43-429: Vidarbha (Pronunciation: [ʋid̪əɾbʱə] ) is a geographical region in the west Indian state of Maharashtra . Forming the eastern part of the state, it comprises Amravati (earlier Berar ) and Nagpur divisions. As per the 2011 Census , the region had a population of 23,003,179. The region occupies 31.6% of the total area and is home to 21.3% of the total population of Maharashtra. Situated in central India, it borders
86-456: A thermal power station , which is one of the biggest in India. There are other heavy industries and mines in the region. The region has mineral resources with coal and manganese , the major minerals. Iron ore and limestone have also been identified as potential mining resources. Chandrapur district contributes 29% of all mineral output of Maharashtra. Cricket is the most popular sport in
129-477: A city in the western region experiences temperatures around 35-40 °C in summers and 7-12 °C on winters. Gujarat also has a warm climate with hot summers and cool winters. Marathi , Gujarati and Kokani are widely spoken languages in Western India. The majority follow Hinduism and there are significant minority who follow Islam and smaller number who follow Christianity . There are also
172-405: A collector's office which is responsible for day-to-day administration. The District Collector is a Central Indian Government IAS appointee who is in charge of the governance of a district in a state. Vidarbha has a total population of 23,003,179 according to the 2011 India census. The region occupies 31.6% of the total area and is home to 21.3% of the total population of Maharashtra. According to
215-585: A few indigenous Jews called the Bene Israel who speak Marathi . The Parsees who settled in Gujarat made Mumbai and Surat their home. Significant percentages of Jains and Buddhists can be found too. Most Christians live in the state of Goa. Overall, 83.66% of the population is Hindu , 10.12% Muslim , 4% Buddhist with Christians in Goa and Maharashtra making up the majority of the remainder. Marathi,
258-549: Is a hill station and popular tourist destination. Vidarbha has ten Lok Sabha constituencies. Nagpur district has two seats Nagpur and Ramtek , while Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituency is spread across districts of Chandrapur , Gadchiroli and Gondia . Yavatmal and Washim districts form part of Yavatmal–Washim Lok Sabha constituency . Other seats include Akola , Amravati , Bhandara , Buldhana , Gondia , and Wardha . Amravati and Ramtek seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, while Gadchiroli-Chimur
301-405: Is a unique blend of Indian and Portuguese cultures, as a result of it formerly being part of Portuguese India for 450 years. The state is popular amongst tourists for its beaches, Goan cuisine , temples , churches and architecture . The Churches and Convents of Goa have been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO . The cuisine of Western India is diverse. Maharashtrian cuisine
344-501: Is around 76%, higher than the national average of 70.5%. The population density is around 290 per square km. The average fertility rate is about 2.2, while the average household size is about 4.7. The states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa are culturally varied and distinct. Maharashtrian culture derives from the ancient Hindu Vedic culture influenced deeply by the Maratha Empire. Maharashtrians take great pride in
387-429: Is diverse and ranges from bland to fiery hot. Pohay , Shrikhand , Pav bhaji and Vada pav are good examples of Maharashtrian cuisine . Goan cuisine is dominated by the use of rice, coconut, seafood, kokum and cashew-nuts. With its distinct spices and medium of cooking as coconut oil, both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian cuisine is equally popular. Gujarati cuisine is almost exclusively vegetarian. Gujarat
430-460: Is one of three states in India, with prohibition on alcohol, along with Mizoram and Manipur . In contrast, Maharashtra has some of the best vineyards in India , with Nashik and Sangli districts being the country's biggest grape-producing districts. The region generates 24.00% of the national GDP of the country, with an annual growth rate of 14.5% as of 2006. The states generate about 23% of
473-456: Is opposed by Shiv Sena , one of the major regional political parties in the state. Political economist Shrikant Jichkar opposed the separation of the region from Maharashtra, stating that it was not sustainable. He noted that income from available natural resources would not be able to balance the subsidies given by the government, whose cooperation would be vital to any development and that the division introduces societal risks due to dividing of
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#1732782975831516-559: Is reserved for Scheduled Tribes . In the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly , the region is represented by 62 Vidhan Sabha seats. The Vidarbha movement started in the 1930s demanding a separate state of Vidarbha. The demand has been raised at times due to perceived neglect of the region by the Government of Maharashtra . While the demand is supported by major political parties BJP and Congress , it
559-400: Is the most widely spoken language in Western India with about 73 million speakers, followed by Gujarati with about 46 million speakers and Konkani 2.5 million speakers, all of which are Indo-Aryan languages . As in other parts of India, a high level of multilingualism is seen with English and Hindi being spoken as additional languages in urban areas. The average literacy rate of West India
602-422: Is widely spoken. Hindu festivals like Holi , Diwali and Dasara are celebrated throughout the region. The Nagpur Central Museum ( est. 1863) maintains collections from the region. The GDP of the region is estimated to be ₹ 5,445.4 billion (US$ 65 billion) 2022-23. The region also holds considerable mineral resources and forest cover. The region is economically under developed compared to
645-494: Is widely spoken. There have been demands for a separate state of Vidarbha, due to perceived neglect from the Government of Maharashtra . While the demand is supported by major political parties BJP and Congress , it is opposed by Shiv Sena , one of the major regional political parties in the state. According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata and other Puranic scriptures, princess Rukmini considered to be an incarnation of
688-638: The Ain-i-Akbari , the region was part of Berar Subah , known as the Gulshan-e-Berar in the Medieval period . In 1680, the region was captured by Sambhaji , the son of Shivaji who was the founder of Maratha empire . In 1724, following a battle at Buldana , Asaf Jah defeated the Mughal governor and declared independence. Most of the region came under the nominal rule of Jah, who later became
731-679: The Deccan Plateau with South and Central India . In ancient history, Western India was divided into three great states according to Hwen Thsang , namely Sindh (which comprised the whole valley of the Indus from the Punjab to the sea, including the Delta and the island of Kutch ), Gurjara (which comprised Western Rajputana and the Indian Desert ), and Balabhi (which comprised
774-709: The Mahi , Narmada , Tapi , Godavari , Zuari , Mandovi , Krishna , Ghaggar , Chambal and many other smaller tributaries of other rivers. The climate varies between tropical monsoon , tropical savanna , semi arid and desert . The coastal regions experience little seasonal variations although the temperatures range between 20 °C to 38 °C. Mumbai and northern Konkan regions experience cooler winters with minimum temperatures hovering around 12 °C. Interior Maharashtra experiences hot summers with maximum temperatures averaging 40 °C and mild winters with minimum temperatures averaging about 10 °C. Pune,
817-651: The Maratha Empire , and many places in Maharashtra are named after the founder of the Empire, Shivaji . Marathi literature and cinema are popular in the state as well as across India. Bollywood has had a huge impact on the lifestyle and culture of this part of India as the industry is primarily located in Mumbai. Gujarati culture is a blend of Indian culture and foreign influence. It has been influenced by
860-473: The Ministry of Culture and some historians also include the state of Rajasthan . The Geological Survey of India includes Maharashtra but excludes Rajasthan whereas Ministry of Minority Affairs includes Karnataka but excludes Rajasthan . Madhya Pradesh is also often included and Haryana , western Uttar Pradesh and southern Punjab are sometimes included. Western India may also refer to
903-720: The Nizam of Hyderabad , though the administration and right of collecting chauth were held by the Marathas. In 1803, following the defeat of the Marathas, the region came under the rule of British East India Company . Later, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. After Indian Independence in 1947, the region was part of the Bombay State . After
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#1732782975831946-511: The Parsis , who migrated to Gujarat from Persia about a 1000 years ago. Gujarat also saw Turkic and Mughal conquests, as well as a constant stream of back and forth migrations to and from Sindh and Rajasthan, which helped shape the unique cultural landscape of the state. Cultural Events like Rann Utsav, International Kite Festival and Global Garba festivals have been started in Gujarat to showcase its culture internationally. Goa's culture
989-539: The States Reorganisation Act , which re-organized state boundaries, majority of the region became part of Maharashtra . Vidarbha lies in Central India on the northern part of the Deccan Plateau . It borders the state of Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the south and Marathwada and Uttar Maharashtra regions of Maharashtra to the west. It lies in
1032-754: The Vaghela dynasty , the Gujarat Sultanate , and the Delhi Sultanate . Thereafter, the area was under Mughal rule. Later, the Maratha Empire which arose in western Maharashtra came to dominate a major portion of the Indian sub-continent. However, its defeat by the British in the Anglo-Maratha wars left most of India under colonial rule. The region then experienced great upheavals during
1075-427: The peninsula of Gujarat , with a small portion of the adjacent coast). Before the partition of India , the now-Pakistani territories of Sindh and Balochistan were also included in this region. In art history, the term normally covers just Gujarat and Rajasthan, which tend to move together in terms of style. Western India has the second-largest gross domestic product of any region in India. Parts of Gujarat were
1118-1031: The rain shadow region of the Western Ghats and the terrain is largely flat. The Satpura Range lies to the north of Vidarbha region with Melghat in Amravati district forming part of the southern offshoot of the Satpura Range. Large basaltic rock formations exists throughout the region, part of the 66-million-year-old volcanic Deccan Traps . Bhandara and Gondia district are entirely occupied by metamorphic rock and alluvium, making their geology unique in Maharashtra. The Poorna river basin lies in Western Vidarbha and comprises Akola , Amaravati and Buldhana districts . The region has extremely high innate soil and water salinity. Vidarbha has 11 districts divided into two divisions: Amravati (earlier Berar ) and Nagpur divisions. Each district has
1161-410: The tax revenues of the country. More than 85% of the households have access to electricity with about 55% owning a television. Agriculture employs most people in the region, while services have largest share in the total GDP. 19°00′00″N 74°09′00″E / 19.0000°N 74.1500°E / 19.0000; 74.1500 Hindu epic Too Many Requests If you report this error to
1204-641: The 2011 census, Hinduism was the principal religion in the state at 76.91% of the total population, while Buddhists constituted 13.08 of the total population. Vidarbha accounts for 45.91% of total Buddhists in Maharashtra . The largest city in the region is Nagpur and other major towns include Amravati , Akola , Chandrapur and Gondia . As per the 2011 census, 73.72% of the population speaks Marathi , 8.30% Hindi , 6.23% Urdu , 2.58% Lambadi , 1.83% Gondi , 1.10% Korku and 1.02% Telugu as their first language. Varhadi and Zadi dialects of Marathi
1247-551: The Marathi-speaking state. West India Goa: Gujarat: Maharashtra: Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of western states of Republic of India . The Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative division includes the states of Goa , Gujarat , and Maharashtra along with the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu , while
1290-500: The Re-organization of Indian states, majority of the region became part of Maharashtra in 1960. The GDP of the region is estimated to be ₹ 5,445.4 billion (US$ 65 billion) 2022-23. The economy of the region is largely dependent on agriculture with oranges and cotton being the major crops. The region also holds considerable mineral resources and forest cover. The region is economically under developed compared to
1333-654: The goddess Lakshmi and the wife of lord Krishna , was born to Bhishmaka, the king of the Vidarbha kingdom. Vidarbha was part of the Satavahana Empire during 1st to 2nd century CE), ascertained by the Satavahana coins found in Pauni . The coins and inscriptions from the period of Paramara king Jagadeva have been found in the northern parts the region. An inscription discovered at Jainad names Jagadeva as
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1376-525: The northern semi arid region and the southern humid region submerge. The Western Ghats lie along the coast of South Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. The Deccan plains of the Vidarbha , Marathwada in central and eastern Maharashtra define the rest of the region. The vegetation varies from tropical rainforests along the Konkan coast to thorny bushes and shrubs in northern Gujarat. The rivers in this region are
1419-517: The period of Paramara king Jagadeva , the son of the Udayaditya (reigned c. 1060–1086) have been found in the northern parts the region. According to the Ain-i-Akbari , the region was part of Berar Subah , in the Medieval period . In 1680, the region was captured by Sambhaji , the son of Shivaji , who was the founder of Maratha empire . In 1724, Asaf Jah , who later became the Nizam of Hyderabad , declared independence and brought most of
1462-407: The region under his nominal rule. The administration and right of collecting taxes were held by the Marathas. In 1803, following the defeat of the Marathas, the region came under the rule of British East India Company . Later, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. After Indian Independence in 1947, the region was part of the Bombay State . After
1505-549: The region, with corruption rampant in the region. Columnist and journalist P Sainath opined that the relief packages were destined to fail as corruption in the government meant that little impact happened on the ground. Nagpur is a major hub for business and healthcare. MIHAN is the major cargo hub in the region, operational out of Nagpur Airport . Nagpur also hosts Information Technology Special Economic Zone (IT SEZ). for information-technology companies. Amravati and Yavatmal are known for cotton production. Chandrapur has
1548-798: The region. Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground (VCA) hosted international cricket matches. In 2008, the new Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium was built in Jamtha. The eastern part of Vidarbha consists of Maharashtra's oldest National Park , the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve , one of the Project Tiger Reserves . Shegaon is a place of pilgrimage with temples attributed to the Hindu saint Gajanan Maharaj who lived there. Chikhaldara in Amravati district
1591-462: The rest of Maharashtra with considerable poverty and malnutrition . The economy of the region is largely dependent on agriculture with oranges and cotton being the major crops. Agriculture is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons and the region receives very less rainfall. Droughts and famines are common with more than 1.4 lakh farmer suicides in the period 1997 to 2006. Though Government of India has provided relief packages aimed at
1634-521: The rest of Maharashtra with considerable poverty and malnutrition . Agriculture is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons and the region receives very less rainfall due to its location in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats . Droughts and famines are common with more than 1.4 lakh farmer suicides in the period 1997 to 2006. The largest and major city in the region is Nagpur and other major towns include Amravati , Akola , Chandrapur and Gondia . Varhadi and Zadi dialects of Marathi
1677-654: The site of Indus Valley civilisation . Places have been uncovered in Gujarat at Lothal , Surkotada , and around Ghaggar river in Rajasthan . The Western Indian region was ruled by the Rashtrakuta Empire, the Maurya Empire, the Gupta Empire , Rajputs , Satavahanas , Western Satraps , Indo Greeks , Kadambas etc. in the ancients times. During the medieval age, the area was under the rule of
1720-643: The son of the Paramara king Udayaditya (reigned c. 1060–1086). Scholar M. H. Krishna argued that the Chalukya king Someshvara was known by the title "Jagadeva" ("Lord of the world") in the northern part of his kingdom, and it was he who issued these coins. However, all the known Chalukya coins featured Kannada script , while the coins of Jagadeva featured the Nagari script used by the Paramaras. According to
1763-429: The state of Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the south and Marathwada and Uttar Maharashtra regions of Maharashtra to the west. According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata , Rukmini , the wife of lord Krishna , was born to Bhishmaka , the king of the Vidarbha kingdom. Vidarbha was part of the Satavahana Empire during 1st to 2nd century CE). The coins and inscriptions from
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1806-455: The struggle for Indian Independence . Gandhi 's Dandi March took place in Gujarat. The region became part of independent India in 1947, and the present state boundaries were drawn based on linguistic considerations in 1956. The region consists of the predominantly arid to semi-arid region of Saurashtra and Kutch in the North. The region South of that of Cambay and Southern Gujarat makes
1849-634: The western half of India, i.e. all the states west of Delhi and Chennai , thus also including Punjab , Kerala and surrounding states. The region is highly industrialised, with a large urban population . Roughly, Western India is bounded by the Thar Desert in the north, the Vindhya Range in the east and north and the Arabian Sea in the west. A major portion of Western India shares the Thar Desert with North India and Pakistan and
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