Chapter - 2 Dhar District: A Profile This chapter deals with the profile of Dhar District, area of the present research. It incorporates the detailed description regarding topography, climate, flora, fauna, people, their culture, religion, social and economic aspects, infrastructure and various development interventions of the district. For a comprehensive understanding of the study area the data has been compared with the other districts of the region. These districts are - Jhabua, Ratlam and West Nimar (Khargone). The present chapter has been divided in two main part - 1. Physical features and 2. Socio-economic features. 2.1 PHYSICAL FEATURES 2.1.1 Location Dhar district is situated in South - Western part of Madhya Pradesh. It lies between the parallels of 22° 1' 14" and 23° 9' 49" North and meridians of 74° 28' 27" and 75° 42' 43" East. In shape it resembles [44] an irregular pentagon. The district is bounded by Ratlam and Ujjain districts in the North, Barwani in the South and by Khargone (West Nimar) in the South - East. Indore lies to the East and North - East of the district and Jhabua to the West. Map 2.1 shows the location of Dhar District in Madhya Pradesh and Map 2.2 shows the Dhar District in general. 2.1.2 Topography The district extends over three physiographic divisions. They are the Malwa plateau in the north, the Vindhyachal range in the central zone and the Narmada Valley along the southern boundary. However the valley is again closed up by the hills in the southwestern part. Map 2.3 shows the physical features of Dhar District. 2.1.3 The Vindhyachal Range A part of the Vindhyas (range) extends in the District in a crescentic belt generally from southeast to northwest. The range is represented by a strip of hilly area five to ten kilometers in width. It is about five kilometer wide near village Dani near the southeastern boundary. Near Mogroba in the centre it is about ten kilometres further widening to twenty kilometres west of Tanda. To the west of Bagh and Kukshi the range stands disconnected by the valleys of the Esai and Hatni. |45] Map 2.1: Location of Dhar District in Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (District Map) Rajasthan Chhattisgarh Map net to Scale ^^ State Boundary -^— District Boundaty ® State Capital • Distcict Headquarter [46] Map 2.2: Dhar District in General Dhar N (Madhya Pradesh) Vv - "^^'^ Ujjain I KodO BafKiandalo O Bidwal V^Nagda Da*, gaon \^-^ OKesul "' Rajgarh P^saiQ -Qardawad ^ mSardarpur ' Jhabua RargnodxJ ^ndhcn ^ ^<? O/iar -AOBagii Behaid3' Q - J Bagh Caves O "*^" ; Nimkhera Nalchap ndto Scale r—^ ?L BaKvari i r.'andiJ(? District Boundaiy River National Highway State Highway Singhana ">o-.^harmapuri Kha'ighat Road — Bakaro?"^ ,,^^ O f Railway Track Chika da —^' i'^ ^ West Tiekkmg Routes <s^^i-^V Nimar ® District Headquarter Taluk Headquarter Badwani o Town [47] Map 2.3: Physical features of Dhar District TTtEHS (Mf> [48] It restarts along the Narmada in the southwest. The northern spur forms the boundary between the Sardarpur tehsil and Jhabua district. Another spur extends towards Jhabua in the northwest. The great Vindhyachai range extends generally from west to east and scraps at most of its length towards the south. In Dhar also the southward escarps are well marked, the wall rising from 400 to 600 meters. However, in the western part their faces have been eroded back into long and deep rugged valleys of the tributaries of Narmada. In fact the strong currents of the small streams on the steep southern side have cut back at their heads. As a result of this now the numerous streams of the Narmada valley find their sources on the Malwa plateau. In the eastern and central parts of the Vindhyachai in Dhar the main hill range is continuous but in the west it is dissected by deep channels of the rivulets. The range slopes towards the north and gradually meets the Malwa plateau. Numerous spurs also extend over the Malwa Plateau in the north. The highest peak of the district, Magraba (751.03 meters) lies in the central part. Nilkanth (702.26 meters) lies further east and the Shikarpura hill rises up to 698.91 meters. The famous historical fort of Mandogarh towers the flat topped hill above 600 meters, from the mean sea level. 149] 2.1.4 The Malwa Plateau The northern half of the district lies on the Malwa Plateau. It covers the northern parts of Dhar, Sardarpur and Badnawar tehsils. The average elevation of the plateau is 500 meters above the mean sea level. The land is undulating with a few scattered flat topped hills roughly aligned between the valleys from south to north. The general slope is towards the north. The valleys are covered with the black cotton soil of varying thickness, mostly adopted for cultivation. The mounds may bear gravels or the underlain sandstone rocks may have been exposed. The plateau covers an area of about 466,196.83 hectares in the district. 2.1.5 The Narmada Valley Below the Vindhyan Scarps lies the narrow valley of the Narmada. It occupies the southern part of the district in Manawar tehsil and the southeastern part of Kukshi tehsil. The width of the valley is 15 to 30 kms. The elevation varies from 275 meters in the northern part of Manawar tehsil to 150 meters in the low plain of Nisarpur in the southwest. To the east between Khalghat and Bakaner the valley is undulating, wider, more open and fertile with the alluvial cover. Proceeding westwards the valley is studded with hills alternatively cut up by numerous streams which join the Narmada along the southern boundary of the District. The result is that there are few stretches and pockets of alluvium land along the streams. [50] 2.1.6 The Rivers The southern part of the district lies in the catchment area of the Narmada which forms the southern boundary. The northeastern part is drained by the Chambal and its tributaries. It forms the catchment area of the Ganga. The northwestern part drains into the Mahi. The water dividing line between the Narmada and the Chambal is marked by the northern fringe of the Vindhyachal range. The waters of the Chambal and the Mahi are separated by the offshoot range which runs along the Sardarpur-Jhabua boundary. Chambal is the most important river of Malwa region which flows through Indore district. Initially it has a north westerly course and flows through Dhar District for 17 kilometer separating the Sagar projection in the east. The river then turns to the north and forms the eastern boundary for about 10 kilometres. The river further flows into Ujjain, Ratlam, and Mandsaur districts of Madhya Pradesh while forming the northern boundary of Gwalior Division. The river then turns into a tributary of Yamuna. The Mahi river flows from the northern slopes of the Gomampur hills in Sardarpur tehsils. It flows due north and forms the northwestern boundary of Sardarpur tehsil. The river is joined by the Bageri Nala from the right before it leaves the District. Thence it takes a northwesterly course in Ratlam District. After crossing the Banswara District of Rajasthan the river takes an acute turn towards the southwest and enters into the Bay of Khambhat. [51] The other rivers in the district are Karam, Man, Wagh and Uri. These rivers join the Narmada in their later stages. 2.1.7 Minerals The limestones found usually in the district are nodular and coralline limestones. These are used for lime-burning. The slabs of gneisses are used in the construction of houses, lining of the wall, etc. The trap rock is best suited for road metal and is extensively used in the area. At places limestones, like the trap rock, are also used for the same purpose. Occurrences of zeolites (mostly stibite type) and semi precious stones like agate, chalcedony, opal, amethyst, and other forms of silica are sporadic. The zeolites find use in water-softening and petroleum refineries, etc. The crypto-crystalline forms of sillica are mostly used in jewelry and interior decoration. Iron ore in the form of irregular masses of breccia, with matrix of brown haematite, are found at Bag and west of Indwan. Ground water occurs mostly in the weathered mantle and very insignificantly along the rifts, grains, and the horizontal joints. Thicker the weathered mantle and coarser the underlying boundary horizon of sheared gneisses and granites, richer is the groundwater potential. The yield from an individual well is 1000 gallons generally but never exceeding 5000 gallons per day. [52] 2.1.8 Climate The average annual rainfall in the district is 897.4 mm. The southern and southeastern part of the district gets less rainfall than elsewhere but in the southern parts in the region of Mandu rainfall is very much higher. The rainfall varies from 696.2 mm. to 1217.8 mm. About 91 per cent of the annual rainfall in the district is received during the southwest monsoon season, July being the rainiest month. The variation in the annual rainfall from year to year in the district is large. In the 50 year period, 1901 to 1950, the highest annual rainfall amounting to 153 per cent of the normal occurred in 1919. The lowest annual rainfall which was only 39 per cent of the normal occurred in 1911. In these 50 years the annual rainfall in the district was less than 80 per cent of the normal in 14 years. 2.1.9 Temperature and Humidity There is no meteorological observatory in the District. The description which follows is mainly based on the records of the observatories in the neighbouring districts where the climatic conditions are similar to those in the district.