understand therefore, that Jalgaon Budruk must have been a very small village, that came under the Nashirabad Tehsil. A renowned historian Late V.K.. Rajawad**, wrote the history of the Maratha Empire, in which he writes that, during 1786 A.D, there were disputes between Vithoji Bhoite, Aradgaonkar and - Mahadaji Bhoite on the issue of the rights and the previlatges of the Saranjamdars during the rule of Madhaorao Peshava. The verdict of this case , went in favour of Vithoji Bhoite Aradgaonkar. The Marathas lost the battle of Panipat in 1761 and most of the Maratha knights migrated and got scattered. The Bhoites from amcnngst them got settled on the land of Jalgaon; Since then, came to be known as Saranjamdars (Knights) of Jalgaon. It was on 27th January 1770 A.D. that, the dispute 'oetwewi the Amir and Madhavdin Brahman was referred to Thorale Madhaorao. There are references to the leaders of Brahmin Community such as Chopadekar, Pachorekar, Erandolkar, Amalnerkar, Shenduitiikar, Nashirabadkar, Bahalkar etc. however,there is none from Jalgaon. Thus we find that all the above mentioned villages have been 113 referred to, however, there is no reference to the village of Jalgaon.